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by SaltySolomon 950 days ago
> I've seen this as a common trend on any India-related discussion. Does anyone have any ideas as to why?

My theory is the rise of Hindunationationalism, and nationalism in general in India, which leads to the feeling of needing to defend ones country against any perceived attacks. Combine this with a huge country and rising levels of English proficency and you will get that type of comments on English speaking online boards.

2 comments

It's sadly a bit worse than religious nationalism.

It's start with that common religious nationalist myth:

'We are the best/greatest in the world, because god made us So (baked just right).'

Then continue with a that bit that separate it from Cesarism (and Stalinisme):

'But we aren't the greatest country in the world, we aren't at our rightful place: ahead of our ennemies'.

Then you have different follow-up. A Maoist 'we should improve and work hard, especially you, to make up for it', Or a more fascist/whiny approach 'its because of those pesky I internal traitors (usually Jews, sometimes communists, it seems to be Muslims in India currently)'.

The issue is that India nationalism is moving from a somehow Maoist mythos (except with more competent leadership, which isn't hard tbh) to a victim hood, whiney myth that imho lead to at best reactionary thinking, at worst fascism (I don't think they're there at all, I don't think they can their society is too much... Indian? to be really fascist, but I can see castes becoming a real thing again.)

In general, I think nationalism is like being proud of something you don't control and don't have any impact on, so a bit dumb, but Human. I'm OK with it, mostly. But add paranoid victimhood to nationalism and you have the dumbest ideology in the world.

Also combined with the fact that many people in the west genuinely do look down on India. Not necessarily in an overtly racist way, but thinking it's still the India of the 1950s, rather than a country which can build supersonic jet fighters and land probes on the moon.

Further combined with the fact that in some rural parts of the country, life actually has not changed that much from the 1950s.