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Rest of the worlds perception of the UK?
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saynotoslomoFree Member
Came across this the other day during my endless tv watching:
And it got me wondering, what does the rest of the world make of the UK and everything that goes on? Scottish independence, brexit, coronavirus handling, the Dominic Cummings scandal etc etc
Or do they not care very much? I’ll be the first to admit I don’t follow any other countries very much other than what’s reported on UK news
ElShalimoFull MemberOther countries simply don’t like us, they like our money though.
If Trump wasn’t being such a fectard we’d be the No.1 source of amusement.
supernovaFull MemberWhen I talk to people overseas about things like the B word, they’re almost universally bemused and slightly disappointed that a country that they rather admire has acted against its own self interest so clumsily.
Except Americans, who usually think it’s a great idea. You know, the country that voted for Trump.dantsw13Full MemberWhen younger I was a proud Brit. As I’ve aged (a bit!) I’ve slowly become very disillusioned with the uk, it’s population and government.
scotroutesFull MemberWhen younger I was a proud Brit. As I’ve aged (a bit!) I’ve slowly become very disillusioned with the uk, it’s population and government.
That happened with me when I was about 14 or so and started to become aware of the real history of these islands, not the cultural whitewash I’d been treated to up until then.
eat_more_cheeseFree MemberIn the grand scheme of things there’s very few countries in the world that I’d be ‘proud’ to call home. Understanderbly the U.K. had not been top of people’s most wanted lists, but nay sayers perhaps need to look at their own countries human rights, working conditions & history before casting aspersions.
sharkbaitFree Member^^ This.
Compared to many other countries the UK is fairly blissful.
(I give the you USA as example #1)sparksmcguffFull MemberPeople are much more aware of the difference between Scotland and England beyond the stereotypes.
Lots of disappointment in the attitudes displayed by the English and the weakness of political will.
England is regarded much as Belgium was in the nineties.
Scotland is increasingly seen as a soon to be independent country.
Everyone hates the Americans except the fairly large contingent of people who don’t and agree with some of trumps idiocy. (Shocked to hear from a Swiss based friend that there were protests until last week against lock down in Switzerland. Though these were “socially distanced”!)
Friends have been messaging from the start to make sure we’re ok as though we’re in a disaster zone. Which given Johnson’s government is fair enough.kimbersFull MemberI know from colleagues & friends from Europe & Australia that were currently seen as a joke.
Incredulity is the best way to describe it
andrewreayFull MemberNever cease to be amazed by the warm regard we are held in. I work with lots from various parts of Asia and Europe, who often visit the office in the UK. Also have fahmlee living in Europe. Amongst all, there seems to be a massive tolerance of our flaws, and a fondness for the UK.
As a Brit, I never quite get it. We seem to be held in higher esteem than I ever think we deserve.
That said, we probably don’t value our own legal system or even political system as highly as perhaps we should. The rule of law is something that those born and bred in the UK take for granted.
I doubt the Dom Cumm story would have any legs whatsoever in the majority of our close European neighbours, where a political position is seen as a right to privilege and a free pass. Just see how many countries protect politicians from prosecution when in office.
So yeah, despite everything (drunken holiday spots, no effort to speak local languages, cultural imperialism, widespread ignorance and an exaggerated sense of our own self-importance), we have a positive perception.
To be really crude, just see how many immigrants travel almost all the way through Europe to sit in plastic dinghies and cross the busiest shipping lane in the world to get here. We must be doing something right.
mogrimFull MemberWhen I talk to people overseas about things like the B word, they’re almost universally bemused and slightly disappointed that a country that they rather admire has acted against its own self interest so clumsily.
Sounds about right, at least here in Madrid. Cummings is unknown here, as is the NHS. They’re torn about letting tourists back in (we need the money) but Magaluf and Benidorm aren’t exactly ideal. The coastal immigrant (aka “ex pats”) are also a mixed blessing. Basically the UK has rested on its laurels for too long and with the bit of a mess of Brexit is likely to get its Suez moment soon.
fatmountainFree Member“To be really crude, just see how many immigrants travel almost all the way through Europe to sit in plastic dinghies and cross the busiest shipping lane in the world to get here. We must be doing something right.”
Maybe our inflated view of ourselves? 🙂 If not, I’d argue it’s a legacy of the Empire and the Commonwealth. I think in terms of northern European states, we don’t have any particular quality that attracts migrants beyond convenience or the fact their countries have a close history because of the colonial era. If you look at North Africa, most migration seems to head to Spain (it’s close) or France (because of their colonial past and shared language). Knowing the language makes a huge difference – if you had to migrate would you prefer an English-speaking country? And having done work for Amnesty, I can tell you the experience of the average refugee here in the UK is dire.
To add the topic, I think the perception of us has drastically diminished, although we are still seen as a wealthy country and the echoes of our past ‘glories’ still reverate loudly throughout many parts of the world – although not in Central America, where people thought England was part of the United States and that “spoke English very well”. Over ten years of travel, anecdotally at least, I found that people were very positive but this has decreased over time. Now, with Brexit and Covid, I think our reputation is in tatters and telling people you’re from the UK is a bit like telling someone you’re form the US or Israel. You get a sort of muted ‘oh… let’s move on shall we’. I spoke with several Brits in the central Asia last year and there seemed to be consensus with that.
In any case, the days of being ‘British’ as a national identity are surly numbered.
RicBFull MemberChatting to a Greek friend about their plan to restart cross border tourism in the next few months “but obviously not the U.K. as you’re a disaster”
wobbliscottFree MemberOther countries simply don’t like us, they like our money though.
What a load of B-locks. Such drivel. Have you ever travelled outside of the UK…and I mean somewhere other than the Costa Del Sol and the usual tourist trails well trodden by brits? OK we don’t get the red carpet treatment wherever we go with rose petals thrown at our feet, but generally the overwhelming feeling I get from people from other countries is one of respect, kindness, friendliness. I’ve never had anyone offer up any unfriendly sentiments towards the British. They like us no more than any other country, but it’s certainly not the case that they don’t like us, they respect our history, the fact we created the modern world in terms of the rule of law, democracy, global economy etc which other countries in the world have benefitted from greatly and see us as very fair and sensible people.
In terms of money…well the amount of money we throw about in the world pales into insignificance compared to the US, China, India and Germany and even France, so they definitely don’t like or tolerate us because it’s worth their while financially. We bring other qualities and values to the table than basic cash which is why we still punch above our weight in the world even after our fall from the superpower table.
We beat ourselves us so much more than the external world do…who basically…and I know this will come as a shock to some of you, don’t really follow the soap opera that is the UK all that much. Often they’re too preoccupied with the soap opera’s going on in their own countries. They wont know who Dominic Cummings is, alot wont even know who Boris Johnson is, they wont really follow our home nation disputes like Scottish Independence, Brexit is something they see as a fairly minor thing and an opportunity (speaking about non-EU countries of course). We’re not the first thing they think of when they get up in the morning or the last thing they think of when they go to bed. We’re just not that interesting to the rest of the world. All they see is that the majority of the brits they come into contact with as polite, respectful and very pleasant and in some cases thankful and in awe that people actually want to come to visit their country at all in alot of cases. I’ve been invited to complete strangers family homes for a meal before, asked to spend time with strangers kids to help them with their English language, been stopped in the street by total strangers simply to have a photo taken with them (and I’m no looker)…these are not things that happen to citizens of a hated country.
As to our real history…yes it’s been bloody.. but most other countries have had their bloody Colonial pasts so we’re not alone there…the world was a pretty brutal and nasty place to live if you go back more than say 60 or 70 years. Tell me something new.
If you want to hate the country go ahead. keep it to yourself or, for the sake of the rest of us, move to a country that is more acceptable to you…where would that be I wonder?…a country that has a completely clear history and conscience and a population you can tolerate and who can tolerate your intolerance? If you find one then let us all know.
(edited..way too long!)
DickyboyFull MemberRemember only just over 50% of electorate voted for brexit & even less voted for Boris, DUP etc so its not all bad.
kelvinFull Membermove to a country that is more acceptable to you
Everyone knew that line was coming.
hugoFree MemberAnd it got me wondering, what does the rest of the world make of the UK and everything that goes on?
Living abroad, I can let you know that it’s mostly a mixture of don’t know and don’t care. In Doha, the average local probably cares about Brexit as much as the average person in Britain cares about the Qatar blockade by the GCC.
Politics is mostly local. Trump is an exception, but America is the most most powerful country in the world world and it’s car crash TV. Mostly, regarding the UK, no one cares about what is going on!
ElShalimoFull Member@wobbliscott – you need less caffeine or maybe just chill
My comments were somewhat tongue in cheek but I think in many parts of the world they’re relevant.
Re: money I’m talking about us as tourists, not as a nation. We don’t have an empire anymore despite the claims from imperialistic gammons.
CaherFull MemberI remember reading once a CIA report (made public – I’m not a spy) where it described the relationship between various countries, and it described the view of the Irish to Britain as being “friendly but distant”.
tinribzFree MemberBy far the most popular choice for migrants is the USA, followed by Canada, Germany, France, Australia and UK. Seems UK has slipped from the top 3 the last few years.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/245255/750-million-worldwide-migrate.aspx
Survey suggests 14% want to move (750m) but I’ve seen others suggest over 30% of young people outside of Europe want to move here permanently.
Personally I would choose UK, Australia, Germany, Nordics, or USA if I was rich. I think we take alot for granted in Europe, what’s been built by past generations. Naive complacency is an easy trap and most people would be in for quite a shock if they moved outside of it.
hugoFree MemberLet’s not all forget a huge selling point for immigrants is language and English is the world’s second language.
This is why immigration preferences shouldn’t really be used to “rate” countries’ “success” so to speak.
cookeaaFull MemberNowhere is perfect, I am personally quite a critic of the current lot in power and their cronies, equally so the gutter press and ultimately the easily fooled voters that have put them there.
However, I’m under no illusions that I am extremely lucky to live in a country where my dissenting voice is not simply tolerated but protected. Obviously that freedom cuts both ways, and still allows lots of truth bending and propaganda, but ultimately I think the rest of the world probably recognises that in spite of the current UK narrative/temprement this is still, comparatively, a very good place to live still.
wordnumbFree MemberFortunately our culinary reputation gives us considerable standing internationally, that and the 007 franchise.
locomotiveFull MemberIts a interesting one. There are many deeply shameful parts of our history, and also much to be rightly proud of – over my lifetime and travel experience personally Ive found that is true of pretty much of everywhere.
I think I’ve come full circle, was mildy patriotic as a youngster, became more poltically astute, internationally aware, and disillusioned, but now in my early 40s I am back to mildy patriotic – I have done a lot of travelling, I am aware of being very fortunate in that respect. Possibly given currently world climate even more fortunate I ever previously realised.
We beat ourselves up alot, but there is a massive amount we take for granted. It has taken conversations with people from other side of the world for me to wake up to much of it.
chewkwFree MemberNow, with Brexit and Covid, I think our reputation is in tatters and telling people you’re from the UK is a bit like telling someone you’re form the US or Israel. You get a sort of muted ‘oh… let’s move on shall we’.
Amongst the reasons that other parts of the world see UK is their incompetent politicians with no backbones. In SE Asia we think UK is ruled by politicians with no common sense and we are not referring to the Tories nor Farage. The so called “right wings”, nationalistic, patriotic views whatever etc are the norm in that part of the world and so they can see the logic in them.
I spoke with several Brits in the central Asia last year and there seemed to be consensus with that.
Central Asia you say? There are more right wing then right and the response from those sheltered Brits in Central Asia are just scratching the surface of the true feeling or the perception of the people there. Try ask them if they wish to have a British system and the response will probably be a polite smile. Smile does not mean approval by the way.
MoreCashThanDashFull MemberWe beat ourselves up alot, but there is a massive amount we take for granted.
I’m with this – national self loathing gas become a popular past time, but for all the horrors in our national past, a lot of countries abroad also see the good things we helped achieve, which is why confusion and disappointment seems to be a current view of the UK.
HughStewFull MemberThis nation, especially the bit we call England, suffers from a sort of collective bi-polar syndrome. Certain sections of society, indulge themselves in self-flagellation and hand-wringing about how awful we are, on the other side may others are fiercely proud of where they come from regardless of any nuanced view of history. The views on one side drive the other into even more extreme opposition. It is very unfortunate that we have allowed symbols of Englishness to be hijacked by the far right, so that many people feel ashamed to fly the cross of St George. I would like to reclaim the flag for the everybody, as the word “queer” has been reclaimed as a description of who someone loves and finds sexually attractive rather than an insult.
On the whole the UK is a pretty decent place to live for most people. There’s plenty wrong here and we certainly have a substantial underclass, which I don’t mean as a pejorative term, who feel they have no stake in society. I fear that, due in part to the echo chamber effect of social media, we are heading in the bi-partisan direction that the US has taken, I think the key to avoiding this is to understand the motivations of those you do not agree with. The “All Tories are scum” view is as wrong headed as the “Labour will surrender us to our enemies” view, disagree by all means but try to understand why people think the things they do and discuss it with them without being patronising or rude. There are lovely and horrible people in all sections of society.
chewkwFree MemberWe beat ourselves up alot, but there is a massive amount we take for granted.
I’m with this – national self loathing gas become a popular past time, but for all the horrors in our national past, a lot of countries abroad also see the good things we helped achieve, which is why confusion and disappointment seems to be a current view of the UK.
The trend of self loathing is the alternative strategy employed by the oppositions to be wanting to be seen as doing the right thing. Problem is that the longer this sort of thinking continues the more the next generations will suffer as their self esteem is affected. i.e. they can no longer see themselves to be “perfect” and simply by being British is no longer something to be proud off (note this is just my general assumption and my opinion) or worst case to be ashamed of.
KucoFull MemberI’d imagine most people don’t give a shit or have a clue about the UK. A lot of people don’t even have a clue whats going on in their own country.
hugoFree Membertelling people you’re from the UK is a bit like telling someone you’re form the US or Israel. You get a sort of muted ‘oh… let’s move on shall we
I’ve not found this. In fact, as a “brand”, so to speak, bring British normally affords one a positive reaction virtually all the time. Pop culture, sports and often a colonial impact (which really shouldn’t help!) all create a common ground.
That being said, I don’t really head into encounters on my travels where we’re instantly appraising our nations’ political stances like this. Perhaps it’s not your nationality that’s eliciting this reaction!
carbonfiendFree MemberMy own singular experience is I’ve never met anybody out of the UK that has said a bad word about us & if I’ve brought up instances or examples & they’ve usually replied with “we have people like that too”
I’ve come across a few misconceptions about us the strangest being from U.S. hip hop acts I would look after in the late 90’ – 2000’s. A group called People Under The Stairs genuinely believed the whole country stopped at 11am & drunk tea.
As for people from Scotland & Ireland thats a different story 😉scotroutesFull MemberFollowing the Cummings saga in the UK, this is spot on.. pic.twitter.com/Xiv2TlokS0
— Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) May 24, 2020
CountZeroFull MemberThrough my Flipboard feeds I get news reports from many parts of the world, and by comparison this country, while it may have its issues, is pretty calm and settled politically and socially. Just look at the increasingly nationalist and right-wing governments like India, Brazil, Poland, Hungary, America, Venezuela, Myanmar…
There are far worse situations abroad, Boris may be a muppet, but look at someone like Jair Bolsonaro for contrast.bigjimFull MemberI live overseas and I think generally people think it’s crazy and sad what is happening to the UK, and that it is run down with poor healthcare and services, but quaint and beautiful.
PigfaceFree MemberA friend in Sweden said of Brexit “it’s like you failed an exam” the Danes I worked with once, had a saying “he comes from an island” I I did something they thought was odd.
In my experience most people think of the U.K. as a living museum with football thrown in. They want to visit London, very few have heard of Wales (most notably in America)
molgripsFree MemberWe beat ourselves us so much more than the external world do
This seems quite universal. When talking to people I’ve known well, I’ve listened to Germans complaining about Germany, French people complaining about France, Dutch complaining about the Netherlands, Aussies complaining about Australia, Americans complaining about the US and probably more. I even worked with a Sudanese bloke who told me that whenever he went back home to visit the old people would ask him hopefully if the British were coming back.
In terms of odd stereotypes, a lot of Americans (particularly men) seem to think that British men are genuinely more effeminate and weaker than American men. Whereas we (and many other Americans to be fair) tend to think of them as macho gun toting thugs…!
willardFull MemberIn my experience most people think of the U.K. as a living museum with football thrown in. They want to visit London, very few have heard of Wales (most notably in America)
Yeah, that. Just about everywhere I have been off the beaten track has had football as a thread that people can relate to. It’s just a shame I really don’t like the game. Cricket is not much better, but was useful last time I was out in south Asia.
People here use Brexit and the current share of politicians as a humorous stick to beat me with. They know I prefer it here, but I still get asked what the queen thinks of “my friend” Boris. Bastards.
EdukatorFree MemberI don’t think there’s animosity. The Brexit thing has become a subject of amusement, Covid not so amusing but somehow reassuring, the tourists are indeed needed and in the other direction people like a city break in London because it’s still very British with a querkiness people like.
If there’s one thing that irritates people here it’s that very British notion of “fair play”, or the lack of it.
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