Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Chamchiman]

I teach late-elementary school kids, and they LOVE it when their 'friends' fail. This schadenfreude usually shows up in my class when their classmates have a chance to win a prize (usually by beating the teacher at rock-scissors-paper). The whole class will chant, "져라! 져라!" ("Lose! Lose!") and cry out in disappointment if their 'friends' happen to win. Also with test scores - if the smart kid gets a '9', applause follows.

Do middle- and high-school kids do this as well? How about adults? (There's a Korean proverb: "When your cousin buys some land, you get a stomachache.") Does it run a lot deeper in Korean society than just wanting their buddy to lose out at rock-scissors-paper? Did we do this as kids? I'm too old to remember...

[Yu_Bum_suk]

MS / HS generally really enjoy others' mild misfortunes or punishments that happen in a light-hearted fashion. They're pretty good about sharing prizes and things, though and don't hope for others to lose.

[D.D.]

When one crab is escaping from the boiling pot the others pull it back down. This happens in many places.

In Australia if you need help many people will lend a hand. If you start to do better than others many will chop you down. It is called tall poppy syndrome.

I think it is very common here in Korea and one of the things holding back the English program in my school.

Any suggestions on how to combat tall poppy syndrome?

[endo]

Just ask any Korean overseas who opens up a successful business.