National Pride Survey

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Some interesting findings in a recent survey on national pride. And while some of it makes sense (not too surprising that the US ranked near the top), it does raise some questions:

  1. Why is Venezuela number one? Is their ranking wrapped up in Hugo Chavez’s administration, and in pride that they’ve spurned the big, bad United States?

  2. The Anglo-sphere rank very high for pride, except for the mother country. Why?

  3. Why did Austria rank near the top, while Germany (both Eastern and Western parts) and many other European countries ranked near the bottom? Austria’s a beautiful country with a lot to be proud of, but how did they buck the Euro-trend?

  4. What have the Eastern European countries got to be so ashamed of? AFAIK, their economies are doing better than many Western European countries, and they have younger populations too. If it’s something to do with the scarring experience of Communism, why doesn’t Russia rank lower?

2

I think you are right about Venezuela. Self-esteem is tied to feelings of self-efficacy, and I’m sure that is true on a national level as well. Right now Venezuela feels in charge of it’s future.