Patriotism is harmful to the human race.

" 'Premise: I love and am devoted to my country. Premise: The country most deserving of my love and devotion would be the greatest country. Therefore: My country is the greatest. Therefore: Other countries are not as great as my country. ' The first premise indicates patriotism, while the second premise, which involves comparisons across countries, indicates a shift to nationalism. However, no explanation is given as to how such a shift could occur within a wholly patriotic mindset. " I do not see my second premise as fundamentally nationalist. I only devote myself to things which are worthy of devotion; so if I am devoted to my country, it must be worthy of devotion. If I am most devoted to my own country, then my country must be the most worthy of devotion. It follows from this that other countries are less worthy. "[P]atriotism makes no implication that one's country is the best, only that one appreciates it. " And why waste appreciation and devotion on an inferior country? "Just as I can love mom's apple pie but still enjoy blueberry pie (and even recognize it as better tasting), patriotism allows for the love of one's country without implying it is the greatest. " Maybe you *love* mom's apple pie, but you're not really devoted to it. Unlike pies, countries are competitive. They are each trying to be the best, which is likely caused by nationalist leadership. The non-nationalist patriots, therefore, cannot be loyal to every country. It was not possible during the Cold War to be loyal to both the Soviet Union and the United States, so patriots had to choose their side. And why choose the inferior side? "Soldiers may choose to join the armed forces for a number of non-patriotic reasons, including personal growth, money, religious calling, an interest in military careers, a family history of similar professions, or even a desire to inflict harm on others. All of these examples would result in individuals killing and dying at the behest of one's government, yet none of them stem from patriotism. " When I see advertisements for the army, I don't see anything about money or religious calling. What I see is patriotism. Patriotism, while not *completely* necessary for a military, is a very important element. In addition, public support relies primarily on patriotism: a citizen who isn't in the military but supports it does not do so for personal growth or for his/her career. "My opponent concedes that patriotism works as a source of social support, with his only complaint against it being that this support is redundant. This complaint is, of course, ridiculous, as the benefits of patriotism-based support exist regardless of whether or not citizens receive support elsewhere. In fact, an individual's opportunity to obtain support from multiple sources only serves to bolster its positive effects. " Devotion to a country and devotion to the human race are frequently mutually exclusive. See my America/Soviet example. "Patriotism allows one to support their own country but does not inhibit the support of others; once again, just because I enjoy mom's apple pie does not mean that I dislike all other pies, nor does it mean that I dislike all other baked goods. " Yes, but pies are not competing. If there was a pie contest, you would be forced to choose between mom's apple pie and that really good blueberry pie. "Eliminating patriotism would not end war, as nationalism and jingoism are at the core of international attacks. " Patriotism, while not synonymous with nationalism and jingoism, is a necessary element of both. Without patriotism, neither could exist. Conclusion Patriotism, while good on the surface, can lead to aggression towards other countries and can fuel competition. Without patriotism, nationalism would not be possible. Without patriotism, international cooperation would be more encouraged. Without patriotism, the world would be a better place. Vote for not just a country, but for humanity.