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Comment by nate_martin | Hacker News Reader

Not sure if the "USA" chant after the first stage landed was warranted.

ITAR[1] means that practically everyone working at SpaceX is either a US citizen or permanent resident.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_...

It's a private company based in the USA, contributing to the advancement of USA's technology (largely, NASA). I think it was warranted.

Many of us in other countries wouldn't think of chanting our countries name. I know I generally think of my work as "part of humanity" not for my country necessarily. The US is particularly nationalistic compared to others, which can be off putting for non-americans.

> Many of us in other countries wouldn't think of chanting our countries name

Unless you're German, than that statement is almost certainly false. And even Germany is changing.

Your statement most likely reveals more about your political leanings then the levels of nationalistic fervour in different countries.

> Unless you're German, than that statement is almost certainly false.

What? Imagine a Scandinavian or a Briton chanting their countries names in any other place than a sporting event (with an opposing country). It just doesn't happen.

The only other country I can think of is the Australians. They would chant the "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi! oi! oi!" even at a pub having a beer in the afternoon.

As a Brit I'd have to agree, don't think anyone has ever chanted "Britain, Britain".

Other than football I can't think of any other time I've ever heard anyone chant "England, England" or whatever.

Might be slightly more likely in Scotland as they are a bit more nationalistic.

This is arguably the greatest achievement in space flight since 1969 and you're going to tell the people who made it happen how they should celebrate?

Especially because of that. This nationalism is so weird. I mean, to me it’s mostly incredibly weird, nothing else much. I just cannot picture myself ever ever ever doing something like that, it’s just so incredibly alien.

But a good demonstration of the toxic virality of nationalism, I guess. It manages to wriggle itself into anything.

It's just a cultural thing, it doesn't mean anything weird.

I'm somewhat floored. In what way do you find a bunch of Americans expressing pride in their country like that toxic? Good for them. I don't find it objectionable any more than us Brits signing Rule Britannia at the end of the Proms, but I know some do.

I have to admit though that once on holiday in Germany, while siting in the ruins of a castle overlooking the Rhine at night, myself and some Brit and American friends of mine burst into a rousing chorus of Deutschland Uber Alles, much to the dismay of our German friends. So perhaps I have an odd sense of humor in this respect. And no I'm not some kind of proto Nazi. I also once memorized the words to much of the State Anthem of the USSR, and knew how to use them, but alas it's since largely slipped my memory. Life's too short to spend it walking around with a stick up your arse about these things IMHO.

Nationalism in general is toxic. I firmly believe that nations are a deadly plague and that they should not exist.

Well, it turns out that nations were better than what preceded them at keeping their citizens safe. I even suspect (but I am not a historian) that they were better at cutting down on wars (though the wars were more serious when they happened).

So if you want nations not to exist, the burden is on you to come up with something better. "No nations" can look like what used to be Somalia, or what used to be Afghanistan.

Well, when you change the world with a huge leap in technology, you can celebrate it how you want.

There's no foreign employees in SpaceX due to ITAR restrictions.

That's no true. If you can obtain a green card SpaceX can hire you. SpaceX was also able to hire foreign national without green card, but it's very difficult.

I can't seem to locate the exact time, but this is most likely the interview where Elon Musk mentioned it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIDoTKMqwT4

Yeah I pictured being a foreign national during that, I can imagine it being a little irksome.

Edit: foreign national working at SpaceX. If there were not foreign national's involved in today's success, then feel free to ignore me.

As a foreign national, you're a visitor in the USA.

I think the thing to consider is why a private company chose to include this in what looks like a carefully planned marketing presentation.

It's a commercial. What are they selling?

Space Launch capability.

Bear in mind the video was a live stream. Unless the 'USA' chant was pre-planned and orchestrated by the company, it's just part of the background noise of the employees celebrating.

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