The language of belonging | Independence Day Special
If patriotism is a love of something one is willing to die for, nationalism-pride in an abstract notion of nation-is something one is willing to kill for.
It is a sign of the times that Dr Johnson's lapidary utteranceĂÂ -"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel"- is enjoying a sudden revival. This revival, however, is marked by some tweaks that might spring from ignorance, or malice. Thus, someone was tempted to substitute "liberalism" for Dr Johnson's "patriotism".
However, there is little room for ambiguity as to the actual words uttered - Boswell was at hand-but there is some ambiguity as to what he might have meant by it.
Apparently, there are local political resonances-as well as some suggestion that what prompted the good doctor's ire might have been the "patriotism" of the American colonists, fighting for
