There was an article on how a diet company was trying to win the French market, but had to adjust their slogans to French culture — a deeply pessimistic one apparently. For Americans, we respond to pro-self-esteem messages like “You can do it!” or “You deserve it!” or “You’re the best so here’s the best!” whereas the French respond more to “try this system, it worked for me” or “if you work really hard, you may lose a pound or so.” Nothing over the top or too flowerly, pro-me for them. And then the article concludes they have the most pessimistic culture around, but doesn’t that go to Koreans? I don’t have facts but my ma says 1 in 20 commit suicide — and that 1 jumps all over the place in terms of gender, age, and socioeconomic conditions. (And mind you this stat is from my mother, who claims things like “99.99999%” for everything that helps her argument.)
Sorry France, I think Korea gets this one. Thank you.