Primary Myths
Two nationalism's primary myths are connected with beliefs in:
- community's permanence (the myth of the eternal nation), based on its national character, territory and institutions and on its continuity across many generations, and
- community's common ancestry (myth of the common ancestry).
The nationalist myths portray the nation like sleeping and waiting to be awakened, but scholarly discourse avoid such image because national identity either exists or not and can not be asleep and awakened.
Read more about this topic: National Myth
Famous quotes containing the words primary and/or myths:
“If a madman were to come into this room with a stick in his hand, no doubt we should pity the state of his mind; but our primary consideration would be to take care of ourselves. We should knock him down first, and pity him afterwards.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“Two myths must be shattered: that of the evil stepparent . . . and the myth of instant love, which places unrealistic demands on all members of the blended family. . . . Between the two opposing myths lies reality. The recognition of reality is, I believe, the most important step toward the building of a successful second family.”
—Claire Berman (20th century)