Dr Johnson imo was right, patriotism has been used to encourage people to fight other people in other countries, it has been used by political establishments to control ordinary people send them off to their death, examples first world war ,napoleon invading Russia.
at the time of the the first world war people were covered with white feathers and humiliated if they did not do their patriotic duty and go off to be slaughtered in the first world war.
Patriotism has been used by ruling classes to divide ordinary people who might otherwise want to change the political system. the powers that be SUCH AS lord Kitchener AND YOUR COUNTY NEEDS YOU. THEY DID NOT APPEAL TO PEOPLE AND SAY BE A NATIONALIST THEY ASKED THEM TO BE PATRIOTS.
so the word patriot was in effect used and is still used to appeal to people to fight other nations FACT