Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Seoulman69]

Before I moved to Korea I didn't care where the products I bought came from. I didn't care who British companies employed. I didn't care about British companies.
When I came to Korea and saw Koreans supporting Korean businesses it opened my eyes. I was suprised that Korean companies would employ Koreans no matter where in the world the offices are.
Now, after 5 years, I find myself trying to buy British products whenever I can. I also believe that British companies should employ as many British workers as possible ahead of other nationalities.
When I go home people are suprised to hear my say these things. Some even go so far as to insult me and call me a BNP supporter. I am most definitely not a BNP supporter but comments like "British jobs for British people" do resonate with me.

My question is, has Korea made you more nationalistic? Or perhaps you always were nationalistic.

[eamo]

No.

Korea has made me less nationalistic because I've met too many Koreans who believe in ridiculous untrue nonsense because it supports their view of their country, or supports hate for another country.

And I don't want to ever be like that.

[cj1976]

[nathanrutledge]

I studied economics as an undergrad. In a nutshell, if you only buy products from your country, then your country will fail. If your country doesn't trade with other countries, then businesses fail. If you don't buy foreign products, then the foreigners won't have your countries money to buy your products.

Long story short, being nationalistic in your purchases actually has the opposite effect, driving your businesses out of business.

[Yaya]

I'm a Korean American who doesn't find many things Korean interesting anymore but at the same time, I realize that looking through U.S.-centric glasses isn't good, either.

I'd say I've become less nationalistic toward either the U.S. and Korea and negative toward other cultures I don't find appealing at all (but that's another story).

[adzee1]

[Seoulman69]

[plchron]

I wouldn't say that i love my country more. After living in Asia for 2 1/2 years, I would say that I love asian countries less.

When I started traveling I was wide eyed. Everything was fantastic and any case of me getting shafted by one of them was viewed as a cultural misunderstanding. I was always giving the benefit of the doubt.

Now, I have a very short fuse. If someone tries that BS cutting in line I go right in front of them and box them out like in basketball. If a cab driver turns on the super fast fair meter when i am drunk then I tell him to pull over and get out of the cab immedietly while coursing at him in English. And when I go to Costco, you should see me getting those samples. I am like an animal. I shove little kids and old people out of the way. I throw in the elbows. I block off half the sample table with my shopping cart to slow the others down.

Asia has changed me

After living abroad for a while I definitely have a shorter fuse.

[young_clinton]

In the time that I spent in Korea, I came to like Koreans and Japanese, so it has not made me more nationalistic. Although Thailand would tend to make one more nationalistic, but it's important to realize they see things radically differently and flat out cannot be forced to see things in the way westerners do.

Being in Cambodia (perhaps the poorest country in SE Asia) and seeing traffic jams in Siem Riep at the end of the day all brought about by charity from the west really makes you look down on the ethics and ways of SE Asians.

[itistime]

I try to buy as local as possible....for environmental reasons.
I am at war with myself when I fly on airplanes to other
destinations. My choice.

But, I do like some foreign products that are just not
available in SK. That being said..................

"Every miserable fool who has nothing at all of which he can be proud, adopts as a last resource pride in the nation to which he belongs; he is ready and happy to defend all its faults and follies tooth and nail, thus reimbursing himself for his own inferiority."
� Arthur Schopenhauer

[World Traveler]

[Squire]

I see a lot of flaws in my country but am still very patriotic. There are positives and negatives I've drawn from coming here but overall I don't think it's changed my perception too much.

[fermentation]

[Jane]

[Menino80]