Czech Artist Collects 'National Bad Habits' in Book, Showcasing National Self-Deprecating Humor
Czech artist Kateřina Šedá has published 'National Collection of Bad Habits,' a book featuring 9230 submitted 'bad habits' from the public. The book aims to express the Czech national character through self-deprecating humor, transforming negative habits into a positive and cohesive work by sharing them to bring people closer together.
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- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 17:26
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Central News Agency
(Prague, CNA reporter Liu Yu-ting, May 2nd) "I talk fast, loudly, repeat the same words, buy clothes I don't need, don't answer certain calls, stay up late, and scold my husband." Recently, Czech artist Kateřina Šedá published 'National Collection of Bad Habits,' a book that compiles 9230 bad habits submitted by the public, transforming negative habits into a positive and cohesive work.
In 2022, Šedá launched an online database dedicated to collecting bad habits, where anyone could submit their own bad habits, those of friends or family, or even those of an entire nation.
The artist openly enumerated her own "crimes" on the website, such as using vulgar language, always thinking others are too slow, leaving hair in the bathtub, eating chocolate at night, etc. Šedá said she has publicly listed 60 of her bad habits and might think of more.
Over the years, the website has accumulated 35,666 bad habit submissions. Šedá and her team selected 9230 of them, which are included in the book 'National Collection of Bad Habits.' These include swearing while driving, lying to the dentist, whitening people's teeth in photos, only watering plants when they "signal" for it, etc.
On the National Bad Habits website, Šedá stated: "I hope this book can serve as a loyal mirror reflecting the Czech nation, and prompt us to re-examine our behavior. By constructing an encyclopedia of simple bad habits, it also serves as an unconventional, comprehensive study of the Czech nation, covering Czechs and their bodies, minds, families, toilets, cleanliness, and holidays."
She said: "The Czech nation has many quirks and flaws, and it is precisely for this reason that this sincere and peculiar work could be born. However, our greatest virtue is still the ability to laugh at ourselves, and this is the core spirit of this book. I hope it not only entertains and surprises you but also touches you and prompts some self-reflection."
Šedá said that admitting one's bad habits is a strategy. She hopes to encourage people to share their private sides and believes that when researchers first reveal their weaknesses, people will be more willing to follow suit, and sharing bad habits might bring people closer.
Šedá stated: "Society is built on competition and constant display of success; we don't flaunt our weaknesses. But in fact, it is these weaknesses, more than constant comparison, that can bring people closer."
She pointed out that one person's bad habit might be another person's strength. "Bad habits are repetitive and bothersome behaviors of an individual or group. But bad habits are different for everyone. For example, regularly cleaning the house might be annoying for some, but admirable for others."
Šedá encourages people not to be ashamed of their bad habits, saying, "Even Mendel had bad habits."
She cited an example: Mendel is the world-renowned father of genetics, "but Mendel was first and foremost a 'human being.' He had many virtues, and like everyone else, he must have had some bad habits. One thing we know for sure is that he was a heavy smoker! But did that make him a worse person? Did it diminish his scientific contributions? Not at all."
Šedá said: "As long as there are humans in the world, there will be bad habits. We will fight some of them and nurture others, but they are inherently part of our DNA. If Mr. Mendel were still alive, perhaps he would direct his research in this direction." (Editor: Tang Pei-chun) 1150502
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(Prague, CNA reporter Liu Yu-ting, May 2nd) "I talk fast, loudly, repeat the same words, buy clothes I don't need, don't answer certain calls, stay up late, and scold my husband." Recently, Czech artist Kateřina Šedá published 'National Collection of Bad Habits,' a book that compiles 9230 bad habits submitted by the public, transforming negative habits into a positive and cohesive work.
In 2022, Šedá launched an online database dedicated to collecting bad habits, where anyone could submit their own bad habits, those of friends or family, or even those of an entire nation.
The artist openly enumerated her own "crimes" on the website, such as using vulgar language, always thinking others are too slow, leaving hair in the bathtub, eating chocolate at night, etc. Šedá said she has publicly listed 60 of her bad habits and might think of more.
Over the years, the website has accumulated 35,666 bad habit submissions. Šedá and her team selected 9230 of them, which are included in the book 'National Collection of Bad Habits.' These include swearing while driving, lying to the dentist, whitening people's teeth in photos, only watering plants when they "signal" for it, etc.
On the National Bad Habits website, Šedá stated: "I hope this book can serve as a loyal mirror reflecting the Czech nation, and prompt us to re-examine our behavior. By constructing an encyclopedia of simple bad habits, it also serves as an unconventional, comprehensive study of the Czech nation, covering Czechs and their bodies, minds, families, toilets, cleanliness, and holidays."
She said: "The Czech nation has many quirks and flaws, and it is precisely for this reason that this sincere and peculiar work could be born. However, our greatest virtue is still the ability to laugh at ourselves, and this is the core spirit of this book. I hope it not only entertains and surprises you but also touches you and prompts some self-reflection."
Šedá said that admitting one's bad habits is a strategy. She hopes to encourage people to share their private sides and believes that when researchers first reveal their weaknesses, people will be more willing to follow suit, and sharing bad habits might bring people closer.
Šedá stated: "Society is built on competition and constant display of success; we don't flaunt our weaknesses. But in fact, it is these weaknesses, more than constant comparison, that can bring people closer."
She pointed out that one person's bad habit might be another person's strength. "Bad habits are repetitive and bothersome behaviors of an individual or group. But bad habits are different for everyone. For example, regularly cleaning the house might be annoying for some, but admirable for others."
Šedá encourages people not to be ashamed of their bad habits, saying, "Even Mendel had bad habits."
She cited an example: Mendel is the world-renowned father of genetics, "but Mendel was first and foremost a 'human being.' He had many virtues, and like everyone else, he must have had some bad habits. One thing we know for sure is that he was a heavy smoker! But did that make him a worse person? Did it diminish his scientific contributions? Not at all."
Šedá said: "As long as there are humans in the world, there will be bad habits. We will fight some of them and nurture others, but they are inherently part of our DNA. If Mr. Mendel were still alive, perhaps he would direct his research in this direction." (Editor: Tang Pei-chun) 1150502
Stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio-visual content of this website may not be reproduced, broadcast publicly, or transmitted and utilized without authorization.