Why I love Russia. On the nature of patriotism

[DARPA]

I am a patriot of Russia. But I do not respect people who are proud of their own patriotism. And the greatest stupidity, I think the idea that a man should love his country. This love - it's either there or it is not. There is nothing good and nothing bad, nothing valiant and nothing to be ashamed, it's just a feeling.

The most pitiful sight - a person who does not love their country and the absence of this feeling ashamed. A person who is not a patriot, but which led to believe that a patriot be necessary.

He is trying to cultivate a "patriotic feelings", but in the absence of love, the only strong enough feelings that he can fill this gap, is hatred. That is why "urapatrioty" all hate. They dream feel tend to feel, try to feel. Anything that could be associated with the word "patriotism". And that "something" is hate, because it is impossible to force yourself to love.

It is these people and go to "antimaydany." Such people desecrate graves and demolish unwanted exhibitions, such people go "pogrom" and humiliate gastorbayterov.

True patriots - they are different. For me personally, the nature of love of country - is just love to his house, to his childhood. I had a good childhood, and most of it took place in Moscow. Perhaps that is why I love this city and this country. For me, this is my own, native. Similar feelings I experience and to Ukraine, where he spent less, but still a wonderful part of my childhood. I do not need to "force" myself loving home (no one, by the way, do not!), I love her just like that.

Patriotism should not be "elevated", but it should be light.

Many friends are surprised my mood. After all, I spend a lot of time abroad and have real estate there, our government, I do not respect, and the guarantor of the constitution believe cloudy mediocrity.

But always happy to come back home in Russia. I have no thoughts about changing the nationality or place of residence. I just love my home. That's why I do a no social activities, including to criticize the current situation. I do not much like it in my house, but I do not want to change it to another. So I want to change it.

I'm not proud of their patriotism and do not blame others for the lack thereof. But there is one thing. No one is obliged to love their homeland, as no one is obliged to believe in God. But the priest who does not believe in God - a man who is clearly out of place. Just as the government official, who does not love their homeland - it's just a man in his place. And to see such people in the country's leadership is really strange to me.