“I have my popcorn carefully balanced on my lap, nachos teetering on the arm rest, flirting with the Coke nestled in the cup holder. Now, a sign flashes on the movie screen, “Please stand up for the national anthem.” Everybody around me starts shuffling around to stand up straight; some are even reverently looking at the screen and mouthing the song. A minute ago, their mouths were stuffed with movie theater snacks. How did the transition, from nonchalant moviegoer to patriotic Indian, take place in a matter of seconds? Is the feeling of patriotism so mindlessly conditioned, or deeply felt, that it can be summoned at any place, at any time?
The answer is: both. We, as human beings, are evolutionarily conditioned to long for connection and safety, according to “The Psychology of Patriotism” by Michael Bader. This vulnerability to want to connect to and belong to something bigger, in order to be a part of a larger community, makes us “vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation,” he writes.”
越没有安全感的人，越“爱国”。
