Fourth of July Photo 2. Photo Credit: Mechelle Avey. Happy 4th - INTJs and Patriotism. Alwaysuttori.com

Happy 4th – INTJs and Patriotism

Fourth of July Photo 1. Photo Credit: Mechelle Avey. Happy 4th - INTJs and Patriotism. Alwaysuttori.com

Happy 4th of July to my American readers. INTJs and Patriotism might seem an unusual topic to try and tie together. Without getting too political, I think it’s safe to say that, in this moment in time, for many, it doesn’t feel like there is much to celebrate this 4th of July. I say this from the perspective of rising global tensions (Russia, North Korea, Syria), issues with healthcare legislation, and domestic turmoil on many fronts — and that’s just a brief snapshot of the many political issues facing the U.S. right now. Although I attend school in Asia, I am an American. I have a degree in Global Studies, and I cannot help but think about the global and domestic ramifications of policies being put into place. However, having that background, I am a little more cynical than most about our ability to make overarching changes to the American system. Global Studies appealed to me because we learned about systems, and as a natural systems thinker (INTJ), I found the course of study endlessly fascinating. Ultimately, I chose not to go down the public policy path of working to fix governmental systems — in my mind, there was no efficient way to do so; but for those who are involved in government, or who are anxious and stressed by the issues facing us today, I want to take this day, Independence Day, to remind us all that while we may not be feeling patriotic, now is not the time to abandon patriotism.

INTJs are naturally independent, so embracing a group affiliation like nationalism isn’t top on our priority list. INTJ Millennials may be feeling even less patriotic than generations past, as only 49% of American Millennials say patriotic is a word that describes them,  compared to the 64% for Generation X and 75% for Baby Boomers. Millennials, and I mean Millennials from every corner of the globe, are the first generation in modern history to describe themselves as global citizens; but even as global citizens, it’s important to not forget patriotism, which is defined as “Love for or devotion for one’s country.” To be clear, when I say patriotism, I don’t mean nationalism, which claims that one’s country is better than all others. Instead, in the global space, we must be devoted to putting our best forward, to committing to partnership, to connection, and to understanding. This July 4th, I’ve been thinking a lot about my place in all of this. There are ways for INTJs to be patriotic without adopting the unhelpful behaviors of  many so-called patriots. Patriotism is not about a flag pin on your lapel. Modern-day patriotism is a bit of a paradox in that it is about a commitment to values that America was founded on – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It allows for diversity (of thought and of choice), independence, and equality. These are also INTJ values. They are the bedrock values of any country that wishes to claim leadership on a global stage.

Patriotism the INTJ Way

We hold these truths to be so self-evident that anyone who wants to argue must be an INTP (just kidding).

  • Be informed, no (wo)man is an island. I’ve seen young women on discussion boards arguing against the 1964 Civil Rights Act that encourages institutional diversity, many of them never realizing that the word diversity includes gender, and that this important legislation gives us all the same rights to education, housing, and fair treatment in the workplace.
  • Global Citizenship is not a bad thing. In a cold weather place like Minnesota, we would not have access to healthy fruits and vegetables without a strong trade program with other countries.
  • If you must speak, which there’s no reason any of us should (including me), share well-informed opinions. However, just because someone seems to have a good argument, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do your own research. If you’re interested in a topic, find out more. Don’t believe everything you hear. And, get your information from a wide variety of sources.
  • Celebrate the original American values of diversity of culture and of opinion. Masterminds do not thrive in an echo chamber.

Bring your best. Do your best. In short, be the fabulous INTJ that you are.

Happy 4th of July from Always Uttori!

Oh For Fashion’s Sake:

Dress: Nanaf Ushi

Shoes: Rebel

Fourth of July Photo 2. Photo Credit: Mechelle Avey. Happy 4th - INTJs and Patriotism. Alwaysuttori.com
Fourth of July Photo 3. Photo Credit: Mechelle Avey. Happy 4th - INTJs and Patriotism. Alwaysuttori.com

2 Replies to “Happy 4th – INTJs and Patriotism”

  1. Terry Peters says:

    Please don’t forget that millions of Americans are very happy about the results of the last elections, and that there is nothing wrong with the people of a country preferring it to all others, whether it is Denmark, Ghana, Japan, or America.

    • Always Uttori says:

      It’s not forgotten that millions of Americans are happy with the the election results, which is why I said, “it’s safe to say that…for many, it doesn’t feel like there is much to celebrate this 4th of July”, instead of “for all, it doesn’t feel like there is much to celebrate…” And I agree there is nothing wrong with nationalism, a healthy dose of nationalism is needed and expected as a citizen of any country, I was simply differentiating the fact that I was talking about patriotism and not nationalism which are different concepts, at least in terms of Global Studies, which was the framework from which I approached the writing of this article. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment! I appreciate it. 😀

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