La Vie Quotidian

Abstract

This chapter illustrates nationalism's greatest moments in daily matters. It argues that nationalism molds our culinary preferences; shapes our architecture and decor; orchestrates the soundtrack of our lives; and fashions what we wear, how we talk, and what we dream about. The chapter uses gardening as an interesting example of the way nationalism shapes our everyday life. It emphasizes the connectedness of nationalism to nature by narrating nation-states' national flowers and plants. The chapter also introduces architecture as another means of shaping the public sphere in the nation's image. Ultimately, the chapter demonstrates how nationalism entered modernity through a democratic and economic corridor. It allows us to see that it answers not only the needs of the state but also of modern individuals wishing to become authors of their lives. Nationalism enriches their personal and public experience, endowing their deeds with special importance, making them part of a continuous chain of creation.