每日英語 #050: The Nature of Patriotism 愛國主義的本質

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The Nature of Patriotism 愛國主義的本質

In his 2011 book, Loyalty, journalist Eric Felten discusses the reasons why people have “loyalty to” (commitment to, usually with a willingness to help and defend) their country, their family, and their friends.

在他2011年的書《忠誠》中，記者埃里克·費爾頓討論了為什麼人們會對他們的國家、家庭和朋友“忠誠”（承諾，通常願意幫助和捍衛）。

Most of us would probably agree that we should be loyal to our family and our close friends, even though we may not be able to explain exactly why we should be loyal.

我們大多數人可能都會同意，我們應該對我們的家庭和親密朋友忠誠，儘管我們可能無法確切地解釋為什麼我們應該忠誠。

But “when it comes to” (when we begin to discuss) loyalty to one’s country, there is often disagreement about what that should “consist of” (include).

但是“談到”（當我們開始討論）對一個國家的忠誠時，通常會對應該包括什麼產生分歧。

The word often “associated with” (connected to) loyalty to one’s country is “patriotism.”

與對一個國家忠誠“聯繫”（連接）在一起的詞是“愛國主義”。

Some people think that patriotism is the belief that one’s own country is superior to or better than any other country.

有些人認為愛國主義是一種信念，即自己的國家優於或優越於任何其他國家。

But, as Felten points out, this isn’t the only way to define “patriotism,” and certainly not the best one.

但是，正如費爾頓指出的，這不是定義“愛國主義”的唯一方式，也肯定不是最好的方式。

According to Felten, patriotism “correctly understood” (defined in the right way) is similar to the loyalty you have to a member of your family.

根據費爾頓的說法，愛國主義“正確理解”（正確定義）是類似於你對家庭成員的忠誠。

As British writer G.K. Chesterton once wrote, the idea behind someone saying, “my country, right or wrong” (that is, I will be loyal to my country regardless of what it does) is the same as saying, “my mother, drunk or sober.”

正如英國作家G.K.切斯特頓曾經寫道，某人說“我的國家，不論對錯”（即我會對我的國家忠誠，不管它做什麼）背後的想法與說“我的母親，不論醉醺醺還是清醒”是相同的。

(To be drunk means to have drunk too much alcohol; to be sober is when your body has no alcohol or drugs in it.)

（醉了的意思是喝了太多酒；清醒是指你的身體沒有酒精或藥物。）

Being loyal, in other words, doesn’t mean you agree with everything your family (or country) does.

換句話說，忠誠並不意味著你同意你的家庭（或國家）所做的一切。

It means simply that you will continue to support them and be willing to take action to change them if they make mistakes.

這僅僅意味著你會繼續支持他們，並且如果他們犯錯，你願意採取行動改變他們。

You will not just “abandon” (leave) them when “times get tough” (the situation becomes difficult).

當“時勢艱難”（情況變得困難）時，你不會就這樣“拋棄”（離開）他們。

A “mistaken” (wrong) sense of patriotism has been used in many cases for “bad ends” (purposes), and for that reason it has sometimes been associated with an “excessive” (too much), even dangerous loyalty and “attachment” (sense of closeness) to one’s country.

一種“錯誤的”（錯的）愛國主義在很多情況下被用於“壞的目的”（目的），因此有時它與對國家的“過度”（太多），甚至危險的忠誠和“依戀”（親近感）聯繫在一起。

But it doesn’t have to be that way, argues Felten.

但是費爾頓認為，不一定非得如此。

We can celebrate what makes our countries different without saying that those differences make us better than everyone else.

我們可以慶祝使我們的國家不同的事物，而不用說這些差異使我們比其他人更好。

We can love our country, in other words, simply because it is ours.

換句話說，我們可以愛我們的國家，僅僅因為它是我們的。

重點單字

• loyalty /ˈlɔɪəlti/ 忠誠
• patriotism /ˈpeɪtriətɪzəm/ 愛國主義
• superior /suːˈpɪriər/ 優越的
• correctly understood /kəˈrɛktli ˌʌndərˈstʊd/ 正確理解
• mistaken /mɪˈsteɪkən/ 錯誤的
• excessive /ɪkˈsɛsɪv/ 過度的
• attachment /əˈtætʃmənt/ 依戀
• abandon /əˈbændən/ 拋棄
• tough /tʌf/ 艱難的
• purposes /ˈpɜːrpəsɪz/ 目的