WHAT ARE CZECH PEOPLE REALLY LIKE? PART 1 (Czech mentality) 

I can say that avoiding other people is definitely NOT caused by them being foreigners. I avoid people in my house, where I live for 30 years. I rather walk 5 stories up by stairs than to share an elevator with someone, just because I would have to choose between the akward silence or even more akward small talk.

Czech 🇨🇿 American here 👋 I was born in US , my Czech 🇨🇿 grandparents and great grandparents raised me . Basically growing up with them for examples , I have bad bad allergies to indoor stuff , upon having allergies attacks, my Czech grandparents didn't offer me any allergy medication, they just said go outside you'll feel better and put me in the yard ! If I skinned my knees playing outside , they would cover my wounds with weird red stuff call Mecuricome ( off market now lol its bad stuff) and told me to go back to playing in yard , crying was discouraged. , if I was sick I didn't get a Tylenol or cold medicine, they wrapped me up in hot towels and vicks vapor rub 🤒🥺 and gave me a hot toddie " which is hot tea and teaspoon of whiskey. When anything broke in our home , no one would call any service or repair place , my Czech grandparents took super glue to "fix-o-vitsa" . Can't explain it any better than that , I believe Czechs like to be independent and just fix things themselves, won't ask for help , and offen resort to the old ways of doing things . I had a great childhood and miss my grandparents, and very proud of my 🇨🇿 heritage ❤️🇨🇿💪

There's definitely a difference between generations. More specifically, those who endured communism and those who haven't. In general, the longer I stay here, the more I like and admire them.

I almost choked on my water when you took a dig at Brno.... you're becoming more and more Czech every day. I am proud of you. Regards from SE.

This is common for all nations from Germany towards the East. It's not so much that Czechs or Poles or Ukrainians care too much whether they're liked but it's more whether you know anything about the nation as we were hiding 40 years behind the iron curtain as 90% of Germans or French or Brits know nothing of Easter Europeans which shows the level of education there. And the Czech humor is a tough one, I live 18 years in Ireland and my jokes don't go down very well with the Irish as they mistake sarcasm with an attack on people's individuality.

S tou kritikou nemáš úplně pravdu. Pokud budeš Čechovi popisovat, co je na "češství" skvělé bez výhrad a jen v superlativech, automaticky si začne myslet, že mu kecáš (nebo že mu chceš něco prodat). Právě to, co se ti nelíbí, bere jako výraz pravdy a potvrzení tvého upřímného a nefalšovaného zájmu. Jinak to vypadá jen jako falešná snaha zalíbit se. S podceňováním to úplně nesouvisí.

Přesněěě :-D Koukám se na tato videa jen proto, že je pro mě zajímavé, co si o nás myslí američanka, která tu žije deset let. :D

Czech humor, like the Russian Federation, knows no borders. Besides that I've heard some comparisons to British humor and I'd say I can get behind that. Also, low-key avoiding each other probably has nothing to do with being a foreigner, we do the same thing at our house... except for the gossip gypsy granny in the 1f.

Czech humour, eh, Jen? Here, have one of the newest Czech jokes: Lavrov: Comrade President, the Ukrainians just informed us, that they would like to discuss capitulation. Putin: Finally! Are they on a videocall? Lavrov: Well, no. They are just outside the door. They gave us one hour.

Vidím v tom jednu společnou věc - když se tě někdo zeptá, co si myslíš o české mentalitě, co si myslíš o našem humoru, vysvětluje ti, v čem jsou Češi dobří, ale i špatní - je to určitá hrdost na to, že jsme nějak výjimeční, i když to třeba není úplně pozitivní věc, ale jsme to my :)

Nailed it with that Brno joke

I have the same thought as Chris D. Czech adults who lived quite a bit during communism are in many respects quite different in mentality (in general) (now 50-55+) from those who lived most of their memorable life in a free country (now they are in general less than 50 years old). I also see significant differences between those who became adults before circa 1941 (basic functioning set by age 10, born during free Czechoslovakia). These differences are quite significant actually - I feel the differences during conversations. JOKES: as for joke telling: there were major floods in Czechia in summer 2002: here is a joke from that summer: "Prodám chatu v Jížních Čechách, značka: podlahy plovoucí, voda tekoucí, koupání u schodu, k vidění u Karlova mostu" ;-)

I don't know, I'm personally a native Czech, but I've never thought about the Czech mentality. But when I listen to you like that, I realize that you are actually right in almost everything, especially in the Czech humor. When Covid 19 started, my mom told me that the best way to deal with it is to make fun of it. And it worked!

Hey, Jenn! I have to praise you, those 10 years in the Czech Republic were not in vain, you understood the Czech mentality very well! 😂😉😄👌👍 I would just fix 2 small bugs: 1. Czech humor is not just black, it is used mostly in connection with sad and tragic events and its task is to drive away sadness and laugh at death in the face! 🏴😛 Typical Czech humour is rather sarcastic and cynical, when its task is to highlight stupid behaviour, whether it is Czechs or foreigners... Why do you think the BIG Bang Theory TV series was so popular? When I watched it, I had the feeling that the creators of this series were in the Czech Republic on a survey...!!! 🤔🇺🇸🇨🇿😂😉 2. Distrust of foreign people does not result only from the fact that it took place during the communist era, but mainly from the fact that the Czechs are very careful about their privacy, because it is most valuable to them. In an earlier video of yours, you admitted that during your visit to the U.S., it was a culture shock to you as completely unknown Americans on a bus loudly recounted to each other their experiences regarding the Covid-19 vaccine. It used to seem normal to you, now it makes you uncomfortable... The only way to weaken the Czech distrust of foreigners is to get the Czech into his 'natural environment' (pub) and you can be sure that after a few pints of draft beer his distrust and tightness will disappear!!! 🍺🍻

Regarding immigration, we did not change at all. The one who changed are immigrants. We still not welcome young male economical migrants who are violent and try to enforce their religion and rules wherever they go. And we have always had open heart for mothers with children who run away from war while their men stay home and fight for their country, and who will never enforce their religion to us.

To s tím humorem - je fakt, že ten je typický tím, že nemá ty hranice... Dokážeme si dělat srandu úplně z čehokoliv prakticky bez okolků - to je charakterní vlastnost českého humoru. I za 2. světové války v době protektorátů Češi vymýšleli vtipy a i v dobách těžkého komunismu... Je pravda, že nám to slouží, jaký si nárazník, aby člověk zvládl těžké časy a stres. Je to náš druh obrany... :)

Absolutely spot on and I personally can relate to this. So well put together and explained so well. Thanks Jen. I love the Czech people🍻

8:26 Don't worry, nothing about being foreigner. I've been on Czech tours and people start talking to each other on the last 2 days of the tour.

The "refugee problem" has multiple reasons. Definition of refugee is person that stays in the first safe country (and after that can be relocated) and returns to their country when the danger will pass. First thing is that african refugees were mostly not fleeing from war, but trying to get european money - if you look at the photos and videos there are mostly young males without families not searching for job, but only for money. There were african refugees in czech republic, but all of them just fled to Germany. In comaprison first thing Ukrainans do is asking what they can do for work...it's three weeks since beginning of the war and there are teachers from Ukraine teaching children. People here see the western problems with multiculturalism - no go zones, increased criminality, religion problems, terrorists etc., they just don't want these things here and they belive that pressure of multiculturization of europe is job of western ultra leftists from universities - the woken gender fluid beings shouting what is right and what is not...And the single nationality or "close only" nationality country (and without religion and hating all religion radicals) is snomething that has to be broken...even by force of EU regulations.

Jen do you understand Cimrman's humor? If you do you underdstood czech humor.

V šílené, bezvychodné situaci se můžete jen zasmát. Asi stigma národa "smějící se bestie " 😁😁😁

As a French, not to be political here but, we can only understand their reluctance to taking in non European migrants. I mean, they are right not to do so. Prague is paradise, safe and clean. Love from Strasbourg 🤍 Czechs are so lovely and speak very good English. love your videos 🥺

You can totally say there's an American mentality: "constitution, freedom, democracy, pull yourself up by your bootstraps etc".

First, you got me. I indeed am a Czech watching this vid curiously. Second, your neighbors are not "running from you" because you're a foreigner. They just don't wanna have that unnecessary talk. As we say (especially in cities with flats), the best neighbors are the ones you do not know they exist.

Naprosto přesně si upřesnila typ Českého humoru, to si trefila tak na výbornou, že bych to sám nedokázal lépe vyjádřit. Klobouk dolů ( kongratulations)

I think that your point of underdog mentality comes from our own history. You have mentioned just big nations (Americans, French, British, German). But we are small country and usually no one cared (WWII - Munchen Agreement in 1938 were German, British and French - we had had agreements with British and French and it went for nothing because they didn´t want to fight for some small nation). In 1968 before invasion - there was a question from Soviet Union to USA and the West, if there will be any problem with it and that was answered that they didn´t care, that´s Russian sphere of influence. Yes, no one cared about us. So we care what anybody think of us because it is importatnt to forecast what it would be like if... Don´t care what the others think of you is good till you are alone and you are good. But to have the oppinion from the opposite side is good for your improvement and for your safety. And if you think you don´t care, you are lying to yourself because you are RU-vidr and you need a feedback to know if people like you or not. Take it as an oppinion for considering or thinking about it. No hate. I like you.

May be because Czechs are a small nation, just 10 million people and we really have something like a Czech Mentality, although not all are really concerned what people from other nations think about them. Czechs are quite humble.

Good video. My family is pretty international (North Italian/Austrian/Czech mix), so I think I can compare. In general, big nations are not interested in other people's opinion about themselves, but most small nations are, so it's definitely not only some specifically Czech "thing". As for big nations, I would say that Germans have also some kind of self awareness in this sense and they're are usually interested in what other nations think of them, especially Brits and Americans. North Germans often feel the need to explain to Americans that their somewhat cliché view of Germans is based on their single experience with Bavarians and Bavarian culture during the (early) post WWII years (American zone etc.). Anyway, to my experience, Czechs are absolutely right when they insist on their Central European uniqueness. The Germanic/German/Austrian historical and economical influences are still there, but charmingly combined with the (West) Slavic good humoured and practical nature. To me, Czechs (and possibly Austrians) are the essence of Central Europe, not only geographically, but in general. Germany, who can also be considered as a Central European country, has in general rather Western tendencies, while Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, who also claim the "title" of Central European countries, have rather Eastern tendencies.

Legrace je jak popíráš existenci národních mentalit a zároveň vyjmenuješ základní mentality několika národů 😀. Jak nás cizinci vnímají je pro nás myslím důležité pro to, abychom se rozhodli, jestli je do našeho "týmu" chceme.

At this point, I think you get the Czech humor so well :D :D. The joke about Brno was just on point at the right time :D :D Amazing. I'm so proud of you.

Of course Americans have a mentality; just ask anyone who's lived in the States for a while. But, Americans, like other large nations or countries with large populations, don't have to worry about what others think.

Hi Jennifer, Sir_Mac here, as always! 10) Czech first - Yeah, that's it, Jennifer, you understood it pretty well! 09) Collective self-consciousness - In my opinion, this point has also another "dimension". We try to get along with anybody (with the exception of Russians and cannibals), so we need to know, what values the other side professes. If the opponent is (or values approach) "tough but fair", we can provide that. If the opponent is (or values) more humble behaviour with a lot of "Please / thank you" ... we can provide that. Our (czech and inner) value, which is not that obvious on a first sight, is the balance between family and work. 08) The pride of the underdog - Good point. I would say "Let our achievements and work done do the talking." 07) A particular sense of humour - "Mluvíš mi z duše." = lit. "You are speaking from my soul." I mean - if you haven't lost your sense of humour, it means you are still alive. No political corectness, no sanctions, no restrictions should be able to put shackles on your sense of humour... 06) Cold to outsiders - There is some discrepancy between this video and one of your other videos, where you described how hospitable Czechs are, how Czechs melt down, when you show them the true interest for them .... Hmmm?

Excellent thoughts that I as an American Czechophile agree with. I just got back from Prague this week. I have been going there since 2000. I can say that I now have dear friends there. Interestingly I used to compare the Germans and the Czechs. And the Czechs seemed quite different than the Germans. But I've been living in Tbilisi Georgia for the last three years. This time the Czechs seemed pretty much like Germans compared to the chaos of Georgian culture. (I'm actually going to make a video contrasting Czechs and Georgians soon.) And so I came up with a new formulation, the Czechs are like Germanic Slavs. The coolness is also a German thing as well. But if you scratch a Czech you'll eventually get to the darker Slavic core. Pivo helps get you there. And I do find Czech humor is quite distinctive. But I enjoy it. (But try as I might, I don't get Karel Gott!) Meanwhile I would say we Americans, no matter the stripe (excluding the fresh immigrants) do have many traits in common no matter the politics. One thing is that we tend to be LOUD at strange moments when Europeans would rather be quiet. Another is that we really tend to think that the world outside our borders doesn't matter. There are certainly Americans who would be exceptions, just as there are Czechs without a sense of humor, yet left, right, and center in one way or another we tend to think we are the center of the earth. And one could argue, for good reason. Even when we are travelers, who aren't simply tourists.And we tend to go to extremes of ideas without recognizing the shades in-between. You can see this in food consumption, it's often either binge or purge. And I could go on. Ask a European about Americans and bingo they will see these things immediately.

I think it is a survival trait of smaller groups, that they want to compare with bigger groups and they really want to be assured that their existence is relevant to the bigger group. There is a great Czech joke that kind of gets it right. _Co si myslí Brňáci o Pražácích? Že jsou to šílení pragocentrici*. A co si myslí Pražáci o Brňácích? Nic._ (*existují i verze s podstatně jadrnějšími výrazy)

Yes we hate small talk. I am still traumatized from my stay in LA. I am a very tall woman and I would get asked by SO MANY strangers how tall I am! It got old very quickly. I was getting increasingly pissed off and people were asking why do I have to be so unfriendly. 🤦 I was so looking forward being back in Aussie and being able to walk in the streets without anybody bothering me with that question. 😬

R. Heyndrich (údajně ale před ním ještě Goebels a po něm K.H. Frank), o nás o Češích prohlásil, že jsme "smějící se bestie".

Thank you for your videos 😘 You described us (as the Czech nation) perfectly. I admire your ability to describe everything so clearly and accurately. Please continue, I'm looking forward watching more. You spread positivity and good vibes. Thank you 🙂

4:28 Well, we are also a very small country, and most people think we are still ,,Czechoslovakia”, so when I see a video, or an entire channel that says something about the Czech Republic, I’m always kinda curious what they think of us and our ,,mentality”.

na Češích vidím strašnou spoustu chyb, ale v když jsem byla v USA, vadila mi otravnost a neupřímnost. Ta patetická společenskou zvyklostí vynucená ukázka jak jsou lidi přešťastní ... to bylo fakt k pos...í. V devadesátých letech jsem podle původního plánu měla být v USA tři měsíce, ale nakonec jsem přebookovala letenku, za měsíc jsem toho měla plný zuby. Myslím, že Češi jsou mnohdy přímočaří a člověk ví na čem je (nemám na mysli tedy rozhodně politiky, to je jiná dimenze)

Maybe Czechs suffer from a low self-confidence and therefore they take care of meanings of the others. But maybe it is a strategy how to survive in central Europe: to read the situation and relations in the space around at full range of scales 1) interpersonally ... 2) internationally both in the West and in the East.

Her: How many of you who click on this video are czech? Me: Dam... she knows us!

Love your content, as usual. Thank you Jen!

too west to be east and too east to be west, i like that Edit: Also calling me out like that(I am Czech)... For the record I whatch all of your videos.

Když byly stoleté záplavy, tak ještě než velká voda opadla, už bylo spousta vtipů...je to taková obrana. Než se z toho hroutit, tak vymyslet vtípek 👌😊

Yes our jokes are a bit darker (although it is not unique feature of Czechs only).. I remember a joke from elementary school: "Jdou dva malomocní do školy a jeden říká druhému: To jsem zvědavý, co nám dneska zase odpadne..." P.S. It is hard to translate to English but I try explained it - joke is based on 2 meanings of verb "odpadnout": Two lepers go to school and one says to the other: I wonder what class will be canceled again... Two lepers go to school and one says to the other: I wonder what will fall away from us again today...

Všude jsou lidé dobří i zlí,chytří i hloupí,závistiví i přející.V čem ale naprosto jako národ vynikáme,je schopnost improvizace a zručnost.

The joke on Brno - LOL, that was good. Saying this as a foreigner living in Brno for some time now :) Also, I would say this pretty much sums up the mentality of the Central Europe on the whole. I know probably every country of this region likes to think they're unique, but when I listened to your remarks, I can simply say - Poles are the same. Saying as a Pole myself :)

Totally agree with you in this topic 👍👍

I don't really understand the part about refugees, to be honest. I live in Slovakia, very close to what used to be a border after the split of CSFR, there were sometimes refugees being caught and our people from the village always took care of them. It's because 1) it was not a MASSIVE amount of refugees, and 2) it was actually mothers with kids, mostly (typically from some Middle East country fleeing from war, it was in '90s). The refugee problem in 2015 was very different, in fact, the refugees themselves were different, it was mostly young men, claiming they were fleeing from war or whole families with the intention to continue to Germany. And now we can clearly see that the Ukrainian young men are actually staying and fighting for their homeland and lo and behold, the Ukrainian refugees are once again women and kids. Why is it so hard to see the difference in our approach? Note that the behaviour of CZ/SK/PL/RO towards UA refugees might sadly start shifting soon; first, it's really too many refugees, and second, there are already tons of zasranych rusackych trolls on the Internet trying to sow the discord.

Hi, I am Czech and i love your videos. They are fun, but still respectful. Welcome to Prague.

Hahaha! I think you sumed it up pretty nicely :D That "collective" thinking, I guess it comes from the fact that we are a small nation. That every event or political event touches mostly all of us so we have the more or less the same experience. And also true about the English. A lot of people are shy. Although they can read and watch English films, when it comes to talking, they just hesitate. But it changes because more and more native speakers are willing to teach in schools and especially kids are getting better at it :)

You nailed it Jen, except for many czechs avoid discussion with foreigners because of the lack of respective foreign language knowledge....my two cents.....

You got me with that Brno joke. 🤣 Even though I'm from Brno. Very czech. 😁 But speaking of that... there are not only proud Czechs living in our country. There are many proud Moravians too! 💛❤

Every time I watch your videos I find out something new and surprising about the Czechs. There's just one slight problem - I'm Czech.

Základním předpokladem pro zachování duševního zdraví je, aby vám bylo ukradené co si o vás kdo myslí. Stejně se nikdy nedozvíte pravdu - co si o vás druhý člověk opravdu myslí. Toto si je třeba uvědomit. Chovejte se tak abyste měli čisté svědomí - co si o vás myslí druzí vás nemusí zajímat.

whoa. im bohemian by ancestry and all u said is my personality, thats wild, very introspective and i appreciate ur time spent here

Another banger of a video Jen! On the topic of being cold at first: Are you familiar with a concept of coconut vs peach cultures? America would be considered a peach country : the norm is to be sweet and welcoming to strangers, but you would guard your private inner self. Czech Republic would then be a coconut country : the norm is to keep to yourself and protecr your boundaries, but once breached, there is no more shielded core. I worked with foreigners from all over the world over past 8 years and I mesh better with coconuts, it allows for more genuine friendships in my personal experience. Anyway, thanks for your video, Your fan from Brno

"Collective low self-confidence... & ... Underdog mentality..."... good observation, could not agree more

Oh yeah. Czech humour. Something happened somewhere? We have a joke about it. Reality is never dark enought for humour to get even darker :-D

I am of Czech heritage. I was born and raised in the US. So here is one American of Czech origin interested in learning more about my ancestral land and it’s people.

Once again, you are spot on. Yes, I am a czech watching your video to see how we look through your eyes :D Also, we pretend other people dont exist in general. Its not that you are a foreigner. Its not considered rude here really and its most likely because at the start, the people might have been shy to talk to you (we are Czechs after all) and after a while, they are embarassed they still have no clue what your name is so they avoid you like a plague so you never find out they actualy have no idea who you are. I know I do this with my coworkers all the time, I got no clue who 95% of people in the office are.

Your English speaking is so pleasant to listen to,easy to understand,like you are teaching to the people,your voice is so calm and controlled,I am learning English from you the best way ever I had, I am learning the česka culture, you are my best teacher...thanks,,,,I am a Bangladeshi young man (43) I live in Croatia, thinking to move to Czech Republic......you are my best friend and teacher for English and Life in česka......Thanks a lot Madam

We really don´t care what foreigners think about our mentality.... We just watch all videos that foreigners make about us. ...And we write cynical comments if there is something we like or not.

Knew I have some Czech in me. Went to Prague, fell in love with it. Learning the Czech language (stumbling). Learned recently that my great-grandmother immigrated to the US in 1904 from then Czechoslovakia. Now I am trying to find anything and everything I can to help me learn about the Czech people and culture. And I have planned my next trip to the Czech Republic for next year.

Living in the States for over 15 yrs, the Americans ask me often what I think of them, too. But I agree with your observations completely.

This video was spot on! I felt so seen when you said "how many people watching this video are Czech" 😂 As a person living in the UK, I find it interesting how Czech people are very private in and around their home but very open when talked to. I learn more about a Czech in one day that about a Brit in a year. A good point about not bothering with small talk. Do you get an impression that Czech people maybe overshare sometimes?

Nemám žádnou úroveň angličtiny a nestydím se za to :D ale pokud chceš Jen slyšet opravdu divný přízvuk tak Brno to zdaleka není. Tak jsou jím vyhlášené regiony jako ostravsko, plzeňsko, hanácko a mé rodiště slovácko a mnohé další. Omlouvám se těm, které jsem nejmenoval a jsou hrdí na svůj divný přízvuk :D

Vaše video mě rozesmálo! Jen s těma migrantama to nebylo podle mě úplně přesné. Pěkné video 😊

Wow... when you start make those comments about brno you are officially becoming czech citizen. Also you would be amazed that Brno indeed has more culture than yogurt.

As a Czech who grew up in the UK and now lives back here again, I think you pinpoint the 'Czech mentality' very well. I think what it is is a product of it being a small nation and a sense of shared history, where the collective trauma of the 20th century is also a part of that identity. I agree that the culture can feel quite disconnected from the outside world at times (like the point you made about the humour not being that unique) and I think it's because unlike in the US/UK, very few people spend parts of their lives living outside the country in other cultures.

Do you know why we are helping Ukrainian and we didn't want to help much before? It's not about the nation or Russian. In 2015 emigrants were mainly Muslims (many Czech are afraid of Muslims because no one could really find out who could be a terrorist) and mainly young men. They didn't fight for their freedom. They escaped and women and children left home. Now they're women with children who needs our help. That's why the change.

Velmi trefné! Všeobecně k humoru a vlastně i tak nějak pochopení Češství bych velmi doporučila jednu knihu. Čechům i cizincům, pokud ji zvládnou přečíst česky (nemám totiž ponětí, jestli existuje v jiném jazyce). Je od vynikajícího spisovatele Zdeňka Šmída a jmenuje se Jak jsme se nedali, aneb kapitoly z dějin národního úpění. Budete se u toho řezat smíchy a zároveň velmi dobře porozumíte té záhadné české mentalitě.

“Our dark humor od so dark it woud pick cotton if it had hands.” Thats how our humor is, no boundaries, which is unheard of in modern day

Český humor je specifický, ale není jedinečný. Má blízko k britskému humoru - proto taky impulz k překladu Cimrmana do angličtiny vzešel od Brita 🙂. Viz např. shrnutí amerického herce Caspe hrajícího v Cimrmanových hrách: "Mezi britským a českým humorem není tak velký rozdíl. Oba jsou temné, cynické a mají takovou suchost. Akorát si myslím, že český humor je temnější a víc dělá vtipy o tom, jaký je svět a že ho nemůžeme změnit.". Spejbl a Hurvínek se musí např. pro německé nebo japonské publikum upravovat, protože hůře chápou jinotaje.

My great grandmother was Czech, wow I didn't realize it reflects so much in my character. It explains a lot for some reason.

Well, it's not about being cold to foreigners or about the stems of communist times, it's just anti-social behavior towards people we don't know and they doesn't have to be foreigners 😄

Besides being extremely helpful, your videos are fun to watch! And I like your shirt here, you look great

id say there is stereotypical american "mentality"- it certainly includes among others American dream, picket fences, keeping up with Joneses, tipping automatically and not expecting price written on the label is the same as price told at the counter, or flashing thought of bacrupcy when hearing the sound of ambulance. Lot of the above doesnt apply to Czechs and lot of what could be said about typical Mr Novak wouldnt apply to your corn-fed American. Of course not everyone fits into it and it is generalisation but a/ stereotypes do originates from somewhere and b/ generalisation is useful and necessary for us to be able to describe group of not just people but everything, every apple is different but they all are apples, bananas and apples are very different but they are both fruits. Just like every American or Czech is different but they still share uniquely American or Czech things with other Americans or Czechs and while they themselves and their experiences may differ most of them are more similar in broader sense to other Americans/ Czechs than other people. We are all people and we are all different but we are often different in more similar ways with people sharing the same country, language, culture or ethnicity. This may be one of the differences between American and Czech mentality- to not be afraid to generalise when we think theres reason to, maybe even overdoing it when its superfluous v American more PC style emphasising personality differences and individual traits and downplaying or ignoring even the most obvious similarities shared by some groups to not be called r- word or automatically seen as prejudiced.

Well, you're right, our sense of humo(u)r is really specific. I can remember when I was a child, we had floods almost every year (1996, 1997, 2000 etc.), and one of our first reactions was: "Well, we've lost Moravia, but on the other hand - now, we have a sea!"

I actually understand the "Czech first mentality" a lot. My nationality is American but my ethnicity is primarily Czech, my ancestors came to America to keep their sons from having to be drafted into the military, and settled down in Minnesota in the Bohemian Flats where they were still able to be with other Czechs, Slovaks, and even some Germans. Although my immediate family has been living in America for quite some time now, everyone still visits Czechia quite frequently. When I was younger I didn't really care too much about where I came from but as I got older I've been really invested and interested in Czech culture, history, etc. and now I am very proud of where my family is from. I've even been learning the language in hopes to live in Prague someday and it also really helps me feel a lot more connected with my heritage. It's always important to remember and be proud of where you came from :) Miluju tvoje videa

This is a very charming city, I hope I can visit again sometime in the future. Seeing and sharing places like this is why I love traveling and make videos so much! And please keep up the great job! Subscribed!!

4:10 this is probably why we ask about what they think. The "important" countries have a steriotype, so they are tiered of hearing it. No one cares about us, so we are curious when somebody dose.

Born and raised Czech, living in the US for better part of past 40 years so I understand very well both cultures. We, the Czechs are a nation of clowns. That's how the language and culture survived for over 300 years while the official language was, well, something else. We laugh at our own misfortunes as well as at those of others. Yes, we have a very special sense of humor, during the years of oppression, this humor was not understood by the foreign entities. Surely you ran across the books about the "Good Soldier Švejk". I am somewhat competent in three languages and somewhat understand three cultures, Czech, English and Spanish. When I get asked about how difficult is it to learn Czech, I normally tell people "Don't bother, it's not a language, it's a birth defect, you have to be born with it" Enjoying your videos, very well done, thank you

Insightful, but.... I am the borderline. My generation of Czechs (50-70yrs old) are not like our children who have been born into the peace and abundance. This is a very deep topic.

Česká mentalita je také daná polohou země. Všechny války přes nás přešly a my jsme to museli nějak přežít. To nás naučilo nebýt tak zásadoví, ale snažit se dělat vše možné , abychom přežili. Kdybychom byi věršími nacionalisty a hrdiny, tak by nás už některá z válek definitivně smetla, a proto jsme takoví jací jsme. Byla to jediná možnost jak vše přežít.

Ahoj všichni.

oh, Brno! Touche! all my congratulations, Jen :-D

I don't like your Pan Slavic way of thinking. Fact that you are thinking that solidarity with Ukraine is because for them it's a bit easier to learn Czech than for English speakers is wrong in my opinion. I believe that if Russia attack Hungary, Finland or Austria or if in theory some crazy regime in the UK attacks Benelux or France the solidarity will be similar.. That fairy tales about Slavic things is just Kremlin manipulations, just look how they love each other there.

I like so much your points!

“How self conscious and insecure are Czechs about their impact on the world?” “Yes” 😅

4:40 Yes, i mean no, i mean partially. I'm slovak, and I watch quite a lot of foreigners' videos about slovakia and czech republic, precisely because I'm very curious about the outsiders' perception (partially because I'm a very curious person in general), and it's also a nice source of learning about what (from the things I consider to be normal and common) is specific to us. (Sorry for multiple comments which partially repeat themselves)

Two daughters, two different women. I always felt my parents, first generation born US, Grandparents who came over, were quite proud of Czech & their heritage ... We celebrated a LOT everything Czech! Cooking, baking, mushrooms (houbi) Viennese waltzes, Streuss, Old Prague Restaurant in... Berwyn? Cicero? Bohemian National Cemetery where many were laid, all in all I felt Good to be Czech!

The Czechs can be sized, I hope, that you have already heard an expression" Maly cesky clovek" The Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek knew the Czech mentality from A to Z. I suggest, that you read some of his books if you want to know the real Czech mentality.

On point 9. Yes, I am Czech, but your youtube channel is good for me to learn English. And that's why I watch all your videos :-D

My grandparents emigrated from Bohemia (Austria) 130 years ago. We have reconnected with cousins and visit from time to time. They have nothing good to say about the communist occupation. They are big supporters of 'Europe' but very proud of being 'Czech'.

Jak se říká "Důvěřuj ale prověřuj!" A s tím Českým humorem nevím o čem mluvíte. V noci zbudí Putina. Vladimíre Vladimiroviči Ukrajinci chtějí jednat o kapitulaci. Charašo, konečně. Podejte mi telefón. Né,oni jsou za dveřmi. Máme na to hodinu.

Spot on as always 👌😉

I live in Brno for more than a year. It was a little bit unusual for me when total strangers said "dobry den" to me in a middle of the street when I walked with my dog. In Ukraine, we usually great people when we know them, or if we need to ask something. But in general, Czechs are nice people , at least, the ones I know))

Hello I enjoyed your video about "Czech mentality". When I was 16 years old in 1966, I had a pen pal from Bratiswala, Czechoslovakia. That was a very different time though. One day I would like to visit Czechia - Thank you again for your video -Joseph

Já nevím ale mě přijde že každý národ sam sebe nějak škatulkuje a škatulkuje i ostatní