Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with being proud of your country. I think one reason why all of us have a tendency to become nationalistic is because our nationality is a part of us that we cannot change. We either choose to embrace it or reject it. As it is something we are born with, most people choose to embrace their nationality. Patriotism is a good thing as it helps people to see the value of a part of them that they cannot change.
However, excessive amount of patriotism to the point of hating countries other than one’s own is unacceptable. You can love yourself, while not hating others. Looking at history, we could see that excessive nationalism and racial supremacy had led to wars where millions of lives were lost. And what is the point of these wars? To show that your country is better than the other country? It is true that some people join the army to protect their country, but they would not have to do that in the first place if there is not excessive amount of nationalism in the country that is invading their homeland.
In conclusion, I believe that everyone should be proud of their country, but we should not hold our country as the foundation of our lives. I am proud to be Thai, but I would not want to die for my country.
Rin 