Dynamics of Nationalism

Psychologically, when going from intrauterine to extra uterine or birth, the baby begins life emotionally vulnerable and sensitive to pain, dependent, fearful and helpless. It doesn’t have perception, cannot feed itself; and relies on the mother or caretaker for feeding, diapering and its existence. Within its development, the infant evolves from primary narcissism and begins to recognize outside objects, reacts with emotion, becomes able to grasp things, coordinate movements and then locomote or walk. Secondary narcissism begins as a child starts to recognize the importance of the other. The rudimentary basis for love has now been established. At the cognitive level, primary process thinking evolves into secondary process thinking as the child develops language, speaks, and learns about things and their function. Jean Piaget viewed cognitive development proceeding through four stages. 1. Sensorimotor 2. Preoperational 3. Concrete Operational and 4. Formal Operational. In the fourth stage, the ability to think abstractly, hypothetically, philosophically, ethically, socially, politically, and employ deductive reasoning emerges. Conscience evolves as the child learns “bad” as a result of parental punishments and threats and “good” as result of parental approval. It behaves as such only when the parent is present. We know that conscience was thought at one time to be a major influence on behavior and that conscience was developmental. Initially, according to Piaget and Kohlberg, a child’s behavior was guided externally by punishment and obedience, and then was based on receiving the approval of others, in order to maintain good relations. Later on, the individual begins internally to employ more rational, beneficial mutuality and utilitarian based behavior. He begins to see a logical and rational necessity for people to cooperate with one another .Appropriate behavior is based more on mutuality, reciprocity and the interests of all. With the capacity to view the world objectively, it can see others within a moral, ethical and humanistic framework. We also know that if the parents had a defective or authoritarian based conscience that was expressed in the manner of excessive rigidity or harshness, then it’s very unlikely that the development of the child’s conscience and moral standards would become mature and reasonable. More To Follow