Notes on Nationalism

A Penguin Modern book containing three essays from George Orwell - taken from his aptly named book Essays.

The titular - Notes on Nationalism, where Orwell defines the difference between nationalism and patriotism before tearing the former to pieces. There are lots of grabable quotes such as:

“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”

“One prod to the nerve of nationalism and the intellectual decencies can vanish, the past can be altered, and the plainest facts can be denied.”

Antisemitism in Britain

The Sporting Spirit

“[Football] has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.”

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