Patriotism and the Flag

Patriotism attached to a flag is misguided, we attach so much to a piece of cloth that winds up dividing us. Whether it be Union Jack, Tricolour or Gay Pride or whatever it is, this symbolism underlines our insecurities in that as a people we need a sense of identity. The flag issue as raised on this thread is an undercurrent of a bigger issue with that of Northern Ireland and its major problem of how people identify with one and other but the flag issue exemplifies it very well. Consider the British Legion who considers the flag sacrosanct and does not want it politicised. The Union Jack is already politicised through it being hoisted via Britian's imperial and colonial conquests throughout the years, Ireland's tricolour through its use in 1916, the gay pride flag to represent all the gay spectrum. Week in week out we wave these pieces of cloth for some sporting event or political reason to show that we have pride in our country and as a badge of identity, somewhere we can all belong and become part of some larger social group. It feels good, how many times do we get a shive down our back when we watch Ireland beat someone in rugby event, the cheer goes up for the anthem and there are various flags around the stadium with "Jacks Bar in Ballygofukwittery on tour" or some cringeworthy phrase. Far from being positive, flags and other such things as anthems and other symbols which appeal to our tribalistic personalities seek to undermine any sort of effort to build one thing we have in common, we are all members of the human race, all one and others brothers and sister and part of society which we formed, created and which we can drive for the better. Culture, Society, Politics, Economics are all driven by tribalsim and their interactions influence norms and values throughout the society we live. Through these values and norms things like flags become a symbol for a victor or an oppressed people, for those on the margins of soceity or left out in the cold or a sign of supremacy. For what end? The world is divided enough without us all resorting to belong to some sort of tribe as our caveman instincts lead us to become some sort of society fractured by our beliefs of superiority where one piece of cloth takes precedence over other group of people. The anarchists have it right to a degree, we should all strive for this masterless borderless world devoid of pseudo sentimental clap trap like flags, anthems, badges and other overtly nationalistic imagery in its tone.