In Orwell's words: Young, old should find a balance

George Orwell. (Courtesy)

George Orwell is best known for his classic novel Animal Farm, where he masterfully critiques totalitarianism and the corruption of revolutionary ideals. Through an allegory of the Russian Revolution, Orwell exposes how noble aspirations can be warped by those in power, leading to betrayal and oppression.

However, less celebrated is his essay "Notes on Nationalism", written in 1945, which remains strikingly relevant even today. In this essay, Orwell examines the concept of nationalism, not as loyalty to one's country, but as an intense and often irrational attachment to an ideology, cause, or group. He warns of the dangers of negative nationalism, which fosters division and self-righteous superiority, contrasting it with patriotism, which is grounded in love for one's homeland and a sense of collective responsibility.