What is British culture?
 

Almost all of us proudly entertain the view that United Kingdom is full of culture and traditions which have been around for hundreds of years. Also, there are many of us who believe, including our Prime Minister that multiculturalism has polluted the Great British culture and it’s one of the reasons people are turning to all kinds of extremism in Britain.

So in the spirit of promoting stronger national identity and "Britishness", how do you define the Great British Culture?

Re: What is British culture?
 

That kind of reminds me of a mythical philosophy exam topic that was being talked about when I was sitting my Baccalaureat: "define courage"... and the tale goes that one student replied " . " on his paper...

For me, culture goes hand in hand with heritage and our heritage is one of conquest (both being conquered and conquering). We live and breathe the consequences of that every day... it's neither good nor bad - it's just part of who we all are.

I love the people who complain about multiculturalism "polluting" British culture... how far back do they want to take it... maybe look into place names and remove all the "-chester"s (Roman) and all the Saxon references too... remove half our language, which is directly derived from French, then a large chunk of the grammar, which is germanic... oh and maybe, if in fact they are complaining about the influx of different cultures during the 20th century (without any reference to colour or religion) then maybe they should consider that we should have thought about the consequences of roflstomping over 1/3 of the globe a bit more...

... and invariably the biggest moaners happen to be the ones who don't 'arf like a nice kebab, chow mein or a curry on a Friday night. [rolls eyes]

Re: What is British culture?
 

http://chavspeak.info/wp-content/upl...chav-house.jpg

I lav it mate.

In all seriousness, I find this topic a waste of time to discuss. Though I come from the UK, I've barely lived there. I do identify with the country, but not it's inhabitants. I am however, quite comfortable in my sense of national identity which I play on obviously. People who believe their culture is being 'lost' don't have the confidence or a deeper understanding of their own culture to begin with. It's like a person who has no self esteem and totally lacking in confidence.

Re: What is British culture?
 

wtf?

Someone says they think the culture of their country has changed / been lost therefore they must have no self esteem and lack in confidence...I don't see the link.

Re: What is British culture?
 

no, I can see it. Culture isn't static or frozen in time, so it evolves naturally - for a culture to be lost, it needs to have been defined (hence this thread) and frozen in time.

If people think that British culture is something similar to how the Victorian Golden Age is portrayed (so without the nasty bits) then they're on a hiding to nothing because it was of its time... the world has moved on. What they actually mean is that they don't feel comfortable in today's culture, can't see where they fit in to it and would desperately love to fall back on a now somewhat twisted world view where being British was unquestionably valued (so they would also be valued by default, not through actually having to make a difference in life).

Respect without having to earn it, piggybacking off collective achievements, and whinging about lost values whilst eating their ready meal in front of Eastenders and f-ing and blinding in front of their kids.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Just don't get why that means the individual lacks confidence and self esteem. There is no link between the two.

Re: What is British culture?
 

The almighty wikipedia has a lot of info on British culture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_culture

But for specifics you'll learn why Britons are as unique as anyone else by looking at their business culture: http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/...n-Britain.html

Heritage Britain has some good info too: http://www.heritagebritain.com/

I agree that multiculturalism has helped foster extremism because Britain has a native population - it is not a nation geared for regular or sustained immigration (like the USA) and so rightly or wrongly people will see mass immigration without integration as a threat to their identity or at least feeling like the government has abandoned them to live in areas where increasingly they do not hear their own language, see their own people or experience their own culture in primacy, especially when their culture has been and is in many ways one of the most productive, advanced and generous in sharing it's technology, legal systems, governance models, medicine and wealth...

When the white man moves into the tribal lands of the Amazon and refuses to respect any of the customs of traditions of the locals it's a crime to be condemned by the UN.

When someone British even suggests asking immigrants to integrate before giving them citizenship it's a debate, and those who don't just get perpetual residency based on work and usefulness it's a debate, often focusing on what British culture is anyway :confused:. After all what are the native European cultures? Surely because another European group invaded Britain 1500 years ago or the Normans turned up in 1066 that makes the country one with a long proud history of immigration (odd how they always use military invasions as examples of "multiculturalism - or small pockets of traders/diplomats in centuries past as a reason why native Britons and those who adopt Britishness must accept all cultures - and therefore all law and governance systems, are equal in their own land :confused:).

N.

Re: What is British culture?
 

I know plenty of people in the UK who would explain how they feel like this because of the cultural and later financial destruction wrought by the English, particularly those from the South-East.

British culture is a very complex and multifaceted, and yes, multicultural thing - much of which is often ignored by those putting forward a very particular idea of British (actually English) culture.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Thoroughly good bunch of chaps though.

Re: What is British culture?
 

I'll do it in 3 pictures.......

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/...74_468x369.jpg

http://www.bigroast.com/wp-content/u...ast-dinner.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/92...4a6730a779.jpg

Re: What is British culture?
 

wait for someone to change the middle pic to a cuzza

Re: What is British culture?
 

Summed up in 3 pictures

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/a...82_699591a.jpg

http://www.cockneypride.co.uk/cockney2.jpg

http://jeffreyhill.typepad.com/.a/6a...5993ef1970c-pi

Frozen ready made leftovers.

Re: What is British culture?
 

I’m probably one of the few people who thinks the UK is much improved thanks to foreign people then :confused:.

As for what is British culture it depends who you ask and what period you are talking about. However our most dazzling mark must be our enduring manifestations of intellectual achievement and in that respect advancement in Science, Engineering, Government, Law and Industry are our greatest traditions. The pursuit of knowledge over all through rationalization and abstraction.

So you’ll find examples of our finest cultural achievements across the world :).

Re: What is British culture?
 

Surely we all have differing ideas of what constitutes British culture? Our perceptions will be different, as will our own experiences. It's a nebulous concept anyway but in my view includes, tolerance, fair play, an ability to laugh at ourselves and to poke fun at others, observance of the law, standing up for the underdog, afternoon or high tea, enjoying a roast dinner as much as a curry (whether a chicken tikka masala or Thai green), innovation, football and cricket, enjoying both high and low cultural pursuits, daft traditions such a cheese-rolling, Sunday papers, pub gardens, Marmite and an inate ability to queue properly.

Re: What is British culture?
 

I miss those two things the most.

Re: What is British culture?
 

You can get The Sunday Times here, or the International version at least which basically gives you the best bits. Or read the UK versions on a iPad. next best thing; in fact better as no paper to get rid of afterwards.

Once the weather cools, you'll find plenty of places where you can sit outside and drink. Some are quite pleasant as well.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Haven't managed to convince myself I need an iPad yet. When I do try it won't take much but have come here to save, not be a muppet. Sorely tempted though.

I like the way everytime someone suggests somewhere you have to check if it's nice or not.

Re: What is British culture?
 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F4HAKG9tKh.../Grove+inn.jpg

The pub. An institution like no other. I sorely miss lazy days in this particular pub during my stint in Huddersfield. 18 hand pulled ales on constant rotation, 200+ different beers on bottle, and numerous European beers on draught. Probably the best den of inequity I ever visited, beer wise. The snack menu was equally as impressive.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Interesting. I liken The Cellar (before it warms up) in Abu Dhabi to a traditional pub on a wet Wednesday afternoon in 'uddersfield, although obviously not The Grove. Wish The Cellar had that array of beer (and snacks), although I'll bet The Celler wins hands down in degrees of iniquity.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Don't get this - please explain?

Re: What is British culture?
 

Just as it says. There are several groups in the UK who would claim the English have tried to diminish their local culture. Who complain they no longer hear their own language in the streets because it has been replaced by English.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Why do you say the South East in particular?

Re: What is British culture?
 

The Welsh have been trying to save their language from going extinct due to dominance of English.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Because most of the cultural superiority shown by the English has its roots in London and the Home Counties. Ask the Cornish.

Quite so...

Re: What is British culture?
 

well they have been doing that for quite a few years now, and it's great...one of the girls i worked with had welsh as her first language, as did her boyfriend...i think it's really important as it would be a tragedy if the language died...

MM, xx

Re: What is British culture?
 

Rather not associate with such riff-raff - I'll just style my centre-parting, have another Pimms and see how Quentin and Jemima are doing at today's 'Rich vs Richer' polo match.

I come from the South East don't you know.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Unbelievable isn't it, we give the rest of the country electricity and the wheel. What does one get in return? Insolence.

Re: What is British culture?
 

18 hand pulled Ales? This sounds like heaven...is it still there?

N.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Haha..in all seriousness though I see no major difference in the various regions of England in terms of who is more English than the others. It's most class and accents, we are all equally annoying, arrogant and complain too much. That said the people in the North and West tend to be friendlier in my own experience...and I am a southerner.

Quite right about the dominance over the Welsh, Scots, Irish etc...but we've seen official attempts to reverse that or at least make the older languages of the British Isles available to people who live in those parts and want to learn them which is fantastic. If we ever had a written constitution I'd definitely support a clause stating English is the language of government and commerce but all the Gaelic languages are also officially recognised and should be taught in school in the Celtic parts and perhaps be options for schools in England too...there's plenty of Celtic/Saxon mix people who are interested in that sort of thing.

N.

Re: What is British culture?
 

I guessed :rofl:

I'm not saying all of the South East is like that. I did live in London for a while ;)

Re: What is British culture?
 

British culture can be summarised as 'moaning about the weather, tax and the destruction of British culture'

Re: What is British culture?
 

True...you could also include automatically knowing how to stand in a queue and the concept of fair play as well.

Understatement is a huge part of British culture and confounds foreigners far more than we think it does.

N.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Ha, so true.

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=3154

Re: What is British culture?
 

Not seen that before. It's excellent.

One of my favourites has always been the phrase 'with the greatest respect' which we all know really means 'I have no respect for you at all and am about to insult you and call you an ignorant fool'.

Re: What is British culture?
 

hahaha, it reminds me of the letters government ministers send in reply to nutters, saying... "thank you for your letter of 12 july, the contents of which i have noted with interest"...!

MM, xx

Re: What is British culture?
 

Excellent. I used to work with a guy who used to read from the middle column to avoid such misunderstandings. Bit of a shock at first, but once you got used to it you always knew where you stood.

Re: What is British culture?
 

How to tell you are British:

• You stand in line or queue without trying to push in front of people and you avoid standing too close to them.
• You will stop at a red light even in the middle of the desert at night with no cars or camera's around.
• Only recovering alcoholics, drivers or people with medical conditions have an excuse for not drinking. You'll even drink at lunchtime before going back to work and think nothing of it.
• Generally speaking you'd rather be right than liked.
• You're likely to have stronger loyalty/loathing and opinion of comedy and TV shows like Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, The Office, Only Fools and Horses, Big Brother, Eastenders etc. than you do about religion in most cases.
• You count yourself lucky if you have five weeks of holidays a year.
• You expect trains to run faster than cars but also expect them to rarely be on time.
• You're highly likely to find the French annoying, especially if English. They are the de facto tribal enemy, even more so that Germans...whom you may grudgingly admit were a worthy adversary and have rather good beer.
• Dates are read day, month and year.
• You expect marriage to be for love, and generally not arranged by parents or other family members. Although introductions might be acceptable in a broader social context provided it's discreet.
• If you're a woman you might go topless at the beach. Also, in most aspects of life don't expect to be treated differently because of your gender.
• You seriously expect to conduct business or deal with officials without paying bribes.
• You expect to be able to cross the street at any pedestrian crossing without fear.
• When you enter a taxi you expect to give them a street name and perhaps a reference to a nearby street or area and arrive there without any further discussion.
• Raising your voice is generally vulgar except at sports games or perhaps when drinking in your local pub.
• How you say something is often as important as what you say - sometimes more so.
• Pants are something to be worn under trousers; suspenders keep up stockings and maintaining constant eye contact isn’t very important during Bacon is always made from pork and shouldn't be too crispy, proper beer is served at cellar temperature and you probably have more double meanings and indirect ways of saying something than most traditional East Asian people.

Any more we can add to this list of uniquely British things?

N.

Re: What is British culture?
 

You have Marmite in the cupboard whether you like it or not.

Re: What is British culture?
 

Anyone remember a TV program on LTW (i think) called "Mind your language" ??

Re: What is British culture?