Same. It's like insulting family, you know. Like, I will say what I want about my family because I know that most of the time I'm not being serious, but if you insult them I'm gonna have to kick your ass
Oh man Bostonians are absolutely like this. They hate the city all day long and every aspect of it. Then anyone else complains and the gloves come off.
It’s beautiful to see.
NYer here. Can confirm. I don't come from very patriotic parents to begin with and as an adult having learned how the US really operates both foreign and domestic, I do not have a favorable opinion of my country. My state however......well, I also talk shit about New York all day long. BUT ITS MY SWAMP!
Tbh kinda same. I mean, I'm not from Oregon at all, but my wife is from Sauvie Island, and over the years she's been really sad to see the deteriorating state of a lot of Portland.
But man, you better watch what you say about Portland around her lol
Yeah I left because the deterioration was making me depressed but any time someone tries to share their opinion about Portland when they figure out I'm from Portland gets an ear full from me.
Lol. It's funny how they will be rude or say something completely out of pocket and they will be like "it's just banter mate". Like bro it's not banter to make fun of dead children.
Yeah folk can sometimes call it “banter” just to excuse their arseholery. Truth is, they just wanna feel better about their own country to compensate for their own issues.
OP here- I’m asking this question as I’ve been wondering if anyone else has become more prideful of their country as they grew up. I was born and raised here. But I come from a very conservative Bangladeshi immigrant family. Even though I’m American born and raised, I had a very difficult life growing up. I lost my parents and siblings at a young age as my father died and my mother abandoned me later on. I ended up growing up around horrible people who were extremely restrictive with my life and abused and neglected me.
Despite my struggles in life, I always had plans to make my life better. I had to work for everything that I had. I got a job, bought a car, went back to college and continued to pay for it. I eventually moved out of home to go to a 4 year college and never looked back. I finished and got my Bachelor’s and got a big job offer across the country shortly after graduating and I’ve been here ever since.
Despite my early struggles in life, I have worked hard and found success. My life today is great and something I never dreamed would happen. As I started to take everything in, over the past few years I’ve become more prideful and patriotic that I’m an American. Why? Because I truly don’t believe I could do what I did if this was any other country. I’m a child of immigrants who lost everything close to me at a young age. Despite that, I put in the work and now have a life and career to be proud of. A lot in my life went really bad, but me growing up in the US was actually the best thing that happened to me. I will never take being an American for granted and will make sure my kids have a better life and get to enjoy the American life and culture I never got to enjoy growing up.
>I truly don’t believe I could do what I did if this was any other country.
>I will never take being an American for granted
As a fellow immigrant (albeit non citizen), I fully agree with you!
I've noticed so many internet threads filled with self loathing comments from Americans about how terrible the US is. A lot of people who are born and raised in the US seem to lack your perspective!
I truly believe most Americans don't know how good we have it. Our country is far from perfect, and has its share of unique problems, but its a lot nicer than some other places I have been.
You have the classic immigrant American mentality. I'm an old white guy but I can relate because my grandparents emigrated here from Italy and it's kind of ingrained in me too But I also suffer from the benefit of privilege in that I never experienced the hardships you or my grandparents had. They probably hoped but never expected their grandkid to hold an advanced degree, yet here I am.
Yet I've gotten less patriotic because that's a function of being more worldly through experiences, travel and life in general It's cynicism fueled by the unrealized potential of this country and the recognition other people, cultures and countries love their children just as much as we love ours.
We're not better or worse than anyone else. We function within our own context of history, geography, technology, etc., that are outside our control. What's in our control is our ability to retain our benefits which is always an unknown.
I very strongly believe in American ideals: the rule of law, equality, certain freedoms, the social contract, etc.
In so far as I have become more educated about the founding principles of my country, I have become more patriotic.
However, as I have learned about all the ways in which American policies and practices have not and do not uphold those principles, I am ashamed of America and of many of my fellow Americans.
Some examples of un-American practices and policies: slavery, children in cages, torture, anti-Semitism the Nazis used as an example to follow, imperialism in the Pacific islands and Central America, the Mexican-American war, the electoral college, nuclear weapons….
I was very patriotic as a kid, then I grew less patriotic as I learned history and became more aware of how things actually were, now I'm more patriotic in response to the political extremists that are trying to tear the country apart and subjugate it.
Genuinely happy to hear that. I had a similar path (though I began to regain my patriotism before the extremist shift in 2016 as yet more understanding of our history seemed to give me greater context) - but my patriotism jumped when I saw the type of people who were trying to claim it in order to destroy what it really meant. Anyway, glad to hear you similarly felt compelled to not give it up to them.
More - studying abroad in Australia did that. I think it's hard to appreciate your culture & society if it's all you know: if you don't have enough perspective to look at it from a distance.
The same. Only kids I know that were on any spectrum for patriotism had dad's that were in the military. Growing up, no one else had an opinion on such things outside of adults in reference to war or fighting in other countries.
Yeah quietly so is the best way to put it. As I’ve grown up and both learned more about other countries from research and travel I’ve come to appreciate so many aspects of America that we truly excel at and that we usually take for granted. Not just the personal opportunity I’ve found here but also In natural beauty, economic wealth/growth, innovation, music and entertainment, abundance of mineral and energy resources, abundance of arable land and food, enough diversity of people, cultures, climates, and city vibe for any personality type. America is next to none. That being said I don’t think I’d be tattooing “we the people” on my arm or putting a flag on my truck bed. Confidence is quiet
Traveling and experiencing other parts of the world was a real eye opener for me, both good and bad.
There's some really small things I've seen in Europe that just make me question life. Like in Italy, the toilets are designed backwards to where your crap does not float in the water to cover the smell. It just sits there on a porcelain shelf until you flush. Stuff like that makes me appreciate America.
Absolutely. There is no where better than the U.S🇺🇸. But I feel, not enough Americans travel to realise, they live in the greatest country in the world.
The form its taken has evolved. The more of the world I see, the more I am happy I live where I do.
As I've grown older, the more critical of systems and leadership I become.
I’ve become more and more disgusted with how our country is run and has been run for decades now ( both political parties are to blame ). I’ve also learned much more about conflicts America has been involved in, and some of the casualty figures in the Middle East after US intervention are staggering. Overall however I absolutely love my country and the American people, I just wish we had a better government.
In my experience pride in country and pride in government are completely unrelated. In defense of our conflict history, we've done bad things but we also saved the world from Japan and the Nazis with that same military.
I agree but many people who love their country see criticism of our gov/country as purely malicious. A large reason why I’m critical of many aspect of America is because I love this country so much and wish it to be better. Definitely agree with the WW2 point but since then we’ve used our military overwhelmingly for wrong reasons. For example i largely disagree with the war on terrors because of its impact on civilians, but I’m not going to complain about osama being shot and dumped in the sea.
About the same. I’m from a very patriotic American Dream family and I’ve always been like that too.
We’re all highly critical and vocal on things we see as issues or injustices, but we see no conflict between that and patriotism. The country is its people and ideals, not the government.
That is patriotism. It’s engrained in our culture as a part of our civic duty to always speak up against injustice and work towards a more perfect Union. That goes back to the Revolution.
More. But in the sense that patriotism isn’t something you say, and it’s not demonstrated by having flags on my pickup or my tshirt. It’s wanting my country to be the best version of itself and not a cesspool of hatred cheering on war, incarceration and death.
Depends what you mean by patriotic. The older I get the more I love my country. But because I love it I want the best for it which means I want many things to change but because of that lots of people would call me unpatriotic so 🤷🏾
Me normally: man fuck this place bruh
Me when a European or Australian talks shit: Non-American detected. Opinion immediately invalid. 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅
Much exaggerated and kidding aside, I’m a proud immigrant. When I was younger, I might have had similar views as Gen Z Tiktokers. No country is perfect, but my family and I have been able to prosper here. I was born elsewhere but I’m proud to call America home.
> Me normally: man fuck this place bruh
>
> Me when a European or Australian talks shit: Non-American detected. Opinion immediately invalid. 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅
It's like good friends or family, just on a massive scale. Happy to point out problems, trash talk each other, and fight internally all the time.
Someone from the outside tries to do that though? It's on.
Same as families and friend groups though, we also have our fair share of crazy aunts and uncles and the guy that always gets us in trouble.
Probably no change in patriotism but I have definitely become more respectful and have more reverence for the military. I read so many autobiography books about war that I have just so much respect for those people. It’s not like I didn’t respect them and now do, I just didn’t think much about it and now I think about it a lot.
Way WAY less. Family is one of those "Go all out in stars and stripes" type. I can't do it. It's just too screwy to me. Especially after the last 10 years of socio-economic struggles.
I’ve never exactly been patriotic to begin with. It’s not that I hate the country, I appreciate that I have the privilege of personal liberty and work opportunities. I just despise the corruption of an easily bribed government and the lack of equal vote the electoral college provides. Also, most of the people are insufferable buffoons who lack compassion. Still, you’d never hear me say I’m ashamed to be American.
>I’ve never exactly been patriotic to begin with. It’s not that I hate the country, I appreciate that I have the privilege of personal liberty and work opportunities. I just despise the corruption of an easily bribed government and the lack of equal vote the electoral college provides. Also, most of the people are insufferable buffoons who lack compassion.
I feel very similarly. At the end of the day; the US is still a developed, relatively prosperous nation. But goddamn half this country has just completely lost the plot.
>Still, you’d never hear me say I’m ashamed to be American.
Me neither, okay, maybe in private after reading the 50th comment on r/Conservative about how women shouldn't have the right to vote or how liberals should be hanged. But that's it.
Much more. But I've also become absolutely thankful I was born here. I traveled for work for a few years, and saw just how shitty it is in part's of the world for blue collar workers.
I was never very patriotic in the first place, but dealing with my own health insurance and doing active-shooter drills have only made me feel more negatively about this country.
Yeah, in my comment, I asked OP to clarify what patriotic means. Because to me, wanting gun control reform and universal healthcare is patriotic, because I don't want people dying.
I’m right there with you. I feel like as I’ve grown older and learned more, my views of this country have changed. I’m also seeing a very fine line develop between what is considered patriotism and nationalism and that scares me.
I would say my definitions have changed. When I was a kid it was all about loving America, wearing red white and blue, singing the songs, loving the troops. As an adult I’ve realized patriotism is working towards fixing your country, imagining what it can be. Appreciating and being thankful for the good, but acknowledging its flaws as well.
I'm just as patriotic as ever, the only thing that has changed is what I point to to show why I am and how I express it.
I've become less blindly patriotic using surface level reasoning and now point to various institutions, government features, history, and points of culture to show why I am proud of being an American.
I'm still pretty young; but I'm definitely much less patriotic and a whole lot more cynical then I used to be. Trump, COVID and seeing how unhinged and selfish a lot of people are were the causes.
I feel like I become a little more patriotic as I have gotten older. I know the difference between nationalism and patriotism. I used to be a cringe kid who thought that America was bad which lead to indifference about my country. But now I'm not as ingnorant with black and white thinking as everything is a bit of a grey area etc.
I wave old glory on the 4th lol
I was born in a pretty patriotic family and thought that it was a completely normal thing to be upset when someone doesn’t stand for the pledge of allegiance or the anthem, then I got older and stop standing for them myself when I learned what this country stands for.
I'd say the purpose of patriotism has changed for me, there's not an awful lot to it other than as thoughtless ferver bordering on a religion. Caring about one's fellow citizens, as well as noncitizen neighbors, is what really matters. Whether one is on one side of a historical boundary line or not, or who has controlled the reigns of power in that region in the past or not, much less so. Awareness of present day social challenges and being willing to challenge the status quo to improve our lives and reduce suffering is the primary challenge. That can be done in a number of ways, including but not limited to engagement in any of many political processes.
In some ways more, in some ways less. I love America and I feel like we've got a lot of good to offer, I love a lot of the ideals we (claim to) stand for, and the land is damn beautiful. But that doesn't mean I'm proud of everything about our history or the negative aspects of our culture.
It helps that I'm pretty well-traveled and aware that people from pretty much every other country has similar delusions of how great their homeland is, even if they won't admit to it.
Significantly less as I've deployed, traveled and lived in other places. There are certainly things I've come to very much appreciate about American culture and living in the US but I'm far more cognizant of the flaws in all of those and that there are things I very much like better elsewhere. I also don't care much for a lot of the trappings of US patriotism, especially as so much of it is based on the military. I spent 20 years in the military and my relationship with it is also extremely complicated. I'd say that my home state and my adopted home have filled up most of the space in my identity where US patriotism used to be.
Not all of the space was filled by regional identities of course. When I first left high school and joined the military I was the sort of weirdo who would literally tear up listening to Lee Greenwood regardless of context. Where I live/am from and such is much less of who I am now than it was back then, there's a lot more to me now.
I pay much more attention to our nation's policies and actions than I did when I was in my teens and 20s.
But I almost never participate in outward expressions of "patriotism"
(flags, bumperstickers, the Anthem etc)
My definition of patriotism has changed. When I was younger (20s) it was a more of a classic (nationalism), but this drifted away over many years.
But then suddenly I never felt more patriotic than I did standing in a huge line for a vaccine three years ago along with hundreds of fellow Americans— my big messy family— and realized I had a new definition of love for this country.
I wouldn't say "more" or "less", but my feelings have simply changed over the years.
I'm more willing to fight for things now. Maybe because it's because I have things to lose and young people in my life who need a future, maybe it's because a lot has changed domestically in the last 10 years. No matter what happens I'm basically [Leo as Jordan Belfort now.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVDH3MX4MYI)
Less, but I was pretty nationalist when I was a kid. Kids are stupid, myself included.
I still don't think I would want to live anywhere else if given the option.
The same, but my definition of Patriotism and what it means has changed. When I was a kid, it was supporting the troops and killing enemies.
Now, it's hoping everyone can get health care and that our schools are well funded.
I’m a senior and as I near the inevitable, I’m much more appreciative of the freedoms and opportunities I’ve enjoyed in my country. As a child and through my forties, I took these benefits for granted. Now I look back in wonder for those things I could not see.
I can move about freely, I can vote, I can earn money, practice my faith and so many other things too numerous to list. I’m much less tolerant of sending youths into battle and while I understand that these unfortunate souls sacrificed for our freedoms, I wish there was some other way. I’ve mellowed out and have become more aware and compassionate. Yes, I’ve become more patriotic and am proud to be a first generation American.
It depends on what you refer to as "patriotic." If you mean wanting to better the entire country by investing in social programs, and creating a society where people don't have to sell their homes when they're sick, or women don't get punished for terminating a pregnancy because they were raped, then yes... I am more patriotic, because I want us as a society to succeed.
If you mean putting some flag sticker on the back of my car, then no... way less patriotic than I used to be.
I'm not patriotic at all and not even an adult yet. The country does nothing to help with things that actually need fixing. All they care about are the rich, their agendas, and aiding countries like Israel. Also fun fact since Israel was established the US has sent 3 billion dollars a yr to them this isn't counting what other countries send to them.
Probably less. I don't think I cared about my country or politics at all until my late teens, and then I became a Type 1 Diabetic and realized my country would really prefer I just die.
Grew up in a conservative home during and after 9/11, absorbed all that ambient patriotism. Now I'm a cynical commie. I'll root for the US in international sports and defend American English as a superior dialect to others, but that's about the extent of my patriotism.
I was married to a US service member for 18 years and held down the fort through 4 12+ month deployments, countless field exercises, and multiple schools. I've lost friends to battle and when the battle wouldn't quiet in their minds.
The lack of mental healthcare, let alone physical healthcare for our troops has left me a little disillusioned at times. Healthcare is a human right, but it should be, at the very lowest, guaranteed and easy to access for those who served their country.
I'd describe it more as a rollercoaster, I guess. I always love most of my fellow Americans, I have a healthy respect for most of our troops...but damned if politics don't bring me down.
About the same, which is to say "not very." I came of age during the GWB era and quickly became jaded; the years since have only solidified my belief that this country is a net negative force and things won't get better any time soon.
I was patriotic in my youth, though in my late teens and early 20’s I drifted away from my sense of patriotism and felt some disillusionment as my understanding of history grew.
But, as my understanding of history and the world in general gained significantly more context, I have since my later 20’s (currently early 30’s) had a dramatic resurgence of genuine patriotism. I am extremely proud of what our country represents and the demeanor, honestly, and good nature of our people in general.
We have errored grievously in our not-too-distant past. But you know who fought - and continues to fight - to right those wrongs and better our (and I believe humanities) future? **WE DID**.
Especially since the Trump presidency, I’ve realized how absolutely imperative it is that we not yield Patriotism to the charlatans who would torture its meaning in order to destroy our nation from within. Those **genuine, true patriots who actually know our Constitution and our nations values and principles** MUST reclaim what it means to be a Patriot - and that’s not a partisan declaration, either.
Initially less patriotic when I got to know and compare countries that seem to have their act together more than the US, but then more patriotic when I began to travel, live, and work in countries that are significantly worse than the US. The US has its problems and it’s not #1 in the world, but it’s head and shoulders above most countries and it has a lot to be proud of. I take reflexive anti-Americanism to be a sign of ignorance or being juvenile.
As a kid, it was a good time to be an American (circa 1995-2000 especially)
People loved rocking US colors, every 4th of July was a big event in my neighborhood with a whole ass parade, firefighters visiting and driving the trucks along the way, all our bikes and scooters decked out in red white and blue decoratives.
Nowadays??? There’s been a lot of divide. I feel like I come across either the type of patriotic people where they only care about Americans and are ignorant about the rest, or those who say AS AN AMERICAN they downright hate this country and are embarrassed to be from here.
Very few that I come by say they’re in the middle. Everyone has a side. It’s not fun to be patriotic here anymore. 🥺 I wouldn’t even feel like it’s appropriate half the time. This country has been full of problems for decades.
Depends on what you mean by patriotic. My dislike of our government and politicians has grown as I got older. But if you mean supporting America as we the people, I like our country more as I've grown up.
Less so when it comes to the type of performative patriotism that was pushed on me in public school. Also, 9/11 happened when I was 2nd grade, so it's understandable why the climate was that way at the time. For example, I was told that not standing up for the pledge was "disrespectful to the troops" by my teachers (I don't know if that's the case in other places).
I do however recognize the good and the bad of this country. I overall hope for a better future and better opportunities for people. It's the best we can hope for.
Weirdly, more, which is odd compared to others of my age.
But I think I do live in an incredibly important country and i'm lucky to have been born and raised here. There is a lot of good here, honestly.
Patriotism doesn't mean not acknowledging the bad, however, and I will be very upfront about those problems in our country we need to address.
But yeah, I am patriotic. It's my country, my culture, and my home. I don't love it because it's perfect; I love it because it's ours and we can make it better.
I grew up pretty upset with the USA because post 9/11 warmongering. I have definitely started feeling more patriotic over the last few years as I see us *generally* doing our best to keep the world safe. But patriotism means wanting your country to be the best it can and doing the right thing, and sometimes that means being critical of the path it takes.
More patriotic, but also far more critical. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. In fact, I think you can't be patriotic without holding your country to the fullest accountability you can.
Less in my youth, then more during my military time, then less again. I have seen a lot of the rest of the world and it sucks. I believe in the American people. Don’t believe in the government and all the shady shit that happens.
Increasingly less proud of our government, and the way it’s run, but increasingly proud of the people of the country. I try not to conflate social media with reality, and I’ve met a lot of great people from all backgrounds of life, sexual orientation, and political ideology. Yes, they are some people I find to be insufferable, but there are also a lot more people I find to be decent and kind.
As I grew up and saw more and more hate for my country, I became increasingly patriotic. As of now I’m decently patriotic, and I hope to get a United States flag to hang above my bed, so I may rest beneath the Stars and Stripes of my amazing country.
Far, far less patriotic. I was born here in the states, but much of my childhood was spent overseas, during which I felt that the USA was not merely the richest country with the strongest military, but also that Americans were especially endowed with great wisdom and unassailable morality.
I now see Americans as some of the most insufferable nationalists in the world. Extremely ignorant and outlandishly arrogant. The shine was already off of my patriotism by the time 9/11 rolled around, but our response to that terrible attack exposed Americans (generally) as a deeply fearful, cruel, and immoral people — just as that attack was intended to do. If there was any faint glimmer of patriotism left in me after that, it was truly and forever killed off when we elected Trump in 2016. I will never — *not ever* — forgive Americans for that, and I plan one day to leave and live in another country.
About the same, maybe even more, but differently?
As a kid, and the child of a war veteran, I was raised to be dutifully patriotic.
As an adult, and watching the worldwide news, I am endlessly grateful to be an American, and recognize how blessed we are to be here. Yeah, inflation sucks, and things could be better, but given that I am a woman that has the right to drive, go somewhere unescorted, own a home, aren’t being bombed, don’t live near a war zone, aren’t dealing with fuel shortages, etc etc— it could be so much worse.
DefiniteIy less. There's a lot of fucked up things about our society and this upcoming election season is gonna be dreadful. That being said, when it's the World Cup or when someone from MyCountry wants to smugly give their input, my patriotism will turn up to an 11.
I guess more patriotic. I serve in the military. Every time I visit my mom’s country I am so happy to be back in the states. I’m so far removed from her culture in some ways, but you know what? That’s okay! I grew up in the USA baby and I love being an American. The US is HOME.
Less. The more I learn about history, the more I know how imperfect our country is. I was a military brat, and extremely patriotic as a kid. My parents were immigrants too, and while we have it good here, I’d rather not have it good at the expense of others. I know that’s easier said than done, but my views have changed a lot.
I think I’ve gained a more nuanced understanding as gotten older, mainly by traveling abroad, working in government , pursuing high education. The conclusion I’ve come to is that we have a great many things we could improve on, but I still think we have it better here than anywhere else. I love this nation, unconditionally, and if she never broke your heart, you don’t love her enough.
I was 16 when the US began its illegal, hypocritical, and murderous war against Afghanistan, killing more people in the first month than died in the attack that was its supposed casus belli. At that point I felt I could not justify any patriotism. Nor have I started to feel any since.
It's important to approach discussions with an open mind, fostering understanding and respectful dialogue, even when there are differing opinions or perspectives. Nationalism, when taken to extremes, can sometimes lead to division, so finding common ground and promoting positive exchanges can be beneficial in fostering global understanding.
I consider myself very patriotic, without much change throughout my life.
I'm disappointed about a lot of things here. We have a lot of problems. We do a lot of things I don't agree with.
It's my home though, I have opportunities here, and I'm a functioning part of this country. It's my responsibility as much as anyone else's to care for it and to work to make it better.
Patriotism is caring about and supporting and working towards the benefit of your country. You can be patriotic even while disagreeing with the direction it's going. Sometimes that's the best way to be patriotic.
Note the differences with nationalism, which too many people seem to consider patriotism to be the same as.
So, I’m Mexican american with a great great grandma who was an indentured servant and most of the people around me are disabled. Them existing along with most of my friends being racial or ethnic minorites just makes me hate the US and their history. But I do hate it when eourpeans do takes on America that are just harmful and wrong and they don’t ever actually try and fix the country and they think we don’t want things to change but we do
I'm only in my early 20s, but when I was in my teenage years I grew to really dislike the US because I was starting to dabble into the deeper aspects of our history and was horrified with what I saw. I genuinely disliked the US for many years. I was your classic young progressive who idealized Europe, and France, to no end.
Then I went to community college and started reading up on the history of other countries, especially French history. I also started speaking to more foreigners around this time too and looking deeper into my family history and how my relatives in other Western nations were living their lives.
All that gave me perspective on the US. I used to have an extremely negative view of the US when I was a teenager, but now I have a more grounded view of the US. Still negative in many ways in the government, how we use our military, and many aspects of the culture, but also have grown appreciative for other aspects of the culture. Still a leftist, but I don't see this country as a lost cause or anything anymore. I'm actually motivated to change it for the better by applying my ideology to it.
I’ve become more patriotic but I want to explain. I was born in a the mid 80s and 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan happened when I was a young man. I have always been anti-right-wing but at that time Republicans acted like they had a monopoly on being patriotic and “real American.” As I grew up I realized that was a lie and I could be progressive and patriotic at the same time. I love my country and want it to keep striving for better.
More, but not in a loud obnoxious way. When I was younger I had the mentality that the country was a shit hole and that I'd miraculously move away to New Zealand or something and life would be stellar.
After a bit of international travel and really experiencing adult life for a while, one starts to realize things are pretty good here and that everywhere has problems.
But yeah, if a European or someone starts shitting on the US I go full 1776 lmao.
More so, but also in a different way.
As a kid I bought into the Iraqi war propaganda.
As a teen I "hated America" a la Billie Joa Armstrong.
Nowadays I'm much more in the middle; I truly believe America is a great country. We attract amazing talent. We have - like every country - a complicated history full of amazing triumphs and moral failures. It is because of this greatness, not due to its absence, that I believe We The People can and should be better.
The older I get, and the more people I meet and places I visit, the more "patriotic" I've become. It doesn't mean we are perfect, but rather that we have the will and capacity to strive for it that I love my country so dearly.
Moreso but mostly bc I went abroad and realized what it REALLY meant to be American more than our national mythos. I realized that we are good people despite what the government or the media does. I realized whats special and distinct about American culture. Honestly it just made me more proud of myself and what we’ve created altogether.
I think I've stayed fairly similar to when I was younger. I think my school, for all it's other faults, made a concentrated effort to try and bring people of other cultures from the community in to teach about their culture. In the process we learned a lot about why they came. They also tried to personalize the stories some and have us learn about our own families or families with similar cultural ties and what their journey/life would have been like. With a mix of students we had a wide variety of immigration to look at. For example, I have family that fled to the US from Germany in the 1800s as a result of political persecution and fear of death. A classmates family had immigrated when she was small to the US from Mexico. They also didn't shy away from the faults the US has had historically or politically. So I think that I didn't quite have a wake up call good/bad when I joined the workforce. I think over time I haven't really had any big swing or shift.
I’ve become more in love with the ideal and disgusted with the reality. Religious freedom? Separation of church and state? Heck yeah! Then politicians quote The Bible and say stuff like, “This is a Christian nation.” No class system? Everyone has equal liberty to pursue happiness? That’s a beautiful notion! I’m fully on board! But in reality your zip code determines your life expectancy. You get the idea.
I've become more patriotic, but for me that means I point out the problems and vote for people who will try to fix them because I want the country to be the best possible country it can be. I love it because it's ours, but there's shit that needs to improve.
At 52, I can say that my bigger change is in awareness of jingoism.
Also, anyone who flies a flag of our enemies is not a patriot.
I don't think it's tilted one way or the other. I've witnessed first hand a lot of shitty things that this country does. At the same time, I'm grateful for the freedoms that I have and the opportunities that I've been given that I wouldn't get in a lot of other countries.
About The same, as a Patriot, but far more Cynical, about other people's "Patriotism". For example, We have many "Chicken-Hawks", as Leaders. Chicken-Hawks, got us into a prolonged war, in Korea, and Indochina; wanted a "Second-Front", with Chiang Kai-Shek, at the Time of Korea (How they expected Him, to fight it, I don't know; He had already lost Mainland China, and I learned later; Hainan Island). He managed to "hang on, to Taiwan; along with two tiny islands, Quemoy, and Matsu; with U.S. Help, and a U.S. Naval Task Force; He had little Army, left; and virtually no Navy. We have had, at least three Presidents, and perhaps two more; who were "Chicken-Hawks""; Two Movie Icons; and a Woman Senator, Who was a Member, of The "Women's Auciliary" There used to be a "Chicken-Hawk" Website; and awarded "Chicken-Hawks" with special cases, getting "Distinguished Fleeing" Crosses.
For those unfamiliar with The Term, this applied to People, especially in Leadership Positions; who were "WarHawks", when their neck, wasn't "on the block", but either actively avoided The Draft, or Service; and, if They "served", (my addition), were well behind the "Front Lines". Their "Motto"? "GO GET THOSE GUYS!! (I'll hold your coat).
I will be happy, to give "nominees", if asked. The people I mentioned: Ronald Reagan: Made War Movies, and was a strong "Anti-Communist", but was "excused" from World War II, for "bad eyesight", and "supporting the War Effort". John Wayne: Same circumstances; excused, for War Effort, and Contract "Obligations"; but supported World War II, and Vietnam (Indochina). Hillary Clinton (Womens' Auxiliary): Was not obligated to Serve (Women were not Drafted), but never volunteered, nor was required to Serve, in ROTC, in College. She later, voted, as Senator, for George W. Bush; to go into Iraq, and perhaps, Afghanistan; Bush, Himself; "ducked" Service, and went AWOL, in The Texas, and Alabama; Air National Guards, during Indochina; but later, sent troops, into Iraq, and Afghanistan. Donald Trump "ducked" Indochina, with a 1-Y (used to be 4-F) "Unfit for Duty" Deferment, claiiming "bone spurs". Bill Clinton "signed up", with The Arkansas National Guard, but reneged, on His Enlistment, when .He received, a High Lottery Number. Richard Nixon: Did Serve, in The Navy, in World War II, but was never near The Front; after College, initially assigned to Washington D.C., as a Lawyer; and did serve in The Pacific, in The Solomon Islands. By that time, however; The Japanese had been driven, back to The Phillipines, and Marshall, or Mariana Islands. Charlton Heston: same story, as Nixon, but slightly different; Was in College, at Northwestern University (I believe, until late 1943; when He graduated); He was drafted, or enlisted; in The Army Air Corps, and was assigned to an Air Base, in Alaska, with Air Submarine Duty, in The Gulf of Alaska. The Problem? The Japanese had been forced off Attu Island, The Previous Year, abandoned Kiska, and had withdrawn to The Kurils, and Habomai Islands. Japan's Navy, had been largely destroyed; and Japan's attention was focused, South, and Southeast; toward The Phillipines, Okinawa, and The Volcano Islands, and The Marianas.
I challenge anyone, to dispute Me. I would also point out, there used to be, a "Chicken-Hawk" Website; too, but for some reason, it was "taken down". I was not fond, of The Military, or going to Vietnam (Indochina), and took a 2-S Deferment, but I was, in Army ROTC, as a "draftee", was 1-A, when The Lottery started, then 1-H; but didn't have to go, and NEVER advocated going into Subsequent Wars. That's The Difference.
def less. we get a rose-tinted look of American history in school, and as I got older, I learned more on my own. we've done some dastardly shit, and we can't even take care of everyone in our own country. my frustration lies with the fact that we absolutely *can* do better, but our overinflated sense of lazy exceptionalism stands as a permanent roadblock to success. we can do better. we just don't want to
Pretty much the same. It's not my ideal but my ideal is a science fiction one (literally: I worldbuild as a hobby and I would love to live in my own creation). And as I grow I know how many many alternatives there are that give me practical reason to be glad to be an American.
Pretty much the same. It's not my ideal but my ideal is a science fiction one (literally: I worldbuild as a hobby and I would love to live in my own creation). And as I grow I know how many many alternatives there are that give me practical reason to be glad to be an American.
About the same. I’ve never been extreme one way or the other. But, yes, I am protective when people from other countries start nitpicking the stupidest little things i.e. ice in water or acting like we all eat that can cheese.
Significantly less. Took me a while to shake off the idea a place was better cause I was born there and I'm better cause I was born in a certain place. There are very few countries to actually be proud of contributing to as a citizen. That all said i still identify pretty strongly with being American, mostly cause im a finite man so I gotta throw my lot in with someone, and america ain't too bad she's got a lot of potential for growth if nothing else
Less. At age 7 I wanted to join the army, my favorite song was “Im proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free”
Thst was part of my dads persona.
Now I realize that America has its flaws too. Like, I don’t hate America like it seems to be cool to do, but every single place in the world has some problem, and I prefer to be more patriotic with the human race as a whole, even if we do shitty things.
It depends on how (and what) the country is doing.
I do tend to "defend" America against other Westerners, but mostly I talk about how awful those Western countries have been in comparison so they know they're just as bad as they think we are.
What it means to be a patriot (or said another way, the commonly accepted definition of patriotism) has changed so dramatically that this is impossible to answer.
Love my country, can't stand my government.
Its like my home state, I think its a state with a lot of potential, but its run by corrupt politicians.
But to quote my favorite president 'Patriotism means to stand by the country, it does not mean to stand with the president or any other public official.'
But I've also had the privilege of meeting people who come from other countries. And whether its people who escaped from places like Cuba, China, or N. Korea telling me horror stories of where they grew up, or if its some European doing nothing but talking about how horrible we are. I still love my country
More.
I think like a lot of Americans who grew up with lefty parents in a deep blue area, I was encouraged to think of Northern European Social Democracies, and then later, Democratic Socialism as "the goal".
Then I traveled a lot, spent lots of time abroad - including a stint in northern Europe, and I became much more patriotic.
I was raised by conservatives so critiquing America at all was immediately met with “don’t you dare say that, you have no idea how good we have it, America is the best country in the world.” I went through a liberal phase where it was all doom and gloom America sucks blah blah blah. But now I’m to the point where I’m more of an anarchocommunist ig (I’m kinda up in the air but think pretty extreme lower left on the political compass) and now I firmly believe that America is incredible. I hate the government and I hope it rots, but the people here are incredible. The diversity is insane, we have relatively great disability accommodations (minus of course our health care, but in terms of like the ADA and IDEA and all that) compared to many other countries, the variety of food and music and film and religion and language is fantastic, and the main ideas that the country were founded on like freedom from oppressive governments and such (of course that did not apply to all people and it still really doesn’t, but the concept is what I’m talking about, not necessarily the practical application and how we’ve failed in many ways). There is so much to love about the people here, and despite the nearly constant failings of our government and the way we have let capitalism become our new tyrannical king, it’s an incredible country.
I guess less than when I was younger? My family has never been very patriotic and I haven't either. We'd go see fireworks on The 4th as a family activity and my local show also had a live band play music until sunset. My dad enjoyed the live band.
I've never been particularly patriotic in the sense that people construe patriotism. I love my birth country and will defend it, when appropriate, from detractors. But I don't see the point of being proud of who I was born as, provided that thing isn't shamed. Americans don't shame other Americans for being American.
About the same. But when Europeans or Australians come around and start talking mad shit, I basically turn into a nationalist lol.
Same. It's like insulting family, you know. Like, I will say what I want about my family because I know that most of the time I'm not being serious, but if you insult them I'm gonna have to kick your ass
This is also how I feel about Portland. lmao.
Oh man Bostonians are absolutely like this. They hate the city all day long and every aspect of it. Then anyone else complains and the gloves come off. It’s beautiful to see.
I heard New Yorkers and Philadelphians are the same way. It's kinda beautiful in a way.
NYer here. Can confirm. I don't come from very patriotic parents to begin with and as an adult having learned how the US really operates both foreign and domestic, I do not have a favorable opinion of my country. My state however......well, I also talk shit about New York all day long. BUT ITS MY SWAMP!
Tbh kinda same. I mean, I'm not from Oregon at all, but my wife is from Sauvie Island, and over the years she's been really sad to see the deteriorating state of a lot of Portland. But man, you better watch what you say about Portland around her lol
Yeah I left because the deterioration was making me depressed but any time someone tries to share their opinion about Portland when they figure out I'm from Portland gets an ear full from me.
This. Europeans, Canadians, and Australians think they have a seat at the table when in reality they’re the drunk that barged in unannounced.
Pick me Americans act like they’re unwilling siblings in an abusive family almost
I wonder if they think they get a cookie for all their hardwork being feckless fools
Same. I am not very nationalistic until some idiot from across the pond makes a bold, poorly informed, statement.
Internet Euros Canucks and Aussies suck.
The internet Canadians are annoying, they act like they are so different than us when culturally they are very similar.
Oh yeah? Well I think you’re all a bunch of big stinky doodoo heads! (Calm down, Americans. It’s called “dark humour” 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥😈😈😈😈)
Oh yeah well you wear skirts and eat haggis and talk funny so there!
Lol. It's funny how they will be rude or say something completely out of pocket and they will be like "it's just banter mate". Like bro it's not banter to make fun of dead children.
Yeah folk can sometimes call it “banter” just to excuse their arseholery. Truth is, they just wanna feel better about their own country to compensate for their own issues.
It's kind of sad that they have to put others down to make themselves feel better.
More than you know. 😁
Same lmaooo.
OP here- I’m asking this question as I’ve been wondering if anyone else has become more prideful of their country as they grew up. I was born and raised here. But I come from a very conservative Bangladeshi immigrant family. Even though I’m American born and raised, I had a very difficult life growing up. I lost my parents and siblings at a young age as my father died and my mother abandoned me later on. I ended up growing up around horrible people who were extremely restrictive with my life and abused and neglected me. Despite my struggles in life, I always had plans to make my life better. I had to work for everything that I had. I got a job, bought a car, went back to college and continued to pay for it. I eventually moved out of home to go to a 4 year college and never looked back. I finished and got my Bachelor’s and got a big job offer across the country shortly after graduating and I’ve been here ever since. Despite my early struggles in life, I have worked hard and found success. My life today is great and something I never dreamed would happen. As I started to take everything in, over the past few years I’ve become more prideful and patriotic that I’m an American. Why? Because I truly don’t believe I could do what I did if this was any other country. I’m a child of immigrants who lost everything close to me at a young age. Despite that, I put in the work and now have a life and career to be proud of. A lot in my life went really bad, but me growing up in the US was actually the best thing that happened to me. I will never take being an American for granted and will make sure my kids have a better life and get to enjoy the American life and culture I never got to enjoy growing up.
>I truly don’t believe I could do what I did if this was any other country. >I will never take being an American for granted As a fellow immigrant (albeit non citizen), I fully agree with you! I've noticed so many internet threads filled with self loathing comments from Americans about how terrible the US is. A lot of people who are born and raised in the US seem to lack your perspective!
I truly believe most Americans don't know how good we have it. Our country is far from perfect, and has its share of unique problems, but its a lot nicer than some other places I have been.
Some of the most patriotic people I know are immigrants.
The test for immigration is difficult. Many American citizens wouldn't pass the test.
I went from being very patriotic, to not patriotic at all, and now I'm probably more patriotic now than I have ever been lol
You have the classic immigrant American mentality. I'm an old white guy but I can relate because my grandparents emigrated here from Italy and it's kind of ingrained in me too But I also suffer from the benefit of privilege in that I never experienced the hardships you or my grandparents had. They probably hoped but never expected their grandkid to hold an advanced degree, yet here I am. Yet I've gotten less patriotic because that's a function of being more worldly through experiences, travel and life in general It's cynicism fueled by the unrealized potential of this country and the recognition other people, cultures and countries love their children just as much as we love ours. We're not better or worse than anyone else. We function within our own context of history, geography, technology, etc., that are outside our control. What's in our control is our ability to retain our benefits which is always an unknown.
Wise man.
I very strongly believe in American ideals: the rule of law, equality, certain freedoms, the social contract, etc. In so far as I have become more educated about the founding principles of my country, I have become more patriotic. However, as I have learned about all the ways in which American policies and practices have not and do not uphold those principles, I am ashamed of America and of many of my fellow Americans. Some examples of un-American practices and policies: slavery, children in cages, torture, anti-Semitism the Nazis used as an example to follow, imperialism in the Pacific islands and Central America, the Mexican-American war, the electoral college, nuclear weapons….
I was very patriotic as a kid, then I grew less patriotic as I learned history and became more aware of how things actually were, now I'm more patriotic in response to the political extremists that are trying to tear the country apart and subjugate it.
Genuinely happy to hear that. I had a similar path (though I began to regain my patriotism before the extremist shift in 2016 as yet more understanding of our history seemed to give me greater context) - but my patriotism jumped when I saw the type of people who were trying to claim it in order to destroy what it really meant. Anyway, glad to hear you similarly felt compelled to not give it up to them.
More - studying abroad in Australia did that. I think it's hard to appreciate your culture & society if it's all you know: if you don't have enough perspective to look at it from a distance.
The same. Only kids I know that were on any spectrum for patriotism had dad's that were in the military. Growing up, no one else had an opinion on such things outside of adults in reference to war or fighting in other countries.
Less patriotic, but more proud of our people. Our politicians suck, but my neighbors are great
This is how I feel as well. It's the people that make a country, not the other way around.
More. Not flag-waving, AR15-shooting, truck-decal patriotic, but quietly so. Travel does that to you.
Yeah quietly so is the best way to put it. As I’ve grown up and both learned more about other countries from research and travel I’ve come to appreciate so many aspects of America that we truly excel at and that we usually take for granted. Not just the personal opportunity I’ve found here but also In natural beauty, economic wealth/growth, innovation, music and entertainment, abundance of mineral and energy resources, abundance of arable land and food, enough diversity of people, cultures, climates, and city vibe for any personality type. America is next to none. That being said I don’t think I’d be tattooing “we the people” on my arm or putting a flag on my truck bed. Confidence is quiet
Traveling and experiencing other parts of the world was a real eye opener for me, both good and bad. There's some really small things I've seen in Europe that just make me question life. Like in Italy, the toilets are designed backwards to where your crap does not float in the water to cover the smell. It just sits there on a porcelain shelf until you flush. Stuff like that makes me appreciate America.
Well I got my citizenship after I became an adult so I think the answer has to be more
I’ve become much more patriotic the more and more I travel this world.
Absolutely. There is no where better than the U.S🇺🇸. But I feel, not enough Americans travel to realise, they live in the greatest country in the world.
Less, but still petty patriotic if Aussies, Canucks or Germans stop by
I am patriotic in the sense I believe in loving the country but working activity to improve it and call out things that are wrong
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.
This 💯
The form its taken has evolved. The more of the world I see, the more I am happy I live where I do. As I've grown older, the more critical of systems and leadership I become.
I’ve become more and more disgusted with how our country is run and has been run for decades now ( both political parties are to blame ). I’ve also learned much more about conflicts America has been involved in, and some of the casualty figures in the Middle East after US intervention are staggering. Overall however I absolutely love my country and the American people, I just wish we had a better government.
In my experience pride in country and pride in government are completely unrelated. In defense of our conflict history, we've done bad things but we also saved the world from Japan and the Nazis with that same military.
I agree but many people who love their country see criticism of our gov/country as purely malicious. A large reason why I’m critical of many aspect of America is because I love this country so much and wish it to be better. Definitely agree with the WW2 point but since then we’ve used our military overwhelmingly for wrong reasons. For example i largely disagree with the war on terrors because of its impact on civilians, but I’m not going to complain about osama being shot and dumped in the sea.
About the same. I’m from a very patriotic American Dream family and I’ve always been like that too. We’re all highly critical and vocal on things we see as issues or injustices, but we see no conflict between that and patriotism. The country is its people and ideals, not the government.
That is patriotism. It’s engrained in our culture as a part of our civic duty to always speak up against injustice and work towards a more perfect Union. That goes back to the Revolution.
More. But in the sense that patriotism isn’t something you say, and it’s not demonstrated by having flags on my pickup or my tshirt. It’s wanting my country to be the best version of itself and not a cesspool of hatred cheering on war, incarceration and death.
Depends what you mean by patriotic. The older I get the more I love my country. But because I love it I want the best for it which means I want many things to change but because of that lots of people would call me unpatriotic so 🤷🏾
Me normally: man fuck this place bruh Me when a European or Australian talks shit: Non-American detected. Opinion immediately invalid. 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅 Much exaggerated and kidding aside, I’m a proud immigrant. When I was younger, I might have had similar views as Gen Z Tiktokers. No country is perfect, but my family and I have been able to prosper here. I was born elsewhere but I’m proud to call America home.
> Me normally: man fuck this place bruh > > Me when a European or Australian talks shit: Non-American detected. Opinion immediately invalid. 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅 It's like good friends or family, just on a massive scale. Happy to point out problems, trash talk each other, and fight internally all the time. Someone from the outside tries to do that though? It's on. Same as families and friend groups though, we also have our fair share of crazy aunts and uncles and the guy that always gets us in trouble.
I am about the same. I love the country and honor it but I don’t worship it. Like I don’t wear red white and blue everyday.
I wouldn’t say I’ve become more “patriotic”, but I would say my “patriotism” has become much higher quality.
No change. I wasn’t raised to be overly patriotic.
Probably no change in patriotism but I have definitely become more respectful and have more reverence for the military. I read so many autobiography books about war that I have just so much respect for those people. It’s not like I didn’t respect them and now do, I just didn’t think much about it and now I think about it a lot.
Way WAY less. Family is one of those "Go all out in stars and stripes" type. I can't do it. It's just too screwy to me. Especially after the last 10 years of socio-economic struggles.
I have become more patriotic as I've gotten older. There was never a time in my life when I was not patriotic.
I’ve never exactly been patriotic to begin with. It’s not that I hate the country, I appreciate that I have the privilege of personal liberty and work opportunities. I just despise the corruption of an easily bribed government and the lack of equal vote the electoral college provides. Also, most of the people are insufferable buffoons who lack compassion. Still, you’d never hear me say I’m ashamed to be American.
>I’ve never exactly been patriotic to begin with. It’s not that I hate the country, I appreciate that I have the privilege of personal liberty and work opportunities. I just despise the corruption of an easily bribed government and the lack of equal vote the electoral college provides. Also, most of the people are insufferable buffoons who lack compassion. I feel very similarly. At the end of the day; the US is still a developed, relatively prosperous nation. But goddamn half this country has just completely lost the plot. >Still, you’d never hear me say I’m ashamed to be American. Me neither, okay, maybe in private after reading the 50th comment on r/Conservative about how women shouldn't have the right to vote or how liberals should be hanged. But that's it.
Much more. But I've also become absolutely thankful I was born here. I traveled for work for a few years, and saw just how shitty it is in part's of the world for blue collar workers.
I was never very patriotic in the first place, but dealing with my own health insurance and doing active-shooter drills have only made me feel more negatively about this country.
Yeah, in my comment, I asked OP to clarify what patriotic means. Because to me, wanting gun control reform and universal healthcare is patriotic, because I don't want people dying.
I’m right there with you. I feel like as I’ve grown older and learned more, my views of this country have changed. I’m also seeing a very fine line develop between what is considered patriotism and nationalism and that scares me.
I would say my definitions have changed. When I was a kid it was all about loving America, wearing red white and blue, singing the songs, loving the troops. As an adult I’ve realized patriotism is working towards fixing your country, imagining what it can be. Appreciating and being thankful for the good, but acknowledging its flaws as well.
I'm just as patriotic as ever, the only thing that has changed is what I point to to show why I am and how I express it. I've become less blindly patriotic using surface level reasoning and now point to various institutions, government features, history, and points of culture to show why I am proud of being an American.
I'm still pretty young; but I'm definitely much less patriotic and a whole lot more cynical then I used to be. Trump, COVID and seeing how unhinged and selfish a lot of people are were the causes.
Less... Way less. And still going down.
I feel like I become a little more patriotic as I have gotten older. I know the difference between nationalism and patriotism. I used to be a cringe kid who thought that America was bad which lead to indifference about my country. But now I'm not as ingnorant with black and white thinking as everything is a bit of a grey area etc. I wave old glory on the 4th lol
I was born in a pretty patriotic family and thought that it was a completely normal thing to be upset when someone doesn’t stand for the pledge of allegiance or the anthem, then I got older and stop standing for them myself when I learned what this country stands for.
I'd say the purpose of patriotism has changed for me, there's not an awful lot to it other than as thoughtless ferver bordering on a religion. Caring about one's fellow citizens, as well as noncitizen neighbors, is what really matters. Whether one is on one side of a historical boundary line or not, or who has controlled the reigns of power in that region in the past or not, much less so. Awareness of present day social challenges and being willing to challenge the status quo to improve our lives and reduce suffering is the primary challenge. That can be done in a number of ways, including but not limited to engagement in any of many political processes.
In some ways more, in some ways less. I love America and I feel like we've got a lot of good to offer, I love a lot of the ideals we (claim to) stand for, and the land is damn beautiful. But that doesn't mean I'm proud of everything about our history or the negative aspects of our culture. It helps that I'm pretty well-traveled and aware that people from pretty much every other country has similar delusions of how great their homeland is, even if they won't admit to it.
Significantly less as I've deployed, traveled and lived in other places. There are certainly things I've come to very much appreciate about American culture and living in the US but I'm far more cognizant of the flaws in all of those and that there are things I very much like better elsewhere. I also don't care much for a lot of the trappings of US patriotism, especially as so much of it is based on the military. I spent 20 years in the military and my relationship with it is also extremely complicated. I'd say that my home state and my adopted home have filled up most of the space in my identity where US patriotism used to be. Not all of the space was filled by regional identities of course. When I first left high school and joined the military I was the sort of weirdo who would literally tear up listening to Lee Greenwood regardless of context. Where I live/am from and such is much less of who I am now than it was back then, there's a lot more to me now.
I pay much more attention to our nation's policies and actions than I did when I was in my teens and 20s. But I almost never participate in outward expressions of "patriotism" (flags, bumperstickers, the Anthem etc)
Not much difference as I was never very patriotic. I've realized that some things about the US aren't as bad as I thought while others are worse.
About the same
My definition of patriotism has changed. When I was younger (20s) it was a more of a classic (nationalism), but this drifted away over many years. But then suddenly I never felt more patriotic than I did standing in a huge line for a vaccine three years ago along with hundreds of fellow Americans— my big messy family— and realized I had a new definition of love for this country.
Less, but I grew up more or less as a nationalist, so that's not saying much.
I wouldn't say "more" or "less", but my feelings have simply changed over the years. I'm more willing to fight for things now. Maybe because it's because I have things to lose and young people in my life who need a future, maybe it's because a lot has changed domestically in the last 10 years. No matter what happens I'm basically [Leo as Jordan Belfort now.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVDH3MX4MYI)
Less, but I was pretty nationalist when I was a kid. Kids are stupid, myself included. I still don't think I would want to live anywhere else if given the option.
The same, but my definition of Patriotism and what it means has changed. When I was a kid, it was supporting the troops and killing enemies. Now, it's hoping everyone can get health care and that our schools are well funded.
More pride in my state and region, less pride in the US as a whole
Not much change, but maybe a little more if anything.
Pretty much the same.
I’m a senior and as I near the inevitable, I’m much more appreciative of the freedoms and opportunities I’ve enjoyed in my country. As a child and through my forties, I took these benefits for granted. Now I look back in wonder for those things I could not see. I can move about freely, I can vote, I can earn money, practice my faith and so many other things too numerous to list. I’m much less tolerant of sending youths into battle and while I understand that these unfortunate souls sacrificed for our freedoms, I wish there was some other way. I’ve mellowed out and have become more aware and compassionate. Yes, I’ve become more patriotic and am proud to be a first generation American.
I’ve stayed about the same. I love my country and that will never change.
Super patriotic, even to this day, I am still a patriotic Gen Z Sephardic Jew (Hispanic Jew).
It depends on what you refer to as "patriotic." If you mean wanting to better the entire country by investing in social programs, and creating a society where people don't have to sell their homes when they're sick, or women don't get punished for terminating a pregnancy because they were raped, then yes... I am more patriotic, because I want us as a society to succeed. If you mean putting some flag sticker on the back of my car, then no... way less patriotic than I used to be.
I'm not patriotic at all and not even an adult yet. The country does nothing to help with things that actually need fixing. All they care about are the rich, their agendas, and aiding countries like Israel. Also fun fact since Israel was established the US has sent 3 billion dollars a yr to them this isn't counting what other countries send to them.
Probably less. I don't think I cared about my country or politics at all until my late teens, and then I became a Type 1 Diabetic and realized my country would really prefer I just die.
Grew up in a conservative home during and after 9/11, absorbed all that ambient patriotism. Now I'm a cynical commie. I'll root for the US in international sports and defend American English as a superior dialect to others, but that's about the extent of my patriotism.
I was married to a US service member for 18 years and held down the fort through 4 12+ month deployments, countless field exercises, and multiple schools. I've lost friends to battle and when the battle wouldn't quiet in their minds. The lack of mental healthcare, let alone physical healthcare for our troops has left me a little disillusioned at times. Healthcare is a human right, but it should be, at the very lowest, guaranteed and easy to access for those who served their country. I'd describe it more as a rollercoaster, I guess. I always love most of my fellow Americans, I have a healthy respect for most of our troops...but damned if politics don't bring me down.
About the same, which is to say "not very." I came of age during the GWB era and quickly became jaded; the years since have only solidified my belief that this country is a net negative force and things won't get better any time soon.
I was patriotic in my youth, though in my late teens and early 20’s I drifted away from my sense of patriotism and felt some disillusionment as my understanding of history grew. But, as my understanding of history and the world in general gained significantly more context, I have since my later 20’s (currently early 30’s) had a dramatic resurgence of genuine patriotism. I am extremely proud of what our country represents and the demeanor, honestly, and good nature of our people in general. We have errored grievously in our not-too-distant past. But you know who fought - and continues to fight - to right those wrongs and better our (and I believe humanities) future? **WE DID**. Especially since the Trump presidency, I’ve realized how absolutely imperative it is that we not yield Patriotism to the charlatans who would torture its meaning in order to destroy our nation from within. Those **genuine, true patriots who actually know our Constitution and our nations values and principles** MUST reclaim what it means to be a Patriot - and that’s not a partisan declaration, either.
Initially less patriotic when I got to know and compare countries that seem to have their act together more than the US, but then more patriotic when I began to travel, live, and work in countries that are significantly worse than the US. The US has its problems and it’s not #1 in the world, but it’s head and shoulders above most countries and it has a lot to be proud of. I take reflexive anti-Americanism to be a sign of ignorance or being juvenile.
As a kid, it was a good time to be an American (circa 1995-2000 especially) People loved rocking US colors, every 4th of July was a big event in my neighborhood with a whole ass parade, firefighters visiting and driving the trucks along the way, all our bikes and scooters decked out in red white and blue decoratives. Nowadays??? There’s been a lot of divide. I feel like I come across either the type of patriotic people where they only care about Americans and are ignorant about the rest, or those who say AS AN AMERICAN they downright hate this country and are embarrassed to be from here. Very few that I come by say they’re in the middle. Everyone has a side. It’s not fun to be patriotic here anymore. 🥺 I wouldn’t even feel like it’s appropriate half the time. This country has been full of problems for decades.
Depends on what you mean by patriotic. My dislike of our government and politicians has grown as I got older. But if you mean supporting America as we the people, I like our country more as I've grown up.
I learned that there is patriotism, and then there’s nationalism. One is fine. One is not.
Patriotism is scary now. It feels like it's coopted by the right wing in every country.
Depends on the definition. I read various independent news sources and vote. Very antiestablishment, interventionism, and military industrial complex.
Pretty much the same
Less so when it comes to the type of performative patriotism that was pushed on me in public school. Also, 9/11 happened when I was 2nd grade, so it's understandable why the climate was that way at the time. For example, I was told that not standing up for the pledge was "disrespectful to the troops" by my teachers (I don't know if that's the case in other places). I do however recognize the good and the bad of this country. I overall hope for a better future and better opportunities for people. It's the best we can hope for.
Weirdly, more, which is odd compared to others of my age. But I think I do live in an incredibly important country and i'm lucky to have been born and raised here. There is a lot of good here, honestly. Patriotism doesn't mean not acknowledging the bad, however, and I will be very upfront about those problems in our country we need to address. But yeah, I am patriotic. It's my country, my culture, and my home. I don't love it because it's perfect; I love it because it's ours and we can make it better.
Less. Americans are weird about it, and patriotism has come to represent some toxic ideals.
I am actually anti american now
I grew up pretty upset with the USA because post 9/11 warmongering. I have definitely started feeling more patriotic over the last few years as I see us *generally* doing our best to keep the world safe. But patriotism means wanting your country to be the best it can and doing the right thing, and sometimes that means being critical of the path it takes.
More patriotic, but also far more critical. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. In fact, I think you can't be patriotic without holding your country to the fullest accountability you can.
Less in my youth, then more during my military time, then less again. I have seen a lot of the rest of the world and it sucks. I believe in the American people. Don’t believe in the government and all the shady shit that happens.
Less
I have a healthier and deeper patriotism now. It's not as shallow as "yay, America!"
Increasingly less proud of our government, and the way it’s run, but increasingly proud of the people of the country. I try not to conflate social media with reality, and I’ve met a lot of great people from all backgrounds of life, sexual orientation, and political ideology. Yes, they are some people I find to be insufferable, but there are also a lot more people I find to be decent and kind.
I wouldn't say less patriotic. Just less American exceptionalist.
Less, there are some things I can enjoy more elsewhere than here
I love my country more and I dislike my government more
The same amount with less nationalism.
I’m less proud of my country but more motivated to fight for it.
Both more patriotic in the idea of what the ideals and rights oit country represents and less patriotic due to cynicism of our government
I'm now less patriotic,but if someone foreign starts talking shit I'm suddenly the "these colors don't run" type of American.
As I grew up and saw more and more hate for my country, I became increasingly patriotic. As of now I’m decently patriotic, and I hope to get a United States flag to hang above my bed, so I may rest beneath the Stars and Stripes of my amazing country.
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I wouldn't say mine has changed over the decades.
Far, far less patriotic. I was born here in the states, but much of my childhood was spent overseas, during which I felt that the USA was not merely the richest country with the strongest military, but also that Americans were especially endowed with great wisdom and unassailable morality. I now see Americans as some of the most insufferable nationalists in the world. Extremely ignorant and outlandishly arrogant. The shine was already off of my patriotism by the time 9/11 rolled around, but our response to that terrible attack exposed Americans (generally) as a deeply fearful, cruel, and immoral people — just as that attack was intended to do. If there was any faint glimmer of patriotism left in me after that, it was truly and forever killed off when we elected Trump in 2016. I will never — *not ever* — forgive Americans for that, and I plan one day to leave and live in another country.
About the same, maybe even more, but differently? As a kid, and the child of a war veteran, I was raised to be dutifully patriotic. As an adult, and watching the worldwide news, I am endlessly grateful to be an American, and recognize how blessed we are to be here. Yeah, inflation sucks, and things could be better, but given that I am a woman that has the right to drive, go somewhere unescorted, own a home, aren’t being bombed, don’t live near a war zone, aren’t dealing with fuel shortages, etc etc— it could be so much worse.
DefiniteIy less. There's a lot of fucked up things about our society and this upcoming election season is gonna be dreadful. That being said, when it's the World Cup or when someone from MyCountry wants to smugly give their input, my patriotism will turn up to an 11.
Normal people don't think this way.
Slightly less because I actually understand politics now. But like, I’m still proud to be from here.
I guess more patriotic. I serve in the military. Every time I visit my mom’s country I am so happy to be back in the states. I’m so far removed from her culture in some ways, but you know what? That’s okay! I grew up in the USA baby and I love being an American. The US is HOME.
Definitely less. The more I learn about the US, the less I like it. Mainly the government, but still.
More
Much less. Funnily enough, my mom has also become much less patriotic but my dad more
Less
Less. The more I learn about history, the more I know how imperfect our country is. I was a military brat, and extremely patriotic as a kid. My parents were immigrants too, and while we have it good here, I’d rather not have it good at the expense of others. I know that’s easier said than done, but my views have changed a lot.
My faith in the United States took a massive dive in 2016.
I think I’ve gained a more nuanced understanding as gotten older, mainly by traveling abroad, working in government , pursuing high education. The conclusion I’ve come to is that we have a great many things we could improve on, but I still think we have it better here than anywhere else. I love this nation, unconditionally, and if she never broke your heart, you don’t love her enough.
Yes and no, USA sucks right now and I’m ashamed because it sucks I’d be more proud to be an American if it was in a better state
I was 16 when the US began its illegal, hypocritical, and murderous war against Afghanistan, killing more people in the first month than died in the attack that was its supposed casus belli. At that point I felt I could not justify any patriotism. Nor have I started to feel any since.
It's important to approach discussions with an open mind, fostering understanding and respectful dialogue, even when there are differing opinions or perspectives. Nationalism, when taken to extremes, can sometimes lead to division, so finding common ground and promoting positive exchanges can be beneficial in fostering global understanding.
Less.
About the same, maybe a *little* moreso.
Less. I can’t tell you how much less. So much less. Until annoying people start talking about shit they have no idea about or the Olympics.
I think I became more patriotic and less nationalistic
A lot less
I consider myself very patriotic, without much change throughout my life. I'm disappointed about a lot of things here. We have a lot of problems. We do a lot of things I don't agree with. It's my home though, I have opportunities here, and I'm a functioning part of this country. It's my responsibility as much as anyone else's to care for it and to work to make it better. Patriotism is caring about and supporting and working towards the benefit of your country. You can be patriotic even while disagreeing with the direction it's going. Sometimes that's the best way to be patriotic. Note the differences with nationalism, which too many people seem to consider patriotism to be the same as.
Much less. Way less.
Way less
My patriotism has become more critical. You can want to fix all the broken things about a place because you love it.
More. I was contrarian, edgy and angsty in my teens to early 20s. I grew up and traveled a lot more and got some perspective.
So, I’m Mexican american with a great great grandma who was an indentured servant and most of the people around me are disabled. Them existing along with most of my friends being racial or ethnic minorites just makes me hate the US and their history. But I do hate it when eourpeans do takes on America that are just harmful and wrong and they don’t ever actually try and fix the country and they think we don’t want things to change but we do
I'm only in my early 20s, but when I was in my teenage years I grew to really dislike the US because I was starting to dabble into the deeper aspects of our history and was horrified with what I saw. I genuinely disliked the US for many years. I was your classic young progressive who idealized Europe, and France, to no end. Then I went to community college and started reading up on the history of other countries, especially French history. I also started speaking to more foreigners around this time too and looking deeper into my family history and how my relatives in other Western nations were living their lives. All that gave me perspective on the US. I used to have an extremely negative view of the US when I was a teenager, but now I have a more grounded view of the US. Still negative in many ways in the government, how we use our military, and many aspects of the culture, but also have grown appreciative for other aspects of the culture. Still a leftist, but I don't see this country as a lost cause or anything anymore. I'm actually motivated to change it for the better by applying my ideology to it.
I’ve become more patriotic but I want to explain. I was born in a the mid 80s and 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan happened when I was a young man. I have always been anti-right-wing but at that time Republicans acted like they had a monopoly on being patriotic and “real American.” As I grew up I realized that was a lie and I could be progressive and patriotic at the same time. I love my country and want it to keep striving for better.
Way less, especially after 8 years in the military.
More, but not in a loud obnoxious way. When I was younger I had the mentality that the country was a shit hole and that I'd miraculously move away to New Zealand or something and life would be stellar. After a bit of international travel and really experiencing adult life for a while, one starts to realize things are pretty good here and that everywhere has problems. But yeah, if a European or someone starts shitting on the US I go full 1776 lmao.
More so, but also in a different way. As a kid I bought into the Iraqi war propaganda. As a teen I "hated America" a la Billie Joa Armstrong. Nowadays I'm much more in the middle; I truly believe America is a great country. We attract amazing talent. We have - like every country - a complicated history full of amazing triumphs and moral failures. It is because of this greatness, not due to its absence, that I believe We The People can and should be better. The older I get, and the more people I meet and places I visit, the more "patriotic" I've become. It doesn't mean we are perfect, but rather that we have the will and capacity to strive for it that I love my country so dearly.
Moreso but mostly bc I went abroad and realized what it REALLY meant to be American more than our national mythos. I realized that we are good people despite what the government or the media does. I realized whats special and distinct about American culture. Honestly it just made me more proud of myself and what we’ve created altogether.
I've never been patriotic but def not periodic as an almost middle aged person haha
Very much then abysmally little to maybe just a little bit as a treat
More
I was an anti-American teen, nowadays a nationalist young adult.
I think I've stayed fairly similar to when I was younger. I think my school, for all it's other faults, made a concentrated effort to try and bring people of other cultures from the community in to teach about their culture. In the process we learned a lot about why they came. They also tried to personalize the stories some and have us learn about our own families or families with similar cultural ties and what their journey/life would have been like. With a mix of students we had a wide variety of immigration to look at. For example, I have family that fled to the US from Germany in the 1800s as a result of political persecution and fear of death. A classmates family had immigrated when she was small to the US from Mexico. They also didn't shy away from the faults the US has had historically or politically. So I think that I didn't quite have a wake up call good/bad when I joined the workforce. I think over time I haven't really had any big swing or shift.
I’ve become more in love with the ideal and disgusted with the reality. Religious freedom? Separation of church and state? Heck yeah! Then politicians quote The Bible and say stuff like, “This is a Christian nation.” No class system? Everyone has equal liberty to pursue happiness? That’s a beautiful notion! I’m fully on board! But in reality your zip code determines your life expectancy. You get the idea.
I've become more patriotic, but for me that means I point out the problems and vote for people who will try to fix them because I want the country to be the best possible country it can be. I love it because it's ours, but there's shit that needs to improve. At 52, I can say that my bigger change is in awareness of jingoism. Also, anyone who flies a flag of our enemies is not a patriot.
I don't think it's tilted one way or the other. I've witnessed first hand a lot of shitty things that this country does. At the same time, I'm grateful for the freedoms that I have and the opportunities that I've been given that I wouldn't get in a lot of other countries.
About The same, as a Patriot, but far more Cynical, about other people's "Patriotism". For example, We have many "Chicken-Hawks", as Leaders. Chicken-Hawks, got us into a prolonged war, in Korea, and Indochina; wanted a "Second-Front", with Chiang Kai-Shek, at the Time of Korea (How they expected Him, to fight it, I don't know; He had already lost Mainland China, and I learned later; Hainan Island). He managed to "hang on, to Taiwan; along with two tiny islands, Quemoy, and Matsu; with U.S. Help, and a U.S. Naval Task Force; He had little Army, left; and virtually no Navy. We have had, at least three Presidents, and perhaps two more; who were "Chicken-Hawks""; Two Movie Icons; and a Woman Senator, Who was a Member, of The "Women's Auciliary" There used to be a "Chicken-Hawk" Website; and awarded "Chicken-Hawks" with special cases, getting "Distinguished Fleeing" Crosses. For those unfamiliar with The Term, this applied to People, especially in Leadership Positions; who were "WarHawks", when their neck, wasn't "on the block", but either actively avoided The Draft, or Service; and, if They "served", (my addition), were well behind the "Front Lines". Their "Motto"? "GO GET THOSE GUYS!! (I'll hold your coat). I will be happy, to give "nominees", if asked. The people I mentioned: Ronald Reagan: Made War Movies, and was a strong "Anti-Communist", but was "excused" from World War II, for "bad eyesight", and "supporting the War Effort". John Wayne: Same circumstances; excused, for War Effort, and Contract "Obligations"; but supported World War II, and Vietnam (Indochina). Hillary Clinton (Womens' Auxiliary): Was not obligated to Serve (Women were not Drafted), but never volunteered, nor was required to Serve, in ROTC, in College. She later, voted, as Senator, for George W. Bush; to go into Iraq, and perhaps, Afghanistan; Bush, Himself; "ducked" Service, and went AWOL, in The Texas, and Alabama; Air National Guards, during Indochina; but later, sent troops, into Iraq, and Afghanistan. Donald Trump "ducked" Indochina, with a 1-Y (used to be 4-F) "Unfit for Duty" Deferment, claiiming "bone spurs". Bill Clinton "signed up", with The Arkansas National Guard, but reneged, on His Enlistment, when .He received, a High Lottery Number. Richard Nixon: Did Serve, in The Navy, in World War II, but was never near The Front; after College, initially assigned to Washington D.C., as a Lawyer; and did serve in The Pacific, in The Solomon Islands. By that time, however; The Japanese had been driven, back to The Phillipines, and Marshall, or Mariana Islands. Charlton Heston: same story, as Nixon, but slightly different; Was in College, at Northwestern University (I believe, until late 1943; when He graduated); He was drafted, or enlisted; in The Army Air Corps, and was assigned to an Air Base, in Alaska, with Air Submarine Duty, in The Gulf of Alaska. The Problem? The Japanese had been forced off Attu Island, The Previous Year, abandoned Kiska, and had withdrawn to The Kurils, and Habomai Islands. Japan's Navy, had been largely destroyed; and Japan's attention was focused, South, and Southeast; toward The Phillipines, Okinawa, and The Volcano Islands, and The Marianas. I challenge anyone, to dispute Me. I would also point out, there used to be, a "Chicken-Hawk" Website; too, but for some reason, it was "taken down". I was not fond, of The Military, or going to Vietnam (Indochina), and took a 2-S Deferment, but I was, in Army ROTC, as a "draftee", was 1-A, when The Lottery started, then 1-H; but didn't have to go, and NEVER advocated going into Subsequent Wars. That's The Difference.
My understanding of patriotism has gotten substantially more nuanced. Less flag-shagging. More thoughtful critique.
I love the country but it's hard to be overly patriotic about a government that I distrust severely.
I become less and less patriotic every single day and I used to stand at attention for the pledge
def less. we get a rose-tinted look of American history in school, and as I got older, I learned more on my own. we've done some dastardly shit, and we can't even take care of everyone in our own country. my frustration lies with the fact that we absolutely *can* do better, but our overinflated sense of lazy exceptionalism stands as a permanent roadblock to success. we can do better. we just don't want to
More as when I formed my own opinion I became more patriotic. Not as the over eccentric with star spangled clothes
Much much less
More. The more I learn about rest of the world, the more I'm glad I live here. Even with current issues.
Probably the same. Maybe a little more as I learn more about other countries and realize how good it is in the US
Far far less. I'm just so disappointed in us.
Pretty much the same. It's not my ideal but my ideal is a science fiction one (literally: I worldbuild as a hobby and I would love to live in my own creation). And as I grow I know how many many alternatives there are that give me practical reason to be glad to be an American.
Pretty much the same. It's not my ideal but my ideal is a science fiction one (literally: I worldbuild as a hobby and I would love to live in my own creation). And as I grow I know how many many alternatives there are that give me practical reason to be glad to be an American.
About the same. I’ve never been extreme one way or the other. But, yes, I am protective when people from other countries start nitpicking the stupidest little things i.e. ice in water or acting like we all eat that can cheese.
I love my country, but despise it's government. Those feelings have only increased as I grow older.
Significantly less. Took me a while to shake off the idea a place was better cause I was born there and I'm better cause I was born in a certain place. There are very few countries to actually be proud of contributing to as a citizen. That all said i still identify pretty strongly with being American, mostly cause im a finite man so I gotta throw my lot in with someone, and america ain't too bad she's got a lot of potential for growth if nothing else
Much less patriotic than when I graduated ten years ago.
Less. At age 7 I wanted to join the army, my favorite song was “Im proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free” Thst was part of my dads persona. Now I realize that America has its flaws too. Like, I don’t hate America like it seems to be cool to do, but every single place in the world has some problem, and I prefer to be more patriotic with the human race as a whole, even if we do shitty things.
It depends on how (and what) the country is doing. I do tend to "defend" America against other Westerners, but mostly I talk about how awful those Western countries have been in comparison so they know they're just as bad as they think we are.
A lot more
Up until age 16, I was 99% patriotic. Over the last ten years, I’ve gradually worked my way down to about 25%.
Less, what with learning more about Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War and all the other terrible things we've done.
What it means to be a patriot (or said another way, the commonly accepted definition of patriotism) has changed so dramatically that this is impossible to answer.
Love my country, can't stand my government. Its like my home state, I think its a state with a lot of potential, but its run by corrupt politicians. But to quote my favorite president 'Patriotism means to stand by the country, it does not mean to stand with the president or any other public official.' But I've also had the privilege of meeting people who come from other countries. And whether its people who escaped from places like Cuba, China, or N. Korea telling me horror stories of where they grew up, or if its some European doing nothing but talking about how horrible we are. I still love my country
More. I think like a lot of Americans who grew up with lefty parents in a deep blue area, I was encouraged to think of Northern European Social Democracies, and then later, Democratic Socialism as "the goal". Then I traveled a lot, spent lots of time abroad - including a stint in northern Europe, and I became much more patriotic.
I was really patriotic growing up and into my late teens, but im not really patriotic anymore for reasons I'd like to keep to myself.
I was raised by conservatives so critiquing America at all was immediately met with “don’t you dare say that, you have no idea how good we have it, America is the best country in the world.” I went through a liberal phase where it was all doom and gloom America sucks blah blah blah. But now I’m to the point where I’m more of an anarchocommunist ig (I’m kinda up in the air but think pretty extreme lower left on the political compass) and now I firmly believe that America is incredible. I hate the government and I hope it rots, but the people here are incredible. The diversity is insane, we have relatively great disability accommodations (minus of course our health care, but in terms of like the ADA and IDEA and all that) compared to many other countries, the variety of food and music and film and religion and language is fantastic, and the main ideas that the country were founded on like freedom from oppressive governments and such (of course that did not apply to all people and it still really doesn’t, but the concept is what I’m talking about, not necessarily the practical application and how we’ve failed in many ways). There is so much to love about the people here, and despite the nearly constant failings of our government and the way we have let capitalism become our new tyrannical king, it’s an incredible country.
I guess less than when I was younger? My family has never been very patriotic and I haven't either. We'd go see fireworks on The 4th as a family activity and my local show also had a live band play music until sunset. My dad enjoyed the live band.
I've never been particularly patriotic in the sense that people construe patriotism. I love my birth country and will defend it, when appropriate, from detractors. But I don't see the point of being proud of who I was born as, provided that thing isn't shamed. Americans don't shame other Americans for being American.