What does it really mean to have a national spirit? And why is it important? I am proud of being a Swede: I am proud of Sweden's history, its current policies, values and foreign politics. However, the Swedish national spirit is not in comparison with other countries; for example, USA or France. There, the love of the nation is a lot more conspicuous. It may be since Swedish people in general, and Swedish norms in general, prevent being proud of your own achievements in public. It is also a ramification of the fact that Sweden, in comparison to other major nations, don't have such a luxuriating history to brag about as its neighbors.
Despite the differences in extent, nationalism in general has played an important role in human history. It has lead both to success in warfare and unity among people, as well as devastating wars and xenophobia. Is nationalism good? In a way, it is necessary. People need a national spirit in order to find an identity and feel a sense of belonging. This is especially demonstrated when people from the same country meet each other in another place of the world: even though they do not know each other, they feel a strong unity and safety when they are together. Humans are gregarious animals, and we need a nationality, and other groupings in the society, to find an identity.
However, it requires the individual to respect other groupings as well - to be curious and willing to understand other values and traditions. If we don't, it will give procrastination to the devastating consequences of nationalism and grouping. If we do, we may take on step towards a peaceful, safe, trusting and nuanced world.
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