Poetry – Flags, Anthems and Pledges

Posted on by Opher

Flags, Anthems and Pledges

Flags, anthems and pledges

Brainwashing instruments

That restrict freedoms.

Nationalist fascism,

Flaky around the edges,

Warlords and fiefdoms.

Tying us in to allegiance

To forces that exploit our desires.

Strangulating our freedoms

With their economic empires.

Consumer units under control

Slotted into the patriotic hole.

Opher 26.12.2017

As Samuel Johnson said – Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

Patriotism, with its entire flag waving tribalism, is nothing more than a fiction to manipulate people by. It comes straight out of its partner nationalism and is the cause of much war and conflict.

Populist politicians use it to gain power. Businessmen harness it to gain profit.

It is visceral not cerebral and it panders to the gut rather than the brain. Many a brave lad full of ideals has been beguiled and used. Many a brave lad has returned with his legs blown off, his mind scrambled and his future in tatters all for the love of a notion of country. To quote the great Wilfred Owen (himself a victim twice over) – The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.

Poetry – Flags, Anthems and Pledges

Posted on by Opher

Flags, Anthems and Pledges

Flags, anthems and pledges

Brainwashing instruments

That restrict freedoms.

Nationalist fascism,

Flaky around the edges,

Warlords and fiefdoms.

Tying us in to allegiance

To forces that exploit our desires.

Strangulating our freedoms

With their economic empires.

Consumer units under control

Slotted into the patriotic hole.

Opher 26.12.2017

As Samuel Johnson said – Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

Patriotism, with its entire flag waving tribalism, is nothing more than a fiction to manipulate people by. It comes straight out of its partner nationalism and is the cause of much war and conflict.

Populist politicians use it to gain power. Businessmen harness it to gain profit.

It is visceral not cerebral and it panders to the gut rather than the brain. Many a brave lad full of ideals has been beguiled and used. Many a brave lad has returned with his legs blown off, his mind scrambled and his future in tatters all for the love of a notion of country. To quote the great Wilfred Owen (himself a victim twice over) – The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.

Flags Anthems and Pledges – A poem about brainwashing

Posted on by Opher

Flags, Anthems and Pledges

 

Flags, anthems and pledges

Brainwashing instruments

That restrict freedoms.

Nationalist fascism,

Flaky around the edges,

Warlords and fiefdoms.

Tying us in to allegiance

To forces that exploit our desires.

Strangulating our freedoms

With their economic empires.

Consumer units under control

Slotted into the patriotic hole.

 

Opher 26.12.2017

 

 

As Samuel Johnson said – Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

Patriotism, with its entire flag waving tribalism, is nothing more than a fiction to manipulate people by. It comes straight out of its partner nationalism and is the cause of much war and conflict.

Populist politicians use it to gain power. Businessmen harness it to gain profit.

It is visceral not cerebral and it panders to the gut rather than the brain. Many a brave lad full of ideals has been beguiled and used. Many a brave lad has returned with his legs blown off, his mind scrambled and his future in tatters all for the love of a notion of country.

To quote the great Wilfred Owen (himself a victim twice over) – The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.

Flags, Anthems and Pledges! – Poetry

Posted on by Opher

All this patriotic jingoism coupled with brainwashing mechanisms seem so outdated to me. I don’t give blind allegiance to anything, anyone or any country. I weigh up what is right myself. Not for me ‘my country right or wrong’.

I find the practice of saluting flags, pledging allegiance, standing for national anthems or singing along a complete anathema.

It amuses me. I find it contrived – a psychological ploy. I don’t fall for it. I don’t support the Queen or desperately want to save her. Neither do I support all the actions of my country. I’m selective about what I give my support to.

Flags, Anthems and Pledges

Flags anthems and pledges

Brainwashing instruments

That restrict freedoms.

Nationalistic fascism

Flakey around the edges

Warlords and fiefdoms.

Tying us to blind allegiance

To forces that exploit our desires

Strangulating our freedoms

With their economic empires.

Consumer units under control

Slotted into the patriotic hole.

 

Opher 26.12.2017