Nationalism as Individualism

Inspired by Duncan's thought provoking post on "Canada Day Cynicism" describing what I would call "the trends the youth of Canada are seeing". I agree that Canada is evermore becoming that which it so long defined itself as not being, the USA. The hints that lead me to seeing this downward slide into nationalism are: a growing anti-intellectualism, a belief that we are seeing the blessings of God, and increase in intolerance and failure to dialogue with others, not to mention the increased patriotism, the awful attack adds in elections, the demise of the Liberal Party of Canada which was the effective loss of a truly centralist party, a move to increasingly partisan national dialogue. So have we finally mimicked the Giant to the south. We seem to be living up the role of little brother to the big brother.

So now what to say, is our increased nationalism fallen in line with the great adversary to the good news of the Bible. In my reading of the great meta-narrative the nations function as the adversary and the counter to the great work of God. Israel itself falls into the trap of Nationhood, and as that nationhood takes on a life of its own under David and Solomon we are privy to watch the destruction of the nation as we turn the pages, until there is nothing but a remnant left, a remnant that does not look much like the "nation" of its former self. Yet we make the same mistakes over and over. Ezra grapples with nationhood and how to go about it. Ezra' method I would venture is much more like the Canada of the past, with less flag waving, more hard work. Although he goes a little over the top with the divorcing all the non-jews, whereas from a standpoint of reading the story for thousands of years, we no longer need to be ruled by that fear based understanding, and instead Canada recognized diversity as our strength. But now I echo Duncan, the flag waving and dangerous patriotism are on the rise. I see us entering the time of Nehemiah, where propaganda and fear driven construction reign supreme. I think these stories mirror each other for a reason. As we often go from organic-> institution. In this shift a loss occurs a loss of what was at the core, this has been seen time and time again.

This is where I wanted to arrive. As we move from chaos to perceived order, have we actually gained anything? Or as we leave the more chaotic Canada behind, a Canada defined apophatically, that is by what it is not. We move to a defining of what is. This defining by what is, is disconcerting as it is the underlying heresy of modernism and individualism. As we define our nation in this way we forget its definition deduced by it relationality as and entity. To borrow a Bruggemann idea of othering (I'm sorry Danielle I had to), to be defined is to relate, to relate is to engage and interact with the other. It is this othering that gives meaning, actuality or validity to the entity. Thus, Canada ceases to be an entity worth discussing when it attempts to define itself. The more nationalism and patriotism the less meaning there is behind it, it becomes a veneer held up by the continued propaganda. It is as if I continue to tell you I am a counsellor, and you may believe it, but unless I actually relate to others and give counsel it becomes a facade. This is the same for the nation of Canada, it used to be defined by peacemaking, hockey, and incredible ability to make fun of itself, the beaver, foreign aid, and cultural diversity and plurality. These were relational definitions that I believe we are loosing, in favour of flag waving, chanting, self congratulations. An empty facade, a veneer of no worth.

Canada you were better than this, but if we continue down the road we appear to be choosing, I see us fully becoming the Empire we used to distain. We will claim to be blessed by God because of economic exploits, failing to comprehend the root of our gain as the exploitation of others. We will further distance ourselves from a true understanding of blessing by God, blessing defined by the relational othering we do. So Canada, your nationalism is the lie of individualism, do not deceive yourself. Return while you still can, before we banish ourselves fully into the exile of individualism of nations. "Return to me declares the Lord" Joel 2:12