Chauvinism: Characteristics And Causes Of This Psychological Phenomenon
It is normal to feel pride in the country where we come from, and in the things that are found there; beaches, soccer teams, customs, political systems, etc. But sometimes this patriotism becomes extreme, leading to an inability to see things as they really are.
Chauvinism can be understood as an exaggerated form of boasting about one’s native country, which comes hand in hand with repudiation by other nations. Therefore, it is related to xenophobia. In this article we are going to see in detail what this psychological and sociological phenomenon is about, and we will review some of its main characteristics.
As we have already seen, chauvinism is understood as the idea that some people have that their country or nation is somehow superior to other nations, and they are capable of defending this idea above any logical argument that is presented to them. The term chauvinism is coined due to the surname of a French soldier named Nicolás Chauvin; It is said that this character was faithful to Napoleon Bonaparte and his native France in such a way that everyone was inspired by his blind devotion to the country.
chauvinism is a pattern of behavior associated with extreme nationalism, which generates a cognitive bias in people that makes it impossible for them to understand abstract aspects, such as the nuances and cultural diversities of each country, etc. Chauvinistic people only stay focused on seeing things the way they want them to be.
Generally, these types of behaviors and attitudes can be seen by public figures in the political sphere, as a form of promotion and a campaign strategy or the ideology of their party. Phrases like, “our country is the most beautiful in the world”, “we have the best citizens in the world”, “we are a model country for the rest of the world” may seem innocent, and in many cases they are not used with the intention of creating confrontation, but taken to its ultimate consequences, they express chauvinism.
These and other ideological expressions are typical of a chauvinist discourse, since they are loaded with the idea that some characteristic or thing from the country of origin is superior to that of other countries. These irrational ideas they cause discord and generate enmities between people of different nationalities
Characteristics of chauvinist thought
The following list contains some of the most typical characteristics and actions of people who demonstrate chauvinism through their beliefs and attitudes.
1. Tunnel thinking
The main characteristic of chauvinistic people is that they have a narrow and rigid style of thinking, and They are not able to see other perspectives They seek to demonstrate that their nation is the best, regardless of the opinions and arguments of third parties, usually based on prejudices and without questioning the latter or becoming aware that they think from them.
2. Emotional attachment
In this case the emotional attachment is towards the nation and everything related to it; people, sports teams, national companies, etc. This attachment means that the subject cannot and does not want to let go of the idea that everything that corresponds to his country is of better quality than what comes from other parts of the world.
3. Defense of the territorial
People have difficulty leaving their extreme national territory; they feel a high level of anxiety at the prospect of living somewhere else, even for a while. They are not able to visualize themselves leading a full life in territories other than their own.
4. They blindly defend the countryman
Chauvinistic subjects have no problem apologizing for anyone who shares the same nationality as them, regardless of whether the other person is right or not, or whether they are a good person or not. In front of foreigners, the only thing that matters is that they share the same nationality
These people do not base the defense of their country on reasonable or logical arguments. Regardless of whether the place they come from is in bad political, economic, or any other kind of conditions, these facts would not affect the opinion of those who irrationally defend their country, because It is an essentialist defense directed to a reality beyond the material.
6. Nostalgia for the past
Nostalgia for moments experienced in the past intensifies chauvinistic behavior and thinking. The subject clings to his nation for sentimental rather than logical reasons, and this generates a distortion of thought. The aim is to repeat the same experiences over and over again, without changing the environment too much.
Furthermore, this view of the past is characterized by historical revisionism: distorting the concepts and systems of ideas of previous centuries to fit one’s own ideology (which only exists in the present). And it is an idealized and interested vision of the past: normally, there is a fixation with the times of maximum territorial expansion of what is considered to be the nation itself.
7. Tribal ideas prevail
Tribal instincts are those referring to belonging to a tribe or closed group collective. The subject has the need to be part of a certain group of people, who must meet the requirement of being of the same nationality, and in some cases of belonging to a specific region within the nation and present certain ethnolinguistic or religious characteristics
8. Territorial instincts prevail
Territorial instincts refer to the need of people to remain in a certain territorial space, due to irrational beliefs of safety or subjective benefits People will fiercely defend the place they don’t want to leave, no matter what their actual situation is.
Thus, in chauvinism, borders are defended by the simple fact of delimiting the limits of the group with which one identifies, considering everything beyond it hostile or potentially hostile.
Causes of this social drift
The main reason why a person may have this pattern of thought and behavior is based on false reasoning that responds more than anything else to an ethnocentric fallacy (analysis from reality itself).
Low self-esteem and the perception of being a victim can also motivate chauvinism, taking into account that these people look for a way to take refuge from their low self-esteem. If the defects in the functioning of society itself have their roots in the influence of other nations, the imperfections of the group with which we identify can be excused At least, before our eyes.
Subjects who affirm without hesitation that they could give their lives for their nation have generally suffered significant emotional deficiencies during the development of their identity, which predisposes them to attribute the protective role to the diffuse concept of nation.
On the other hand, the blind defense of the nation is useful for them to feel part of a stable social group that offers protection and stability. Thus, they displace all their feelings of emptiness and resentment towards a “just cause” that can be achieved collectively.
