[ExI] Italy's Social Capital

[Benjamin Goertzel]

On 6/3/07, Giu1i0 Pri5c0 <pgptag at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> This is certainly true in my case.
>
> Also, I find it difficult to understand how one can love an abstract
> entity like a country. I can love a person, a pet, a city or region
> that I know and where I can feel at home, but a country?



Well, at this point in history there is still such a thing as "national
culture."

Nietzsche had a lot to stay about this topic!

I must admit I came to love the US only after living overseas for a while...
and traveling extensively in every other continent (but Antarctica)

I found Australia and New Zealand more pleasant places to live ... but the
US does have a certain national culture, which has plusses and minuses, but
that I acquired some deep affection for after being away from it for a few
years...

US culture can be cruel, obnoxious and stupid ... yet, it's no coincidence
that so much great scientific research gets done here, that the human genome
was mapped here, that Internet was launched here, that Google is housed
here, etc. etc.

I would say I love "my country" [though I was born in a different country, I
was a US citizen from birth] ... in the manner that one would love a
relative who has a lot of great qualities and a lot of shitty ones as well
...

-- Ben G
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