How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"But they are overcautious men, afraid to act. Instead of proclaiming you, they hid you, and so lost their chance, and sold you to the Sarf to save their own pelts." (14.53)
The problem with politics is that it needs people to run it. And sometimes, those people only have their own interest in mind. And by sometimes, we mean way, way more often than it should happen.
Quote #8
"What is love of one's country; is it hate of one's uncountry? Then it's not a good thing. Is it simply self-love? That's a good thing, but one mustn't make a virtue of it, or a profession…." (15.87)
The idea here is called globalism or maybe internationalism. It's the view that one should put the interests of all nations above the interest of their own. (And it's the opposite of nationalism.) We'll get into this more in the Duty theme, so keep an eye out for it.
Quote #9
And I wondered, not for the first time, what patriotism is, what the love of country truly consists of, how that yearning loyalty that had shaken my friend's voice arises, and how so real a love can become, too often, so foolish and vile a bigotry. (19.87)
Wait, it's not all flag pins and bumper stickers? You sure? As we've seen through history time again, love of one's country and bigotry can sometimes shack up together. And the results are never pleasant.