All of us walk around with a certain amount of pride in life.... it's a human thing, not a cultural thing. Here in Korea, that pride is called "face". Of course, as in other parts of the world, there are certain people, corporations, governments, and situations that challenge that pride. To not recognize it is ignorant. To ignore it is impossible. And to bite thine tounge and remain civilized is sometimes difficult. But we all face those situations. No one can go through life without ever losing face. At some point during our lives someone will condescend us into shame, fail to return years of loyalty, publicize qualities that we'd rather keep quiet, or "call us on" beliefs and values that, for our own mental stability and peace of mind, we have morphed from harsh reality into concepts that we live by and appreciate.
These people, corporations, governments, etc come in two categories: those that help us save face, and those that help us lose face. I, in particular, can think of two different examples of people that I am very close to. My dear friend, Cindy, is extremely sensitive to preserving people's pride, she would never correct you in front of someone or try to "one up" a story. That quality within her is amazing, admired, and extremely appreciated. On the other hand, my ex-husband, who is a wonderful person at heart, is a perfect example of someone who helps you lose face, someone who can make you feel two inches tall simply by the tone of his laugh and can condescend you into questioning your own opinions, values, and ultimately your own self worth.
Apparently, it is a fact of life that we accept, however much we despise it. But it's rude and can be regretable, as the tables are so easily (and always guaranteed to be) turned. It is an ultimate karmic force. I think the more you cause others to lose face, the more face you will lose in return... or the more you will simply have to deal with the consequences of those actions.