Nationalism

Orwell defines nationalism as (in my own summary) a basic self-diluted desire for glory, power, and prestige for something (not necessarily a nation). He describes how a nationalist constantly exerts his/her efforts to furthering his/her cause – even to the point of convincing themselves of lies, and forcing beliefs on themselves without question.

One of the characteristics of nationalism that he mentions is Obsession. In my opinion, this is the over-riding theme throughout his definition. He characterizes the nationalist as someone that will cross any line, say whatever needs to be said, and perform any duty that might benefit their “power unit”.

Although Orwell classifies nationalism as either “positive nationalism” or “negative nationalism”, he argues that either form can lead to extreme conservatism and “political quietism.” While he doesn’t attempt to demonize the pride people can feel for their “power unit” of choice, he warns that people need to be willing to accept reality and admit faults of their associations.