On Defining Patriotism

The patriot accepts and loves his nation.

The patriot tries to change his nation out of his love for it.

Where it becomes difficult to exemplify patriotism in these two forms is in reconcilling the conflict between not only their contradictory natures, but between that of two perspectives on the nature and behavior of one's nation, where one believes it is either mostly good or bad (whether in action, character, or behavior), or both, based on the present, past, and probable, or potential, of his nation.

The least complicated premise is that of the conservative patriot. To him, his nation is mostly good in action and behavior. That allows this form of patriot to need only speak positively of his nation. Since he is inclined to see few faults with his nation, he will likely reject attempts to defend against those faults.

The more difficult premise is that of the dissenter's patriot. To him, his nation needs to improve. He has to argue where his nation has failed to live upto its ideals, and how it can return to that status.

Within both forms of patriotism is an internal struggle:

Some conservative patriots are obstinate to change, even retrograding their nation to a time and form that perverts and destroys the most laudable, commendable aspects of their nation, harkening it to a form best suited to the world of the stereotypical neanderthal.

Some liberal patriots try to mold their nation into something it never has been, and something not all, perhaps not most, believe it should be. While their desire fulfilled might make for an improvement of their nation, by some chosen measurement, it is still dubious to claim love of nation as it is while simultaneously defining that nation as something it is not. Their love of nation is not false, it is only not that it is expressed to an as yet non existent nation, a nation of preferred hypothetical form. It is a love not unlike parents for their, in this case imperfect and short of their full potential, children.

What all patriots share in common is the motivation to do the most good for their nation.
The final thought to ponder, for now, is which form of patriotism is the most objective, and if that really matters more than subjective left and right evaluations which might be no less legitimate.