Pun-pucking-tastic

People in every country think their country is best.

telling our kids to love their country

These are two very different things. It is one thing to love one's country, and I agree that is something that is by no means unique to the US. Instead I would guess that most people love their country (although to varying degrees) unless they live in utter shitholes. You can, for example, love your country and criticise it at the same time, just as you can love a person and still criticise them.

Thinking that one's country is the best is a different story. Most nations would perceive that as something incredibly arrogant to say. A country may be leading in a certain area, or you may think it is the place you would most like to live in, but saying it is better than all other countries? No way "people in every country" do that.

I am from Germany, and while we may be a bit special in how much we criticise our own country (you know, history...), we are also the first example of how your statement is not as universal as you made it to be. Note that despite the criticism most of us still like the place, but we would never say we are the best place around. That includes me, I have actually lived abroad so I think I can make that statement. I love it here, I don't want to move again. But is Germany the best country in the world? Certainly not. Most things are good, but there are still things others do better.

Also, I know for a fact that this attitude is very common in Europe. The Scandinavians? Most love their country, but they are way to humble to think of themselves (or their country) to be superior to others. The French? They are well aware of the fact that their country is riddled with problems and that they are not getting their shit together. But they love the place. The Belgians? They are so busy disliking the people from the other half of the country (French/Dutch speaking) that they don't even feel like a nation, how would they say they live in the best country in the world? The British? It is in their bloody genes to make fun of themselves. Apart from a few loonies they are well aware of the fact that they have fallen from being an empire that the sun never sets on to a part of a European Union they don't feel connected to. How would they think their country is best?

So, most love their country, but you'd have a hard time finding Europeans that think their country is the best. That is something that the Americans are ridiculed for (rightly or not). But it is certainly a reason for the European strength that we do not think that we are the best. Because that gives us the motivation to challenge, change and improve things.

If you are taught from day one that your country is the best, you don't challenge the status quo, right? Even though things are going to shit, they are best, so why change?

Sounds incredibly interesting, never had an idea this is going on.

Do you happen to know if similar practices exist in other markets, specifically Europe?

Hey, thanks for pointing out the difference in these two kinds of emergencies. I think having some sort of "field guide" is a very good idea, but I can't help finding the version you have provided very unclear and hard to navigate. There's a couple of things that I didn't get straightaway, and I'm sober at home and not out on a festival with someone on a bad trip near freaking me out.

On page one, you say: "Check for basics. Are they 10-20 breaths per minute."
That's not only very weird grammar, it's especially useless because you don't even tell me what to do with the info that "they are 20 breaths". Also, what are "arousal techniques"? You are talking to festival goers I assume, not medical professionals (because then you would not explain that regular breath is a vital sign)?

I think it would be helpful to say something like "First of all, make sure that people are physically safe. If one of these conditions is not met, you may have a medical emergency on hand, and you should get help". Give clear guidance.

Also, the drawing of a person in recovery position is not under the paragraph mentioning the recovery position, but under the CPR paragraph. That's just bad layout, and hard to navigate.

The second page suffers from some serious layout issues, too. Example: "Sitting, not guiding. You are the anchor..." should be one bullet point, not two. Press Shift-Enter for line breaks without starting a new list item.

The text could be more explanatory. Be not attached to the outcome. What is that supposed to mean? A short headline with a short instruction would be more helpful than some shorthand. For example:
"Talk through, not down.
A bad trip lasts as long as it does, you can't 'talk somebody down' or 'steer them in the right way'. Be supportive, be their anchor rather than trying to be their steering wheel"

"Breathing" on its own is also super unhelpful...

And lastly, the font you chose is fairly hard to read.

Sorry to rip your flyer apart like that, but I think it can be super helpful to people out their to have good information, hope the feedback can help in some way.

Keep up the good work!!

That is something that the Americans are ridiculed for (rightly or not).

As I said, being overly patriotic to the point of being nationalistic or ignorant is something that we in Europe perceive Americans to do more than other nations. Part of the reason for that are things like the pledge of allegiance, the "flag on every home" (even if that is a gross exaggeration), flyovers on football day and stuff like that.

I fully appreciate, however, that these things may be becoming more of an empty gesture for more and more people. And to be honest, I think that is a good thing. Not because it bugs me to see Americans sing their anthem with their hand on their chest, it's a free world, anyone can sing whatever they like. No, I think it's a good thing because I think critical thinking is a good thing, in any place and any situation.

But please don't see these comments from Europe as agressive towards the US, it is more to the point that many of us cannot relate to a pledge of allegiance, to having such a huge and ever present armed force, we cannot relate to having guns in every house or having a government that is made up mostly of millionaires.

Without judging these things, they are the differences, and that is why they are always brought up. Nobody will say "check out how these guys do that thing just like we do!", everybody will only look on the differences. It's a natural thing, but not necessarily meant to be condescending, hostile or criticising.