How to Meet an Alien Contingent

Patriotism. A fervor of nationalistic pride that drives us to make our country better than the rest. Yeah, right. Advancement and betterment is the last thing on our minds. Certainly not through our actions. It is as absurd as supporting a sports team because it belongs to a particular place or region. When was the last time any of the jingoistic people contributed positively or constructively towards improving conditions in their country? Politicians of course promote this tendency. For some, it is only regional politics that gives them any value. That particular region, that small piece of land is what they associate their identity with. All their power is derived from that.

Being born in a place is not a concious decision. We do not choose our place of birth. Do we ever stop and think what makes our land more special than any other? We feel that ours is the best. And somewhere someone else feels the same about his own piece. Can both be right? The philosophy that would better suit is MY PIECE OF LAND SHOULD BE THE BEST. But that would involve taking a look at the flaws and working towards rectifying them. And that is altoghether too much work. So we adapt easily to the philosophy of mindless unquestioning jingoism. The very notion that you could appreciate some other place or something that was a part of what can be considered a 'rival' nation is unacceptable, sacrilege. Unpatriotic. We hate having things thrust upon them. Even the concept of religion is questioned by people and not just accepted wholeheartedly without question. We pick and choose everything. Life has become more and more like a supermarket. But anything that appeals to the bestial nature, the more basic of instincts can overrule reason. Religion is still that for some people. Jingoism is that mantra for many people.

And everything at our convinience mind you. We would not support a Dempo or a Mohun Bagan Bengal. It has to be Manchester United (I certainly do) or an Arsenal or a Barcelona. But anything where India has a competent chance we have to support India. Cricket for example. We are hypocritical enough to still keep calling hockey our national game. And of course cricket isnt a game here. Its a religion. You have to support the national team of course. After all they were born where you were. Merit be damned. Sport fanatics are not about merit. Its mindless animalistic jingoism.

We talk about globalisation, about world becoming a global village. And on the other hand we cannot get beyond regional differences let alone national ones. Support your national team. Of course my country is the best. I am blind to all its flaws even as I tout historic gloriousness as if they were my own achievements. The only way to categorically analyse is to look objectively. And jingoism is hardly objective.


We look for extraterrestial life. We fervently search for signs of intelligence life elsewhere. An important point to note about most science fiction epics. In the future when we do make first contact, the world is conviniently under a global unified leadership. Even the several worlds of star wars have single leaderships. Just saying. Can we honestly persent a globalised unified face? If an alien contingent were to present itself would we be able to greet it unanimously? Improbable I think. We would be squabbling over who gets to garland them. Who gets to welcome them. And if Lalit Modi has his way, there would be a bidding war over who gets to be part of the delegation. We might be successful in our quest for intelligence life on other planets. The unfortunate aliens who would meet us would sadly be disappointed on that count.

What would it take to unite us beyond petty differences? Sadly a bigger problem. Maybe an alien invasion? And uniting in face of bigger problems is always temporary. Actively working to make something worth being proud of. To be able to make an honest assessment without letting reason being obscured and then working to remove the flaws. Or am I being too optimistic?