"Nationalities don't exist man, them shits is man made!"

[london2nyc]

Saw this interessting and controversial thread on another forum. Check it!

I was having a debate with a friend of mine who's Puerto Rican about how the countries we say we are from are just figments of our collective imaginations. Now, my friend is really nationalistic, he's the dude with a PR Bandana wrapped round his head on the regular, and when it comes to the Puerto Rican day parade, yo, its the like the most important day of the year for him. I was arguing that nationalities often lead to the conflicts and stereotypes that we see in the world today, and without them people would be better off. My friend kept arguing that nationalities are essential to our identities. He argued that the notion that one is American versus Guyanese is essential in 1) labeling someone and 2)being able to know how to approach someone before speaking to them. To me it was a weak argument, but I rolled with it, cause that's my dude. I heard a track by Loj called "Nationalites" recently which did a good job identifying the issues involved, 1) labeling and 2) stereotypes. Check the link http://www.thinkloj.com/artists.cfm?...load&id=155750

Alright, so I'm kind of split on it myself, on one hand I'm proud of where I'm from, but at same time its just so arbitrary. If an intelligent alien came down to earth and saw all the petty distinctions we make, they would think we're plain crazy. Should we be judged on our individual/collectivistic identities or are we at the mercy of the nationalities we represent. It's tricky these days because people are moving around like crazy, like there are chinese people in Trinidad, Jamaican people in London,Indian people in Saudi Arabia, and Iranians in America. Judging ones nationality isn't so clear any more!

So are nationalities important? Are they a good thing, bad thing or just plain irrelevent to our existence in today's globalized world?

[doeordie823]

good point, good song also...

them shits are manmade...nobody has the same strands of dna, people just created this idea of a "nation" and this overwhelming pride.

i think its cool to be proud of where u from, unfortunately, most people take that to the extreme, and although don't openly admit it, have this superiority complex of where they're from compared to others.

[fat_scott]

it's very important to have an identity, thats how i feel about it. people are different everywhere though, they just got they systems, and we got ours, and all we can do is try to keep some sort of balance.

[seatherXL]

true shit wot ppl dont understand is just coz u r proud of were u come from dont give u a right to degrade other place_____love doesnt have to come wit hate i mean if u love america its not a most that u hate Iran i dont knw how it is in Europe and America but in africa its very complicated because durin the colonisation periods the Europeans practiced a system known as "divide and rule" now wot this system does is basicly create hatrade among tribes and nations in order to make it easy for the europeans to take over so while the tribes were in a conflict europeans on da otha hand were busy gatherin raw materials the point is the hatrade between da tribes still exists u talkin bout nations but in africa its a tribal issue mainly n it sucks....u can be proud of where u from u can be proud of ur culture but dat dont mean u should hate others and dats wot ppl dont understand

[kendeezy]

You guys are dropping some wise words!

Nationalities,nations and borders were mostly created by imperialist and colonialist.....as a way of diffirentiating groups of people....and gaining control of people, divide and conquer.....

But its true..having identity is a good, thing, it shows the multi-racial and cultural diversity of people & places.....

I repp my Nigerian Pride 2 tha' core...but never degrade other Nations...(even ghana..who are our rivals(friendly rivals)

[sugahill]

Puerto Rican is not a nationality because Puerto Rico it is not a nation. You can tell your friend that his nationality is American commonwealth and the blood runs on their flag unlike Cuba's because they lost their heart. If he was truly nationalistic he would rep Boriken and fight for nationalization.

[doeordie823]

true shit wot ppl dont understand is just coz u r proud of were u come from dont give u a right to degrade other place_____love doesnt have to come wit hate i mean if u love america its not a most that u hate Iran i dont knw how it is in Europe and America but in africa its very complicated because durin the colonisation periods the Europeans practiced a system known as "divide and rule" now wot this system does is basicly create hatrade among tribes and nations in order to make it easy for the europeans to take over so while the tribes were in a conflict europeans on da otha hand were busy gatherin raw materials the point is the hatrade between da tribes still exists u talkin bout nations but in africa its a tribal issue mainly n it sucks....u can be proud of where u from u can be proud of ur culture but dat dont mean u should hate others and dats wot ppl dont understand

yea i actually watched a video in one of my classes last semester about the rwandan genocide and how the belgians came in there and created this hatred between the hutus and the tutsi.

[kendeezy]

yea i actually watched a video in one of my classes last semester about the rwandan genocide and how the belgians came in there and created this hatred between the hutus and the tutsi.

Did you(or any1 else) se the film 'Hotel Rwanda??...thats was some deep sh*t.!

[doeordie823]

nah i havent seen it, i been meaning to...heard it was a great film.

[kendeezy]

nah i havent seen it, i been meaning to...heard it was a great film.

Yeah man it's great,..

[shaolins_finest]

got nothin but love for hispanics but its them who dont know shit about nationality and history. They mullatos which basically is black(appearance) and they be in denial of that. Ask sammy sosa or pedro martinez if they are black and they would look at you with a straight face and say no...puerto rico was one of the first places slaves came to and the indians were pretty much wiped out. That indian,white,black mix shit is a false myth past on from generations to make them stray away even further from there black roots for which they are ashamed of. They are Black and Spanish. Spanish people are white(italian like).

[Sindecal]

^^man stfu..U fucked the thread up..I was actually enjoying the read.

[Desert Eagle]

Nationalities are not important, Its not about where u from, its all about where u at

[kendeezy]

Nationalities are not important, Its not about where u from, its all about where u at

How will u know where u are, If you don't know where you come from??

[mastermind622]

Did you(or any1 else) se the film 'Hotel Rwanda??...thats was some deep sh*t.!

Hotel Rwanda wit Don Cheadle was a great movie... it would be crazy to experiance something like, no matter what side your on.

[piff]

How will u know where u are, If you don't know where you come from??

Thats bang on mate!

Im proud to be English, proud to be white and proud of my nationality

I laugh at other nations so what?, im a bad person, but how many people on here can say they have never laughed at other peoples or countries???

[kendeezy]

Hotel Rwanda wit Don Cheadle was a great movie... it would be crazy to experiance something like, no matter what side your on.

Also it shows just how strong the rest of the worlds see Africa-in relation 2 African-Americans..("africans, you're not even n*ggers")........thats was a deeep line from the movie

[aeye4green]

Also it shows just how strong the rest of the worlds see Africa-in relation 2 African-Americans..("africans, you're not even n*ggers")........thats was a deeep line from the movie

TRU indeed............................................ ..........................................

[OriginalGangsta]

Nationalities are very important
It's about one's identity

if everyone was the same we could never evolve
Have respect for ur roots

[piff]

Nationalities are very important
It's about one's identity

if everyone was the same we could never evolve
Have respect for ur roots

I dont usually agree with the shite you post (no offence) but your right with this one