[Opinion] Wither National Pride?

Previously, psychologists focused on treating abnormal people, but now, many of them are studying ways to make normal people happier. Reflecting that trend, the lecture “Positive Psychology” at Harvard University has become the most popular class. Such study is intended to bring psychology beyond just curing mental conditions such as nervousness, depression and stress to finding out ways to raise happiness. How can we become happier? Psychologists agree on one answer: “Increase your basic level of happiness. Boost your pride. Have self-efficacy, the belief that you can actually do something.”

The same thing applies to a nation. When the people have pride, their happiness will grow, allowing them to take a more optimistic view of the world, which will make them more successful overseas. Fortunately, many Koreans say they felt proud of the country Korea while cheering for the Korean national football team on streets during the World Cup games. Probably Koreans living in France must have been particularly proud when the Korean team scored an equalizer on the French. Koreans living in cities of France and Switzerland openly wore red t-shirts and waved the national flag to cheer for the national team. They must have been greatly encouraged at the sight of their home country demonstrating its grown status in the international arena.

In a survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago about 34 democratic countries’ “national pride,” the U.S. and Venezuela took the top two positions, after jointly ranking number one three years ago. The U.S. is the world’s superpower, and the 9.11 terrorist attacks further boosted patriotism among the public. In case of Venezuela, the anti-American leftist President Hugo Chavez’s effort to highlight new national image must have acted in its favor. Meanwhile, Korea came in at the bottom, ranking at No. 32, a big drop from No. 22 among 33 countries three years ago.

Asian people tend to show little pride in their country, but it is still embarrassing to see Koreans having so little national pride. Why is it that Koreans do not feel proud of the country in spite of the great development Korea has made in science technology, art and sports, which are the categories assessing national pride? One reason might be President Roh Moo-hyun’s frequent emphasis that Korea’s past was a humiliating and unfortunate history. As people feel despondent about the present and expect little happiness in the future, it is only natural that their pride in the country dwindles.

Hong Kwon-hee, Editorial Writer, konihong@donga.com