Countries and Branding. [RO/EN]
Day 480, 05:16
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Published in Romania 
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by
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by MoonlightShadow
[RO VERSION]
Inspirati de precedentul meu articol un suedez si un ungur s-au gandit sa particularizeze ideile generale (si probabil cu mult mai mult obiectivism) si sa vorbeasca despre tarile lor, asa cum o privesc ei. Well, daca sunt altii inspirati, ar trebui si eu sa fiu la fel de inspirat, ca doar a fost articolul meu, si sa vorbesc despre Romania, de data aceasta vazuta prin ochii mei.
Am putut observa (cu regret) mai multe lucruri in articolul anterior: in primul rand foarte multi cetatei
incapabili sa se detaseze de sentimentele lor patriotice, si sa accepte/vada o viziune mai larga (si normal infinit mai critica) in ceea ce le priveste tara lor draga. Una este cum isi doreste un cetatean al tarii x sa-i fie "vazuta" tara in lume, si cu totul alta este imaginea concreta. Dar, era de asteptat un asemenea aflux de "orbi". Al doilea lucru observat tine tot de limitarile personale, dar de data aceasta in corelatie cu "grupa". Ma refer la faptul ca daca undeva prin pacific exista 5 insule locuite de 5 natii, grupate intr-un mic areal geografic, sunt doua variante: ori respectivele natii NU au brand-uri deloc, ori au un brand comun.
Si acest brand este comun chiar daca locuitorii respectivelor insulite se simt insultati si foarte diferiti
de restul insuletelor din jur. Asta fiindca foarte putine tari isi permit sa pompeze zeci, uneori sute de
milioane de dolari in campanii de imagini, campanii ce doresc crearea unui "brand de tara". Iar in aceste conditii, restul pamantenilor "amesteca" locuitorii respectivelor insulite si ii branduieste la comun, sa zicem "ahh, ma duc in concendiu in Paradis, stii tu, in insulitele alea din pacific, Hawaii, etc".
Brandul de tara se construieste cu migala si cu multa munca. Are sursa primara in media si tot ce tine de media,incepand cu ziare, televiziuni, filme, radiouri, formatori de opinie, precum si in traditia orala si experiente personale (sau aproximativ personale, este suficient un prieten sa iti povesteasca cum a fost jefuit in mijlocul unei piete din tara x). Concluzia simpla este ca brandul de tara nu este egal cu "starea de fapt" din tara, ci doar asa cum este PERCEPUTA tara respectiva. O tara branduita "a hotilor" nu este locuita DOAR de hoti. De fapt sunt suficienti 1 % hoti, dar foarte vizibili in relatari media, si brandul e pus.
Si acum, sa incerc sa fiu obiectiv legat de Romania mea. In cazul Romaniei sunt simplu de extras caracteristicile brandului de tara, caracteristici mai degraba foarte negative: hoti, talhari, tigani, trafic de carne vie si prostitutie in Europa, copii abandonati adoptati-vanduti, politicieni corupti, saracie, lumea a treia, mai nou, criminali. Asta fiindca din 10 stiri pe care le vede cineva legat de Romania, 8 vorbesc despre asemenea lucruri, si doar 2 sunt neutre sau pozitive.Si asta NU doar in media internationala, chiar si media locala adopta mai degraba subiecte negative.
Abia in ultimii 2-3 ani Guvernul si-a dat seama de amploarea acestui brand negativ si au fost lansate diferite campanii de promovare care sa schimbe un pic imaginea. Rezultate am putea sa asteptam cel mai devreme peste 20 de ani, caci asemenea proiectari mentale cand spui "franta" sau "spania" sau etc sunt foarte rezistente la schimbare.
Precum am spus intr-o foarte mica masura brandul de tara este conform cu realitatea. Orice tara am alege, cetatenii ei sunt sa zicem 30 % compatibili cu caracteristicile brandului de tara, dar important este ca celelalte tari sunt compatibile doar 20 %, sa zicem.
Am trait in Romania toata viata (si aici voi si muri), de aceea pot spune ca stiu cu ce se "mananca" aceasta tara. De asemenea, ma diferentiez de multi cetateni deoarece posed capacitatea de "detasare", si astfel reduc foarte multe subiectivismul. Asa ca NU ma voi apuca sa imi laud pe nedrept tara, din avant patriotic, fiindca nu agreez falsitatea, sub nicio forma.
Pot spune ca intr-o oarecare masura (procentual vorbind) INTREGUL brand de tara al Romaniei este real. Avem si hoti, avem si prostituate, avem si copii abandonati si uneori si maltratati, avem si criminali, avem si tigani, bineinteles avem si coruptie. Dar traind aici pot spune ca NU mi se pare
ca la noi ar fi mai multi criminali decat la altii. Este vorba de procentaje si de balanta. Sunt suficienti 2 hoti in 100 de oameni,cei doi hoti vor aparea la televizor si lumea intreaga va spune "uite hotii".
Este exact ceea ce se intampla in Italia, cu romanii de acolo, unde o campanie asiduu a media a inoculat italienilor ideea ca romanii sunt cele mai respingatoare scursuri umane. Tragedia
(tragedie din perspectiva prostiei umane) este ca se observa cat de USOR pot fi manipulati oamenii. Cate cazuri intens mediatizate cu rele facute de romani au fost? 10? 30? 50? Sa zicem 50 de stiri negative, care au alimentat ura italienilor fata de romani.Inclusiv pt cei peste 1.000.000 de romani de acolo, care nu au facut nimic rau. Astfel 0, 005 % din populatie a reusit sa isi rasfranga imaginea asupra restului de 99,995 %.
Romania vazuta si traita de mine cunoaste si recunoaste asemenea caracteristici. Dar pentru mine inseamna si multe altele. Inseamna ospitalitate, simplitate, bunatate. Inseamna o istorie cu care ma mandresc (exceptand perioada fanariota). Inseamna o copilarie frumoasa, si inseamna o bunica virgula care chiar daca nu a avut "nivelul de trai" al unei bunici nemtoaice sau americane, sau whatever, mi-a darut in aceeasi masura (Sau poate mai mult) lucrurul pe care l-am pretuit cel mai mult:iubirea ei.Lumea a treia inseamna saracie (eu unul nu mai consider Romania ca facand parte din lume a treia de vreo 4-5 ani) dar nu inseamna abdicarea de la lucruri frumoase. Iar daca e sa fiu sincer, prefer un prieten sarac, dar sincer si onest decat un prieten bogat dar ipocrit si vanitos. SI nu ma refer doar la mine ca persoana, "prietenul" poate fi o tara vecina, etc.
Eu, ca de altfel marea majoritate a TINERILOR din Romania, traiesc o drama fantastica: "generatia de sacrificiu". Se intampla destul de rar in istoria tarilor, dar se intampla, iar generatia respectiva este sacrificata. Acest lucru survine cand setul de legi, cutume, traditii, sunt brutal extirpate din cultura unui popor, dar nu exista nimic care sa "umple" locul. Banuiesc ca v-ati prins ca evenimentul brutal a fost Revolutia din 1989. Bune, rele, pe vremea comunismului Romania avea un set de cutume, care s-au nascut din cutume mai vechi si modificate incat sa convina scopurilor comunismului. Nu aveai voie sa faci aia, nu aveai voie aia, era frumos sa faci aia, era bine sa-i urasti pe occidentali si sa-i iubesti pe comunisti, etc. Dar generatia din care fac parte s-a trezit singura, dezorientata, debusolata, fara directie si chiar fara sentiment national.Incet-incet a incercat sa "absoarba" din caracteristicile altor culturi,preponderent occidentale, a inceput un import masiv de "modele comportamentale".
Imi place Romania mea de azi? Nu stiu ce sa zic. Romania nesimtitilor care arunca gunoaie pe strada, a tiganilor cu lanturi de 4 kg la gat, a manelelor, a celor care au drept scop in viata "masini, femei, respectul dusmanilor", Romania care scuipa seminte pe stadion..ei bine, nu imi place aceasta.Dar Romania simpla, modesta, primitoare si calda, o ador. Problema e de procentaje, cati sunt egoisti, cati sunt altruisti si etc.
Cel mai important lucru de retinut este ca nu se poate spune despre o tara intreaga "este asa". Orice tara are orice caracteristica doriti. In orice tara veti gasi atat criminali cat si preoti. Dar este suficient ca o tara anume sa aiba mai multi criminali decat restul tarilor, incat sa i se puna in frunte un asemenea stigmat.Si in Romania am intalnit oameni prosti-bata si oameni care pot cuprinde imensitatea universului. Oameni fatarnici si oameni sinceri. Oameni buni si oameni rai.
Oameni falsi si oameni care aveau de ce si cu ce sa se mandreasca.Pe scurt, am intalnit si oameni care m-au dezgustat, si oameni de nota 10.
Si acest lucru este universal valabil. Precum am spus, chiar daca stiu ca o sa fiu admonestat de chiar concetatenii mei pentru ca nu m-am apucat sa-mi laud tara cu avant patriotic, am vrut sa subliniez acest lucru: toate tarile au in comun toate relele, ca de altfel si toate bunele. SIngurele diferente sunt de procentaje,uneori absurd de mici, dar suficiente pentru nasterea acestor branduri de tara. Luati exemplul cuvantului "mafia". Spui "mafia" si te gandesti la Italia, Cosa Nostra,
Robert de Niro, etc. Dar avem destula mafie si in america, avem Yakuza japoneza, sa nu mai vorbesc de brutala mafie ruseasca. Deci, nu exista vreo tara "asa". Exista imagini.
[EN VERSION]
Inspired by my last article, a Swedish and a Hungarian citizen decided to shrink a more general vision and talk about their countries, seen as through their own eyes, living there. Of course, that brings into discussion the amount of subjectivity, but we pass that. I think that I should be inspired too, by my own article, so i`ll try to explain some other things, as well as talk about Romania seen by me.
I could notice (sadly) several things in my last article: one of them is that many citizens are just incapable to detach from their own personal feeling regarding their homelands, and see a better, larger, more general image. An image of reality, not what an X-country-citizen would love the X country to be perceived. Another thing it`s about joining several countries and cultures into “slices”. I mean, let`s say somewhere in Pacific are 5 little islands, inhabited by 5 nations. We have two options: either those countries have no brand; either they share a common brand. And that`s despite a particular inhabitant of one island feeling insulted by this “joining”. For a country to have a personal brand we need either a strong, powerful, multi-millennia history, either large amounts of money invested in media campaigns to “improve” some given country`s brand.
Country`s brand building asks for hard work and money. Primary source is media, and everything related to media (newspapers, television, internet, movies, radio), as well as opinion formatters and personal experiences (or related, it`s enough for a friend of your to tell you how he was robbed in the X country). The simple conclusion is that a country`s brand don`t necessarily resembles the reality, but just how this reality is PERCEIVED outside. A country labeled of “thieves” it`s not full only with thieves. Actually it`s enough to have 1 % thieves, but really visible in media, and the label it`s on.
Now, i`ll try to be objective about my Romania. For us it`s simple to extract main characteristics, which are rather negative: thieves, gypsies, human traffic, prostitutes going in Occident, abandoned children sold or adopted, corrupt country, poor country, third world, lately murderers here. This brand comes from the fact that out of ten news regarding Romania, some 8 of them talks about such things. Moreover, even local media tends to talk and spread rather the dark side of the country. Just in the last 2-3 years Authorities realized the size of this negativistic brand and tried to react, by launching some media campaigns, but such things can provide concrete results at least 20 years later. That`s because those mental projections when you think the word “Spain” or “France”, or whatever, are very resistant to change.
As I said, just a small amount of country`s brand resembles reality. Had we chose any country, we`d find out that 30 % of the citizens resembles the country`s brand. Important is that if we chose another country, we`ll find out that only 20 % resembles the same characteristic.
I`ve lived in Romania all my life (and here I shall die), so I guess I know how things are with this country. Also, I’m different than many people, because I am able to detach myself hence lower the subjectivism. So I won`t start to speak highly of Romania. But living here I can say that I DON`T BELIVE here are more murderers than in other countries. These things have to do with percents and media. It`s enough to have 2 thieves and 98 honest people, if those two thieves keeps showing on television they induce the feeling of a “thieves country”. That`s exactly what happens in Italy right now, where Italian media made Italians believe that Romanians are the lowest morals people in the world. It`s tragically how easy can people be manipulated. How many intense media cases were there? 10? 30? 50? Let`s say 50 bad stories, that fueled the hate of Italians for Romanians, including the more over 1.000.000 Romanians living in Italy and done nothing bad there. So to better understand those “country`s branding”, in particularly case of Italy, 0,005 of a population labeled and transferred its highly negative image to the other 99,995 %.
Romania seen and lived by me knows and reckons such bad things. But also for me it means a lot more. It means hospitality, simple people, kindness, modesty. It means a history that i`m proud of (except for 1700-1848 when fanariots took-over our country). For me it means a beautiful childhood and it means a grandmother which also didn`t have the “quality of life” of a german grandmother, or whatever, gave me the most important thing in the worl
I, just like most of the YOUNG in Romania, live a fantastic drama: “sacrifice generation”. It`s rarely seen in countries history, but it happens once in a while. It happens when the current set of laws, traditions, beliefs, etc, are brutally extirpated from country`s culture, but there nothing else to fill the gap. For us, that brutal event was 1989 Revolution. Good, bad, the communist era had its sets of laws rules and traditions, born out of older ones and transformed such way to serve the interests of communism. You weren`t allowed to do that and that, it was good to hate Occident and love Russians, etc. But the generation i`m part of found itself completely alone, with no support, no direction, no rules, no nothing. Even without a national feeling. Slowly we started to “absorb” from the characteristics of other cultures (occidental ones mainly), so a massive import of “behavioral models” started and bloomed. And this import will continue, that`s for sure due to the fact that we`re still in search for an identity, of our own. We`re trapped between our past, our ancestors, and our future, our children.
Do I like my Romania, today`s one? Hard to say, of course there are things I hate, like the paradigm “successful life= cars, women, respect of your enemies”, as well I hate some “bugs” implanted by communism era. But still I adore the simple, modest, welcoming and warm Romania. It`s a matter of percents, how many are good and altruistic, and how many are bad and selfish.
The most important thing to remember is that no one can label a country “it`s like that”. Any country has citizens with any characteristic you want. In any country you`ll find as well killers and priest. It`s just enough to have more killers in one country comparative to others, to get the label on. As well in Romania i`ve met stupid people and extremely intelligent ones that can fit the universe in their brain. I`ve met liars and honest ones. I`ve met kind and hateful ones. I`ve met falsity and vanities as well as people that could be proud of themselves. Shortly, I`ve met people that disgusted me and people deserving 5 stars.
And this is something general. As I said, I prefer to be admonished by my own people because I don`t speak highly about our country, because I wanted to make it clear: all countries shares good as well bad things. The only differences are in percents, sometimes really small ones. Take the example of Mafia. When you say that word, instantly you think to Italy, Cosa Nostra, Robert de Niro, etc. But of course we have enough mafia in America, we have Japanese Yakuza, of course also the brutal Russian mafia. So there`s no country “like that”. All we have are images.
Inspirati de precedentul meu articol un suedez si un ungur s-au gandit sa particularizeze ideile generale (si probabil cu mult mai mult obiectivism) si sa vorbeasca despre tarile lor, asa cum o privesc ei. Well, daca sunt altii inspirati, ar trebui si eu sa fiu la fel de inspirat, ca doar a fost articolul meu, si sa vorbesc despre Romania, de data aceasta vazuta prin ochii mei.
Am putut observa (cu regret) mai multe lucruri in articolul anterior: in primul rand foarte multi cetatei
incapabili sa se detaseze de sentimentele lor patriotice, si sa accepte/vada o viziune mai larga (si normal infinit mai critica) in ceea ce le priveste tara lor draga. Una este cum isi doreste un cetatean al tarii x sa-i fie "vazuta" tara in lume, si cu totul alta este imaginea concreta. Dar, era de asteptat un asemenea aflux de "orbi". Al doilea lucru observat tine tot de limitarile personale, dar de data aceasta in corelatie cu "grupa". Ma refer la faptul ca daca undeva prin pacific exista 5 insule locuite de 5 natii, grupate intr-un mic areal geografic, sunt doua variante: ori respectivele natii NU au brand-uri deloc, ori au un brand comun.
Si acest brand este comun chiar daca locuitorii respectivelor insulite se simt insultati si foarte diferiti
de restul insuletelor din jur. Asta fiindca foarte putine tari isi permit sa pompeze zeci, uneori sute de
milioane de dolari in campanii de imagini, campanii ce doresc crearea unui "brand de tara". Iar in aceste conditii, restul pamantenilor "amesteca" locuitorii respectivelor insulite si ii branduieste la comun, sa zicem "ahh, ma duc in concendiu in Paradis, stii tu, in insulitele alea din pacific, Hawaii, etc".
Brandul de tara se construieste cu migala si cu multa munca. Are sursa primara in media si tot ce tine de media,incepand cu ziare, televiziuni, filme, radiouri, formatori de opinie, precum si in traditia orala si experiente personale (sau aproximativ personale, este suficient un prieten sa iti povesteasca cum a fost jefuit in mijlocul unei piete din tara x). Concluzia simpla este ca brandul de tara nu este egal cu "starea de fapt" din tara, ci doar asa cum este PERCEPUTA tara respectiva. O tara branduita "a hotilor" nu este locuita DOAR de hoti. De fapt sunt suficienti 1 % hoti, dar foarte vizibili in relatari media, si brandul e pus.
Si acum, sa incerc sa fiu obiectiv legat de Romania mea. In cazul Romaniei sunt simplu de extras caracteristicile brandului de tara, caracteristici mai degraba foarte negative: hoti, talhari, tigani, trafic de carne vie si prostitutie in Europa, copii abandonati adoptati-vanduti, politicieni corupti, saracie, lumea a treia, mai nou, criminali. Asta fiindca din 10 stiri pe care le vede cineva legat de Romania, 8 vorbesc despre asemenea lucruri, si doar 2 sunt neutre sau pozitive.Si asta NU doar in media internationala, chiar si media locala adopta mai degraba subiecte negative.
Abia in ultimii 2-3 ani Guvernul si-a dat seama de amploarea acestui brand negativ si au fost lansate diferite campanii de promovare care sa schimbe un pic imaginea. Rezultate am putea sa asteptam cel mai devreme peste 20 de ani, caci asemenea proiectari mentale cand spui "franta" sau "spania" sau etc sunt foarte rezistente la schimbare.
Precum am spus intr-o foarte mica masura brandul de tara este conform cu realitatea. Orice tara am alege, cetatenii ei sunt sa zicem 30 % compatibili cu caracteristicile brandului de tara, dar important este ca celelalte tari sunt compatibile doar 20 %, sa zicem.
Am trait in Romania toata viata (si aici voi si muri), de aceea pot spune ca stiu cu ce se "mananca" aceasta tara. De asemenea, ma diferentiez de multi cetateni deoarece posed capacitatea de "detasare", si astfel reduc foarte multe subiectivismul. Asa ca NU ma voi apuca sa imi laud pe nedrept tara, din avant patriotic, fiindca nu agreez falsitatea, sub nicio forma.
Pot spune ca intr-o oarecare masura (procentual vorbind) INTREGUL brand de tara al Romaniei este real. Avem si hoti, avem si prostituate, avem si copii abandonati si uneori si maltratati, avem si criminali, avem si tigani, bineinteles avem si coruptie. Dar traind aici pot spune ca NU mi se pare
ca la noi ar fi mai multi criminali decat la altii. Este vorba de procentaje si de balanta. Sunt suficienti 2 hoti in 100 de oameni,cei doi hoti vor aparea la televizor si lumea intreaga va spune "uite hotii".
Este exact ceea ce se intampla in Italia, cu romanii de acolo, unde o campanie asiduu a media a inoculat italienilor ideea ca romanii sunt cele mai respingatoare scursuri umane. Tragedia
(tragedie din perspectiva prostiei umane) este ca se observa cat de USOR pot fi manipulati oamenii. Cate cazuri intens mediatizate cu rele facute de romani au fost? 10? 30? 50? Sa zicem 50 de stiri negative, care au alimentat ura italienilor fata de romani.Inclusiv pt cei peste 1.000.000 de romani de acolo, care nu au facut nimic rau. Astfel 0, 005 % din populatie a reusit sa isi rasfranga imaginea asupra restului de 99,995 %.
Romania vazuta si traita de mine cunoaste si recunoaste asemenea caracteristici. Dar pentru mine inseamna si multe altele. Inseamna ospitalitate, simplitate, bunatate. Inseamna o istorie cu care ma mandresc (exceptand perioada fanariota). Inseamna o copilarie frumoasa, si inseamna o bunica virgula care chiar daca nu a avut "nivelul de trai" al unei bunici nemtoaice sau americane, sau whatever, mi-a darut in aceeasi masura (Sau poate mai mult) lucrurul pe care l-am pretuit cel mai mult:iubirea ei.Lumea a treia inseamna saracie (eu unul nu mai consider Romania ca facand parte din lume a treia de vreo 4-5 ani) dar nu inseamna abdicarea de la lucruri frumoase. Iar daca e sa fiu sincer, prefer un prieten sarac, dar sincer si onest decat un prieten bogat dar ipocrit si vanitos. SI nu ma refer doar la mine ca persoana, "prietenul" poate fi o tara vecina, etc.
Eu, ca de altfel marea majoritate a TINERILOR din Romania, traiesc o drama fantastica: "generatia de sacrificiu". Se intampla destul de rar in istoria tarilor, dar se intampla, iar generatia respectiva este sacrificata. Acest lucru survine cand setul de legi, cutume, traditii, sunt brutal extirpate din cultura unui popor, dar nu exista nimic care sa "umple" locul. Banuiesc ca v-ati prins ca evenimentul brutal a fost Revolutia din 1989. Bune, rele, pe vremea comunismului Romania avea un set de cutume, care s-au nascut din cutume mai vechi si modificate incat sa convina scopurilor comunismului. Nu aveai voie sa faci aia, nu aveai voie aia, era frumos sa faci aia, era bine sa-i urasti pe occidentali si sa-i iubesti pe comunisti, etc. Dar generatia din care fac parte s-a trezit singura, dezorientata, debusolata, fara directie si chiar fara sentiment national.Incet-incet a incercat sa "absoarba" din caracteristicile altor culturi,preponderent occidentale, a inceput un import masiv de "modele comportamentale".
Imi place Romania mea de azi? Nu stiu ce sa zic. Romania nesimtitilor care arunca gunoaie pe strada, a tiganilor cu lanturi de 4 kg la gat, a manelelor, a celor care au drept scop in viata "masini, femei, respectul dusmanilor", Romania care scuipa seminte pe stadion..ei bine, nu imi place aceasta.Dar Romania simpla, modesta, primitoare si calda, o ador. Problema e de procentaje, cati sunt egoisti, cati sunt altruisti si etc.
Cel mai important lucru de retinut este ca nu se poate spune despre o tara intreaga "este asa". Orice tara are orice caracteristica doriti. In orice tara veti gasi atat criminali cat si preoti. Dar este suficient ca o tara anume sa aiba mai multi criminali decat restul tarilor, incat sa i se puna in frunte un asemenea stigmat.Si in Romania am intalnit oameni prosti-bata si oameni care pot cuprinde imensitatea universului. Oameni fatarnici si oameni sinceri. Oameni buni si oameni rai.
Oameni falsi si oameni care aveau de ce si cu ce sa se mandreasca.Pe scurt, am intalnit si oameni care m-au dezgustat, si oameni de nota 10.
Si acest lucru este universal valabil. Precum am spus, chiar daca stiu ca o sa fiu admonestat de chiar concetatenii mei pentru ca nu m-am apucat sa-mi laud tara cu avant patriotic, am vrut sa subliniez acest lucru: toate tarile au in comun toate relele, ca de altfel si toate bunele. SIngurele diferente sunt de procentaje,uneori absurd de mici, dar suficiente pentru nasterea acestor branduri de tara. Luati exemplul cuvantului "mafia". Spui "mafia" si te gandesti la Italia, Cosa Nostra,
Robert de Niro, etc. Dar avem destula mafie si in america, avem Yakuza japoneza, sa nu mai vorbesc de brutala mafie ruseasca. Deci, nu exista vreo tara "asa". Exista imagini.
[EN VERSION]
Inspired by my last article, a Swedish and a Hungarian citizen decided to shrink a more general vision and talk about their countries, seen as through their own eyes, living there. Of course, that brings into discussion the amount of subjectivity, but we pass that. I think that I should be inspired too, by my own article, so i`ll try to explain some other things, as well as talk about Romania seen by me.
I could notice (sadly) several things in my last article: one of them is that many citizens are just incapable to detach from their own personal feeling regarding their homelands, and see a better, larger, more general image. An image of reality, not what an X-country-citizen would love the X country to be perceived. Another thing it`s about joining several countries and cultures into “slices”. I mean, let`s say somewhere in Pacific are 5 little islands, inhabited by 5 nations. We have two options: either those countries have no brand; either they share a common brand. And that`s despite a particular inhabitant of one island feeling insulted by this “joining”. For a country to have a personal brand we need either a strong, powerful, multi-millennia history, either large amounts of money invested in media campaigns to “improve” some given country`s brand.
Country`s brand building asks for hard work and money. Primary source is media, and everything related to media (newspapers, television, internet, movies, radio), as well as opinion formatters and personal experiences (or related, it`s enough for a friend of your to tell you how he was robbed in the X country). The simple conclusion is that a country`s brand don`t necessarily resembles the reality, but just how this reality is PERCEIVED outside. A country labeled of “thieves” it`s not full only with thieves. Actually it`s enough to have 1 % thieves, but really visible in media, and the label it`s on.
Now, i`ll try to be objective about my Romania. For us it`s simple to extract main characteristics, which are rather negative: thieves, gypsies, human traffic, prostitutes going in Occident, abandoned children sold or adopted, corrupt country, poor country, third world, lately murderers here. This brand comes from the fact that out of ten news regarding Romania, some 8 of them talks about such things. Moreover, even local media tends to talk and spread rather the dark side of the country. Just in the last 2-3 years Authorities realized the size of this negativistic brand and tried to react, by launching some media campaigns, but such things can provide concrete results at least 20 years later. That`s because those mental projections when you think the word “Spain” or “France”, or whatever, are very resistant to change.
As I said, just a small amount of country`s brand resembles reality. Had we chose any country, we`d find out that 30 % of the citizens resembles the country`s brand. Important is that if we chose another country, we`ll find out that only 20 % resembles the same characteristic.
I`ve lived in Romania all my life (and here I shall die), so I guess I know how things are with this country. Also, I’m different than many people, because I am able to detach myself hence lower the subjectivism. So I won`t start to speak highly of Romania. But living here I can say that I DON`T BELIVE here are more murderers than in other countries. These things have to do with percents and media. It`s enough to have 2 thieves and 98 honest people, if those two thieves keeps showing on television they induce the feeling of a “thieves country”. That`s exactly what happens in Italy right now, where Italian media made Italians believe that Romanians are the lowest morals people in the world. It`s tragically how easy can people be manipulated. How many intense media cases were there? 10? 30? 50? Let`s say 50 bad stories, that fueled the hate of Italians for Romanians, including the more over 1.000.000 Romanians living in Italy and done nothing bad there. So to better understand those “country`s branding”, in particularly case of Italy, 0,005 of a population labeled and transferred its highly negative image to the other 99,995 %.
Romania seen and lived by me knows and reckons such bad things. But also for me it means a lot more. It means hospitality, simple people, kindness, modesty. It means a history that i`m proud of (except for 1700-1848 when fanariots took-over our country). For me it means a beautiful childhood and it means a grandmother which also didn`t have the “quality of life” of a german grandmother, or whatever, gave me the most important thing in the worl
😛her love. Romania being part of the third world does not mean abdication from beauty things. Anyway, I stopped to consider us part of the third world for several years. And to be honest I prefer a poor and honest friend to a rich, arrogant and hypocrite one. And i`m not meaning me as a person, “friend” could be anything, even a neighbor country.
I, just like most of the YOUNG in Romania, live a fantastic drama: “sacrifice generation”. It`s rarely seen in countries history, but it happens once in a while. It happens when the current set of laws, traditions, beliefs, etc, are brutally extirpated from country`s culture, but there nothing else to fill the gap. For us, that brutal event was 1989 Revolution. Good, bad, the communist era had its sets of laws rules and traditions, born out of older ones and transformed such way to serve the interests of communism. You weren`t allowed to do that and that, it was good to hate Occident and love Russians, etc. But the generation i`m part of found itself completely alone, with no support, no direction, no rules, no nothing. Even without a national feeling. Slowly we started to “absorb” from the characteristics of other cultures (occidental ones mainly), so a massive import of “behavioral models” started and bloomed. And this import will continue, that`s for sure due to the fact that we`re still in search for an identity, of our own. We`re trapped between our past, our ancestors, and our future, our children.
Do I like my Romania, today`s one? Hard to say, of course there are things I hate, like the paradigm “successful life= cars, women, respect of your enemies”, as well I hate some “bugs” implanted by communism era. But still I adore the simple, modest, welcoming and warm Romania. It`s a matter of percents, how many are good and altruistic, and how many are bad and selfish.
The most important thing to remember is that no one can label a country “it`s like that”. Any country has citizens with any characteristic you want. In any country you`ll find as well killers and priest. It`s just enough to have more killers in one country comparative to others, to get the label on. As well in Romania i`ve met stupid people and extremely intelligent ones that can fit the universe in their brain. I`ve met liars and honest ones. I`ve met kind and hateful ones. I`ve met falsity and vanities as well as people that could be proud of themselves. Shortly, I`ve met people that disgusted me and people deserving 5 stars.
And this is something general. As I said, I prefer to be admonished by my own people because I don`t speak highly about our country, because I wanted to make it clear: all countries shares good as well bad things. The only differences are in percents, sometimes really small ones. Take the example of Mafia. When you say that word, instantly you think to Italy, Cosa Nostra, Robert de Niro, etc. But of course we have enough mafia in America, we have Japanese Yakuza, of course also the brutal Russian mafia. So there`s no country “like that”. All we have are images.
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Ciudat si eu am votat si tot un vot arata 😛
Exista Imagini 😛
Good read! voted
Fanariotii nu erau "Turks kings" - nu trebuie redenumiti doar ca sa iesim noi basma curata 😉
Fanariotii erau de etnie greaca parca, proveniti din cartierul Fanar in Istanbul 😛
Mistwalker, 10 la istorie 😃
Super destepti fanariotii astia, doar erau greci 😛
Oricat de mult ii urau otomanii, aveau nevoie de ei ca de aer.
aveau nevoie de ei ca si ambasadori sau negociatori.
Coranul interzice musulmanilor sa negocieze cu paganii in mod direct.
I kept nodding, as I read your article. I guess it is the sign that I agree with your points. Still, I think it is possible to describe a country - it only requires empathy and detachedness at the same time, which is quite hard to achieve...
Coranul nu le dadea voie sa invete limba necredinciosilor...asa ca fanarioti actionau ca translatori...
Living in another country makes you look at Romania with different eyes, seeing good things of which you weren't aware of back home. Also, you start to understand that the paradigm "nowhere is like here, here nothing works" isn't by far completely true. I can easily name here birocracy--you should experience UK for this, or even customer care--Deutsche Bank services for instance, which have a unusual habit of providing inexistent help. This is the good part.
The ugly one starts with things that just work, compared with the ones at home. The tram is on time, the streets are clean, one somebody steps on your foot apologizes, you can leave your laptop or your phone on the table at Starbucks while going to the toilette, prices for food or clothes or concerts or whatever make sense, and many, many others.
Therefore, Romania's problem isn't mandatory the lack of professional branding. It's a factor, I don't deny it, but not the main one. Efficient image improvement should come bottom-up, from individuals in their immediate surrounding, not governmental imposed. Because this would never work. While each individual acts first for his interest, second for his interest, third for his friends' interest and maybe after for a greater good, it's hard to make a difference.
At last, one big mistake is to consider that the difference between Romania and France or Germany is branding. We aren't as they are mainly because we never have been as they had. Tradition is built through ages, not ten, twenty or even fifty years of hard work. And please take notice, _hard work years_.
Great article Moon, a pleasure to read such things in (e)Romanian press.
VAYA TOCHO
Voted
WooT go eSA
Asta cu "generatia de sacrificiu" o consider o gluma 🙂
Mai degraba generatiile care si-au petrecut toata adolescenta si s-au maturizat in timpul regimului comunist au fost "de sacrificiu"
Ei, trebuie inteleasa fiecare generatie, au si ei problemele lor. SI chiar sunt dezorientati de sistemul acesta prin care cei prosti si inculti le dau peste nas celor care invata si muncesc pe branci.
Cu Educatia de acum care e la pamant, care nu-i invata aproape nimic... Ce sa mai vorbim de sistemul de sanatate. Ma mir ca nu a zis mai multe de coruptie.
Pe de alta parte rufele se spala in familie, si nu i-am vazut pe suedezi sau pe unguri sa vorbeasca despre ceva rau de tara lor. Am fost in Suedia si pot sa zic ca am avut conditii mult mai bune la un hotel de 3* in Romania decat in Suedia, la acelasi numar de stele... Iar in Ungaria am fost furati pe fata de politia maghiara desi eram intr-o masina cu numar de Norvegia si cel de la volan - singurul legitimat - era norvegian...
Si totusi ei nu vorbesc de relele din tara lor. Oricum, bine scris MoonlightShadow - imi pare rau ca replici ale noastre ti se par de prosti, idioti, sau orbi. Nu e obligatoriu ca toti sa participam la jocul tau. Bucura-te ca esti citit si apreciat...
@Dacianl
"Dar, era de asteptat un asemenea aflux de "orbi" "
Nu am folosit nicaieri nici prosti, nici idioti, ci doar "orbi", adica oameni care isi impun (adeseori cu sinceritate si fanatism) sentimentul ca parerea lor particulara despre tara de origine este unul universal.Nimic mai fals.
"Si totusi ei nu vorbesc de relele din tara lor"
Nu trebuie sa vorbeasca un american rau de tara lui, este suficient sa vorbeasca 100 de alte natii rau de ei, spre exemplu.
Acest articol nu mai este un joc, ci doar o extindere a precedentului, cu exemplificari concrete si notiuni cat mai exacte, astfel incat sa inteleaga cat mai multi ca nu am spus EU ca romania e plina de hoti, sau ca americanii sunt ai draq si ipocriti care nu vor decat petrol. Am explicat relatia imagine-reprezentare-branding de tara-realitate, in speranta ca se va intelege faptul ca eu sunt doar povestitor (observator) nu ca neaparat simt/cred ceea ce scriu.
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/chestiunea-mass-media-in-eromania-754463/1/20
MoonlightShadow esti mai subiectiv decat crezi chiar daca tie ti se pare ca ai facut un pas in spate si vezi totul mai clar. Nu stiu ce varsta ai, dar probabil ca esti nascut in preajma revolutiei, dar sablonul asta cu generatia de sacrificiu e de pe vremea lu ceasca si cred ca si bunicii mei ar fi putut zice acelasi lucru dupa ce au prins prima criza modiala, razboi, foamete si apoi comunism. deci sa nu pe plangem singuri de mila si sa mai facem atat pe victimele. ierarhiile pe batranul continent sunt de sute de ani facute si mereu alte natii(de obicei cele vecine) sunt considerate mai sarantoace si mai naroade. daca o sa ajungi pana in america o sa vezi ca chestia asta dispare brusc si lumea nu o sa stie despre tine decat ca esti din europa. nu prea inteleg de ce tie tie asa de jena?...gunoiae au si italienii in roma, lanturi la gat au si spaniolii si italienii.ok asta ar ajunge sa fie o discutie mult prea lunga...nu iti zic sa ai spiritul patriotic al americanilor pt ca ar fi nitel exagerat prin zona nostra dar nici sa te simti atat de jenat si rusinat de ce ti se pare ca ar zice unii si altii despre noi...suntem asa cum suntem cu rele si bune!...hai bafta si sper sa ai o atitudine mai optimista...bafto delo delo si ja la carutza🙂)
[EN]
This article is a SPAM.
It has nothing to do with the game.
* * *
[RO]
Acest articol este un SPAM.
Nu are nici o legatura cu jocul.
@imperia: nu sunt nascut in preajma revolutiei, ci inainte..cat despre articol..nu stiu daca ai inteles cum trebuie, dat fiind ca ma intrebi repetitiv de ce imi este jena cu Romania (?!).. cat despre generatia de sacrificiu..nu e vorba de vremuri grele..ci de lipsa modelelor si reperelor, pe care bunicii le aveau chiar daca era criza sau razboi mondial..cat despre gunoaie si italieni..citeste aneriorul meu comment adresat lui dacianl
Szavazás teo99. Hunagary fog ma nyerni.
Daca iti pica in mana Wally Olins - On Brand, are un capitol foarte bun - Branding a nation.
Daca o tara investeste in mod coerent in construirea unui brand de tara (cum a facut Spania) atunci el trebuie sa reprezinte realitatea acelei tari si nu modul in care era ea perceputa, pentru ca tocmai aceasta perceptie se vrea inlocuita cu imaginea brandului.
Imaginea majoritatii tarilor se bazeaza acum pe clisee, idei preconcepute si stereotipuri, de aceea nu reprezinta decat in mica parte realitatea din acele tari. De aceea nici nu mi-a placut articolul tau anterior care se baza pe aceste stereotipuri.
Ma intreb si eu: de ce eRomania merge si Romania se duce dracului?
Poate pentru ca aici esti rasplatit conform muncii?
Nu este birocratie?
Nu a fost comunism?
Oamenii se ajuta mai multsi sunt mai solidari.
Oricum am scris un articol despre Indonezia si Romania:
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/real-history-comparation-between-romania-and-indonesia-754045/1/20
Reactia lor a fost diferita:
Unii au fost toleranti, altor li s-a umflat vena nationalista si au inceput sa injure.
Oricum nimeni nu a zis nimic de rau despre Indonezia.
Ce vreau sa spun, nu suntem mai zmei ca altii dar nici mai slabi.
Dar avem un complex de victima, in loc sa vedem ce-i de facut, ne plangem de mila.
Oricum perceptia noastra despre Ro. este distorsionata, multa lume de pe glob nu stie cine suntem.Asa ca imaginea Ro. in lume are putini pixeli.
Marius Dragoi a scris un articol bun ca reactie la acest articol. Iar comentariile care au urmat sunt si mai bune. Tot acolo in comentarii mi-am spus si eu parerea... aici nu se merita comentat.
"ROMANIA-TARA HOTILOR SI A RROMILOR !?"
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/romania-tara-hotilor-si-a-rromilor--754204/1/20