Rewarding success and patriotism
A comparison of American patriotism in media like a George Washington series with Greece's hesitation to celebrate its heritage despite 5,000 years of history reveals contrasting national attitudes.
Two recent events got me thinking about certain attitudes we hold in our country. First, the new television production that chronicles the life of the young American patriarch George Washington.
With unparalleled dramatic intensity and historical sensitivity, the series depicts the heroic journey of a man who went from landowner to symbol of freedom. Each episode exudes fervent devotion to country, virtue and courage in the face of tyranny, offering a magnificent portrait of patriotic pride and inspiration drawn from the sacrifices that gave birth to a nation, while the protagonist emerges as a model of integrity and selfless leadership.
Then I read the astute observations of my beloved contemporary psychologist Jordan Peterson in a recent piece of his on the 250th anniversary of American independence. There he notes that Americans believe in the perpetual rewarding of success. In contrast to other Western democracies where achievement is often equated with exploitation and ambition with arrogance, in America effort is admired and success is celebrated.
This encourages more people to strive and prosper, making the country more innovative and productive than any other people. Peterson calls America the “light of the world,” underscoring its ability to inspire hope in those suffering under authoritarian regimes.
By contrast, in Greece, despite our 5,000-year history and wealth of traditions, we struggle to create television series or films that fervently celebrate our national heritage.
Despite the fact that our history offers abundant material for such epic narratives, the emphatic projection of national identity, symbols and traditional values often meets with hesitation or reservations. We still lack the effortless boldness to express in a passionate way our love for our country and faith in individual flourishing.
America, though it is a country of only 250 years that triumphs, possesses many times more patriotism than we who constitute the oldest nation on the planet! This reality highlights in a striking way the need for Greece to take example from these two elements of American culture: the celebration of success—not mediocrity—as well as fervent patriotism.
Only by adopting this dual stance—that is, unreserved joy for achievement and open, passionate love for the nation—will we be able to overcome our hesitations, showcase our historical wealth with magnificence, and inspire the new generations with heroic narratives and unwavering faith in our roots, transforming our ancient heritage into a living source of strength and pride.
