Psst — Read my article about the one-year anniversary of Obama’s race speech over at New Majority.
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Why precisely should a person in take pride in his ethnic or national heritage?
The notion that I speak against is not one of gratefulness: I am “proud” to be an American inasmuch as America stands for certain ideals as a trailblazer in the course of history. In that sense, I am proud of America’s great leaders, her documented ideas that have been ingrained into the national consciousness, even her government, at times. As a colloquialism, I may say that I am “proud” to be an American, insofar as I feel thankful and privileged to be an American — because America represents certain ideas. I certainly do not believe that being American grants me any inherent superiority to a Colombian, a Syrian, or an Uzbek. This type of pride is certainly not disputed or rebuked amongst those who subscribe to notions of “pride in heritage,” but yet I sense that there is a certain disconnect between what they believe and what I do.
Put simply, it is the difference between reverential pride — an impersonal, admiring thankfulness — and personalized pride: the sense that it somehow empowers you as an individual. This notion — the one that I speak against — is one of inherent ethnic heritage. At its worst, it represents an unenlightened tribalism: take, as an example, the notion that the Germans “gave us” Goethe — or that the Irish “produced” St. Patrick, for that matter. A cursory examination gives up the game very quickly: simply put, Goethe was a brilliant writer who so happened to be German. He was not “produced” by Germany, and people whose ancestors so happened to be German have no right to claim his legacy. His legacy is his.
Similarly, “Americans” did not “produce” Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln was a man of great character who so happened to be American. To claim him as “one of us” based simply upon his nationality is to reduce a man of great stature to something considerably less than he was. To claim one’s self as being “part of” what Lincoln was a “part of” is nothing more than a shoddy attempt at grabbing a shortcut to acclamation and respectability. Likewise, to state that “being Irish” gives you a “fighting spirit” in any sense is silly at best and unflinchingly arrogant at worst; the latter being so in the sense that a man claims, by virtue of where his ancestors lived, traits for himself that he may or may not have acquired independently.
The more one thinks about it, the more ridiculous it becomes. “I am German, as was Goethe. Therefore, I come from the great culture and heritage of Goethe.” No, actually, you really don’t. You come from the country that Goethe happened to live in. One should be grateful to live in the West, where such opportunities were afforded to Goethe to obtain the type of education that he did and distribute his works in the way that he did. But one cannot help but sense a perverse sense of entitlement; a claim to a shortcut to greatness that is completely illusory. It is the difference between the reverential and the personalized.
And of course, it makes even less sense if one was born and raised in America, with only the vaguest connections to Germany. (To turn the argument on its head: as soon as one claims Goethe, he must also claim Hitler.) “German blood” does not exist, nor does “Irish blood,” “American blood,” or any other aspect of what has is usually chalked up to “heritage.” Indeed, heritage is a preposterous tribal social construct, and taking personal pride in falsely-claimed proscribed character traits should be rejected by all thinking men.
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Alex Knepper can be contacted at apkkib@aol.com
March 17th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Knepper,
I read your article on New Majority…easily your best piece of work that I’ve ever seen. Great stuff bro. Rudy would have never let Obama off the hook with that Wright stuff and I think that was my man’s ultimate downfall, not running Wright ads 24/7 after the story broke.
March 17th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Great article! I’m fairly similar in my beliefs on “pride”.
March 17th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Alex, you pose an interesting argument but I am afraid it lacks one basic idea. If not for the ideals and ideas that came before, for instance, Abraham Lincoln, who’s to say what type of man he would have become. These ideas are also engrained into the culture and education that is America. Goethe was taught in Germany, so their unique outlook upon themselves and the world definitely had a say as to the man he became. If Osama Bin Laden was born and raised in America, there is a good chance he would not have become a terrorist mastermind. Perhaps, evil is born and not learned, so in his case maybe he would have become a serial killer or perhaps it is learned and he would have been an upstanding citizen who contributed to society? Man has a pretentious desire to make their contributions and ideas their own but to forget those who came before you and their contributions and ideas, nationally symbolic or otherwise, is proof of an unwise man in a cynical world. JMO.
March 17th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I disagree that Abraham Lincoln would have been Abraham Lincoln regardless of where he was born, and likewise Goethe or St. Patrick. The scientific progress (for example) of the last few hundred years has not occurred in western cultures simply because great scientists happened to be born there.
But I agree with you completely regarding reverential pride vs. personalised pride. I would add that reverential pride has the advantage that it can be adopted. A first generation immigrant can be proud to be American, in the sense that they can be proud to live in a country where hard work is rewarded.
March 17th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
My argument was not that Abraham Lincoln would have been a great man regardless of where he was born. My argument was that one should admire Lincoln rather than try to claim his works as part of your own “heritage.” His works were his. It diminishes him to try and “spread the wealth” as part of some inherent part of being born in America. He contributed to what makes this country great: the right to build your own individual profile. That profile should not be erroneously stuffed with Lincoln’s accomplishments, which have nothing to do with your own.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Alex, this is a great piece of work.
I’m very thankful to be born American. I’m also grateful for the lessons I’ve learned from my ancestors – grandparents and great-grandparents who lived lives of purpose, sacrifice and integrity. For instance, I know that my grandmother baked 8 loaves of bread every day for her family of 11, in addition to all the chores that came with living on a farm. She raised 9 children, yet, she also found time for church and community service. I know I do not measure up, but I hope somehow I am making a contribution that my children can look up to someday.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Good pieces of writing make you think. To your credit Alex, this post has made me think. I (think) I slightly disagree with it, but I’m still trying to put my thoughts together. I have class in half an hour, so I probably won’t have a longer response ready til sometime after 8.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Alex, GREAT article on NewMajority. You hit it out of the park.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
who is goethe? i guess i could look on wikipedia, but im sure its just some german artist of one kind of another
March 17th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
NO!!
That degenerate Adolf was another of those ridiculous, degenerate AUSTRIANS!!!
March 17th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Goethe couldn’t have existed in England, Ireland, America or many other nations.
Goethe was a product of his society and that society was German.
To suggest the community doesn’t shape and form the individual is silly.
Shakespeare couldn’t have sprung from a Chinese setting because his works depended on English/Western cultural concepts.
All great men are products of their unique nationalities and ethnicities.
To not feel pride in ones ethnicity or nationality is to suggest the distinctive characteristics that you share with them are unimportant.
This sort of extremist individualism is on the one hand silly and on the other hand pitiful. It’s silly because no man isn’t a product of his culture. It’s pitiful because it atomizes a man and divides him from the community that formed him.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
10 – LOL. Fair enough! Point still stands, though.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
11 – You misunderstand. I am not saying that a Shakespeare could have arisen from within China. I am saying, however, that you have no right to take some sort of personal pride in “your English heritage” because England “produced” Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s accomplishments were his. Of course he was, in many ways, a product of the culture around him — which I did not in any way contest in this article, which is what the distinction between personalized and reverential pride is about — but it doesn’t give you the right to claim his legacy as part of your own. It’s a cheap attempt to construct a collective to which you can latch on to increase your own standing. A false shortcut to respectability.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
If a German should be “proud” of Goethe, should a Russian be “ashamed” of Karl Marx?
March 17th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
First, I knew this was a Knepper article when I first read the title.
Second, I agree with you Doug.
Three, I completely disagree with your statement “Indeed, heritage is a preposterous tribal social construct”
My heritage is extremely important to me and always will be. As one of your examples stated so clearly, “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” This was his recognition that his heritage, in this case, his mother was a tremendous influence on his life. He wouldn’t have been who he was without his environment. Most of us would not be who we are, if not for our family, our environment, our country, and our HERITAGE. At least for me, I look to my heritage as a tremendous asset in shaping my life, my ambitions, my religion, and much of my success will in part be shaped by it.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
You, too, have not read the article carefully. Loving one’s mother is not what I’m talking about. But your reason shouldn’t be because you’re related to her. And you certainly did not acquire her virtues by reason of being born to her.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I do agree with one aspect, and maybe a major point, of what you assert. The fact that my grandfather did such and such, or that my great grandfather did this or that, or Abraham Lincoln was born near my relatives certainly does not translate into anything that gives me an automatic inheritance of their success in life. BUT, that doesn’t keep what they have done from being a huge asset in my becoming what I may.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Of course it doesn’t. But that’s not what I’m talking about.
I’m bashing the whole mindset of “I come from the great Pendragon family! My grandfather is a brilliant professor and my father is a great inventor!” Ethnic and national pride is no different than that.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
If I didn’t know better I’d think Alex was just miffed he’s not Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
Of course the reason there are such things as ‘Irish’ identity is because ethnic groups generally share some cultural/biological things in common.
I share in the accomplishments of other Irishmen because we are something like an extend family or clan.
I don’t puff myself up and walk around like a jerk because my brother is a big shot television producer. However I’m proud my family includes him. I’m proud of my family lineage and their accomplishments because I belong to that group.
Pride in an ethnicity is not appropriating the accomplishments of one individual (Bono) to another (me). Instead its pride that I’m a part of a sort of clan/family that produced Bono (I’m more proud of Charles Carroll though).
I didn’t decide to have two Irish grandparents because I like a few Irish individuals and want to boost my own respectability. I’m a part of the Irish ‘family’ and I’m proud of what some members of that family have produced.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Well, Marx was a German Jew, and Germans (and others) blamed communism on a Jewish conspiracy for a long time.
Also, lots of modern Germans take great pride in having a culture that gave rise to the freeloader Marx (ask Engels) as they push for Euro-style socialism to span the world.
The romantic Goethe cleared the way for a movement that gave birth to what today is the modern Green movement, which has otherwise drawn heavily from the Marxists.
Those Germans who didn’t emigrate take great pride in having engineered modern-day watermelon socialism: green on the inside, and a juicy hue of red when you cut through the rind.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I share in the accomplishments of other Irishmen because we are something like an extend family or clan.
You share in the accomplishments? Really? How so?
You’re not an Irishman, either. You’re an American. Your ancestors were Irishmen.
I don’t puff myself up and walk around like a jerk because my brother is a big shot television producer. However I’m proud my family includes him. I’m proud of my family lineage and their accomplishments because I belong to that group.
Ah, but are you reverentially proud or do you personalize that pride? That’s the distinction I’m trying to make.
I didn’t decide to have two Irish grandparents because I like a few Irish individuals and want to boost my own respectability. I’m a part of the Irish ‘family’ and I’m proud of what some members of that family have produced.
But you had nothing to do with what they produced. So why do you get to “share” in what they did?
Again, turning this on its head: should a Russian born in 1990 be ashamed of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin?
March 17th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
I assume he doesn’t take shame in Irish terrorists.
Nor should he; he has nothing to do with them.
Doug: is this a shortcoming of your “clan”? Do you feel shame over it?
March 17th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Oh shit, Karl Marx is German, not Russian. LOL.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Everything vile seems to come from Germany, eh? Don’t trust the Germans! They’ve got a lot to answer for! (Kidding, obviously.)
March 17th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
#22, Of course I feel shame in what Irish terrorists have done. Those are my people just as much as those Irishmen I admire.
I am ethnically Irish and that is a large part of my identity. I’m not loyal to Ireland the nation-state but I am a part of the Irish community. I’m loyal to America the nation-state, but America has no ethnic identity for me to belong to.
I suppose this sort of ethnic identity is weaker or non-existent for most Americans since they don’t have family members who come from the ethnic homeland.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Although I think Doug is right, Alex is onto something as well. We, as Americans, can’t rest on our laurals, it breeds complacency. I’m afraid we’re going to be eating a lot of ‘humble pie’ in the near future.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Alex you do have a legitimate point in all this though you oversell it and overreach a bit because of your fixation with atomizing individuals.
Some people hold an ethnic pride that really ventures into chauvinism. Even a positive thing like ethnic pride can be taken too far and become a vice.
I’m reminded of folks who are first to defend one of their own but wouldn’t provide the same for an ethnic outsider. That is shameful.
However ethnic pride by itself can be a positive thing that roots someone in a shared genetic, historical and cultural identity.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
23
I feel a bit better about anarcho-capitalism;).
24
Wait a minute, I’m German…err…nevermind.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
26
*laurels*
A correction for mein brüder, Alex.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Hey, I’m 1/4 Irish and 1/4 German. I think I’ll claim both Goethe and St. Patrick, thank you very much!
March 17th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I would have disagree, German’s could claim pride that they come from a strong rich cultural heritage. It’s not luck that Germany and other germanic leaning areas constantly produce artist, musicians and authors of high claiber, yet very little is produced out of Northern Scandinavian areas, Canada, Mexico, etc, in comparison.
WRT to music, Music by composers of Germanic areas is easily identified as very different than say the French or the Russians, or even the Javanese. That difference, that is inherent to their culture is what many of them are proud of. You can claim pride in cultural characteristics that identify you and shape you.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Reading Alex’s piece and some of the accompanying responses reminded me of a rather tense moment I recalled seeing on an episode of Wife Swap.
The relevant segment is between the 7:30 and 8:30 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTstsEzi3Sk&feature=related
March 17th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Oh, and I’ve decided to skip a front-page reply to Alex, because Mac and Doug hit most of my objections. I will add, that in the 20th century it has been a common project of both liberalism and libertarianism, to divorce us from our history and cultural background. True, they go about it in different ways- liberalism at least outwardly embraces any non-western cultures. As point of practicality, I’ll say that this sort of divorce will end badly for the children- us- because it doesn’t leave us enough to grasp onto. You may be able to do something sane and sober with the existential “create yourself” ideal, if you happen to be an intellectual, but those who aren’t intellectuals are going to be floating loosely, without the mooring that culture, tradition, and heritage provides.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Agreed, Alex.
March 17th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Can’t say I agree with you Alex, and it goes back to your split off of reverential pride. We admire the virtues of our cultures, and claim those virtues as our own, not because our ancestors possessed them, but because we as individuals find them admirable. We of course do not claim their vices, beyond any instilled cultural tendency towards them.
I’m proud to be chiefly of Scottish descent because of the achievements and legacy of my highland ancestors and the Scottish people. I admire their virtues, and claim many of them as my own.
All the freest and most achieving societies in Western civilization from the Greeks and Romans onwards have had immense pride in their heritage. Their virtues were more than just the chance choices of each generation – they were a legacy of excellence kept alive with each one.
March 17th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everybody regardless of their heritage. Excellent post Alex. I am neither proud nor ashamed per se about my heritage and make up, but I am proud to live in the best country in the world. I chose to come here in part because of the religious, political and economic freedom that I now have. Yes, of course I miss a few cultural things from the homeland, but I would rather live here in freedom. The beauty of America transcends ethnicity.
BTW, interesting clip Aron Goldman. Actually, both husbands and both wives displayed their ignorance throughout the video clip.
March 17th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
MPC,
Although I don’t share your lineage, I greatly admire and regularly promote a Scottish preacher, Alistair Begg, who is now a US citizen. If you haven’t already, check him out at
truthforlife.org
March 17th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
31
Jason,
That’s an interesting contrast, Germanic versus Scandinavian cultures. Even though I’m proud of my German heritage, I wonder how much we benefited by commingling with Ashkenazi Jews? I suspect quite a bit.
March 17th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
To be more serious for a moment: We celebrate our national and ethnic heroes — taking pride in them — because they gave us great achievements to look up to and strive towards. They bequeath us these achievements, and we take pride in them as their heirs. Even if we’re not directly related at all genetically, I believe conservative traditionalists consider it a part of their duty in life to bequeath the culture and society that gave rise to such achievements on to future generations.
Modern-day liberals appear to see all this past achievement as relative and not real. Many of them seem to perceive these past heroes not as sources of pride to be revered and emulated, but instead as something old and musty, inexplicably a source of deference that is mostly imaginary and unworthy. They prefer to believe themselves as far more brilliant and important than their forebears, whether by direct descent or by shared, common culture.
March 18th, 2009 at 9:57 am
[...] Knepper tackled issues pertaining to notions of collective identity in a post entitled “Pride in Heritage is an Intellectual Scam” on Tuesday. Considering each of these posts, the question herein posed to NextGenGOP [...]
March 18th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
[...] been trying to figure out exactly why Alex’s post-on heritage- bugged me so much. It’s obviously true that I haven’t been bequeathed [...]