08-05-2005, 05:00 AM
Nationalism today
The article "Nationhood and frequently unasked questions" (Aug. 4) was informative and interesting. As atomised individuals we may think little about nationalism today, yet it is here to stay. No matter how far we travel in the world of globalisation or even cultural exchange, nationalism is a lurking emotion. It is difficult to explain why a five-year-old gets excited about India winning a cricket match against Pakistan. Nationalism will never be over-run by internationalism â not even in a global village.
Shrivridhi Shukla,
New Delhi
Unification of India
Former RSS spokesperson M.G. Vaidya has wondered why India cannot try unifying when Germany and Vietnam can be united, and the two Koreas can try unifying (Aug. 2). The Germans, the Vietnamese, and the Koreans had the inner urge to come together. The Indian subcontinent is different. We are Indians on this side of the border and they are Pakistanis on the other. We have been taught to suspect, never to trust. Germans were divided by Cold War politics; we were divided by the politics of religion and hate.
P.S. Prasanth,
Thiruvananthapuram
The article "Nationhood and frequently unasked questions" (Aug. 4) was informative and interesting. As atomised individuals we may think little about nationalism today, yet it is here to stay. No matter how far we travel in the world of globalisation or even cultural exchange, nationalism is a lurking emotion. It is difficult to explain why a five-year-old gets excited about India winning a cricket match against Pakistan. Nationalism will never be over-run by internationalism â not even in a global village.
Shrivridhi Shukla,
New Delhi
Unification of India
Former RSS spokesperson M.G. Vaidya has wondered why India cannot try unifying when Germany and Vietnam can be united, and the two Koreas can try unifying (Aug. 2). The Germans, the Vietnamese, and the Koreans had the inner urge to come together. The Indian subcontinent is different. We are Indians on this side of the border and they are Pakistanis on the other. We have been taught to suspect, never to trust. Germans were divided by Cold War politics; we were divided by the politics of religion and hate.
P.S. Prasanth,
Thiruvananthapuram