Introduction
Nationalism, according to Oxford dictionary, is “patriotic feeling, belief in independence for a particular country”. Every citizen of certain nation loves and respects his/her people and nation. Every people and nation or everyone has challenges and opportunities in life. Some people, tribe, and nation have more or less challenges and opportunities. There will be problem when people with more opportunities than challenges underestimate, look down, or oppress upon people with more challenges than opportunities. The author has feeling for his people Nagas to be wise on issue of Nationalism. Nagas have challenges on this issue but they have opportunity too. The author is happy that young men and women among Nagas are emerging toward political track. As a concern citizen, the author wants young emerging Naga nationalists and politicians to be aware of false nationalism as mentioned bellow. The following types of nationalism make people and nation differently.
1. Blind-Nationalism: Blind cannot see and know the value and beauties of others than feeling and touching himself or herself. In the same way, blind nationalist or nationalism and politician do not concern for other tribes, people, and nations. They are the group who think, work, and say, “My people, my religion, my culture, my language, my nation are superior to the rest”. They care and look only for their people, religion, language, culture and so on and so ford. They underestimate other people, religion, language, culture and so on. They think and say that others are useless and treat as inferior or enemy. By extreme loving on their own people, religion, culture, and language they create hatred between tribes and nations. This type of nationalism is dangerous. This group is used by corrupted government.
2. Hay-fire Nationalism: Fire burns and consumes hay very fast and dies out soon. Some groups of people in society or in nation have some emotional feelings for their people and nation like hay-fire. They rise just for some moment when they have emotion. They are “Just do whatever, solve the problem later” kind of people group. This emotion will die down sooner or later and their nationalism disappears in the air because they do not have core goal. This group is used by corrupted leaders in certain circumstances to gain their benefit.
3. Conditional Nationalism: This group of people yells like a mad only when emergency comes up. They live in circumstances they faced. They do not have a strong goal. They do not have vision. They do not prepare and think for future. It is dirty type of nationalism. This type of politicians or nationalists joins or transfer then and now from one to another party. They are looking and longing for good opportunity. People welcome them in given condition but they lost their trust on this type of nationalists or politicians. They build their future on uncertain territory.
4. Hypocrites Nationalism: The word “hypocrites” refers to the people who pretend higher standards than who they are. This group looks and does only for their benefit (their business). They want people to see them as good nationalists, politicians, and leaders but in reality, they work and keep things more for their benefit. They are good in writing, in speech, and in social media but deep in their heart there is less room for society and nation. They pretend as good nationalists, politicians, and leaders. Whenever and wherever this type of nationalism happens, nation and people become poor while leaders and politicians become rich. This type of nationalism is practiced by corrupted politicians, leaders, and dictators.
5. Sagacious Nationalism: The word “sagacious” refers to knowledgeable, intelligent, and wise. They love their people, language, religion, and culture with wisdom. This type of nationalism can be called Humanitarian group. They love their people, language, religion, culture, and nation but they do not underestimate/look down other people, tribe, language, religion, and culture. They respect and value others as they respect and value themselves. This type of nationalism makes nations and people great, peaceful, and prosperous.
Loving your people, tribe, religion, language, culture, and nation is your ethical duty and responsibility which is good in the sight of everyone. However, loving them with wisdom and knowledge should be put together. It is good to avoid underestimating or looking down others. Great people and nations respect and value the others as they love and work for their people, tribe, religion, language, culture, and nation. Avoiding all the first four types of nationalism and putting the fifth type of nationalism will make Naga people and nation great. Furthermore, if Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists put in mind and practice this fifth type of nationalism, there will be peaceful environment and peaceful world because this is humanitarian type of Nationalism.
