In the Mirror

What, UNESCO wanted to know, do the people of eight countries think of other nations and of themselves? Pollsters, armed with pencils and a wide range of adjectives (samples: hardworking, conceited, cruel, brave, peace-loving), set out in the U.S., England, France, Italy, West Germany, Australia, Holland, Norway.

"Progressive" and "practical" got the most foreign votes as the outstanding U.S. characteristics. But 52% of the English called Americans "conceited" and 46% of Frenchmen called them "domineering." Only 34% of Frenchmen (who have received $2.5 billion in U.S. postwar aid) called the U.S. "generous." The Russians got it all-round for being "cruel," "backward" and "domineering," and only a spot of praise as "hard-working."

At home, each nation thought well of itself. Americans saw themselves as "peace-loving" (82%), "generous" (76%), "intelligent" (72%). All the others also put peace-loving high on their lists, except the Germans and Italians, who listed these outstanding virtues: "hard-working," "intelligent" and "brave." The most self-satisfied people were the English. Though they rated the Americans as conceited, they led the list in the number of virtues (21) they claimed for themselves for each fault they conceded they had. For Americans and Australians, the ratio was 13 to 1. Most modest: the Italians (8 to 1).

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