I was at the post office the other day. I needed some stamps so I asked for a book of the ones with the frog on them. The clerk said they didn't have them, only the ones with the American flag on them. Fine, whatever, I hate the flag but I needed the stamps so I bought them.

I had some more driving around I needed to do, but that experience got me noticing the flag more. I mean, I know Americans love to display the flag but when you start paying attention you really notice how pervasive it is. It's flying outside of nearly every building. It's incorporated in advertising. So many people include it in their clothing and on their cars. At the grocery store, I noticed how many products have it on the packaging. It's almost stifling when you pay attention to it.

I'm not all that well traveled but I've been to Hong Kong, Germany, Iceland and the UK. I was in HK for a few months and I barely ever saw either their own flag or the PRC flag. Pretty much the same thing in Germany. In the UK I saw a decent amount of Union Jack stuff and the same with Iceland but nothing like it is in America.

But... why? I really want to understand why Americans are obsessed with the flag. Maybe there's nothing more to it than showing others you're "pro-America", I dunno...

  • doublepepperoni [none/use name]
    ·
    4 years ago

    In Finland, there's a flag pole per every apartment building block. The Finnish flag's flown on specific flag days , and at half mast in the event of national tragedies, or when there's been a death on the apartment block. My mom's griped to me several times about the caretaker of her apartment complex letting the flag touch the ground when it's being taken off the pole, or letting it fly past government proscribed flag flying hours. In general, I don't think the average joe is too attached to the flag though, and the flag's not that pervasive outside of sporting events or the shirts and hats worn by alcoholic chuds

    lol, you can get fined for fucking with the Finnish flag:

    By Finnish law it is forbidden to deface the flag or to use it in a disrespectful way. It is also illegal to remove a flag from its pole without permission. Anyone who breaks these regulations may be fined for disgracing the flag.

      • doublepepperoni [none/use name]
        ·
        4 years ago

        The flag stuff is quaint and really a non-issue, to be honest. I actually like the tradition of flying the flag half-mast when someone in the neighbourhood has died. There's way shittier things to worry about, like mandatory sterilisation if you want to legally change your gender