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Psychology of Nations?

TheCatWoman

Do you think different countries have different psychologies? I wonder if one of the most prevalent in Britain is a kind of Tall Poppy Syndrome? Tall Poppy Syndrome is basically where people ar put down for standing above the crowd and doing well at something, there always seems to be someone who wants to "cut you down to size". As a nation we seem to really dislike someone doing well, the tabloid press in particular love to build someone up and put them on a massive pedastal which they will inevitably fall from, then they tear them apart and they go from being able to do no wrong to being able to do no right. Do we fear success?

Do other countries have such sayings as "getting above your station in life", or "to big for your boots"?

I've wondered if Israel has a national persecution complex? It wouldn't be surprising if they did given the way Jews have been persecuted for the last 2,000 years or more.

Is America WIldly optomistic and afraid of failure? I wonder about the fall out of "The American Dream" where anyone can "make it if they try hard enough", what does that do to those who keep trying and failing particularly if it's through no fault of thier own?

I know some people will look at this and think, eh whats she on about now? But have a think, what are a nations psychological traits, not just the face which they like to show the world, but what's the underbelly of a national psyche like?

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  • TheCatWoman said:
    Tall Poppy Syndrome

    This is probably true the world over and stems from old-fashioned envy. You are probably right at base - but I wonder where such ideas originate? Probably in books. I like to think most people are basically decent, the world over. Tyrants or fanatical religious leaders do influence their people - for example, on holiday in Africa I was shocked at a walking bus of infant Muslim kids staring at us with clear hostility. Look at Putin trying to ensure young people accept war as an inheritance of empire ['Mr Nobody Against Putin'].

    But I think humans are decent at heart. Simple things like how 1 in 5 individuals give way at road junctions and wave if you let them out. This simple exercise shows good intent. Tribes like the Innuit and Bedouin are renowned for hospitality to strangers. 

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  • TheCatWoman said:
    Tall Poppy Syndrome

    This is probably true the world over and stems from old-fashioned envy. You are probably right at base - but I wonder where such ideas originate? Probably in books. I like to think most people are basically decent, the world over. Tyrants or fanatical religious leaders do influence their people - for example, on holiday in Africa I was shocked at a walking bus of infant Muslim kids staring at us with clear hostility. Look at Putin trying to ensure young people accept war as an inheritance of empire ['Mr Nobody Against Putin'].

    But I think humans are decent at heart. Simple things like how 1 in 5 individuals give way at road junctions and wave if you let them out. This simple exercise shows good intent. Tribes like the Innuit and Bedouin are renowned for hospitality to strangers. 

Children
  • in reply to Marianne72

    But do other countries make such a national sport out of it like we do? I think the British obsession with it stands out. What books do you think contribute to these ideas?

    Not all national psychologies have to be bad, I think the British have a sense of fairness that stands out, thats not a bad thing?