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About this quote

What does it mean?
Shaw harshly critiques patriotism as a dangerous form of stupidity.
In plain terms
Patriotism is a bad form of idiocy.
What can you take from it?
Be wary of blind national pride.

Where it applies

  • political activism
  • international relations
  • peace movements

Putting it to work

  • challenge nationalist rhetoric
  • promote global view

Questions to consider

  • When does pride become dangerous?
  • How do you balance love for country with reason?

Another view

It may dismiss legitimate cultural pride.

More from George Bernard Shaw

  1. Patriotism is, fundamentally, a conviction that a particular country is the best in the world because you were born in it:

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  2. The average age (life expectancy) of a meat eater is 63. I am on the verge of 85 and still work as hard as ever. I have lived quite long enough and I am trying…

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  3. No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means.

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