Patriotism

[TomOfSweden]

Is there a gap? I've never been aware of it. OK - there are differences - but they aren't communication gaps. But we all agree, for example, that we'd rather be Scots than any other nationality. And we can do this without a thought as to what the truth is about its status in the United Kingdom or in the world. We are certain in our knowledge that Scotland is the best country in the world, just as Americans know that the USA is, and as (most?) Swedes know that Sweden is. And we know we cannot defend ourselves against pure logic, but we don't care.

This is where I was aiming at. You know yourself that it doesn't work logically. As I said earlier I understand it's mechanism. It's makes you feel bigger than you are. But as you point out, you know it is false. It's like a little kid grabbing a plastic sword and doing the He-Man thing. He knows it's false, but he doesn't care. It makes him feel great anyway.

I guess it's down to basic philosophy of life. Do you think aiming for truth is more important than happiness? Even though I think happiness can be found anyway, but anyhoo. It's great that the choice you made here was a conscious one.

Another (light-hearted) question, Tom. Why was it necessary in a BDSM site to include "ofSweden" in your name. Wouldn't it have been better to call yourself (say) "Tomthe PainMaster" or "TomtheDom" or something like that.

Or do I detect just a little bit of pride there?

TYWD

My avatar picture is by the gay BDSM artist who calls himself Tom of Finland. My name is Tom and I live in Sweden. That's just as far as my thought train went on that one I'm afraid.

But I actually do love lots of things about Sweden, as I mentioned earlier in the thread. I'm sure I've got plenty of things in common with so called Swedish patriots. But I don't love Sweden as a concept. I'm not a proud Swede as such. Sweden is just a political construct. Territory conquered by the Vasa's and ancient Jarl's. Everything I personally can define as Sweden is probably confined to a pretty small area of Stockholm. I don't really know much about anything else in this country. It's not like I've traveled the land and lived in all it's hamlets in all it's occupations. Countries are very different from place to place. South of Sweden is mostly Danish and the north is Same. It's mostly just things I've read, just as most things about Timbuktu or Ulan Bator are things that I've read rather than experienced. It's all just fantasies in my head.

It's was fun anyway. Thanks for taking your time.