Forum Topic

What does it mean to "be British"?

A question I often wonder about, so here's a very useful checklist:

Richard Carter ● 2187d40 Comments

Thanks Richard - good to have something to laugh about!

Caroline Whitehead ● 2187d

None of that crap.  Being British to me means that I am very lucky to have been born in the best country in the world.

Sue Hammond ● 2187d

Ha, ha, Richard. But, on a serious note, it's a important lesson in how global trade and corporations have diluted the importance, and meaning of nationalism and national identities. Of course it perhaps ignores the fact that may British people are from immigrant families who are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc and extend our traditional culture in different ways (like introducing balti curries, not drinking beer, eating eggs or meat, etc).

Michael Ixer ● 2187d

I expect that Mademoiselle Suzette 'ammond of Issy-Les-Moulineaux in the south-west of Paris would say something very similar (in yer actual French, naturellement). About being French.

David Ainsworth ● 2187d

Fair enough, but how does not differ from someone born in France, Australia or the US (to take three at random) who might well say the same thing for their country? It doesn't take us much further forward - not that this was intended to start a serious debate anyway.

Richard Carter ● 2187d

"not drinking beer"We may have some need of vetting procedures then. Or re-education camps.

David Ainsworth ● 2187d

Fair play is missing - that is, fair play as long as you're British and not "foreign".

Jonathan Callaway ● 2187d

A description of a typical Brit, well, a typical Tory party Brit, by Sasha Swire is all too revealing: ‘They hate in equal measure: foreigners, Europe, defence cuts, gay marriage, liberals, the BBC, Germans, the Japanese, the coalition and garlic.’Finally I can understand why they were so keen on Brexit!

Jonathan Callaway ● 2187d

That's brilliant - and so true.And how often do we or can we now actually buy British? We now buy lots of stuff from overseas that we can't even repair ourselves.  Our love of anything cheaper has created more of a market for even cheaper things while we close our eyes to the environmental and humanitarian costs.

Philippa Bond ● 2187d

here here Sue: well said

Clifford Cowell ● 2187d

I'm English and we didn't have curry years ago, we didn't have chinese years ago, we didn't have IKEA years ago. We didn't have everything made in China. If we had a curry it was Vespa Prawn.

Barbara Stevens ● 2187d

Remember the Brits invented, Rugby, Football and Cricket! Football being the most popular sport in the world.We are the only country with 'Great' as a name. There is a reason for that. We are the Greatest and most tolerant country in the world. We welcome everyone and everyone loves coming to work here and live here. I welcome anyone that loves this wonderful place. Unfortunately alot of the younger generation just don't dont seem to be proud of being British anymore, which is a shame.

Nick Gulliford ● 2187d

To Philippa - you're forgetting Dualit! A great British company and they repair their equipment too. Wonderful quality and great design.

Katrina Black ● 2187d

Richard Carter ● 2187d

Richard Carter ● 2187d

Apologies for the repeat posting: the New forum does that sometimes, clearly a bug in the system.

Richard Carter ● 2187d

The Great in Great Britain is actually a geographical term not a political one. The smaller Britain is Brittany which nowadays is French but like the peripheral bits of Britain was originally Celtic. If fact the Bretons (not to be confused with Britons of course) speak a form of Gaelic closest to the now defunct Cornish language.  In Ireland they speak pejoratively of those deemed too Anglophile as West Brits.  All deliciously complicated. Having lived in several other countries including the US I would have to say I prefer living in the UK to anywhere else but that’s probably down to a vague sense of familiarity and being at “home”. And I say that as a Mancunian exile in London.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2187d

I hope that’s a British horse!

Jonathan Callaway ● 2187d

I posted this originally as a bit of light relief for the weekend, but of course the usual armchair warriors have turned up looking for a fight, and Nick's is a prime example. To take just one point, that "We are the Greatest and most tolerant country in the world," instead of vainglorious boasting, here's the reality: in a list of the world's 20 most tolerant countries, GB comes an ignominious 15th:
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/mapped-the-most-tolerant-countries/

Richard Carter ● 2187d

RichardI think your post shows our pragmatism and tolerance, yet also our insularity and ultimately our stupidity when it comes to foreigners. Summed up by Terry Collier in 'Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads'?'Terry describes his impression of several nationalities: the Italians and Spaniards are greasy, the Russians are "sinister", the Americans are "flash", Germans are "arrogant", Orientals are "cruel" and the Danish are "pornographic". He then moves onto the British Isles: 'I've never liked the Welsh', the Scots are 'worse than the Koreans'. Bob then points out that Terry never liked Southerners, to which Terry adds that he doesn't like many local people, in fact he hates his next door neighbours. Bob eventually narrows it all down to the fact Terry only really likes himself'.Overall your post sums up why 'we' voted for Brexit; distrust of foreigners yet still arguing for favourable treatment from them when buying their goods we crave !But ultimately our best characteristic is that we do not let our politics polarise us; we just move on.So unlike the US; at the moment desperately split down the middle, and surely best described as a "sh!th0le country", words used  by its own outgoing (one must hope if not expect) President Trump when describing African countries in the context of immigration.

John Hawkes ● 2187d

"But ultimately our best characteristic is that we do not let our politics polarise us; we just move on."Not sure about that.  I fear that the culture wars typified by the Brexit debate are set to last a long time yet.  We are indeed badly split as a society and it will take a far more centrist government than the one we currently have to change that.  Not impossible but it could take a time.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2187d

15th is still pretty decent. Top 10% anyway. Certainly much better than middling tolerant.

David Ainsworth ● 2187d

Agreed Jonathan - although I feel Brexit is a symptom of something bigger, rather than the direct cause (although I’m not sure what that ‘bigger’ thing is.)  You can see the polarisation in this very forum.  From the moment any non-Putney related post appears, you can already guess which regular contributors are going to argue on which side - and they rarely disappoint!!  Maybe we could all aim to head into 2021 demonstrating a little more tolerance

Craig Fordham ● 2187d

I fear you may be right in that there are real similarities between the USA and the UK - but at least we don't have a situation where such a high proportion of the population have both guns and a distaste, not to say hatred, of government.

Richard Carter ● 2187d

Perhaps the more tolerant of us should be a little less tolerant of the intolerant. Or not, of course.

David Ainsworth ● 2187d

Not quite sure what you mean, Craig: I certainly agree that tolerance and politeness are important, but there's nothing wrong with disagreement as such, as long as it doesn't verge into intolerance or, even worse, abuse, surely?

Richard Carter ● 2187d

We must not forget the Great British Breakfast!(for me sadly only for special occasions now)Great post Richard :-)

Ed Robinson ● 2187d

Richard, you’re an astonishing character. You really think I came looking for a fight? Unbelievable. I’d love to meet you for a pint one day. You seem to have a lot of issues with me.

Nick Gulliford ● 2187d

No, Nick, I have don't have any issues with you, just with some of the daft views you occasionally post. You do better to post on local shops, that is really helpful and good luck with it.

Richard Carter ● 2186d

Funny how so many people wanted Nick back on the forum. What's the matter Richard are you upset because members think more of him than you.

Barbara Stevens ● 2186d

Great Britain is a geographic term and is nothing to do with the 'greatness' of the country. The British Isles are the two islands of Britain and Ireland. The larger (greater) island is referred to as Great Britain. Our country of four nations has a more complicated title to include Northern Ireland. 

Sean Hodges ● 2186d

I thought being British meant being polite and being rather too reserved.  Are you sure you're your British Barbara?

Philippa Bond ● 2186d

Topic: Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Campaign To Reinstate Richard Carter Posted by: Barbara StevensDate/Time: 01/09/16 08:02:00There are not many regular people on the Forum and the people on it all the time that he argues with want him back I think that says it all.----------------------2016. Eh, Barbara?

David Ainsworth ● 2186d

Not quite right Sean - the term derives from the times when Brittany was a part of our lands - it was the smaller we were the greater, hence the name: good old William the Conqueror

Clifford Cowell ● 2186d

That's an impressive memory!

Matt Palmer ● 2186d

"If we had a curry it was Vespa Prawn."I remember those Barbara!  Vesta Chow Mein was another fave because the box contained a little packet of crispy noodles which was so exotic to me and was a luxury meal lol. Vesta Beef Curry was another 'treat'.😸I believe they are still available and very popular with hikers and other groups who camp out.

Sue Hammond ● 2186d

"That's an impressive memory!"I'll do anything for a giggle, me.Actually, I didn't remember Barbara's volte-face. I just remembered that the afore-mentioned Richard Carter was bounced some years ago (probably by a Forum robot censor program) and that people did speak up for him. The rest was a quick Forum Search. Finding Barbara was a bonus.Still trying to find the previous time Nick Gulliford left the Forum. In the last 2-3 years? The years do fly by, don't they? Anyhow, my memory may be biased and tricking me.

David Ainsworth ● 2186d

Ha Ha Sue,I must have thought about 2 days later it was Vesta.I must have been thinking of all the young men on their scooters,when we were about 16.

Barbara Stevens ● 2186d

Great Britain is originally a geographical term referring to the large island containing most of the nations England, Wales and Scotland, although according to Wikipedia it is now also used as a political term for the whole of England, Wales and Scotland; that is, Great Britain plus all the smaller islands that are part of those three nations. Britain is a synonym for the UK (the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).

Michael Ixer ● 2186d

Thank you David. Well found. Perhaps Richard should think about that when he goes on and on about Nick. Philippa are you really from Putney.

Barbara Stevens ● 2186d