Patriotism is a rampant feeling these days in the US, especially since the cold war, when it reached its fervent peak with anti-Soviet tension and anger propelling it into the hearts of most of the amerikkkan public. But the problem is much deeper than this. 
   Patriotism is a foolish notion, even though often times it may seem well founded. Patriotism essentially stems from a guttural feeling that is bred into amerikkkan youth. It starts with early brainwashing such as the Pledge of Allegiance and often times while being continuously pushed on the citizens of the states turns into its even uglier cousin, nationalism and ego- and ethno-centricism. Patriotism is completely unnecessary.
   Where as it is understandable to have feelings for the country of your birth or destination, it is unnecessary to blindly praise such an entity. It is absolutely useless to bind yourself to an unfathomable human machine made up of hierarchies and states and bound together by laws and the forces that regulate, govern, and enforce those laws.
   Patriotism tends to be a blind response to situations, which would otherwise prove damaging to this nation’s or its government’s credibility. Errant flag waving causes chanting and patriotic hysteria among the masses of shepherded citizens. And defining one’s self simply by a flag or a country is paltry, limited and almost as foolish as binding one’s self to a skin color or favorite brand of jeans. A simple appreciation for the limited freedoms we do have is enough. If you as a person were to attach yourself completely to a printing press or a die casting machine, or something of the like, you’d be seen as silly or outlandish. Yet, we insist on tying ourselves to a massive human machine for (typically) no other reason than we live here.
   I suggest a different alternative. It is much more rational to appreciate the freedoms and benefits that we as a society and we as individuals have. But rather than succumb the temptation to leave well enough alone, that we continue the fight for peace, freedom and equality in the world.
   Of course, these are difficult goals to obtain, but if we remove focus from patriotism and place it on being more humanistic, switching to a world view that is above patriotic bullshit (i.e. “we best drop some nukes ‘cause they dissed the USA!”) this will assist in accomplishing some or many of these seemingly unattainable plans.

Abandon patriotism as bullshit. Only then, can we help ourselves to evolve.