[Closed] Are you glad you're British?

Tangent. I'm not speaking for the UK, nor defending it. And if can't see how society and science has progressed coupled with the recognition of climate change then I wonder if you made out of play school.

Proud to be a Saffa.
Mind, did spend 12yrs in your mob, so do have a fair bit of pride.

Leicestershire pork pies

Heresy.

Pork pies come from Melton Mowbray.

Recovered.

I'm not having people from over the border in Loughborough or Market Harborough taking any credit for pork pies.

Born in England. Identify as Welsh. Hate Britishness.

Danny, was starting with counties! Everyone knows pork pies come from Melton Mowbray. What is understood doesn't need to be discussed.

🙂

So for those who've gone off being British anymore because of whatever reasons,
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Pick one & **** off to wherever suits you, loads to choose from so no excuse.

Copa, which Britishness?

The construct of salesmen, or your own experiences?

Not being funny btw, just interested.

And if can't see how society and science has progressed coupled with the recognition of climate change then I wonder if you made out of play school.

And if [u]you[/u] can't see how society and science has progressed coupled with the recognition of climate change then I wonder if you made out [u]of[/u] play school.

Hmmmmm. What was that about play school standards again?

Sometimes this stuff is just too easy. 🙄

So, apparently we all eat local produce then.

I have a vested interest in my point. We have an Organic Beef and Lamb farm in our family, based in Yorkshire.

You'd think being both Organic and Yorkshire raised produce would be flying out of the farm.. rong. Very few want to pay and support local produce farms. Folks want cheap food, produced in Brazil or Argentina and trucked across oceans to the shores of Blighty to be sold for £2 less.

So, please do fire back with some snidy comment...

I
Is
Waitin

Pick one & **** off to wherever suits you, loads to choose from so no excuse.

Oh look, we were waiting for that comment.

Well done, you were second.

Well one of the corrections wasn't wrong to start with! Those who can't, teach.

Well done, you were second.

I think what makes it is the people.

wrecker - Member
Well one of the corrections wasn't wrong to start with! Those who can't, teach.

POSTED 25 SECONDS AGO # REPORT-POST

Bollocks. 😳

Copa, which Britishness?

My view of Britishness is that it's indelibly linked to the British Empire and it's essentially a rebranded form of Englishness.

It promotes an arrogant and ugly outlook of the world in which anything which isn't British/English is inferior.

It promotes capitalism, militarism and monarchy. It has justified the destruction of languages and cultures.

And it's alive and kicking.

Well done, you were second.

& first to give you some options in case you were struggling with ideas how to get away.

My view of Britishness is that it's indelibly linked to the British Empire and it's essentially a rebranded form of Englishness.

It promotes an arrogant and ugly outlook of the world in which anything which isn't British/English is inferior.

It promotes capitalism, militarism and monarchy. It has justified the destruction of languages and cultures.

And it's alive and kicking.

I think your view is wrong.

No options, I think we all know the world by now.

Isn't that map supposed to be covered in Pink?

So, apparently we all eat local produce then.

I have a vested interest in my point. We have an Organic Beef and Lamb farm in our family, based in Yorkshire.

You'd think being both Organic and Yorkshire raised produce would be flying out of the farm.. rong. Very few want to pay and support local produce farms. Folks want cheap food, produced in Brazil or Argentina and trucked across oceans to the shores of Blighty to be sold for £2 less.

bikebuoy - am not surprised your organic beef and lamb isn't flying off the shelves, people will eat cheap meat and it won't occur to them whether they've enjoyed it and found it tasty.

For many years now I've supported local farms and farm shops, it's something I feel strongly about and never buy meat from a supermarket. Until such time as health education and domestic science makes a regular appearance in schools then this disconnect will continue. Why eat fruit and veg that's been flown in from overseas when we have tasty home-grown offerings that support farmers, their families and employees.

We seem to have an openly racist and xenophobic PM intent on purging the country of foreigners, whatever the cost

Sorry, but what foreigners are we purging? And what statement of racism has the PM made you can like to?

Not a fan of the Women but not sure i could let that statement go without asking for evidence.

 

Pork pies come from Melton Mowbray. Nowhere else.

Pah!

On the subject of stupendously good local foods the rest of the country doesn't know about...

... As you were. Nothing to see here.

Yes, it's a nice country with good opportunities. Sure it's not perfect but where is?

"It's-a not so bad, it's-a nice-a place. Ah, shaddap-a you face"

Just looking across the pond, the shit that goes off over there just wouldn't wash here and I like that. Although I feel we are heading in a similar direction minus the guns, mass shootings, decent sized houses, money and space. Just a decade or two behind, with a diet of American media speeding up the process.

Suppose what irks me most is the encouraged duplicitous nature, snide agendas and stitch up culture. TBF it's not an exclusively British thing but we don't half excel at it 😆

Let's call it bants and nuance.

Mustn't grumble!

Proud of all my heritage.
Some of it is British.

Yes, very much so

For such a small place

Brilliant and varied landscape
High standard of living/ life expectancy
Moderate politics
A successful monarchy and pomp and circumstance
Cuisine that now puts the French to shame
Diversity
Opportunities
Moderate weather, rel few natural disasters
Outward looking (esp v other nations)
Liberal press that allows range of views
High quality tv
Links golf (proper golf)
Punch above our weight economically and politically
History and heritage
Culture
Low crime
Respect for rules
Ability to queue properly
Marmite
Proper beer and bacon
Quality shoes and tailoring
Religious tolerance (STW excepted)
Ethnic diversity
A wendyball team that we can all take the piss out of (sorry only England count there as being relevant)
Cricket
Nuneaton
Prince Phillip
Satire

In fairness I'd expected more trolling and that was relatively mild.

Nice finish with Philip followed by satire.

Britains ok on the whole. Brexit ****up is hugely embarrassing though - no, it's much worse than that, it's disgusting and horrifying the direction the country is heading - and it's certainly an incentive to leave. To those who say why don't I just **** off now, my wife and I have aging parents here who despite being brexiteer ****s are still our parents. In a few years we may be able to reevaluate with no external factors.

And the links golf options will be severely limited in THM's lifetime.I have never felt connected to the idea of being British and never thought about it until I worked in London, where it seems to be a big deal for some people ( see esselwhatevers post on previous page) British means English to me.

I'm glad to be British as there are undoubtedly worse places to be poor.
But I'm also ashamed of the constant disappointment.
Not just sport, weather and apathy, but the missed chances to be Great again.

We are easily capable of closing the wealth gap, of progressive legislation, of becoming the world leaders in forging a better future for all mankind.
Our constant feeble pandering to the embittered and degenerate middle classes, and our proud willingness to be shafted by the elite to keep winning the vote of the illiterate baby boomer generation, those hateful thatcherites, makes me embarrassed.
And I would **** off to somewhere warmer, somewhere with real community spirit in a heart beat, but I have responsibilities to family here.

13thfloormonk - Member
...I wouldn't be glad to identify as British however, I would always prefer to say Scottish...

So if you identify as British, then you're identifying as English or Welsh.

It's Scotland that puts the great into Great Britain which is the whole of the island.

So to say you're Scottish not British is entirely accurate.

The Victorians made the distinction by calling Scots North British. I suppose calling us Great British stuck in their throats. 🙂

That's from no less an authority than the [b]Ordnance Survey[/b] (3rd Aug 2011 "The difference between UK, Britain and the British Isles")

I'm Scottish. 🙂

Liberté, égalité, fraternité beats god save the bleedin' queen...

Yes

And even more glad I'm not American

I'm proud to be British we have our faults but overall it's an amazing place to live.

So, apparently we all eat local produce then.
I have a vested interest in my point. We have an Organic Beef and Lamb farm in our family, based in Yorkshire.

You'd think being both Organic and Yorkshire raised produce would be flying out of the farm.. rong. Very few want to pay and support local produce farms. Folks want cheap food, produced in Brazil or Argentina and trucked across oceans to the shores of Blighty to be sold for £2 less.

Sounds like you need to promote you're own produce more. I know a number of farms and butchers around here that promote their produce and it sells. One down the road has its own pub and restaurant too.

Ohh thanks for that nugget of advice, sure we've not thought of that.

Runs off and scratches head.

And if you can't see the irony in the first country to rape its natural resources (hate that term) in the drive to industrialise lecturing others on environmental responsibility

That happened many years ago. Britain has since been making some decent efforts to clean things up. And it makes no sense to say we should let other countries bugger up the environment because we buggered up ours. Buffering up environments is a bad thing; what we did in the past doesn't change that.

You are conflating a practical argument with one of moral superiority. This is not personal. Because we are now aware of the issues and have some ability to prevent disaster we must act. Nothing to do with point scoring.

It is a lot more morally questionable though lecturing other countries (if that's what we do) whilst allowing our citizens to gorge on the products of that environmental damage. But having said that, world wide environmental protection would affect everyone equally so would simply serve to slow down that gorging.

And if you can't see the irony in the first country to rape its natural resources (hate that term) in the drive to industrialise lecturing others on environmental responsibility

So you would prefer that the Industrial Revolution had never happened?

We could all live in a Constable painting. Or like Poldark. Lovely.

Then perhaps you should look at what Britain actually is. It's the part of the island that contains England and Wales, not Scotland.

Is that a serious statement? Sounds like the sort of nonsense the SNP regularly spout. Great Britain is the entire island. About 5 seconds on Google would have told you that.

Then perhaps you should look at what Britain actually is. It's the part of the island that contains England and Wales, not Scotland.

So if you identify as British, then you're identifying as English or Welsh.

It's Scotland that puts the great into Great Britain which is the whole of the island.

So to say you're Scottish not British is entirely accurate.

The Victorians made the distinction by calling Scots North British. I suppose calling us Great British stuck in their throats.

That's from no less an authority than the Ordnance Survey (3rd Aug 2011 "The difference between UK, Britain and the British Isles")

I'm Scottish.

I'm with Teamhurtmaore. I'm very very glad I'm British.
For all our faults and petty bickering I love the British people. Of all the places I've ever been Britain is the prettiest. Not the most impressive, hottest, coldest, tallest, deepest or wathever but we do quaint and pretty better than anywhere else. Would I rather sit in a bar on Bondai Beach or in the Square and Compass near Swanage? Dorset every time. (Yes I have been to Bondai)
I work in west London. I love the fact I've just been to the shop and seen every colour of skin from pasty white (probably a Scot! 🙂 ) to as dark as you get and heard about 4 different languages being spoken.
I love that we fight like dogs over trivial stuff yet when the brown stuff hits the fan we all come together. Just look at recent threads on STW as a shining example. We love to moan about the weather but stuff grows well and it doesn't kill us as often as other places.
I love the fact that a cold damp little island produces what is undoubtedly the finest fruit in the word - British Strawberries.
I love the seasons, the cities, the food, the countryside, the lot.
I love living here. It would break my heart to leave Britain forever. I couldn't do it.

You are conflating a practical argument with one of moral superiority. This is not personal. Because we are now aware of the issues and have some ability to prevent disaster we must act. Nothing to do with point scoring.

You are right. Being right doesn't necessarily guarantee success of your arguments, though, does it?

In simple terms (fairy tale example).

Brazil announce they will not leave a single tree standing in their country in a policy that they say is guaranteed to eradicate favelas and enrich the whole population. Britain condemns them. Populist politicians in Brazil use the hypocrisy and imperialist card to further their popularity with the only people that matter to them in the short term (their electorate). This strengthens the "we are going to act solely in the interests of this country and sod everyone else" lobby within Brazil.

If nothing else, the events of the last year or so should show you that rational, correct, liberal and reasoned argument can be easily construed as 'patronising'. We've had enough of experts, you know.

Love being British. Love the fact we have a country that is really four countries except one is a province and the other a principality. Makes no sense but works amazingly well. Love the huge variety of regional foods. Love the fact that we have never stopped finding farting in the bath hilarious. Love the fact that we kick the crap out of each other every year at rugby, yet stood together against the greatest evil the world has ever seen. Love the fact that we moan about the rain and cold, yet as soon as the sun comes out we moan it's too hot. Love the fact that while the French have "joie de vivre" we have "mustn't grumble". Love the fact that when other countries riot and overthrow their governments, we write a strongly worded letter to the newspaper. Love the fact we have contributed more to the world than probably any other nation. Love the fact we still remain convinced that foreigners will understand us if we just speak a bit more slowly. Love the fact we invented Subbuteo. Love the fact that despite it's problems we have an NHS that works amazingly well. Love the fact we still use yards, miles, pounds and ounces. Love Half Man Half Biscuit who for me sum up the whole fun and despair of being British brilliantly.

Love the fact we have a country that is really four countries except one is a province and the other a principality

If you love it why are you so ignorant about it? Do you think Prince Charles is the ruler of Wales?

Pleased to be British - certainly better than many.

I would however be very tempted to swap in my British passport for either a New Zealand or Canadian one.

If you love it why are you so ignorant about it? Do you think Prince Charles is the ruler of Wales?

It's called tweaking the facts slightly for comic effect. Why are you so ignorant about humour?

Why are you so ignorant about humour?

😆

Why are you so ignorant about humour?

Aye, I do struggle with that Boris Johnson brand of British humour.

Just eaten a beef wrap, chips and salad at a Morrocan restaurant next to a table of arrogant Germans.

Yes.

No!

Not just sport, weather and apathy, but the missed chances to be Great [b]again[/b].

Wait, what? When was it greater before?

Yes, in that it made life a lot easier than being many other things.

Less so in that it's not such positive label to carry as a few years back. Then British was: the Beatles, the Stones, Oasis, Monty Python, Jane Birkin, Richard Burton, Sean Connery, the Mini, the mini-skirt (and women who looked good in them), punk, ska, new wave, Ken Loach, dreadful food, warm beer, dreadful weather, honesty, and right and good.

In recent years its been embarrassing; Tony Blair and Iraq, Brexit, BSE, Nigel Faridge, James Blunt, Cold Play, the Mini, dreadful TV series, the gutter press, gutter TV, and above all - dishonesty (Madame read this and said that it's "fair play" that's gone rather than honesty).

Seen from afar and glad to be French (with all the pros and cons of that) too.

Selective recollection I think Ed. Sure, pop culture in 60s Britain was cool, but there was still an empire, industry was declining, racism, homophobia and so on were much worse. The "rivers of blood" speech was in the same year as Led Zepplin formed and the Beatles released the White Album. Homosexuality had only been made legal the previous year. As for political embarassment, Suez was only 12 years previous.

Greater? Not sure.

kennyp - Member
Is that a serious statement? Sounds like the sort of nonsense the SNP regularly spout. Great Britain is the entire island. About 5 seconds on Google would have told you that.

Is that not what I just said?

Great Britain is the entire island, and Britain is the southern bit that stops at the Scottish border, ie Britain is England and Wales.

Thus British = English and Welsh.

Ah, sorry, my link in my previous post didn't work. [url= https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/2011/08/whats-the-difference-between-uk-britain-and-british-isles/ ]Here, let the Ordnance Survey explain.[/url]

Maybe we should be called the Ukians....

km79 - Member
I think you might be drunk! This link here? https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/2011/08/whats-the-difference-between-uk-britain-and-british-isles/ doesn't back up what you're saying at all.

But they do.

[b][i]"Technically, if you lose the ‘Great,’ Britain only refers to England and Wales."
[/i][/b]

Yes Glad to be British, if I was French I would probably be glad to be French.

Just watched the rather bizarre spectacle of the Saddleworth Rush Cart, last week I sat on Oldham Market eating Veg samosas whilst the Asian kids on the bench next to me wolfed chips and gravy down, its a truly bizarre place, I quite like it.

Glad to have been born and to reside in this country, not really into the flag waving/chest beating regional thing.
Thankful not to have been born in Scotland, Wales or Yorkshire with all the associated baggage that often comes with that.

MrSmith - Member
Glad to have been born and to reside in this country, not really into the flag waving/chest beating regional thing...

We'd like that in Scotland.

We'd like that in Scotland.

That's from no less an authority than the Ordnance Survey (3rd Aug 2011 "The difference between UK, Britain and the British Isles")

But they do.

"Technically, if you lose the ‘Great,’ Britain only refers to England and Wales."

It's not my selective memory, it's feeding off people around me, Molgrips. If Britain had Suez France had Algeria so I've never heard a reproach about Suez. French people are as likely to have heard of Enoch as Brits of Jean Moulin. Homosexuality has had a similar status in both countries though France had publically homosexual high ranking public figures a little earlier - not an issue people raise about the UK anyway.

If I tell people I was born in Birmingham it's quite pleasing if they say "that's where Robert Plant/Ozzy/Slade/Judas Priest come(s) from, right ?". Less so if they start ranting about cake and eating it. That's the evolution in people's perceptions of Britain I live.

Ok fair point Ed, you're talking about external perception. But likewise in the UK we think of sunshine, Alps, good food and Mediterranean culture when we think of France, because that's what we go there for. We tend not to think of Algeria, Le Penn, Vichy or Napoleon.

We think of our own countries differently, not least because we know our own histories better and generally when we're here we're not on holiday 🙂

I like what Teamhurtmore said.

Oh, and I am pleased that most of you have stuck to the word 'glad', and not confused it with 'proud'.

I picked proud as I am not because I was confused.

I like where I live and Britain generally. There's lots of other lovely places, but home is great. I'd miss pubs, real seasons, multiculturalism, sense of humour and lots more.

real seasons

You're joking, right? We get less 'real seasons' than most places outside the tropics! You can have the same day basically any time of year, and we frequently do.

Where my wife's from it's hot endless sunshine in summer, with the odd storm; crisp cool sunny autumn days with spectacular leaves; hard cold and deep snow in winter. Every year.

'Glad', but not enthusiastic.

A better question would be are you glad you were born in Britain? Which for pretty much everyone should be yes, absolutely. Being born in this country is a massive stroke of luck when you consider what many other places are like. Does that means I'm glad to be British? Not really, because being British is mostly a political construct resulting from centuries of wars and exploitation of the poor by the rich/powerful. If I could choose, I wouldn't be anything, but you can't, so there's very little point in either being pleased or p*ssed off about it.

English, but wish I could say that with the pride and conviction that the Scots do. I feel that England doesn't project much of its own identity.

I picked proud as I am not because I was confused.

Aren't you a Geordie, though? In which case, I get the pride thing.

upshift - Member
English, but wish I could say that with the pride and conviction that the Scots do. I feel that England doesn't project much of its own identity.

England is a great country. You should be proud of it. The virtues outweigh the negatives IMO.

Aren't you a Geordie, though? In which case, I get the pride thing.

Yup, it might help.

You're joking, right? We get less 'real seasons' than most places outside the tropics! You can have the same day basically any time of year, and we frequently do.

We still have seasons though.

I feel that England doesn't project much of its own identity.

That is a virtue.

We still have seasons though.

Yes but they are far less pronounced than in other parts of the world.

But more than others which is kind of the point they were getting at.

I think only the tropics have less seasonal variation than us.

Eh?

[url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brexit-british-citizens-leaving-migration-impact-irish-passports-latest-eu-referendum-fears-racism-a7914606.html ]Exodus[/url]

Seasons are pish,

My best day in the hills this year, views etc.... 2nd of January.

English, but wish I could say that with the pride and conviction that the Scots do. I feel that England doesn't project much of its own identity

We are not allowed to, it upsets our less fortunate neighbours. Odd really.

We are not allowed to, it upsets our less fortunate neighbours. Odd really.

What I find odd is how people who claim to love Britain can have such a poor understanding of it. Welsh and Scottish nationalists aren't opposed to English identity, they're generally supportive of it.