On Violence

“completely random” would mean a lack of any definite plan, purpose, or pattern. You’ve already provided reasons (quantitative and qualitative) why people love certain schools or teams.

One criterion we know about is simply that some teams are better than others. There are various methods of analysis including the use of numbers that are amenable in terms of determining objectivity.

The repeated reference to America as not objectively the best or any better reads as a bizarre indulgence in literary corporal mortification. Simply asserting this position does little to help its veracity. Also, an innate challenge to objectivity almost certainly would need to come from either a Constructivist or epistemological vantage point.

Luke, you make an interesting point about the assertions of the post. I agree with Michael that one is predisposed to have affinity for the place he or she lives due to association, shared culture, and national or local identity. I will have to disagree with C.S. Lewis as far as his percentage. History will show through patterns of mass migration that there are large populations of people who do not love the land in which they live because of war, famine, or disease.

This flight must indicate displeasure in one’s homeland. If you ask a survivor if they miss their homeland, they may say yes, but actions indicate they prefer where they relocated to.

With regard to the statement that America is not the best or better, I understand you’re meaning. Simply that America does not hold superiority over the rest of the world with regard to individual worth or morality. I can understand Luke’s objection to the wording with consideration to America’s actualized superiority in GDP, military technology, etc.

I think the general assertion is that one team or country or state or whatever is not better than another simply because they believe themselves to be.

Hey, first I’m not the first person “(to debate how “greatest bestAmerica is.). I think discussing the “greatest” of a country is bizarre. I’m simply responding to the people who say this, and pointing out how ridiculous it is to say that.

And most of the reasons we love our sports teams our random, or at the very least have nothing to do with the teams themselves outside of their location. Each reason I pointed out was essentially meaningless.

My larger point still stands. No one loves their country because of metrics or GDP or what not. We love our country because we were born there.

@ Padge – what do you think the percentage is? it certainly is above 99.99%, or do you think more than 1 in every 1000 people dislikes their home country? I know China, America, Europe and India have very low emigration rates, and even emigrants still love their home country.

Yeah the sports situation gets complicated. I mean, how many Yankees and Lakers fans exist because the teams are so good? I see Yankees hats in LA and Kobe gets MVP chants in Philadelphia, what is the deal?

At the same time, LA has Clippers fans. They are the best by no metric. Vikings fans haven’t won a championship in years. So clearly there is a bias, and that bias is location. Eric C asserts that this bias continues to nation-states and I tend to agree.

@Eric – Perhaps the global percentage is as such, however the same percentage cannot be applied to every nation and every population. If all of China approves of their country, 50% of the world has national pride. Such is the problem with statistics. What was the sample size used to obtain that percentage and how many countries were polled. Etc. What I am saying is that on a smaller scope, within individual nations, that percentage does not apply.

With regard to the continued loyalty to a nation post emigration; my assertion is that such approval of the country fled is counter indicated by the act of relocating. For example, many Mexican nationals move to the US for work. They may still love their country and even consider themselves more Mexican than American, however the act of leaving due to a lack of employment is indicative of a preference for the US.

Refugees love their homes, but they don’t prefer remaining and endangering themselves to finding someplace else to live.

@ Matt – Let me just ask you, what percentage of people do you think love the country they were born in?

@ Eric – I think we’re arguing similar points: mainly that the claiming national pride for a country may not actually represent that same loyalty in action.

Well, I agree, people may think they hold more affection for their country than they actually do. This has actually inspired me to write a post.