What are the Hungarian People Like?

The stereotypical Hungarian is pessimistic, historically conscious, pessimistic, cleverly pragmatic, contradictory, pessimistic, and appreciative of the fine arts and good food. Did I mention pessimistic?
- Doug Coppage

WORK-RELATED FEATURES

• Unique, person-oriented individualism – the relationship drives the business
• Strong preference to avoid risk and change
• Motivation by security
• Working hard is a value and an inner urge
• Strong pressure on children to achieve and no emphasis on building self-esteem (Þ perfectionism, ambition, hard-striving, competitive character)
• Exhaustion in face of minor frustration and failure
• Creative problem-solving, ability to persevere and survive
• Efficient organizers (in military and political matters)

RELATIONSHIP-RELATED FEATURES

• Low power-distance – Social structure has been based on humanitarian principles.
• Fragmentation into classes possessed a great degree of vertical mobility.
• Promotion from the lower class to the higher was denied to no one.
• Even during feudalism, peasants often rose to the highest offices.
• High wall on the outside, low wall on the inside
• Shy and reserved in expressing positive feelings in relationships (verbally and in touching)
• High-context communication
• Preference of stability, desire for long-term planning

GENERAL FEATURES

• Traditionally conservative morality (Keeping one’s given word. Respect for women, elders and ancestors. The pre-Christian religion of the Magyars was a monotheistic, monogamous, family-centered, ancestor-worshiping creed.)
• Christian tradition is anthropomorphic: the Child Jesus is the little prince of the shepherds, the Holy Virgin is the mother of all Magyars.
• Death holds no terror: it is nature’s destiny – the crop dies when ripe.
• Belief in immortality and resurrection – but he would prefer to be awakened by his girl’s kisses instead of the archangel’s trumpet.
• No mysticism: secrets of the afterlife do not interest the Hungarian.
• Freedom-loving individualism, love of independence
• Bright minds (artistic talent – music, poetry; intellectual interests, such as literature, art, music, chess, mathematics, science and discussion – inventors, Nobel-prize winners)
• Weary hearts (suicide, divorce, depression; feeling of hopelessness, loneliness)
• “The legendary Hungarian IQ is efficiently repressed by their lamentable EQ… – this is the Hungarian way of giving a sporting chance in life to other Europeans.” (by Zsuzsanna Ardó in Love Blues)
• Appreciation of humor, talent, sensitivity and knowledge
• Humanistic social attitudes:
• Naive faith in human goodness
• Man has primary importance (over projects, material objects or philosophies)
• Respect for one’s fellow-human (doesn’t kill unsuspected enemies)
• Concern for one’s own well-being (quality of life)