Nationalism: Does it Help or Hinder Our Communication?
In our globalized world, it is essential for people to be able to communicate efficiently and effectively with one another from different backgrounds and cultures. Inherent within this idea, however, is the problem nationalism can pose to this type of interpersonal communication. On the one hand, it can be argued that nationalism can enhance communication, while on the other hand, it can be seen to hinder it. In order to look further into the implications such an issue brings to light, an examination of the positives and negatives will be seen.
First of all, it is important to note that nationalism can help communication as it serves to link individuals together as a group. This group then has certain core values, beliefs, and ideas which can be shared and understood more clearly between members. This enables communication within the group to be easier and more fluent. For instance, if one is discussing the benefits of increased tax cuts with fellow nationalists, they may have similar values and opinions on it, making it easier to discuss. This then increases the quality and volume of communication within the group, something which other aspects of communication may miss out on due to the lack of shared values.
In some ways, it can also be argued that without nationalism, communication between people may be hindered due to lack of belonging. Suppose two global citizens, each belonging to different backgrounds and cultures, wished to discuss something but could not relate to each other either through language, custom or belief. At this point, they may find it difficult to get a fully comprehensive point across due to the lack of common understanding between the two. The dearth of emotive connections to each other can often make it difficult to understand each other’s points of view, leading to communication barriers.
Nationalism can also, on the other hand, place limits on communication. This is due to the fact that nationalism can be seen as a form of ‘groupthink’, whereby members of the group tend to only speak and think in a way which conforms with the group’s beliefs. This can lead to an inability to think in ways outside the group’s ideas, leading to a stifling of creativity and original thought. Furthermore, on a macro scale, it can cause a communication impasse between nations, as each one of them may think uniquely and have varying ideologies, which only serve to increase the differences between them and make effective communication difficult.
Overall, while it can be seen that nationalism can be beneficial to communication, especially within members of the same nation, it can also be argued that it may actually be detrimental in some cases, as it can lead to a lack of originality, as well as to possible communication barriers between different nations. In order to account for this downside, it is important that individuals consider the implications of communication before engaging in it, especially if there is a potential for cross-cultural exchanges. By doing so, everyone will be better equipped to handle the nuances which nationalism can bring and make effective communication between nations more viable.
