If People would say something about your country what would you do?

Philippines

October 7, 2010 9:12am CST

I just thought of this recently, if someone would say or ask something, anything about your country or your countrymen would you be objective or bias? would you answer based on your emotions or explain it as how it is? Or would you deny it, considering you don't live there anyway? If anyone would ask me, I wouldn't try covering up or make excuses (may not be the right word) to make my country sound a perfect one. I'd say what I think based on the various truths the media, education and the people around me are showing me. I can give out the positive as well as the negative qualities of my country. Actually, I would sound more interested when talking about other countries, than my own. However, I wonder if that would look like that I don't like my country at all.

6 people like this

26 responses

@chaplinjunior (127)

• Indonesia

7 Oct 10

highly respectful comment only for such question. natinalist is born not by education or media. we find ourself trapped in such light and difficult question about our country. only positive thinking person can be the true nationalist

3 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

yeah i would agree. a positive person who is willing to accept any comments or is open-minded is a true nationalist. thank you for the response and have a nice day!

1 person likes this

@rameshprabhu (190)

• India

7 Oct 10

oh dint even mentioned your country ,but every one wants to say good part of themselves to others ,that should be the right way to start , but always say the truth for the good part ,and hope no country is without some good qualities , and then if the other person wants to more of specific topic then discusses that topic , the give some reference of good and bad happening to your country of that specific topic , by the way no country is perfect , its responsibility of us to make it perfect.

3 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

i agree to start it of with the good side of things then just explain further if they have questions. i also think that every country has its good qualities. oh yeah, i'm from philippines.

1 person likes this

@sender621 (14894)

• United States

7 Oct 10

This would have to depend on what is being said about my country. Everyone is entitled to voice their own opinions. If they didn't like something about my country, i would have to accept it. If they were insulting my country, i would have to say something to defend it.

3 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

@sender: this is what i like about this new generation/s. there's freedom for anyone to voice out their opinions. and well, yeah we have to accept it if they'd say anything negative about our own countries, it is their opinion. but there's a limit to how much we can accept as well. i think. @daveng: yes, we need to be open-minded and i think we have to mind the words we used as well, some could have double meaning. i do hope mine doesn't.

2 people like this

@saphrina (31552)

• South Africa

7 Oct 10

Well sweetie, i don't like my country at all. Never had never will. I will tell it as it is. I won't hide what we have and do here at all. I am more interested in other countries as well, but this one i live in. TATA.

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@saphrina (31552)

• South Africa

7 Oct 10

My pleasure, sweetie.

1 person likes this

@saphrina (31552)

• South Africa

8 Oct 10

On which part would that be, meluan?

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

oh~ thank you for being honest. i don't know why and i won't also ask. i know there are also others who feel the same way like you. thanks for sharing and have a nice day.

1 person likes this

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@Rainbowliselle (498)

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

When chatting was first introduced to us, I was so excited communicating with friends from pc to pc. much more having net pals from other countries. when they asked what part of the country i live in, i remember telling them the truth... the island known to be as the "battlefield of the country". At first, I thought they would be scared of my revelation but am glad that they chose to continue with the friendship. Till now, they remained to be my good net friends. The island where I lived in is not actually the battlefield of the country as the war happens and the bad elements live in other islands which are quite far from ours.

3 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

it's good you have found friends that are accepting and that they have stayed your friends till now. I think there's no point in lying if we wanted to start a relationship, since that would be the first impression. and they say first impressions last. there's been a lot of battles in every island in our country anyway, so its okay to say it that way.

2 people like this

@jypsyjulia (912)

• United States

7 Oct 10

I had this problem when I was in China or Russia. Some people would just bash my country right in front of my face. It was hard, although I don't consider myself super patriotic, I still do love my country. And when they asked me questions, I was very honest. If we had messed up in the past, I was honest about it. I didn't sugar coat any mistakes my country had made but we're all human.

3 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

that's right, we shouldn't sugar coat any mistakes. and even though we may say negative things to our countries ourselves, it's not like we don't love our countries as you said. we're just being plain honest.

2 people like this

@barehugs (8973)

• Canada

8 Oct 10

When we were touring East Asia, I wore a baseball cap with, "Canada" on the front. I had many conversations with people who had studied or had visited Canada. Everyone (it seemed) who could speak English wanted to engage me in Conversation. Because of my Cap I enjoyed my Asian trip much more!

1 person likes this

• Philippines

9 Oct 10

People are always curious and interested in knowing others i guess. I'm glad you enjoyed your Asian trip even more. have a nice day!

@piya84 (2581)

• India

7 Oct 10

Hii sj Well nothing i would do really.I live in India and i know this country do have load of flaws.I see people every now and then keep talking about it on internet and even in media of other nation sometime ridicule our country.I dont react.I know many things they are real.I am optimistic about this country though. If people are talking because of misunderstanding i try to clear it.Well thats it.There is no point in sliding everything under rug .Admiting flaws is better way to deal with such a issue i feel.

2 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

yup, admitting flaws is better. running away from it or averting eyes from the flaws wouldn't help us clear misunderstanding and grow. thanks for the response and have a nice day!

1 person likes this

@gracefuldove (1668)

• Malaysia

7 Oct 10

Well, I will talk to those people who are biased against my country in a persuasive manner. Once you have given them the facts, they will realized that they may not be given the true and full picture. I never make excuses to safeguard my country's image is the issues are true.

2 people like this

tourist information

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

talking in a persuasive manner would be best. and well excuses wouldn't do much for our country and ourselves and might even just do something worse, better to accept it and do things that will make our country better.

1 person likes this

@anurag3786 (6267)

• India

7 Oct 10

Sometimes peoples say something good about my country so I like this that my country have many good things so they always talk about it. But sometimes there are many persons who always talk about in wrong way about my country. I think if my country has some bad things then I also admit it but sometimes really they talks bad about it. So it’s my responsibility to tell them write thing about this. Because I love my country. So I never want that someone tell me my country is bad.

2 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

Admitting to the truth is what we should really do before we defend our country. acknowledging the truth would help us convince others that it ain't all that bad. Every country has its faults. And since its us who have lived in our country it's a responsibility to clear misunderstandings.

1 person likes this

• Jersey

8 Oct 10

It's really crazy that people hardly see any good in some countries....Patriotism is knowing the mistakes of your country and loving it for what it is..

1 person likes this

• Philippines

9 Oct 10

hmmmm... i guess it can be hard to look at the good side when what you see is tainted. just like looking at a blank paper with a dot in the middle, we see the dot first rather than the blankness/whiteness of the paper. but yeah, patriotism is knowing a country's mistakes and loving it for what it is.

sweetloveforeve

@sweetloveforeve (13106)

• Portugal

8 Oct 10

i would say the truth^^ but i usually tell the good things^^ dont want to scare people but if they ask sure i tell the bad too :) only bad here is our government^^ the rest is cool^^ i like food here in my country^^ that is delicious^^ and people are sweet mostly^^ me also i love to talk more about other countries^^ not means i dont like mine but is bcs i always wanted to know other countries^^ mine i know already so^^ dont worry it wont sound like you dont like your country just that maybe you would like to visit other ones much^^

1 person likes this

• Philippines

9 Oct 10

ah~ i'd probably start off with the positive things too, making a good impression is good too. but i'll say the negative things, don't want them thinking that i was lying if ever they visit my country. yes, i'm interested in other countries and their culture and stuff that's why i want to know. thanks for the response and have a nice day! ^_^

@eagertoknow (109)

• China

7 Oct 10

As a matter of fact,doing justice to your country like speaking out both good and bad qualities of one's country is just an indication that you love your country,and know well about its history.We can love one thing more only when we can take a balanced point of view.Have a nice day SJ.

2 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

well, you maybe right. and i guess if we don't close our eyes and minds to the bad qualities of a country or anyone we can also give and show the good points. ^_^

1 person likes this

• United States

7 Oct 10

I love my country- I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, but we have problems, just like every other country out there. It depends on what they say, how I would respond. I live in the South (in the USA) and we have to listen to all kind of ignorant comments about our area- backwoods, stupid rednecks that hate every group that isn't white, hates gay people, hates ____________, etc. I'll be honest, I get really upset when I hear that kind of junk. The South has some very intolerant people- just like the North does, just like the Midwest does, etc etc. I think everyone should just remember- no one area is perfect, and anyone that pretends it is is either ignorant, or just a plain ole' liar! :)

2 people like this

• Philippines

7 Oct 10

hmmmm, i don't get why some people wouldn't try knowing others before they say something. but you are right, not one area is perfect.

@zandi458 (28102)

• Malaysia

8 Oct 10

I am a patriotic citizen of my country. The place I was born and breed. I have to love my country and talk good about my country to foreigners who might not know much of the real situation of my country but only read about my country in media or internet. What ever others think of my country be it bad or good, I have to act like an unofficial ambassador of my country to tell others when I have the chance to travel that my country is heaven on earth, so peaceful, so modern and people are warm. My words are their first gateway to know Malaysia. Of course, the behavior of some people in my country are a shame but they are few compared to many good people here.

1 person likes this

• Philippines

8 Oct 10

that's good to know that you are trying to let others see the light in your country. thanks and have a nice day!

@salonga (27775)

• Philippines

8 Oct 10

I would not love it if foreigners would say something bad about my country. I know I don't have a perfect country but I love my country just the same so I would not want other people to bad-mouth my country. Nevertheless, if the criticism is constructive then that is fine to me, I will always listen and see for myself how I could help for the betterment of my country.

1 person likes this

• Philippines

8 Oct 10

yeah, the flaws of our country should not make us feel low of ourselves. we should accept and see these flaws as qualities that we might need to improve. have a nice day!

@Cutie18f (9551)

• Philippines

8 Oct 10

I have no problem telling the truth really. I can talk of good things about our country and also the bad things that I see around. I do not cover up the negative things that I see in our country.

1 person likes this

• Philippines

9 Oct 10

that's good to hear and i think that's just how we should do things. thanks for the response and have a nice day!

@bluekush10 (48)

•

8 Oct 10

I'd react, well I guess you could say patriactic and stick up for my counrty. I may not be in the army or the navey, props to the, but I still have respect for the countey I was born inm I am an american and I represent that. I am not discriminating or stating any bi-st remarks, I'm friends with alsorts of people. P.S. Peace is the answer.

1 person likes this

• Philippines

8 Oct 10

well, it depends on what people would say. either way we react to it, we don't have to be part of the army or navy as you said, we are all part of a country. thanks for the response and have fun mylotting!

@standinheavens (1)

• Philippines

8 Oct 10

I love my country. Thus, though, it is just like that I would still be happy to share my country to the world and be happy that I live there.

1 person likes this

• Philippines

9 Oct 10

hmmm... yeah we should be happy whatever our country is and be one of those instruments even in little ways to help improve it. happy mylotting!

• United States

8 Oct 10

I think that I would defend my country but I would want to know where they get their information from.

1 person likes this

• Philippines

9 Oct 10

i agree, we should clear the facts first before we say anything. it could just be some rumor or misunderstanding that can be cleared up easily.