This essay Notes on Nationalism written by George Orwell in May of 1945, explains the concept of nationalism and its effect on human beings. According to Orwell the concept of nationalism is “identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognizing no other duty than that if advancing its interests.” This is what nationalism is to Orwell, the dictionary definition “the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one’s own nation, viewed as speared form the interest of other nation or the common interest of all nations.” The explanation is the same but Orwell argues that nationalism is “the desire for power” and control than doing what’s best for your nation.
A theme that Orwell talks about is the effects of nationalism on human beings. This nationalistic idea causes people to act and think differently, Orwell argues that nationalism changes the way people think. The whole reason I think that Orwell is talking about this idea of Nationalism is to tell people that it changes you. It causes you to always take the side of your country. This idea causes people to be dishonest, it “, having picked his side,[causes him to] persuade himself that it is the strongest ”. This idea make people believe they are doing the right thing because its for their country.
Through the essay he characterizes people who follow this nationalistic idea as “obsessive”. He writes, “as neatly as possible, no nationalist ever thinks, talks or writes about anything except the superiority of his own unit.” This is because they are obsessed with their own country they can’t think about the bad and evil of their country only the good and just that it has. He say that “he will generally claim superiority form it not only in military power and political virtue, but art, literature, sport, structure of the language, the physical beauty of the inhabitants and perhaps the climate, scenery cooking.” This only proves Orwell’s point that people that have the idea of nationalism in their heads that they are obsessive. Another characterization Orwell explains is the “instability” of people with this idea of nationalism. The reason why these people are so unstable is because they are so fixed on to their countries well being/ benefits they will anything for it. These people have such a tight hold their country that nothing will make them change their mind. But the thing that causes them to do such things is the leader, because they are fix on the idea that their country is better that the leaders are considered “gods”. The last characterization that Orwell explains is “indifference to reality”, this mean people are so clouded by the belief that you nation come first that people don’t care what happens to others. The use of torture, bombs and guns seem irrelevant to people with this nationalistic idea, some are so clouded they try to defend the nation that they are loyal to.
The effects of nationalism on humans cause war, death and sorrow; George Orwell proves this in his essay. This false sense of helping you country clouds and changes the way you act and think. This causes many bad ideas in this world, George Orwell conveys this in his essay Notes On Nationalism.
