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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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Michael Breen, a British journalist, quotes a foreign banker who worked closely with a chaebol as saying:
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| "I make a point never to buy any Korean products on principle. Why? I will not support such a rabidly nationalistic, xenophobic and mercantilist economy. Koreans are so predatory and nationalistic. They have a closed economy and a zero-sum attitude to trade. Protectionism in the early stages of an economy is not unreasonable. But in the case of Korea it is almost a religious doctrine to keep foreign things out. If you buy a foreign car, you're seen as a traitor. They pick narrow industrial sectors and all jump in like copycats. If I see a Korean sports team, I root for the other side. Why? Because they're so full of themselves that they leave no room for other parties to participate and enjoy themselves. The 1988 Olympics was worse than the Hitler Games of 1936. Dealing with Koreans is like dealing with bright adolescents. They're full of energy and want to do everything yesterday. But they throw tantrums and are prone to dangerous and erratic behaviour if their whims are not indulged. In most countries, intellectuals become universal. You learn that great ideas and values have no national boundaries. What is profoundly disturbing is that Korean intellectuals become more xenophobic and nationalistic, and perpetuate the idea that all of Korea's problems are the result of wilfulness by foreigners. This is the mark of a scoundrel." |
Michael Breen (1998). The Koreans; Who They Are, What They Want, Where There Future Lies. New York: St. Martins Press (pages 19-20).
Amazon.com: Editorial Reviews:
The Koreans: Who They Are, What They Want, Where Their Future Lies
by Michael Breen
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312326092/103-3546866-6500649?vi=reviews |
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ManintheMiddle
Joined: 20 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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Real Reality:
Breen is dead on the mark. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 6:13 am Post subject: |
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When I first started teaching, my 10 years old would sometimes break out into incredibly heated and emotional fights over small things. I took it personally, like I was the catalyst and I should have better control over my class and I wasn't being obviously fair to all. I eventually figured out everything could be solved with a game of rock paper scissors. One day I was at these games for hagwon teachers. I was the only non Korean there. Our school was playing against another school in a game of that stupid foot volleyball. The ref made some disputed call. Suddenly the adults started screaming and shoving. All hell broke loose. Over a stupid game. They immediately started acting like my 10 year olds.
Ah!
This was just Korean nature. Koreans never, ever grow out of it.
Where else in the world do you get to see 60 year old men and their wives brawling on subway platforms 10 pm on a saturday night! |
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ManintheMiddle
Joined: 20 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| To be able to put this into perspective one has to bear in mind that Koreans aren't really East Asians. They originated in Central Asia via Mongolia. I wonder if this sort of juvenile conduct is commonplace in Kazakhstan? |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:46 am Post subject: |
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| ManintheMiddle wrote: |
| To be able to put this into perspective one has to bear in mind that Koreans aren't really East Asians. They originated in Central Asia via Mongolia. I wonder if this sort of juvenile conduct is commonplace in Kazakhstan? |
I think it's like saying is the anti-Japanese and anti-American attitude you see in your kids a genetic trait. I think Koreans just teach their kids. When you see your grandfather duke-ing it out on the subway you just grow up assuming that's adult behavior and carry on. |
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