Germany, the US in more lefty towns, eastern Europe were the colonial past half devoured the culture. Conquered and defeated empires.

Being from Eastern Europe, I can confidently say that being a defeated empire does not prevent idiots from reimagining the past.

Everyone looks at the glory of yesterday, but some are much more obsessed with it. It becomes issue when it leads to contradicting the facts, using it to harm others, and preventing yourself from building a better future.

Surely, you must be aware that this thing called 'Make America Great Again' is a backwards-looking 'movement' that has half the country in its thrall. (Just don't ask them to say what 'Great' is out loud, you're not going to get an answer appropriate for polite company.)

And even besides it, the US is highly backwards-looking. At its best, it's political culture is ossified and enslaved to the predominant opinions of a small group of people who are two centuries dead. (While being oblivious to the fact that within that group, there was a huge spectrum of disagreement on these fundamental questions!)

Pile on a bunch of American Exceptionalism, and you get a perfect thought-terminating cocktail of 'It is this way because it's always been this way and because we are the greatest country in the world.'

> Conquered and defeated empires

These are the cultures that do this most. Pointing to a mythologized and stolen past greatness is a coping mechanism for the insecurities of a flagging present.

You left out “imagined”.

I hope you aren't using the "everybody does it" argument to normalize, or worse, justify this stupidity.

That every country has its share of people who engage in such backward-looking, glorifying-the-past behavior does not make it right.

If everyone does it then maybe it isn't stupid? Your argument isn't a valid one.

No, it means stupid people arise from any genetic heritage given the comfort and luxury to establish said stupidity sans real world interference

Also, as a person who has experienced xenophobia in over 50 nations I can tell you that it’s never the best and brightest who stayed in their home town and defend it against outsiders via physical violence and harassment. I have a metal plate and five screws in my leg that tell me your proposals are a no go.

They all do. But too much of it and it makes you forget that there’s a future left to build.

India’s obsession with the past has coincided with a period of anaemic real growth and widespread joblessness and unemployment.