Patriotism and The Left

The left suggests that patriotism is outmoded.

I've done a fair bit of traveling, and I'm inclined to agree. I feel fellowship more with people as a whole than with my birth-country-mates.

However, I am awful fond of the institutions of this country, and howsoever our ancestors did it, the US is among the largest countries in the world by area, by population, and by per capita wealth. I also am inclined to think that other places I've been (much of western europe, some of eastern europe) just doesn't understand freedom the way Americans do. The line: "That's not something the government is allowed to do" is pretty important.

But I was wondering today...does the left realize that patriotism is the only force able to prevent human capital (people with skillz) from picking up and moving somewhere better to live? And picking up and moving (exit) is the one thing that can destroy socialist impulses entirely?

The anti-patriotic thing contains the seeds of the destruction of socialism. Cool.