Patriotism in America: Common, yet Nonexistent

In American society today, the term "patriotism" is used loosely, and in fact has become so common that the true meaning of the word has been almost forgotten. America, which is the only country I can speak for on this subject, has converged patriotism and nationalism, and rarely do you find anyone who can make a distinction between the two. As an American, I found that I have lived my whole life as someone who has never stopped to separate patriotism and nationalism, and even now, when I have begun to form different ideas about the two, have trouble seeing where one ends and the other begins. My definition of patriotism that Americans experience is pride in your country, and love of your possession of it, something which leads to feelings of hate and superiority.
A lot of my ideas on patriotism come from the fact that I live in a country which, generally speaking believe itself to be the greatest nation in the world. …