Psychology of Nations?

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?

Parents

  • Everyone wants to live in Britain. I have had Americans tell me so. But Britain is always on the backfoot. People are perceived as somewhat conservative but the reality for most middle and lower classes that we are constantly defending ourselves from social attack. There is this joke cartoon which Andy Warhol made with a English medieval castle under attack and a speech bubble saying why are we always being invaded?! It’s the reality that we are already at war even when we are not. I’d say there is a lot of anger from people who really struggle and see that taken by people with visas using their country as a playground. I’m sure this goes for lots of places though. Europe particularly. The sentiment is generally everyone is welcome if you integrate fully and learn and accept the values of that culture. Not just going somewhere on holiday but learning about the locals.

  • That's not at all what I was meaning Pietro, I wasn't talking about popularism or politics, but about the more subtle ways our national psyche manifests

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