National Pride Survey

[Azathoth]

http://www.economist.com/daily/chart...ry_id=14536817

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

National pride
Sep 29th 2009
From Economist.com

Who admires their country the most?


JUST as some people have a better self-image than others, so it seems do countries. In a poll of 33 nations by the Reputation Institute, a branding consultancy, people were asked to rate their trust, admiration, respect and pride in their country. The results are presented as an index. By this measure, Australians are almost as exuberant about their country as they are about sport, and lead the list. They are followed closely by Canadians. Americans, normally a patriotic and positive bunch, are perhaps being affected by the recession. The limited self-regard of Brazilians belies their reputation as a sunny, carefree people, but the Japanese are gloomiest of all.

What do you think of this survey's findings? Do you agree or disagree?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I'm actually surprised at how high Germany is, in a positive way. I thought we were doing much worse than that.

[tibilicus]

Australia being top doesn't surprise me one bit. Went there this summer and could really feel the nation pride flowing.

Fun fact for you, during a three week stint I didn't come across one wild Kangaroo..

[Ronin]

Portugal getting more than 50 kinda surprises me...

bitching about how bad this place is in real or imagined ways is kinda of the national sport around here.

[Centurion1]

amny americans have no pride. sickening all put down america and applaud everyone else, annoys the hell out of me

[Jolt]

Portugal getting more than 50 kinda surprises me...

bitching about how bad this place is in real or imagined ways is kinda of the national sport around here.

How true!

[Rhyfelwyr]

I would think patriotism and levels of happiness in the current governments would get mixed up a lot in that test.

For example, Russians tend to be very nationalist and proud of their country, but they are distrustful of the more democratic form of government they have now (in theory at least).

[pevergreen]

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE

OI OI OI

Its true. We like Australia.

I'll have to post the story of how God created the earth: the aussie version someday, but for now:
The only reason we're still part of the commonwealth is that if we leave we can't win every event in the Commonwealth games.

[Tribesman]

amny americans have no pride.

They have pride, its just that they got the spelling wrong in the survey.

[Strike For The South]

They have pride, its just that they got the spelling wrong in the survey.

Texas

[Beefy187]

So I've lived in the top national pride country (Australia) and living in the lowest (Japan)

Not surprised about the Aussies. While I don't think they're the best in the world, they certainly have the right to be proud in areas of culture and sports especially.

Japanese are taught to be pessimistic and selfless so we tend to focus on the bad bits, but younger generation seems to be the opposite. Added to that nature, Japanese history text books, practically tells us to hate our selves for all the terrible things we've done. So this result sounds right.

If South Korea is in this, I'm guessing they'll be in the top half. Their national pride is just astonishing.

[Tribesman]

Texas

Texas pride?

http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dw...1b189b7f1.html

[Tratorix]

I'm amazed Canada is second, all anyone here does is complain how badly the government is screwing us over.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I'm amazed Canada is second, all anyone here does is complain how badly the government is screwing us over.

I'm not surprised by that at all, actually. Canadians for the most part seemed to me to be intensely patriotic (and often anti-American in Ontario especially), to the point that any criticism of Canadian "values" such as multiculturalism is shot down ruthlessly.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Not a national pride survey...

trust, admiration, respect and pride

America is probably low on trust night now.

[Beskar]

I am surprised Britain is even on the list.

[CountArach]

What do Australians have to be proud of?

[Incongruous]

I am surprised Britain is even on the list.

Indeed, my sense of national pride is slightly offended by it.

[Meneldil]

National pride is okay, as long as it doesn't prohibit any kind of discussion.

I'm not surprised by Canada's high score, as EMFM said, Canada is one of these countries where flag-waving and self-bragging seems to be a national (and deeply annoying) sport. Which is weird as most people I've met there would introduce themselves as "German", "Italian", "French", "British" rather than as "Canadian".
I guess Australia is about the same thing.

And bitching about one's country or governement doesn't mean people can't be proud of their country. Most french and americans litteraly hate any kind of governement, but are very proud nonetheless (though in France's case, I think - or hope - we're kind of quieter about it).

[naut]

What do Australians have to be proud of?

Cricket teams.

Never understood the intense nationalism here. Really is a culture of assimilate or die.

[CountArach]

Never understood the intense nationalism here.

I live near Cronulla

Really is a culture of assimilate or die.

Yeah I know... but I just can't figure out why...

[Furunculus]

What do Australians have to be proud of?

having an awesome queen! ;)

[CountArach]

having an awesome queen! ;)

Good thing I know I'm being baited

[Louis VI the Fat]

Ozzies are so proud because they can't afford a plane ticket to ever experience civilization first hand.

[miotas]

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE

OI OI OI

Its true. We like Australia.

I'll have to post the story of how God created the earth: the aussie version someday

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven, God went missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Archangel found him, resting on the seventh day.

He inquired of God, "Where have you been?" God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look Michael, look what I've made." Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?"

"It's a planet,- replied God, "and I've put LIFE on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance".

"Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth. "For example, Northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth while Southern Europe is going to be poor; the Middle East over there will be a hot spot."

"Over there I've placed a continent of white people and over there is a continent of black people" God continued, pointing to different countries. And over there, I call this place America. North America will be rich and powerful and cold, while South America will be poor, and hot and friendly. And the little spot in the middle is Central America which is a hot spot. Can you see the balance?"

"Yes" said the Archangel, impressed by Gods work, then he pointed to a large land mass and asked, "What's that one?"

"Ah" said God. "That's Australia, the most glorious place on Earth. There are beautiful mountains, rainforests, rivers, stream and an exquisite coast line. The people are good looking, intelligent and humorous and they're going to be found travelling the world. They'll be extremely sociable, hard-working and high-achieving, and they will be throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace. I'm also going to give them super-human, undefeatable cricket and rugby players who will be admired and feared by all who come across them".

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then "You said there will be BALANCE!"

God replied wisely. "Wait until you see the ugly, whining, sheep rooting, Kiwi bastards I'm putting next to them".

but for now:
The only reason we're still part of the commonwealth is that if we leave we can't win every event in the Commonwealth games.

Not to mention that ditching the royals would be a serious blow for comedy, and we'd lose a public holiday.

Here is the reason we like australia so much, and if it doesn't make much sense, or it's a tl:dr, then just read the last paragraph:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

WE, the People of the broad, brown land of Oz, wish to be recognized as a free nation of blokes, sheilas and the occasional trannie.

We come from many lands (although a few too many of us come from New Zealand) and, although we live in the best little country in the world, we reserve the right to bitch and moan about it whenever we bloody like.

We are One Nation but we're divided into many States.

First, there's Victoria, named after a queen who didn't believe in lesbians. Victoria is the realm of Mossimo turtlenecks, cafe latte and grand final day. Its capital is Melbourne, whose chief marketing pitch is that it's "livable".

Next, there's NSW. It is the realm of pastel shorts, macchiato with sugar, thin books read quickly and millions of dancing gay-boys. Its mascots are Bondi lifesavers who pull their Speedos up their cracks to keep the left and right sides of their brains separate.

Down south we have Tasmania, a State based on the notion that the family that bonks together stays together. In Tassie, everyone gets an extra chromosome at conception. Maps of the State bring smiles to the sternest faces.

South Australia is the province of half-decent reds, a festival of foreigners and bizarre axe murders. They had the Grand Prix, but lost it when the views of Adelaide sent the Formula One drivers to sleep at the wheel.

Western Australia is too far from anywhere to be relevant in this document.

The Northern Territory is the red heart of our land. Outback plains, sheep stations, kangaroos, jackaroos, emus, Ulurus and dusty kids with big smiles. Although the Territory is the centrepiece of our national culture, few of us live there and the rest prefer to fly over it on our way to Bali.

And there's Queensland. While any mention of God seems silly in a document defining a nation of half-arsed agnostics, it is worth noting that God probably made Queensland. Why he filled it with heads remains a mystery.

We, the Lullaby League of Oz, are united, primarily by the Pacific Highway, whose treacherous twists and turns kill more of us each year than die by murder.

We are united in our lust for international recognition, so desperate for praise we leap in joy when a ragtag gaggle of corrupt IOC officials tells us Sydney is better than Beijing.

We are united by a democracy so flawed that a political party, albeit a redneck gun-toting one, can get a million votes and still not win one seat in Federal Parliament. Desirable, sure. But fair? Not when you consider Brian Harradine can get 24,000 votes and runs the bloody country. Not that we're whingeing.

We've chucked out the concept of "fair go" in the downsized '90s. Instead, we want to make "no worries" our national phrase.

We love sport so much our newsreaders can read the death toll from a sailing race and still tell us who's winning, in the same breath.

We the Brain, the Heart and the Nerve of Oz, want the world to know we have the biggest rock, the tastiest pies and the worst-dressed Olympians in the known universe. We don't know much about art but we know we hate the people who make it. We shoot, we vote. We are girt by sea and pissed by lunchtime. And even though we might seem a racist, closed-minded, sports-obsessed little People, at least we're better than the bloody Kiwis. Now bugger off, we're sleeping.

[KukriKhan]

Bummer. To get at the actual survey details (how many people, from where, asked what questions, etc) you have to be a dues-paying Member of Reputation Institute - at $500 annual dues.

So we'll just have to accept their numbers.

[Aemilius Paulus]

Bummer. To get at the actual survey details (how many people, from where, asked what questions, etc) you have to be a dues-paying Member of Reputation Institute - at $500 annual dues.

So we'll just have to accept their numbers.

Yeah, I really wanted to know the question(s) they asked, which make all the difference. Russians are likely to be more nationalist then Aussies, but given our many shortcomings, we are likely to be less proud of our accomplishment as a nation. in fact, the third comment on the article Azathoth provided stated: No. And if the study measured patriotism alone, Australia would not rank highly.

But if you are talking about The Economist membership, I have it, and I already registered for an online account. If you have a question with an answer coming from to premium Economist online content, I can answer it.

[miotas]

I wonder if it's a coincidence that two of the three biggest comedy festivals in the world are held in the top two countries on that list?

EDIT
Also, the biggest cultural event in australia is the MICF. Maybe being happy is a big part of liking where you live.

[Aemilius Paulus]

I wonder if it's a coincidence that two of the three biggest comedy festivals in the world are held in the top two countries on that list?

Your opinion. Not fact. Biggest? Define. Or at least get a citation.

[miotas]

I believe that it goes off attendance. I'll see if I can find any sources.

EDIT
This good enough? http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200...nada.australia Can't be bothered finding anything else.

Just For Laughs - 2 million
Fringe Festival - 1.5 million, and in a distant third;
The Gala - 415,000