The 5 C's-Cowardly, Cynical, Conceited, Complacent, Corrupt

I have been in CZech Republic for over three years for professional and personal reasons and I am constantly astounded at how rude Czechs people are.There is a culture of being surly and interfering; an anal obsession with bureaucracy;and a determination to use each other, and strangers, for what they can get. It seems the soul has been sucked from the country and there is no room for ideology or principles. A nation of passive aggressive hypocrites who will greet you with one hand and stab you in the back with the other. Sexist, racist and arrogant seems to be the common ly accepted male behaviour and I despair of meeting any Czechs who vaguely resemble thinking human beings. It is a cynical wasteland and I leave soon with a huge sigh of relief.Wake up Czechs, your history is not one to give you reason to be so vain.

 

nonsense, utter nonsense....

 

Well, I'm sorry if you were disapointed, but look to it in positive way. Now you will more appreciate your own country.

 

It's true that Czech come off as rather cold toward strangers; however, once you get to know them, Czechs are more often than not extremely open and giving, more so than American as a general rule. Here's an analogy I've often heard comparing Czechs and Americans, that I described on these boards some years back:

Now having been in the county for 3 years, I don't know how many Czech friends you have and how closely you grew to know them, how well you learned the language and the culture, but after my living in the country for a year and a half, I found this analogy quite fitting. I've known a number of Americans who lived there, usually for a much shorter time than you (e.g. 3 to 6 months), who never looked deep enough to see this quirk of the Czech character, and so when you doesn't look deep enough, you might come to the same conclusion as you.

Again, I don't claim to know what your experience has been like over there, so I won't try to say that this is the reason for your perception of Czechs. I merely point it out as a common occurrence.

I will say, however, that you have experienced a totally different Czech culture than I have. There's nothing surly or cold about a group of Czech friends on a výlet or cookout in the woods or even on a visit at someone's home. Czechs tend to be more private and standoffish than Americans with smaller social circles, yet when you are let into their inner circle of friends, so to speak, my experience is that they are anything but cold or surly.

This is no different from any other place in Europe. The US doesn't lag behind them by much either.

I've never seen, nor experienced such.

Czechs, generally speaking, are not fond of any ideology, it's true, be it religious, political or other. This seems particularly true of those associated with an organization. Czechs tend to have a cynicism for organized ideological thinking, largely due to the fact that historically they have been used by various ideological organizations.

But I wouldn't confuse this with a lack of principles. Rather, Czechs tend to allow themselves the luxury to pick and choose principles from various ideologies, in essence making a personalized ideology. My experience is that Czechs definitely do have their own unique set of principles, which while they may not completely coincide with the commonly-accepted principles of the US, are generally not far from it. Czechs are, after all, not uncivilized by any modern standard.

Czech gender roles definitely differ from those of the modern-day US. Rather, they seem more in line with 1950's US--the biggest exception to this being that most married women work outside as well as inside the home. Whether you label this "sexist," more "traditional," or whatever, I'll leave up to you.

Czechs are generally not racist, except when it comes to gypsies. Most Czechs will tell you that even this is not racism, given their experience both contemporary and historical with the gypsies. Since I'm not Czech, I won't try to judge this one way or another.

Arrogant? Well, one meets all kinds, of course, but generally I find we Americans are more arrogant.

Yes, Czechs tend to be more cynical then most other western nations, but they typically have a sense of humor about it, which I find rather refreshing.

---
In general, David, your comments seem very superficial to me. For someone who has lived in the country for three years, it seems to me that you have not learned much about the Czech culture.

 

"Cynical" - Definitely! Cynism, black humor and "nadhled" are my essences of life

"soul has been sucked from the country" soul? we got a lot of souls - e.g. I got two souls: one in my front tire and second in my rear tire;-)

"there is no room for ideology" - Fortunately



Thanks for your post

 

All responses totally proving my point. thanks (not racist except for gispies especially illuminating)

 

Uuuff, 6 C - Cannibalism at least. Isn't that too cynical and cruel?

 

davidaodonnell:

Oh, don't be so glib...

As some say over here, "You ain't all that."

 

Davidaodonnell, those are some pretty harsh words.
Maybe you shouldn't paint with such a broad brush.
Can you really say you didn't find any friendly people there.
That's quite a statement. Maybe it says something about you, rather than them.
Must have been three years of misery for you.
You can't find any good words? Most can.

 

My Czech family-in-law are extremely giving and friendly to me. They have opened up to me without question. This new family of mine makes me feel comfortably warm and happy. Politics and ideologies are not important topics for us. Realistically, they never were. Politics and ideologies are distortions of what's really important in life... self, family, love, and compassion. Why worry about anything else? Yes one should vote and have an opinion, but how encompassing should these subjects be? It is in the balance of things.

The creator of this thread is mistakenly bitter. My guess is that a Czech woman burnt him and he is taking out his frustration here. Mind, it is just conjecture, and why not?

As for racism there, I've personally seen it against Gypsies and so that I might agree with. I think it not a question of race though, rather it is a question of Czech culture against Gypsy, and all the interractions inbetween. But the U.S. is surely not a better example of tolerance between peoples. I live in Las Vegas and everyone knows which side of town is Black, Hispanic, and White. Don't go to North Las Vegas or else your car will be stolen and your life threatened I hear. In this way, I can't hold the Czechs to higher standard than my own country. Both need work, but hey, that's life. I like the people here and there.

David, here is a cookie. You'll find another woman--I promise.

 

You cannot be serious, this is a little bit too far

Hm, sexist... there are nations who replaced gentlemanship by sexual harrasment ;-). Racist ... I guess Sova get the point exactly. I am sorry, but this is the way it is.

Either you are so cynical and rude, or you should've wake up and leave this beautiful country years ago, and come back to your country where everything is perfect. Because I would NEVER EVER want to live in a country you described for three years and no professional reasons and personal ties would change my mind.

 

All so predictable.The Czechs dismiss all criticism automatically and then add a childish smiley as they are incapable of open conflict. The americans assume I must be american as it is the centre of the universe.
For the record I am not american, I am happily engaged to a Czech woman and have obviously touched a raw nerve of truth here. I am signing off now as talking to brick walls gets boring after a while. Truth hurts.....Toodle pip(no smileys from me)

 

Never thought you were American - you're too damn smug...
Good riddance

 

So, is there some possible answer to your post which doesn't agree with you completely and at the same time is acceptable for you ?

And what about that "open conflict". Why do you think it's good thing?

 

Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true. Buddha

Famous Czech proverb: 'Better the lie that soothes than the truth that hurts'

 

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

Buddha.

I never heard it.

I know:

Lež má krátké nohy a pravdě neujde.
The lie has short legs and it cannot outrun the true.

Pravda vítězí.
Truth Prevails.
- historically it has been the motto of Bohemia and is still the official motto of the Czech Republic.

 

I heard somewhere like "Lepší malá lež, než krutá pravda"

(Better white lie, than cruel truth)

And for the record, could you say where are you from, for us to insult and flout you and your nation? (Read use the same weapons you use.) Because this will make us capable of open conflict.

Btw - what does your fiancée thinks about your attitude to her nation? She either must love you so much to swallow down her pride, or she must be - I do not know how to say it without being rude again - I would never want to have relationship with someone with this opinion.

In your first post you said we are cowards, so you probably didn't expected we will defend ourselves. We did. Now we are brick walls. I will rather be brick wall then coward. Maybe even concrete wall, because this will better suit to your 5C's scheme.

It's right. But as I say: "Sranda musí být, i kdyby na chleba nebylo"
:? :lol:

 

With a name like O'Donnell, considering more Irish live in America than anywhere else, it was a safe bet to assume the U.S.A.

The fact that his fiancee is Czech is a mystery to me. If I ever spouted his views seriously on my own behalf to my wife, our marriage would be over much faster than it began.

Why pick on the Czechs anyhow? There are plenty of people doing worse things. Come on lad, be a critic of the Czech Republic and ignore every other nation's flaws. It's insane. He acts as if the Czechs are the only ones with questionable attributes. Let's compare the Czechs to the British, who virtually enslaved half the world's population, to the Russians, who are run by totalitarian gangsters, to the Turks, who can't get into the EU because of human rights violations, to the Chinese, who invaded Tibet and crush democratic movements, to Brazil, where you go down the wrong street and are killed or held hostage.

These countries all have great things about them, but if you only point the negative out, you get a very bad picture of them. David should look at the Czechs with some perspective. He will not truthfully look though. He might sarcastically address these comments. I'm sure, however, he is wrong and deep down he knows it. He was defeated before any of us ever responded to him.

And if we want to talk about directness and the courtesy of this forum's Czechs to not say anything too brash to him, then let's talk about the fact that I am an ignorant cowboy American that likes to chew tobacco and shoot things. Basically, David gets what he wanted, "piss off sissy chode bag! Stay where ever you are from and enjoy the cumdumpster guzzling turf of a mouth you keep throwing all over the internet. Oh, I'm sorry, this isn't civil. Well tough balls asshole. You wanted to be a little cunt, so you get treated like one. That's the world, so start gurgling or choke. I hope you choke so I can kick you in the nuts while you gasp and make eye popping cartoonlike faces at me." :shock:

Sorry friends... I'm from the West and we do have a temper. Think of that quote as a culturally sensative emotional expression like singing or dancing.
:wink:

 

Well done BMoody, at last you cut the usual crap and said what you truly feel.It usually takes longer to get the fake mask of politeness dropped and now you show your true colours. Excellent . This is livening up , I may stay in it for a bit. Who is next I wonder , now I have 2 passive aggressives being macho - any more offers?

 

Hi David,

I think I know where you are coming from. It is hard to get to know the goodness in Czechs if you don't get introduced into the culture through friends'/family matters. It is probably harder to get through when you deal with the Czechs on a business level.
I am Czech and I have to say that we are not one of the friendliest cultures but we are not that bad....as other people said, you have to get to know us first and then the "cream of the crop" is discovered.

I suggest you keep trying??? :wink: