Korean Job Discussion Forums

joelove · Joined: 12 May 2011

I find it does, but I have to admit I'm sort of proud of where I'm from, even though that makes no sense. It's more provincial for me than national, but anyway, it's still silly. I had nothing to do with it. I blame my dad and mom for that. Then before I knew it I was shuffled off to school and taught a bunch of good stuff as well as nonsense. Forty plus years later it's still a mystery. I can see through it sometimes. Other times it's got its hold.

I find it utterly boring when a person is full of nationalism. How is such a person special in any way? It is sickening. The whole damn world is full of this. Your flag, your song, all that nonsense. You think, because you were born there, it's special? And do you think, because you were heavily conditioned by all the stuff for better or worse, that means something?

People will do anything to prop themselves up.

Best option is to drop all that and just be people.

Hokie21 · Joined: 01 Mar 2011

Well you're asking this during the Olympics which is a time when it's kind of an acceptable time to show your national pride.

I've never felt overly nationalist though, but that's probably because I have parents from separate countries, have dual-citizenship and lived on multiple continents as a child.

I kind of understand how people could get wrapped up in it though.

byrddogs · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Location: Shanghai

No. It's a little annoying and nothing more.

Scorpion · Joined: 15 Apr 2012

Ethnic nationalism sickens me.

byrddogs · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Location: Shanghai

No. It's a little annoying and nothing more.

nate1983 · Joined: 30 Mar 2008

I more or less agree with the first couple posters. I actually cheered against American tennis players (my favorite spectator sport) in favor of guys like Safin, Kafelnikov and then Federer, and I usually wanted the US basketball team to lose against international teams (probably underdog factor).

I do feel some sense of pride when I see the US do well, particularly in sports where it typically underperforms, and being a former serious runner I'm a big fan of most elite American distance runners since I feel like I can relate to them. I also enjoy seeing Norway do well at the winter games since most of their top athletes come from the region in the country where my ancestors are from.

I get being able to identify with a culture, but you didn't choose your parents and where you were born is just luck of the draw. My mom hated the fact that they'd have the American flag in church. Rabid nationalism I'll never understand and I think it's a plague on civilization.

actionjackson · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Location: Any place I'm at

When it comes to this question, I think George Carlin has the all time best response:

edwardcatflap · Joined: 22 Mar 2009

I'm With You · Joined: 01 Sep 2011

I despise it.

I hate the olympics. I don't want to hear anytying about it, I don't want to see it, I've even gone so far as to block sports on my home page news feed. I just do not want to see it. That said, I work with so many nationalistic Canadians over the years that it has become a running gag with those non-Canadian teachers at work.

The Canadian nationalism in Korea is creepy and they generate a lot of ill will by their nationalist feelings - especially towards their big brothers, the Americans. But when you're a Canadian expat and you're away from home, that mixture of beer and homesickness is a very potent.

You can see why others wouldn't want to be around that.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

I'm from Canada & notice & admit that many of my fellow passport-holders are over the top pro-Canada. Most are on the young side. It really does get drilled into Canadian kids. I hope they'll one day outgrow it.

Stan Rogers · Joined: 20 Aug 2010

Americans are too big feeling. Canadians like putting them in their place.

EZE · Joined: 05 May 2012

sligo · Joined: 15 Oct 2008

it's one thing to be proud that your country has produced a champion, another entirely to think this makes your country better than any other on the planet

metalhead · Joined: 18 May 2010 Location: Toilet

It just gets annoying when someone is always telling you about their country, you know the conversation...

'Hey this coffee is not bad, and it only cost three bucks!'

'In (Canada/Australia/England etc), you can get two coffees for half that price.'

It's the whole replying to everything said with the old, 'In (country), we...' that drives me nuts.

Actually I noticed a couple of Chinese doing it here the other day, except they messed it up because every time they said, 'In China...', it was always about something bad, like pollution or fake meat being used in dumplings. I really need to speak to them and let them know that that is not the Western way of doing it and annoys no one, they really need to try harder.

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

Although I'm bothering to type a response, I'll say that I'm basically detached from the d*&^-waving nationalism. I've even basically lost interest in pro sports (the Celtics sucking this year helps with the process).

None of the organizations or people involved care about me except to the extent that I feed their BS. I'm done.

As far as the Olympics go, I would like it if we ended up at the bottom of the heap in the "medal count" as maybe it would distract on or two of the sheep from the nonsensical self-congratulatory masturbation and provide them an opportunity to take a look at things that actually matter.