"A soldier's son, but with the temperament of an official."

(Baonghean) - "A soldier's son, a mandarin's son" is a proverb that parents in Nghe Tinh often teach their children, and it's quite familiar. Frankly speaking, this is a personality trait of many people in Nghe An that needs to be overcome: poor but extravagant, poor but pretentious, poor but wasteful, preferring to be a teacher rather than a worker.

Because of their privileged backgrounds, many young people, even if they don't pass university entrance exams, are unwilling to learn a trade or work in a profession. Consequently, factories and workshops constantly face shortages of skilled workers. More broadly, this "privileged attitude" leads many to drive luxury cars, dine at high-end restaurants, and use designer goods, yet they are heavily indebted, engaging in opportunistic, short-sighted business practices. Even at restaurants, they order excessive amounts of food, wasting resources while others lack the means to eat.

Because of their "desire to be in charge," many businesses are established rapidly, but when faced with difficulties, they go bankrupt or close down in droves. This is because they don't specialize in one field; they don't focus on product development or manufacturing, but instead engage in brokerage, services, or trade, or hire workers for a specific task. When problems arise, they lack the patience and resilience to overcome them.

Similarly, within the civil service, many, due to their "official" mentality, prefer to lead and direct rather than listen and empathize. When businesses and citizens encounter problems or difficulties and need assistance, many officials resort to harassment, arrogance, and extortion. Many others, acting on behalf of their superiors, speak on their behalf and issue directives. Many lack a firm grasp of the reality and understanding of the situation, offering reckless advice and making hasty judgments, regardless of the consequences for citizens and businesses.

The "arrogance" syndrome, seemingly simple, is actually quite dangerous, even in attracting and promoting investment. No matter how effective investment promotion is, if a business suffers from this "military-minded" syndrome, its attractiveness and potential will remain only... on paper.

Chau Lan