Korean Job Discussion Forums

[joelove]

I've probably posted on this before. Never mind. There's something unsettling to me about the need to belong. I understand it can bring comfort and pleasure. Surely it does, and so most of us belong to something, psychologically.

But we've all lived abroad. It's disturbing, isn't it? It got to me at least. The thinking and the separation of nationalism. What function does this sort of thinking have? Is it just a glorified self? To call yourself Korean or American or Canadian or whatever. The whole world does this. I don't know what it means.

[Chaparrastique]

Its a crutch for the weak, for those who don't have a strong enough identity of their own.

Never mind the terrible things people do to others in the name of their country and nation.

Usually the most nationalistic are also the smallest-minded. The ones who've never been elsewhere. it amused me in Australia to hear these rednecks in the outback go mon about australia being "the greatest country in the world mayt" and they were alwyas the ones who'd never been anywhere beyond their doorstep.

It has an upside though if people follow the more enlightened idea of patriotism- ie, ensure foreign visitors have a good time in your country, work hard to improve your country etc.

[PigeonFart]

Most often nationalism can be a nasty small minded little thing.

However nationalism at times can be beneficial...to unite a people against an evil invader, or against a totalitarian mindset.

What do you think about these British nationalists below?...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwA9jMnQ038

They are generally ex-British soldiers who enter Mosques in England and tell the muslim preachers they are not welcome in the UK unless they assimilate to British culture. This group only dislikes islam and its totalitarian ideology. It says it has no problem with all the other cultures in the UK who have successfully adapted (sikhs, jews, africans, indians etc).

[Old Painless]

[actionjackson]

[actionjackson]

Double post.

[joelove]

We need to look at this a little more carefully, the ten of us who read this post.

Nationalistic sentiment is not beyond what you are, except it's glorified. It's the idea that you are something larger, and a longing to belong to something greater than a miserable little person, which is what you are.

There is nothing glorious about you, but if you call yourself by a big name, like Spain or Korea, or God or Bigfoot, what's the difference, the function is the same, isn't it, then you get the largeness of an illusive inclusion or something. I'm not sure how it works, but isn't it nice to belong?

Isn't this what most people in this world are doing, and isn't this kind of disturbing? Because people kill over this kind of stuff.

[joelove]

[FriendlyDaegu]

[PigeonFart]

[quote="FriendlyDaegu"][quote="PigeonFart"]…However nationalism at times can be beneficial...to unite a people against an evil invader, or against a totalitarian mindset.

What do you think about these British nationalists below?...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwA9jMnQ038

They are generally ex-British soldiers who enter Mosques in England and tell the muslim preachers they are not welcome in the UK unless they assimilate to British culture. This group only dislikes islam and its totalitarian ideology. It says it has no problem with all the other cultures in the UK who have successfully adapted (sikhs, jews, africans, indians etc).[/quote]

They have no problem with immigrants as long as there's not too many of them:

[quote].[/quote]

The cities of London, Leicester, Luton and Slough have populations where the white english population is less than 50%. Can you imagine if the Korean population of Seoul was less than 50% too! That's a staggering statistic. So if they have a problem with there being too many immigrants, then they're right in my opinion.

[sigmundsmith]

The concept of nationalism and xenophobic are two different ideas in my opinion. Having lived in many countries (both Western/European and Asian countries) I find that Asian countries/cultures are more xenophobic.

But western countries are nationalistic. And no one is more nationalistic than Americans. Someone posted previously about being in Australia and meeting outback Australians claiming that Australia is the best country in the world. Also, the same poster said that those who are the most nationalistic are also small minded. Well, I think most people will agree that (generally) Americans are small minded.

Well, I have travelled all over America (especially in the South) and I always come across very similar, ignorant comments by Americans who profess to America being the best country but have never travelled anywhere. But those are just ignorant people.

Now, my home country is great. But I have visited great countries as well. To me there is no best country but every country has its uniqueness.

But when you have a country that trumpets this is Gods' country and the talking heads and politicians repeat this ad nauseam then they are the winners of being the most nationalistic (annoying) country/culture/society.

[Kuros]

Its the 100th anniversary of World War I. There was no period where nationalism was more ugly.

The rest of this stuff you ex-pats are griping about is garbage. People don't need to be world citizens, or economic refugees, which is what the bulk of English teachers in Korea really are. This is just a thread in which you can look down on people back home for their ignorance.

Yeah, they're ignorant. But are you snobs?

[Mr. BlackCat]

[KimchiNinja]

[caniff]