"What is a cultural lifestyle, if not the fact that, although we don't believe in Santa Claus, there is a Christmas tree in every house, and even in public places, every December?" (Zizek, 2003: 7)
Culture in this sense is a performance, which originates as learned behavior rather than through a true understanding or belief. The argument here implies a hollow repetition of certain signifiers simply out of habit, respect for the past, or at times maybe even force. This argument is easily transposed into nationalist rituals where so much ritual exists.
The singing of national anthems at soccer matches on the national level is a good example. I wonder how many people actually understand what they are singing when they stand up? Or are they just singing out of respect, out of love for their country? Who knows the history of the tune, or the history of their nation well enough to truly understand what they are singing?
Of course, I am asking these questions as much as a criticism of myself as of anyone else. I am always moved when I hear the German National anthem at a soccer game, but rarely at any other time. Although I often align myself with Germany because it is my birthplace, I only feel like a nationalist when I watch the national team. Suddenly, because of context, I forget long held beliefs that nationalism is not only dangerous but also racist, and the cause of unbelievable suffering and behavior.
Because I believe in the superiority of the DFB, the national anthem takes on meaning only in the stadium. It becomes a performance in that the words are rather meaningless to me, I am not in actual fact even a German citizen, and yet I would stand up, put my hand on my heart and sing "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit für das deutsche Vaterland!" just out tradition and a hope that my team will win.
Like Zizeck's Christmas tree, the national anthem is there just because of tradition, even as belief in the nation state system becomes less and less relevant. Thus the national anthem is relegated to sporting events, one of the last venues where people still get away with racist behavior and opinions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Oh Please. And you think you don't have a religion? Your lack of one - or rather, your set of beliefs, - is as much a religion as an organized belief in a specific deity. And I'll argue with you about it even more when you get home.
Why not tradition? Who says it's forced? And who says people don't understand the words behind their national anthem? Stop generalizing, and instead of sitting back, reading books, and making judgements and decisions, get out and talk to people. Base your opinions - and your religion - on what you find out. While I admit to spending less than 10 hours, total, in the library during my college career, I know people, and that is something you can't learn from your books. Remember I said to ask the kids in the community center how THEY felt about the doors? Same thing. It isn't Christmas to me without a tree, Pagen symbolism or no, just as it wouldn't be Christmas without Christmas Eve candlelight service, with children singing of the birth of Christ. Live what you believe, and cheer for your soccer team because you want to. Nobody forced you to become a Bayern fan, and nobody is making you continue.
We all have our own religions, like it or not. I don't see it dwindling, and I can think of no other place than the church that allows rampant racism, behavior and opinions both. Explain to me how religion is different from soccer teams. We have our own anthems, our own training rituals, and our own riots and wars when the pageantry ends.
We might even get the same thing out of it.
Love you!
Perhaps I was not clear enough in the third paragraph that this is primarily self-reflection, not merely broad generalization as you imply. Further more, I am only asking questions of the world, and making a few personal observations. Why is this so objectionable?
How many people do know the meaning of their national anthem? And if they do, why do they sing it? What does it mean? This is idle speculation of course, as I am in no position to answer these questions. But the fact that in many cases, national anthems are often war-like, come from a colonial tradition, and imply superiority, I do feel the need to question them. But again, I question myself first, and why I believe the way I do.
I feel you miss the point. It is not wrong to have cultural signifiers be important to you, but if they are, you should know why (indeed, I continue to love my team and I question only why the German Anthem stirs national feelings in me, only when I hear it in a soccer context). This means taking into account the history of this song or item, and not just saying, "well, its nice because we do it every year." Why would you sing a song or embrace an item that is so divisive and steeped in a past no-one should be proud of? To answer that with "tradition" is not good enough for me, personally.
Finally, if you are going to accuse me of being narrow minded, you would do well not to start your comment with "oh please", as I can think of nothing more condescending as a turn of phrase (particularly if you are going to berate me for that which you yourself are guilty of). You see, I don't suggest that what I write is correct, or even good, but rather an exploration of ideas I come across, which I am interested in trying on.
That's it.
Post a Comment