--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic…" description: "\"Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy.\" — George Bernard Shaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-bernard-shaw-68_form_patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic_1830593.png" --- # Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy. ![“Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-bernard-shaw-68_form_patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic_1830593.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-bernard-shaw-68_form_patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic_1830593.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-bernard-shaw-68_form_patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic_1830593.png) > “Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Patriotism is described as a dangerous, irrational form of madness that harms rational thought. **In simple terms:** Patriotism is irrational and harmful. Key Takeaway Question blind national loyalty. Themes nationalism irrationality critique of patriotism Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political discourse - education curricula - media narratives Key Concepts Political psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - When does patriotism become constructive? - How to balance love for country with critical thinking? A Different Perspective Patriotism can also inspire unity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idiocy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiocy/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) ## Related quotes > [What does seem to me poisonous, what breeds a type of patriotism that is pernicious if it lasts but not likely to last long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-does-seem-to-me-poisonous-what-breeds-a-type-of-patriotism-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are certainly more people in the business world who would score high in the psychopathic dimension than in the general population. You'll find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hare/there-are-certainly-more-people-in-the-business-world-who-would-score/) [Robert D. Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hare/) > [I seek a diverse spectrum of roles. If I just was in a large-budget feature for a younger audience, then I want to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-monaghan/i-seek-a-diverse-spectrum-of-roles-if-i-just-was-in-a-large-budget/) [Cameron Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-monaghan/) > [Accurate scholarship can unearth the whole offence from luther untill noe that has driven a culture mad. From what occured at linz what huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/accurate-scholarship-can-unearth-the-whole-offence-from-luther-untill/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Our president is a Christian? So was Adolf Hitler. What can be said to our young people, now that psychopathic personalities, which is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/our-president-is-a-christian-so-was-adolf-hitler-what-can-be-said-to/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [As a psychopathic creature, the corporation can neither recognize nor act upon moral reasons to refrain from harming others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-bakan/as-a-psychopathic-creature-the-corporation-can-neither-recognize-nor/) [Joel Bakan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-bakan/) > [“It's natural for a man to defend what's dear to him: his own life, his home, his family. But in order to make him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brunner/it-s-natural-for-a-man-to-defend-what-s-dear-to-him-his-own-life-his/) [John Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brunner/) > [It was really sad Bobby Neuwirth's and my affair. The only true, passionate, and lasting love scene, and I practically ended up in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-sedgwick/it-was-really-sad-bobby-neuwirth-s-and-my-affair-the-only-true/) [Edie Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-sedgwick/) > [As far as the lack of hits goes, I think perhaps it's because I've played a lot of different roles and have not created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/as-far-as-the-lack-of-hits-goes-i-think-perhaps-it-s-because-i-ve/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [Jews, I know you're God's chosen people and the rest of us are just 'whatever', but when Israel behaves like a violent, psychopathic bully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-brigstocke/jews-i-know-you-re-god-s-chosen-people-and-the-rest-of-us-are-just/) [Marcus Brigstocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-brigstocke/) > [The corporation, like the psychopathic personality it resembles, is programmed to exploit others for profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-bakan/the-corporation-like-the-psychopathic-personality-it-resembles-is/) [Joel Bakan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-bakan/) > [“The normalization of psychopathic traits in leadership positions speaks volumes about our societal values and the high price of unbridled ambition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhysheq-shukla/the-normalization-of-psychopathic-traits-in-leadership-positions/) [Abhysheq Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhysheq-shukla/) > [The corporate system is fully psychopathic, and any creative people who enter into business with any of these organizations come up against a lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-shields/the-corporate-system-is-fully-psychopathic-and-any-creative-people/) [Kevin Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-shields/) > [The main source of psychopathic diseases is the fundamental instinct of fear with its manifestations, the feeling of anxiety, anguish, and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-sidis/the-main-source-of-psychopathic-diseases-is-the-fundamental-instinct/) [Boris Sidis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-sidis/) > [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Form quotes > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [There cannot be any communication except through form. If there is no form, you cannot create emotion in the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-resnais/there-cannot-be-any-communication-except-through-form-if-there-is-no/) [Alain Resnais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-resnais/) > [I am strongly opposed to any form of amnesty, including, especially, executive amnesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/i-am-strongly-opposed-to-any-form-of-amnesty-including-especially/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) Browse all 12,984 Form quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Bernard Shaw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic-form-of-idiocy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Form" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic-form-of-idiocy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-bernard-shaw-68_form_patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic_1830593.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-bernard-shaw-68_form_patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic_1830593.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-bernard-shaw-68_form_patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic_1830593.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy.” — George Bernard Shaw", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Bernard Shaw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic-form-of-idiocy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/patriotism-is-a-pernicious-psychopathic-form-of-idiocy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```