Without wishing to resort to national stereotypes, you could argue that the British used to be rather self-deprecatory, embarrassed even, about the art of their countrymen.
Hollywood often resorts to national stereotypes when portraying movie villains - but why would they want to alienate part of their audience?
And it has been the loudest opponent of proposals for the European Central Bank to help shore up weaker economies by serving as lender of last resort to national governments.
And at least so far, the central bank has not done the one thing that could help calm that fear: declare that it stands ready to be the de facto lender of last resort to national governments.
He added that the opposition was ready to resort to another national strike to force the issue.
However, this disregards the asymmetry of power between a ruling party that can resort to its national security apparatus and its militias, compared with the resources available to citizens.
Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov said the Arab League proposal offered both sides in Syria the chance to "decide their own future through national dialogue, national reconciliation, peacefully without resorting to violence".
In smaller countries like the Netherlands and Switzerland, star architects like Rem Koolhaas and Peter Zumthor offer thoroughly modern interpretations of the national soul without resorting to windmills or cuckoo clocks.
Many accused Mr. Maliki of resorting to political expedience to retain power, rather than exercising national leadership.
