difference between nationalism and patriotism

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Patriotism means just being proud of one's nation, for American such as myself it means believing in freedom and fighting to maintain that freedom. Bare in mind this definition of patriotism is one that works for Americans and other allying democratic nations. Patriotism is not synonymous with being totally bias towards your nation. Patriotism is being proud, but not too proud to question your leaders. Patriotism is the pride of the people.
Nationalism is more akin to something like racism or sexism, it's a total extreme bias towards one's own nation, a lack of ability to question their leaders, it is much more totalitarian in nature.

I am a patriot, but not a nationalist. This means I am proud to be American, but I am not above calling an American action towards another nation wrong or immoral if it so happens that way, and I still value the livelihood of people in other nations just the same as I do the livelihood of americans. I encourage my fellow americans, and even patriots in and of other nations, to question their leaders. I am pro freedom. I am proud of my country, I'm just not proud of my government and some of the things that go on in our country's name.

I am neither. I worship nothing and no one. Pride only leads to evil.

I don't understand the need to identify with a Nation State. Why can't we all just be proud to be ourselves? Proud to be good people? Why do we need to identify with a country in order to make us feel better than other people? That's just arrogance.

That's an interesting take, and I'm glad you distinguish between the two-I wish more people would. This is an area where we need to be careful, as the lines can be blurred.

Personally, I would not describe patriotism so much as an act of pride but rather an act of love and attachment to place (in this case, one's country), and to the customs, traditions, ideals, and history of that place. It is a very natural, organic, and good thing, and I think it, along with the idea of country or homeland, will always be with us. Patriotism need not mean that we must look at our country through rose-colored glasses, though certainly it also means that we shouldn't focus entirely upon our country's ills. I think that nationalism, on the other hand, is patriotism that has become abstracted, unnatural, stuck into a box and mass-produced. When patriotism becomes nationalism, the very real experience of love and attachment to place becomes a sort of generalized idea. It is more prideful that patriotism and tends to gloss over imperfections (or even vehemently deny them); in that sense it is almost utopian. Patriotism is more about passionately defending one's country when need be; nationalism is more about foisting this now abstracted version of nation onto other nations out of pride or madness, as was the case with Germany in WWII.

I would consider myself a patriot as well.

the actual difference between the two is much harsher, but i have seen the taking of nationalism for high-powered patriotism to take over minds like hell, lately. a german politician even is quoted all the time over here, saying that "patriotism is the love for ones own country, while nationalism is the hatred towards other countries" - which is bs.

patriotism is love for your home (country). simple as that. although the word itself doesnt carry any hints of exclusivity and derogatory attitude towards other countries, it is in some cases seen bundled that way. patriotism is a multilevel thing, though. it can be on a europe contra america/asia level (for me, for most of you america contra europe/asia), on a germany contra france, britain, switzerland, etc... level, on a level regarding districts within germany, and even with lowest-level things, like when the football club of my village plays against the club of the neighbor village.

nationalism, however, is a different kind of thing. nationalism is the belief that its better to have numerous independent states instead of one world state, to state it in an extreme way. a nationalist is far more likely to vouch for an independent state for the catalans, instead of subsuming an independent national identity (the catalans) in a comound state (spain). or, support independent states for native americans where there are distinctively different identities involved.
a nationalist might also be more likely to oppose globalization, but not necessarily. for example, a nationalist might support globalization as an economic or communicative phenomenon, just wants to retain government sovereignty left with the individual states instead of subsuming them under one capital government.

i wouldnt necessarily consider myself a patriot (although i occasionally like to poke european superiority at my fellow americans, but thats mostly joking), but believe the nationalist idea to be far more supportive of peace than any imperialist (or other one-world-government-idea) idea.

Hmm. I don't know the difference between the two, but whilst I love Britain as a nation, and don't like the s**thole that it's becoming, I love other nations as well. I'd defend my country in times of need.

As a world federalist, I have never been an American nationalist or a patriot.

i'm neither, thank god. country is overrated and people that wear american flag tshirts are ghey

to be fair people that wear animal tshirts, like lion and tiger tshirts also suck