National sensitivity

[Glowgirl]

This may seem like a weird topic, but it's a weird thing to be bothering me! Lately someone I know who does not particularly like my country has been venting a lot about all the things that are wrong with it. Some of the things he's saying hurt to listen to all the more because they've got a grain of truth in them, and it has got me more upset than it should. Basically, I'm wondering why? Why would I let such an unimportant thing worry me? But I have. I'm trawling the internet for other people's opinions.

Not unlike the way I get upset when people put ME down.

 

[Therapon]

If people do that to me too much then I distance myself from them, and rightly so. If someone bombards you with something obviously depressing and can't talk about anything else then they are just asking to lose friends.

It's important for your own mental health that you don't surround yourself by negative things. If they are a significant source of negativity, then they need to tone it down or not talk to you much.

If you feel you need to be tolerant with it, you could try thinking of it like this: the world isn't perfect, but it has a lot of positives and will keep improving.

It hurts because it's common to have pride in your country and for this pride to be a significant part of you. When people attack your country, they are attacking you.

 

[9006]

This may seem like a weird topic, but it's a weird thing to be bothering me! Lately someone I know who does not particularly like my country has been venting a lot about all the things that are wrong with it. Some of the things he's saying hurt to listen to all the more because they've got a grain of truth in them, and it has got me more upset than it should. Basically, I'm wondering why? Why would I let such an unimportant thing worry me? But I have. I'm trawling the internet for other people's opinions.

Not unlike the way I get upset when people put ME down.

This is because you feel strongly about the stuff being said. It's fine people having an opinion but there's a right way and a wrong way to forward those views. From the sounds of this this person is taking the negative route, people with something against a particular subject or place only tend to see the negative things and not the positives; even if the positives outweigh them.

It's difficult to listen to someone like this because it seems like they believe in the things they say so blindly that anyone's views go in one ear and out the other with little regard. People like this are not worth bothering with as they'll drag you down to their level. Clearly you're above this.