Stupidity is like a black hole – nothing good ever comes out of it.
That’s why I’m proud to be a philosopher, regardless of how inept I might be.
I’m proud to have made a choice that involves me thinking about things instead
of mindlessly caving into the words that carelessly fall out of people’s
mouths, like, “I’m proud to be Irish!”
Is it okay to be proud of something you don’t have a choice in
being? It’s the same, if seemingly opposite, of me saying, “I’m ashamed to be
American.” Why should the accident of my geographical location at my time of
birth factor into who I am proud or not proud to be? It’s not my fault most
other Americans are idiots and proud of it. I can’t be ashamed over something I
have no control over. Of course, I might say I’m ashamed to be an American if
some jibber-jabber-jihadist was about to cut my head off, but I wouldn’t
actually mean it; I’m American as a matter of fact. That fact is neither here
nor there.
Oddly enough, or perhaps as expected, when someone claims to be
proud of their heritage or ethnicity, they are never much able to say exactly
why being something like Irish is so great. Or, when they can recite some
glowing attributes, can never say what horrible things have gone hand-in-hand
with all that goodness. Plus, if everyone’s
Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day, what good is actually being Irish? It’s not like
one can drink more alcohol because they’re Irish; every ethnicity claims to be
the best drinkers. But the best drinkers, it turns out, are those who practice
at it, like writers. Being a good drinker doesn’t require special genes, just a
willingness towards self-destruction. That willingness is a choice.
Don’t be proud of your ethnicity or heritage. Ultimately, you are
not your ethnicity and heritage; that’s a call others want you to make for the
sake of primitive tribalism. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself this
question: Is my ethnicity or heritage relevant when no one else is around? Didn’t
think so. Here’s an idea: Be who you
want to be. Followers need not apply.
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