--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is important not to confuse…" description: "\"“It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a positi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/dan-rather-2779_nationalism_it-is-important-not-to-confuse-patriotis_1296484.jpg" --- # It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with… ![“It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a position of moral and cultural supremacy over others. Patriotism, while deeply personal, is a dialogue with your fellow citizens, and a larger world…” quote by Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/dan-rather-2779_nationalism_it-is-important-not-to-confuse-patriotis_1296484.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/dan-rather-2779_nationalism_it-is-important-not-to-confuse-patriotis_1296484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/dan-rather-2779_nationalism_it-is-important-not-to-confuse-patriotis_1296484.jpg) > ““It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a position of moral and cultural supremacy over others. Patriotism, while deeply personal, is a dialogue with your fellow citizens, and a larger world, about not only what you love about your country but also how it can be improved. Unchecked nationalism leads to conflict and war. Unbridled patriotism can lead to the betterment of society. Patriotism is rooted in humility. Nationalism is rooted in arrogance.”” [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Patriotism invites dialogue and humility, while nationalism imposes superiority and leads to conflict. **In simple terms:** Patriotism is humble dialogue; nationalism is arrogant monologue. Key Takeaway Foster inclusive patriotism, avoid nationalist arrogance. Themes patriotism nationalism dialogue humility conflict societal improvement Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - political debates - educational curricula - community forums - media commentary Key Concepts civic identity political theory social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - What practices encourage patriotic dialogue? - How can societies guard against covert nationalism? A Different Perspective Nationalism can be subtle and still harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalism/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) ## Related quotes > [“It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/it-is-important-not-to-confuse-patriotism-with-nationalism-as-i/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [It's only important to differentiate between patriotism and nationalism. I speak of enlightened patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-knobloch/it-s-only-important-to-differentiate-between-patriotism-and/) [Charlotte Knobloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-knobloch/) > [“Nationalism and jingoism—essential corollaries of militarism—are also systemic imperatives because they divide the global working classes, and bind them to the elites oppressing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/nationalism-and-jingoism-essential-corollaries-of-militarism-are-also/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) > [“Patriotism or Nationalism without reasoning is what I call “Nationalist Fundamentalism”, which is as dangerous as “Religious Fundamentalism”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/patriotism-or-nationalism-without-reasoning-is-what-i-call/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Every child in America who enters school at the age of five is mentally ill, because he comes to school with an allegiance toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-middlebrook-pierce/every-child-in-america-who-enters-school-at-the-age-of-five-is/) Chester Middlebrook Pierce > [“I was taught not to distinguish between patriotism and nationalism; the word patriotism was an attempt to present the same ugly nationalist phenomenon of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josip-novakovich/i-was-taught-not-to-distinguish-between-patriotism-and-nationalism/) [Josip Novakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josip-novakovich/) > [The difference between patriotism and nationalism is that the patriot is proud of his country for what it does, and the nationalist is proud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-difference-between-patriotism-and-nationalism-is-that-the-patriot/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [I want to caution that we must not confuse patriotism with blind endorsement of bad policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hatfield/i-want-to-caution-that-we-must-not-confuse-patriotism-with-blind/) [Mark Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hatfield/) > [Patriotism is nationalism, and always leads to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-caldicott/patriotism-is-nationalism-and-always-leads-to-war/) [Helen Caldicott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-caldicott/) > [Patriotism can only flourish only where racism and nationalism are given no quarter. We should never mistake patriotism for nationalism. 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It requires a willingness to struggle and learn, to question our own suppositions and biases, to open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/a-democracy-requires-open-access-to-ideas-it-requires-a-willingness/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [ “\[I\]nclusion, not assimilation, should be the key concept in seeking, ever seeking, a more perfect national union. Our own history has shown that we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/i-nclusion-not-assimilation-should-be-the-key-concept-in-seeking-ever/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [One of the most important roles of our journalists is to be watchdogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/one-of-the-most-important-roles-of-our-journalists-is-to-be-watchdogs/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [ He \[Mikhail Gorbachev\] has, as many great leaders have, impressive eyes…There's a kind of laser-beam stare, a forced quality, you get from Gorbachev that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/he-mikhail-gorbachev-has-as-many-great-leaders-have-impressive-eyes/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [I have tried to remain a working, cutting-edge journalist and I don't do it the way everybody else does it. 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We used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/college-is-like-a-woman-you-work-so-hard-to-get-in-and-nine-months/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Despite what many Americans think, most Soviets do not yearn for capitalism or Western-style democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/despite-what-many-americans-think-most-soviets-do-not-yearn-for/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [It's the American way: if you don't vote, you don't get to whine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/it-s-the-american-way-if-you-don-t-vote-you-don-t-get-to-whine/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Journalists should denounce government by public opinion polls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/journalists-should-denounce-government-by-public-opinion-polls/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) [Explore all 150 Dan Rather quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) ## More Nationalism quotes > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I am not a nationalist in any way, and I hate flag waving, and I don't think much good has come out of nationalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-am-not-a-nationalist-in-any-way-and-i-hate-flag-waving-and-i-don-t/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [The mind supplies the idea of a nation, but what gives this idea its sentimental force is a community of dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-malraux/the-mind-supplies-the-idea-of-a-nation-but-what-gives-this-idea-its/) [Andre Malraux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-malraux/) > [“Nationalism is relativist, since the only truth is the resentment we feel when we contemplate others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/nationalism-is-relativist-since-the-only-truth-is-the-resentment-we/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [“Nationalism has again become a seductive but treacherous antidote to an experience of disorder and meaninglessness: the unexpectedly rowdy anticlimax, in a densely populated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/nationalism-has-again-become-a-seductive-but-treacherous-antidote-to/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [Female Virtues are of a Domestick turn. The Family is the proper Province for Private Women to Shine in. If they must be showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/female-virtues-are-of-a-domestick-turn-the-family-is-the-proper/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Home is not just walls and a roof; it is where the heart finds love and peace, and where memories take root, grounding us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/home-is-not-just-walls-and-a-roof-it-is-where-the-heart-finds-love/) [Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/) > [Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/nothing-better-protects-a-human-being-against-the-stupidity-of/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [ The very nature of economics is rooted in nationalism. ... 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One world or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-chase/traditional-nationalism-cannot-survive-the-fissioning-of-the-atom-one/) [Stuart Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-chase/) > [The wedding of Christianity or Judaism with nationalism is lethal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-wedding-of-christianity-or-judaism-with-nationalism-is-lethal/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) [Browse all 842 Nationalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a position of moral and cultural supremacy over others. 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