How Nations Make Up National Identities | NYT - The Interpreter

The Nugget

National identity is a constructed myth that emerged from modernity, emphasizing shared language, culture, and borders which often hides the complexity of human identity and community.
This myth can foster unity but also opens pathways to conflict, militarism, and discrimination against those who don't fit its narrative.

Make it stick

🌍 National identity is not intrinsic; it developed from historical changes in society.
📰 Newspapers and trains made nations feel smaller, emphasizing a shared identity.
⚔️ National identity often leads to hostility towards outsiders, especially in competitive contexts like sports.
🏙️ Urban migration demanded a common language, reshaping identities from local to national.

National identity began as a constructed narrative, not an inherent quality of nations.
Before the French Revolution, many in France spoke different languages, showing a disconnect between language, ethnicity, and national borders.
Post-modern nations invent myths to justify their existence and unify various ethnic and linguistic groups.

Urban migration - People moved to cities and required a mutual language.
Technological advancements - Innovations like the printing press and railroads connected people, creating a sense of shared space.
Warfare evolution - Large-scale wars required citizens to feel invested in their nations' outcomes.
Challenge to religious authority - Governments sought to replace the power held by religious institutions with national loyalty and identity.

Viewing national events as personal experiences can lead to altered self-esteem based on national victories or defeats (e.g., reactions to "Rocky IV").
Societal conflicts can stem from a collective desire to dominate, particularly when national identity feels threatened.
The trend of nations attacking abroad often correlates with their participation in international sports events, indicating that nationalism shapes aggressive foreign policies.

Post-World War II, the notion of a melting pot identity in the U.S. arose, emphasizing shared values over ethnic or racial origins.
Historical challenges to this idea show that national identity can revert to exclusionary measures, prioritizing race and language.
The current global debate centers on defining national identity – whether it will embrace diversity or revert to ethnocentric models.

"Nationality is the myth that built the modern world, but it also primes us for dictatorship, racism, genocide."
"Nations can’t admit they’re made up, so they invent a national mythology that says they’ve been like this forever."
"National identity changes our reality. We experience whatever happens to our nation as if it happened to us."
"Building a world based on shared values really means creating a new myth."
"The national myth is powerful. We fight for a common past and a common future."

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.