“It is remarkable how fast and how effectively you can construct a nationality with a flag, a few speeches, and a national anthem; to this day I avoid the label "Lebanese," preferring the less restrictive "Levantine" designation.”

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Source: The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable (2007), p. 5

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Nassim Nicholas Taleb 196

Lebanese-American essayist, scholar, statistician, former t… 1960

Michael Billig (1947) British psychologist

Source: Banal Nationalism (1995), p. 85

“A national anthem is a universal sign of particularity. The conventions of the oeuvre demand that the uniqueness of the nation be celebrated in a universally stylized manner. National anthems not only fit a common pattern, but it is part of their symbolism that they are seen to do so. They flag the nation as a nation among nations, as flags themselves do.”

Michael Billig (1947) British psychologist

Source: Banal Nationalism (1995), p. 86

“So, what exactly are these folks protesting, and how does disrespecting the national anthem and the flag of the United States of America have to do with any of this? Doggone, like the United Negro College Fund commercial used to say, “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.””

Allen West (politician) (1961) American politician; retired United States Army officer

2010s, Folks, you’re missing the point about the NFL protests (19 October 2017)

“There will be no national flags or other kinds of flags designed to specify cross-strait relations inside or outside the offices because we are not foreign nations to each other.”

Ma Ying-jeou (1950) Taiwanese politician, president of the Republic of China

Ma Ying-jeou (2013) cited in: " Ma defends cross-strait offices proposal http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/04/24/2003560582" in The Taipei Times, 24 April 2013.
Statement made in interview with Chinese-language United Evening News in response to the establishment of reciprocal representative office between Taiwan and Mainland China, in which Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation office will be established in Mainland China, while Mainland China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits office will be established in Taiwan, 23 April 2013.
Strait issues

“(Imitating a Belarus citizen commenting on their national flag) Stupid National Anthem…. Look at this flag; Two bears fighting over a pineapple. What kind of message does that send to the world? "Come to Belarus, where wild animals will steal your fruit"”

Bill Bailey (1965) English comedian, musician, actor, TV and radio presenter and author

Tinselworm (2008)

“Such commitment extends to the maintenance of the exclusive Jewish symbolism that Israel deploys, ranging from its Jewish flag and national anthem (which only speaks of Jews) to its ceremonial national days and the practices of institutionalized discrimination against its Arab non-Jewish citizens in every facet of life.”

Joseph Massad (1963) Associate Professor of Arab Studies

Ibid.
"The Ends of Zionism: Racism and the Palestinian Struggle"

“Why does everybody not sing a national anthem all together? The player who cannot sing a national anthem is not a Japanese representative.”

Yoshirō Mori (1937) 86th Prime Minister of Japan

As quoted in 森氏「どうして国歌歌わない」五輪壮行会で苦言 http://this.kiji.is/122300577584857095 (in Japanese) (3 July 2016),Kyodo news.

“The most unresolved problem of the day is precisely the problem that concerned the founders of this nation: how to limit the scope and power of government. Tyranny, restrictions on human freedom, come primarily from governmental restrictions that we ourselves have set up.”

Milton Friedman (1912–2006) American economist, statistician, and writer

” “Interview with Milton Friedman” https://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications/the-region/interview-with-milton-friedman, David Levy, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (June 1, 1992)

“Not to have a national anthem would be logical.”

George Orwell (1903–1950) English author and journalist

"As I Please," Tribune (31 December 1943)<sup> http://www.telelib.com/words/authors/O/OrwellGeorge/essay/tribune/AsIPlease19431231.html</sup>
As I Please (1943–1947)

“Enjoying Lebanese Internet :) I didn't think that one day would consider this as fast connection. but 30kbps is great comparing to #syria”

Bassel Khartabil (1981–2015) free culture and democracy activist, Syrian political prisoner

Tweet July 13, 2011 7:01AM https://twitter.com/basselsafadi/status/91145220875501568 at Twitter.com

“It is remarkable how fast and how effectively you can construct a nationality with a flag, a few speeches, and a national anthem; to this day I avoid the label "Lebanese," preferring the less restrictive "Levantine" designation.”

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