Should patriotism be taught in the classroom?

Monday 10th November, 06:04 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 41 Total Comments Show All

Zurg at 02:22 AM JST - 13th November

Patriotism cannot be taught. If you love your country and what its principles stand for, then you are a Patriot. Patriotism must not be forced and rammed down your throat. It is a given.
larryshimokaji at 06:50 AM JST - 13th November

I get JapanToday over the internet and like many in the United States feel that this should be integrated into the schools, but they have to be careful. The reason is that this falls in to a grey area and will upset a large amount of people if they think it is not being taught the way they see it, they is just to many way that people see what the word means
meiwaku at 10:58 AM JST - 13th November

I agree with most here. Give kids a reason to be patriotic by running a good country. You cant justteachit in a classroom. I dont even know how that would work. And good point larryshimokaji. Patriotism has many definitions depending on the the person talking about it. It doesnt only have to be associated with waving a flag or joining the army to go and blow up some foreign place you cant even locate on a map.
meiwaku at 10:59 AM JST - 13th November

Sorry about my font. My messages all come out like that. Must be a problem on my end.
linxi at 03:33 PM JST - 13th November

Never heard of this, but if patriotism is loving your country then I guess it can not be taught. You guys give it a try and lets see.
linxi at 03:35 PM JST - 13th November

Isn't teaching kids the history of their country enough to make them patriotic??
KitsuneYoukai at 12:15 AM JST - 14th November

Absolutely!!!! Yes! I'm not talking about a class on it but through the singing of the national anthem to history class. Being part of your country allows for you to grow and develop with optimism and strength. I am an American raised in a hispanic culture and I early on embraced my American culture as first. It is a very nice thing. All countries have bad times in their developing histories, however, with maturity the mind can handle it but not as a child. Such things should not be taught. Just the surface so to speak. Having that solid ground does a lot for a kid. I am very proud of being an American and about what our founding fathers envisioned and it is America that has given me the opportunities in this life. Like I tell my Japanese friends, 'You should be proud to be Japanese, your country has a lot to be proud of and alot still to offer the world."

Well, that's how I feel about this topic...
gonemad at 12:55 AM JST - 14th November

The answer to the question is a clear "no". There are different definitions of patriotism, sure, but it cannot be defined without segregation from other groups, in this case other nations/countries/people. I can't think of any reason why segregation should be taught to children. Shouldn't we rather teach the contrary?

For those of you who wrote that children should feel proud of something, then why should this be the country? Why should they feel proud of something which they just happen to belong to by accident? It was not their choice to be born in that country. And as children, they haven't even had (much) opportunity to contribute to what they are asked to be proud of. What sense does that make if your target is not indeed the indoctrination of the children?

If you want to teach children of being being proud of something, instead of artificial group segregation teach them all the many things they can do to become proud of themselves.
adaydream at 01:11 AM JST - 14th November

Patriotism is a feeling that has to be from within. I think that the conditions should be set, should be made available to help children feel good about their country.

Since these children are receiving the funds to go to school from the citizens of the country, through the government, they should be taught where they come from in several seminars or classes through the course of going to school. This can also be built into the corriculum (sp) and classes. That's also why we have Civics Classes.

You can't make a child become patriotic, but you can give them the conditions and circumstances to feel it.

It's not the responsibilty of the school. Hopefully they will get these life experiences at home, at school, at church, at scouts..... at any number of places and events. But it should be taught. < :-)
cleo at 10:06 AM JST - 14th November

gonemad -

Excellent post. Couldn't have put it better myself.
Nordon at 05:51 PM JST - 15th November

Whether the question should patriotism be taught in schools, keep this most important thing in mind:

A country must EARN it's patriotism by its people.

NEVER does it DEMAND it from its people, or it is facist government.
Zurg at 12:06 PM JST - 17th November

However, to be a lover of ones country, education must be made to the children of that love. It is very important that the children are told from whom and where they were borned into. As they get older, then truths must come out. This way there are no surprises.
Nordon at 06:32 AM JST - 18th November

Quickest way to promote patriotism, rather than a shallow ham-fisted direct approach of, "Love us because we say so!" is instead emphasizing the ideals, virtues, and values of current Japanese culture and society.

From there, they can decide whether they want to be patriotic or not. If not, then the society needs to work better to earn the child's trust and love.

Don't even ask the question "Are you patriotic?" That's suffocating, and puts peer pressure onto a person to conform.

It mustn't be the government's role to pester or question its citizens if they're patriotic or not, Bush and Cheney's example of governance is regarded by most in our country, and abroad as a failure. They used it as a weapon against their own people, much akin to the era of McCarthyism, but thankfully not nearly as bad at that time.

Regardless, it had a negative effect by stifling thought and criticism of the government's decisions, when problems needed to be pointed at the most critical of times.
Papawhale at 11:42 PM JST - 24th November

I forget who said it but it's very appropriate--"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels". Applied to flag-waving, my country right or wrong 'Merikan citizens (and other countries), this is very true...Why so much Nationalism when the whole planet is your environment?
Aleksan at 10:11 AM JST - 26th December

Should be learn individualy, it's more a feeling then something to be thought.