Having been removed from high-school for more than a decade now, I remember a strong patriotic sense from my classmates. We were a part of the Chicago collar counties. If I remember correctly, only the degenerates made statements about how much the country “sucked”. I think their sentiments were more representative of their situation, rather than the country itself.
I wonder at what point do students stop stating the pledge of allegiance? We stopped in 5th grade doing it everyday, and then once a week until graduation. Different times though, prevailing in the cold war boosted morale. The global war on terror is not as ominous as communism. Without a common enemy, it is hard to unite a people. 9/11 showed us that.
The group psychology has a large impact on this issue as well. Sarcasm and general skepticism is rewarded with peer acceptance. The person who shows faith in our country might present as a schmuck, even though they are wise beyond their years. I believe this may be a passing theme in students lives. Let’s face it, once you start paying taxes, conservatism looks pretty damn good!
