Nationalism as a Moral System and the Fluidity of Personality on the Value Dimension Capt Mohamed Hassan Al-Tahir
Morality is one of the fundamental pillars upon which human existence rests. It is a system of principles and values that shape individual behavior and guide it toward what is considered right or wrong within society.
Morality is not merely rigid rules; rather, it is:
– A reflection of human conscience and collective awareness
– A mirror of the history of nations and their grand narratives
Every nation has its moral fingerprint, formed through its historical trajectory, carrying:
– Victories and defeats
– Interactions with others
– Experiences in building the state and society
Yet the essential question remains:
– Is morality inherently binding, or does it oscillate between individual conscience and collective destiny?
In reality, morality has a dual nature:
– On one hand, it is an internal commitment born of conscience
– On the other, it is a social contract imposed by shared destiny
An individual may choose to act according to conscience, but the community sets a general framework that defines acceptable behavior. Thus, morality ultimately becomes a blend of freedom and responsibility.
Nationalism is not merely a feeling of belonging to land or flag; it is:
– A value system embodied in the citizen’s behavior toward his nation and society, shaping his personality
Here, nationalism and morality intertwine to form a distinctive national character:
– Nationalism without morality turns into empty slogans
– Morality without nationalism may lose its practical dimension in serving the community
Their relationship is complementary:
– Nationalism grants morality a collective framework
– Morality grants nationalism a human essence
Building and Sustaining Personality
Human personality is not built in a vacuum; it is shaped continuously by nationalism and morality.
An individual raised in a national environment grounded in firm moral values acquires a balanced personality capable of facing life’s challenges.
But if morality is absent or nationalism weakens:
– Personality becomes vulnerable to fluidity and collapse under pressure.
Thus, the durability of personality is closely tied to the strength of national and moral values within society.
Foundational Values and Narratives
Values are:
– The primary driver of human behavior
– The source that gives national and moral narratives their meaning and effectiveness
Foundational narratives—whether historical, religious, or cultural—gain strength only when translated into practical values lived daily by individuals.
These values:
– Reproduce the narratives
– Grant them continuity
– Contribute to shaping both individual and collective personality
The impact of values on personality lies in their ability to provide an inner compass that guides a person in facing diverse situations.
Values derived from national and moral narratives form a reference framework for the individual, enabling him to distinguish between:
– What serves the community and what harms it
– What enhances his humanity and what diminishes it
Conclusion
National morality and personality on the slope of the value dimension are not merely theoretical issues; they are realities lived by every society in its historical journey.
– Morality defines the features of nationalism
– Nationalism gives morality its collective meaning
– Values form the bond that unites them, granting them the power to build a cohesive and enduring personality
The greatest challenge facing societies today is maintaining this balance, so that:
– Morality remains binding
– Nationalism remains alive
– Values remain active
Thus, human personality can withstand the slopes of time without losing its stability or identity—
an identity established by the founding fathers in the land of gold and faith, through historic stances written in golden letters, embodied in the nobility of the Sudanese people in their constant pursuit of stability, until the picture is completed by the Sudanese through the saying: “ weapon down.”