Modzelewski: 2 visions of authoritative patriotism

For respective years, in our country, he has been present, known from the sanitation period, intrusive, authoritative patriotism, or recommended pattern of attitude of a contemporary citizen loving his homeland.

The essential elements of this pattern include – although I do not gotta remind you of this: contempt for the times of the alleged PeeReLu (the russian occupation), a faithful attitude towards the United States, the worship of the Marshal (or Joseph Piłsudski), the glorification of the alleged Cursed Soldiers and, of course, uncompromising rusophobia mixed in 1 pot with anti-communism. The promotion of this pattern is alternatively vague, and in addition, it combines with fantasies about our “power” (as in the form of a sanitation) which is intended to consequence in submission to the United States, especially in the acquisition of American weapons.

Official patriotism has been present in Russia for a long time, and it is akin to ours, although it has different accents: there the cult of the large Patriotic War, the fidelity of Orthodoxy (a modern version of godliness), respect for strong power and above all the current president, and reconciliation of the two-time heritage: neo-Russian and Soviet. In the neighbouring squares of the large (and small) cities of Russia there are monuments of the Bolshevik leaders, including especially Vladimir Lenin, and the “enemies of the Revolution” who were fought or murdered by the Bolsheviks, including Nicholas II (with the closest household killed by the Bolshevik hatchets) is among the saints of the Orthodox Church and the Czaric generals who defended the old Russia (before the Bolsheviks). In this respect, our authoritative patriotism is the opposite, due to the fact that I think that all monuments of people connected with the period of the People's Poland (1944-1989) have already been removed, their graves will most likely be thrown out of honorary graves, and the most crucial patriotic accomplishment will be the celebration of the demolition of the Palace of Culture and discipline in Warsaw (a chronic proof of our “slavery”). most likely individual will spontaneously propose that a large monument be built in his place to the erstwhile Colonel of the Polish People's Army, a certain Ryszard Kuklińskiwho has been a longtime CIA associate; even though it is ironic, I would not regulation out the existence of specified a plan – servillism towards the United States knows no boundaries, even by aesthetics.

Interestingly, modern Russian patriotism is not anti-Polish despite bad symbols: e.g. the national celebration of the Russian Federation is the anniversary of the expulsion of the Polish crew from Moscow ending the period of Dmitriad. Today, in the consciousness (official and unofficial) of this country, we are practically absent; at most, we are seen as a faithful servant of the American interests in this part of the planet ("the chain dog of Washington") which is expected to show only regular hostility towards Russia consistently acting against it.

However, we must besides note what resembles these 2 versions of authoritative patriotism: both are far from European, wider – pro-Western correctness. possibly it's not a coincidence after all. Is it possible to build not only patriotism, but any first national identity by being a follower of unreflexively different aesthetics and views and culture? We frequently do not even announcement that our imitation of the so-called. The West is the essence of our consciousness.

In a fresh book on Russia written by the author with a professorial title, we can read that individual there “knows languages” (of course “Western”), “was in the West”, “was allowed to leave” and that his views or assessments are wise, credible and supportive. After all, we must reject all our differences and originality: for it is "grandfatherhood", even "objection". Starting with our products: what we can produce is only contemptible. After all, for respective generations we have been pupils (grandsons) of product marketing: erstwhile large money was invested in this and generations of Poles were created in western tandem. Our imported aesthetics were shaped, which besides cost our political views: in the end, "all that is valuable came to us from the West."

Someone who sees our imitation and seeks his own identity must at least partially reject what is alien.

Witold Modzelewski

Think Poland, No. 11-12 (12-19.03.2023)