Does patriotism blind citizens to national problems or sharpen their critical thinking about the country’s future? Chapter Eight answers this by measuring political judgment across several domains, including openness to criticism, economic forecasting, and conspiracy beliefs. The data indicate that patriotism does not hinder critical reflection; patriotic individuals remain capable of identifying problems in the nation. Moreover, they are less prone to conspiratorial mindsets and more accurate at predicting outcomes vital to national welfare. These findings challenge assumptions that patriotism necessarily reduces objective analysis.