If a country needs to overly emphasise an ideal, that’s usually because that ideal doesn’t apply in that country (“Land of the free”, “Democratic people’s republic of …”).
If a person needs to subscribe to patriotism, it’s usually because they have never accomplished anything better in their life than being born in a specific place.
It sounds like you’re proud of your country and want it to improve. That’s what the SMBC comic is saying is “patriotism”. They might have used simpler & fewer words than you did, but that’s only to dumb it down so it’s easily understood.
No. I am not proud of my country, that would be stupid. I am proud of my kids, I am proud of my accomplishments, but I certainly are not proud of things I took very little part in making.
Are you proud that air exists? I have better things to be proud of than a country.
Many people would consider this civic pride. You don’t have to.
First of all, nobody was talking about civic pride, and second, you have to be really stupid to be proud of something you had no part in accomplishing.
Are you also proud that your neighbour has a nice car?