Are you proud to be British ?

[Lehaut]

On topic;

Embarrassed to be British’: Brexit study reveals impact on UK citizens in EU

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/04/brexit-study-reveals-impact-britons-in-eu

[ko12x2]

Having 3 nationalities, 3 passports, a family that has, over the past 3 centuries, established branches in Canada, USA, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Spain, South Africa, Mauritius, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand (at least half of them still flourishing) I can't help feeling that this thread is, if occasionally entertaining, strangely parochial and that for a country in which all/most of us do not live. 

[EuroTr@sh]

Revisiting this, it struck me that perhaps one reason why the phrase "proud to be British" turns me off, is the implication that the fact of being British actually makes one superior to other nationalities. Otherwise, why would you be "proud" of it? Doesn't being proud of something imply that there is something a bit exceptional and aspirational about it?

And I don't understand why there seems to be this accusation in the air that if you're not proud of something, that means you're ashamed of it. Most aspects about me and my life I'm neither proud of nor ashamed of. I accept them, I'm comfortable with them. Some aspects I think were a stroke of luck how they turned out, some aspects are a bit of a compromise, but generally I don't give the nuts and bolts of ET's existence much thought from one year to the next. Being British is just one nut, or perhaps it's a bolt, I don't think about it until people start asking daft non-questions. (Sorry ALBF, but this is one of your dafter questions.)

Edited May 7, 2022 by EuroTr@sh

[alittlebitfrench]

2 hours ago, ko12x2 said:

Having 3 nationalities, 3 passports, a family that has, over the past 3 centuries, established branches in Canada, USA, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Spain, South Africa, Mauritius, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand (at least half of them still flourishing) I can't help feeling that this thread is, if occasionally entertaining, strangely parochial and that for a country in which all/most of us do not live. 

I think what makes my proud of being British is that the UK it is the best example in the world where multiculturalism can work.

I invite anyone say differently. 

I would love the idea of living in a country where everyone on my street comes from different countries, different backgrounds, different ideas.

That won't happen in France. 

[EuroTr@sh]

The best example in the world, well I wouldn't know about that because I haven't lived everywhere in the world but I have heard that Canada and Australia are comfortable with being very multicultural, and Sweden too.

Maybe still a work in process in the UK? 

https://www.stophateuk.org/about-hate-crime/racism-in-the-uk/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2020-to-2021/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2020-to-2021

Then there were the BLM protests last year and all the fuss about "taking the knee", all very divisive, what was that all about if the UK is already one big happy multicultural society. And do you remember this nasty little episode from last year? https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2022/01/13/racist-online-trolls-to-be-banned-from-uk-football-matches-for-up-to-10-years/

But I won't say anything about rose tints.

However I do take my hat off to you ALBF because while I genuinely don't consider myself racist - I think any tendencies in that direction that I used to have were flattened out once and for all when I lived in South London in my early 20s which is a long time ago now - I have to be honest and say I wouldn't choose to live in a street where everybody is culturally different from me. It would take me outside my comfort zone. I don't think that makes me racist, any more than it makes me ageist because I wouldn't choose to live in a street full of students. I just find it easier to relate to people who have similar backgrounds and expectations and assumptions to mine. Don't most people find that or am I particularly lazy?

Edited May 7, 2022 by EuroTr@sh

[betise]

36 minutes ago, alittlebitfrench said:

 

I would love the idea of living in a country where everyone on my street comes from different countries, different backgrounds, different ideas.

That won't happen in France. 

Oh I don't know ALBF, if I threw a stone (hard enough) it would land in the garden of French, English, Australian, Welsh, Dutch, Portuguese or Belgian neighbours. Perhaps not completely multicultural, but most of them have French nationality, yet retain a part of their own heritage and culture.

It has never occurred to me to ask if they are proud of their heritage, but they all root for their own when rugby or football are concerned, yet also join the celebrations, without hesitation, if France should win.