I’m sure there’s some basal level of them that make sense or seem natural. I do find it preferable to going off ethnicity or religion. Or the monarchist Divine Rights stuff with noble bloodlines and such.

Fundamentally there are two kinds of nationalism: civic and romantic. Civic nationalism is about people adhering to a society’s set of laws and values. Romantic nationalism, also known as blood and soil nationalism, incorporates those concepts of birthright and bloodlines as important to one’s status in a nation.

The United States was a major pioneer and proponent of the civic kind, defying the traditional romantic nationalism that grew out of Europe. Despite our historical misgivings it’s an important difference.

Racist, sexist, abusive, anti-science, anti-climate, conspiracy theorist, narcissist,

We are all a walking version of our (last) mistake, error, fight, trauma, loss, fear, etc.

We all bear them, and for some they are all consuming. But they need not be.