sharke
Fix what? The fact that I judge things on their own merit?

I've been riding Harleys for quite a few years and as far back as I can remember there's been a saying;
"If I have to explain it you wouldn't understand it anyway". Not that it matters to me anyway. Hell, I can't believe half the **** I read here.
 
 

spacey

sharke
Fix what? The fact that I judge things on their own merit?

I've been riding Harleys for quite a few years and as far back as I can remember there's been a saying;
"If I have to explain it you wouldn't understand it anyway". Not that it matters to me anyway. Hell, I can't believe half the **** I read here.
  

Believe me, the feeling is mutual! If you can explain to me, using logic, why I should judge a country simply by virtue of the fact of having been born there instead of on it's own merits, then I'm all ears. "If I have to explain it you wouldn't understand it anyway" is just another way of saying that you don't know. 

Hi,
 
Even though I like a lot of the music, I do not miss Brazil. And I miss Portugal even less!
 
Weird!

sharke

spacey

sharke
Fix what? The fact that I judge things on their own merit?

I've been riding Harleys for quite a few years and as far back as I can remember there's been a saying;
"If I have to explain it you wouldn't understand it anyway". Not that it matters to me anyway. Hell, I can't believe half the **** I read here.
  

Believe me, the feeling is mutual! If you can explain to me, using logic, why I should judge a country simply by virtue of the fact of having been born there instead of on it's own merits, then I'm all ears. "If I have to explain it you wouldn't understand it anyway" is just another way of saying that you don't know. 

You're missing the point. I don't want to change your mind. " I find patriotism to be a little, how shall I put it, anti-intellectual." Your words and that's fine by me.
"Even duct tape can't fix that" My words and fine by me.
Ok, I'll try to explain it....you think it isn't broke and I think it is and don't care to fix it.

I'd be interested to hear more pros and cons of living in the US from the two ex-pats (Rain & Sharke) - apart from TV and wine.

spacey

sharke

spacey

sharke
Fix what? The fact that I judge things on their own merit?

I've been riding Harleys for quite a few years and as far back as I can remember there's been a saying;
"If I have to explain it you wouldn't understand it anyway". Not that it matters to me anyway. Hell, I can't believe half the **** I read here.
  

Believe me, the feeling is mutual! If you can explain to me, using logic, why I should judge a country simply by virtue of the fact of having been born there instead of on it's own merits, then I'm all ears. "If I have to explain it you wouldn't understand it anyway" is just another way of saying that you don't know. 

You're missing the point. I don't want to change your mind. " I find patriotism to be a little, how shall I put it, anti-intellectual." Your words and that's fine by me.
"Even duct tape can't fix that" My words and fine by me.
Ok, I'll try to explain it....you think it isn't broke and I think it is and don't care to fix it.

So again with the cop out "if I have to explain then I'm not going to" nonsense! Come on man you can do better than that. Just a small clue as to the intellectual value of patriotism would suffice. 

jamesg1213
I'd be interested to hear more pros and cons of living in the US from the two ex-pats (Rain & Sharke) - apart from TV and wine.

For me the biggest thing is the general attitude of people. Now I'm not knocking any of the British friends and family I have back home, but I find that in general that people in the States are more motivated and ambitious, and more positive about crazy ideas that you have to make money. There is more of a "go for it!" attitude in the states than there is in the UK. Of course you're going to find exceptions in both countries, but I'm talking about in general. When I first came to the states I lived in Nantucket and was immediately impressed by how many people had built their own houses, deal with their own sewage, take their own trash to the dump etc. Back home I just never saw that level of independence as the general feeling is that the government should do all of those things for you. 
 
The US is just a far more colorful, interesting place than the UK overall. There is more variety, more individualism, more color, more culture, more positive people, more ambition, more opportunity. 
 
Let me just give you a little example of attitudes which sticks in my mind. I remember a year or so before I came to the states, waiting for a bus in Newcastle City Center. It was December, but a very sunny day, so I had shades on. There was a couple of young women standing nearby and one of them says to the other, "sunglasses in winter, who does he think he is, a film star?"
 
I'm not claiming the US is perfect or not without its own serious problems. But having lived a long time in both countries, I do feel qualified to make an overall comparison. 

I don't think patriotism is intellectual. It's something that comes from the heart. I never thought I was patriotic until somebody started to say how happy they were not to be here anymore. It struck me as odd that the price of a bottle of wine could be enough to make a person happy about leaving their country. That assumes the person was actually happy to be there at some point. Perhaps they were not. 
 
Everyone is entitled to express their opinions freely. We should all be happy if this is a fact, regardless of where we live. There are many places on the earth that I couldn't exist in, and there are more refugees roaming the planet than the population of many sovereign countries. So sad.

Ok James. Since you demand such.
 
You want a logical explanation why I think your statement is "broke". Since you are so keen on logic and request that of another that doesn't agree with you then I suggest that you logically explain how a patriot is not using his brain because as you have it if they did they wouldn't be such.
 
One that chooses not to be a patriot has that right but to make claim that patriots aren't intelligent about being so is your statement, you support it with your logic.
 
As is, to me, the position you are in is no different than a person eating the ass of a dead possum and telling others how good it is and if one says they don't think so and not going to eat it then they must logically explain why. You eat it, you logically explain why it's so good to you because they don't care how much you think you're right and welcome you to eat all of it you want...while they leave you to logically explain why, should you care to follow your own demands.
 
You've insulted me numerous times because I don't agree with your statement. I know many very intelligent patriots. That's a very logical fact that makes your statement "broke" to me. Matter of fact my neighbor is a very successful intelligent business man that is without doubt a patriot and I know for a fact that you would get explained more than you can imagine. (if you drive down south to visit him...bring someone with you to drive you back...I should add, I think he really like Merle Haggard so "The Fighting Side Of Me" sure seems to give you an idea of the type of patriotism he'll explain)
The USA does not have a shortage of them. Should you care to believe differently just know that a great many patriots died on the battlefields to make sure you have the right to freedom of speech and there are plenty more highly intelligent patriots ready to continue supporting the USA.
 
I unfortunately happened on a you tube video of some old guy that eats road kill. He has it all worked out and really enjoys gathering his meals. He seems to be a very intelligent person and after all, he is alive so apparently it works just fine for him. I couldn't finish watching...
I have many logical reasons why I won't be eating road kill -and why I am a USA patriot- and I don't agree that I should be taking home road kill for my wife to fix for lunch nor do I or will I ever believe that patriots wouldn't be so if they used their brain pans. You....eat and think whatever floats your boat  As an American citizen I have right to let you know I don't agree with you and you've been told why.
 
I agree with James....you guys tell him what you think the pros and cons of the US are. I'm not wasting anymore time with this foolishness.
 
 

ampfixer
I don't think patriotism is intellectual. It's something that comes from the heart. I never thought I was patriotic until somebody started to say how happy they were not to be here anymore. It struck me as odd that the price of a bottle of wine could be enough to make a person happy about leaving their country. That assumes the person was actually happy to be there at some point. Perhaps they were not. 
 
Everyone is entitled to express their opinions freely. We should all be happy if this is a fact, regardless of where we live. There are many places on the earth that I couldn't exist in, and there are more refugees roaming the planet than the population of many sovereign countries. So sad.

But to claim that Rain is happy to leave his country solely over the price of a bottle of wine is disingenuous to say the least. He was just citing one example and never gave that impression at all. 
 
Up until I left the UK I had multiple friends who left at one time or another and came back to visit and said they were glad not to live in Britain any more. I have to say I didn't feel any kind of patriotic emotion in defense. I don't feel any "loyalty" to a place. It's a geographical location, not a person.