The Toxicity of Nationalism ... Brexit

He is not British … he is not from the United Kingdom … he is a foreigner … he is different … he is black … who the hell does he think he is … ???
so what he has to say is to be disregarded … ignored … resented … poo pooed … hated … because it comes from the mouth from he who is NOT one of US.
This is the attitude on the part of most British folk towards the well meaning advice by President Barrack Obama about Britain possible exiting the European Union. Alas the reaction is as natural as breathing. He is seen as an intruder. His advice is heard as invasive.
It is a humongous case of the British being “us” and Obama being part of “them”.

It harks back to the time when we were in caves, clinging together, fearful, suspicious and guarded against anything and everything that was different … especially if it dared to step onto our turf. It is the outer wall of our instinct of survival.
The herd sticks together and instinctively relies on and trusts members of the herd; conversely being very averse to others.

In modern parlance we do not refer to the herd, or herd mentality. We now reference this phenomenon as nationalism. The herd instinct and mentality certainly ensured our survival when we were still in caves as insular groups struggling and competing against all kinds of odds, most of which we had very little understanding off.

But we have made incredible progress since then, and the biggest progress we have made is to become infused with understanding as to what is a threat and what is beneficial. We have learnt to discriminate between good and bad, positive and negative, beneficial and malignant.
We do this in our daily lives and mostly we succeed, as individuals, as families, as friends … until the trigger of nationalism is sprung. At that point common sense, reason, tolerance and acceptance of that which is different is resented, railed against and even attacked.

The worst example in modern times was master-minded by Adolf Hitler, and his 3rd Reich. He created the “Nazi” brand and by screeching the language of nationalism managed to induce over 12 million otherwise perfectly good German folk to join. There is no need to burden this post with making the obvious point of just how malevolent the Nazi brand was towards “others”.
The other worst example that is with us right now is ISIS with its uncompromising dogma that Islam be the one and only nation on this planet.

Barrack Obama is just another human being. However, he is a very, very credible human being. He certainly has the credibility to proffer advice to the United Kingdom, especially as the UK is America’s best friend on this planet. In fact, had it not been for America, the UK might well have been overrun by Hitler’s 3rd Reich. So America and the UK are indeed closely bonded.

So why in the name of heaven would you want to resent advice from your best friend?? Surely what you should do is to assess the advice and then accept it, wholly or in part, or reject it … but maintain the mutual respect?? Why is well meaning advice from you best friend making you go mad??
Why the frothing at the mouth, stamping of feet, hissy fit and fanny wobbles?? None other than the Mayor of London, and possible future Prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, became so irrational as to even drag Obama’s ethnicity into the equation. WOW!!!! It is mind boggling!!!!

I would say to Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage that President Obama is not the enemy and you are not Winston Curchill making "we will fight on the beaches ... " speech. It is NOT time for British nationalism.

Polls are showing that the majority of British people resent Obama ’s advice. It is nationalism that has been triggered. Nationalism is never a good thing.

It is the same malady that has infused the Republican camp. America now has its own and new version of Hitler.

PS: Clinton thanked her own supporters and said, “To all the people who supported Senator Sanders, I believe there is much more than unites us than divides us.”
That lady is right!!!!

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