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A national identity and the potential dangers therein is an example of delusive thinking, in relation to what I discussed above. If it produces an "us versus them" mentality, this is delusive in that it overlooks the common humanness of people outside of those who identify with the national identity.
National identities can also be looked at as an aspect of what leads to anger, mistrust, and even war. To think that those who exist outside of the national identity are any less human can and has lead to evil actions, if we can agree that war and destruction and conquest can be evil.
As for the nature of ideas, you bring up a great problem, rb. Preformed ideas that disseminate as ways of manipulation or deceit are likely to be a great source of evil actions, if we can agree that the exploitation or oppression of others can be evil.
A national identity isn't inherently evil, nor is it inherently dangerous. As you say, it is context-dependent. Is it benignish or not-so-benignish?
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön
Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot
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