British Expats

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Moving back or to the UK (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/)
-   -   why Oz? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/why-oz-254129/)

Badge Sep 15th 2004 11:01 am

Re: why Oz?
 

Originally Posted by CPW
It's very popular in certain circles to criticise anything British - and probably more particularly anything English. Some people, including some English people, seem to regard it almost as a badge of honour to be disparaging about British/English people, customs, traditions, music, food, religion: everything in fact. Some of the same people criticise anything American too.

I have my ideas about why this happens, but I still haven't completely got my head around it.

Like all places, Britain has its good and its bad points. I'd say that its good points outweight its bad ones by a long way, though - and I'd also say the same for Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada ...

agreed. I think both the UK and Australia's goods points outweigh its bad points. I think you are right though about 'Baggin Britain' - it is has gone on for too long - I am not talking about the recent (last 5 years) trend in the gutter tabloid press or populist sentiment; but a general ''malaise'' - look at how proud the Scots, Irish and Welsh are - the English don't have a patch on them. This may be due to less to prove, but it does seem fashionable for some while to knock England.

Incidentally, I had a lecturer at University who argued that English culture, and to an extent, British culture is based on ''negativity'' (not his exact words, it's my recollection) - emotive I know - but he set out to explain why - and I could see where he was coming from - I have never seen Britain in the same light since. It was quite sobering; he was not even a left wing intellectual grinding an axe but an old priveleged Tory grandee in character.

There are many things about England (Britain) I am proud of and love, eg. Rugby Union, the Armed Forces to name a few.

BM

Covenant Sep 15th 2004 1:59 pm

Re: why Oz?
 

Originally Posted by Badge
agreed. I think both the UK and Australia's goods points outweigh its bad points. I think you are right though about 'Baggin Britain' - it is has gone on for too long - I am not talking about the recent (last 5 years) trend in the gutter tabloid press or populist sentiment; but a general ''malaise'' - look at how proud the Scots, Irish and Welsh are - the English don't have a patch on them. This may be due to less to prove, but it does seem fashionable for some while to knock England.

Incidentally, I had a lecturer at University who argued that English culture, and to an extent, British culture is based on ''negativity'' (not his exact words, it's my recollection) - emotive I know - but he set out to explain why - and I could see where he was coming from - I have never seen Britain in the same light since. It was quite sobering; he was not even a left wing intellectual grinding an axe but an old priveleged Tory grandee in character.

There are many things about England (Britain) I am proud of and love, eg. Rugby Union, the Armed Forces to name a few.

BM


Aye, The Uk is still a beautiful place, trouble is, few of us bother to look round.


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