Dear Praguers, Czech people do have a noticeable tendency to complain, even if there isn’t much to complain about. They always somehow manage to find a problem. I very often hear them moaning that something doesn’t work in the right way. How about if we tried to take a look at the city through the eyes of foreigners?
Foreign experts say that Prague has the fourth best public transport system in Europe, that we are the fifth richest region after London, Luxemburg, Brussels and Hamburg, and that Prague is the most attractive socio-economic region in the Czech Republic, the eighth most honest city in the world, even better than London and Paris in this respect...So maybe there is good reason to be proud at least a bit.
I don’t want to brush all criticisms aside and look at matters through rose-tinted spectacles, but still, there are certain benefits in comparing what is ours with others and in asking our neighbour for an opinion. Prague has managed to persevere through the unrelenting onslaught of this winter’s snow. Praguers can carry on using the night-time metro. Some may think this is not enough, but let’s be honest; people take many creditworthy achievements for granted all too quickly. We always want more and something even better. This is human nature and without a degree of discontent civilisation would never move forward; Prague would still be in the dark ages lit by pine torches and horse-carriages would be the epitome of modern transport.
Ranking lists of world agencies as well as tourist demand serve as living proof that Prague has a good reputation and is seen as a beautiful, well-favoured and prestigious city with it own unique ambience. This is maybe in part because we prettied up many uninviting nooks and crannies, streets and parks, changing their sometimes frowning appearance into more smiling one, which as a result has led to a welcome decrease in crime and brought into focus the overall attractiveness of Prague’s urban landscape.
A culturally vibrant and well-kept environment discourages hooligan behaviour in the same way as do cultivated manners during dining; it has a positive effect on those who don’t usually have any manners. According to the great sage Seneca, long-term exposure to either good or bad environments extends our inclination to them. It is up to us to surround ourselves with positive life-enhancing surroundings. It is common knowledge that people influence their environment and vice versa. We in Prague fully endorse this statement and strive for an even more beautiful and cleaner Prague because we know in such an environment people can become more content and overall better for it.