What Is British?, page 4

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reply posted on 2-10-2008 @ 05:44 PM by Mintwithahole.

reply to post by Merriman Weir

"
You can talk about catchment areas all you want, but it stands, Liverpool hasn't "contributed more entertainers etc to this country than anywhere else". There's been some genuinely significant contributions (again the Beatles) but as for pure numbers? Sorry, that's not the case.
"

In future when people define the word "wrong" they will refer to what you wrote above. . .

As for what is Britishness? Being British is pulling your tripe out for ten hours a day just to break even. Being taxed to the high heavens while having your rights and civil liberties removed. Its about being told to be loyal and true to ones country while the rulers of the said country treat you like dirt. Being asked to put your life on the line and fight for your country only for those you fought for to reduce your pensions and in the case of the Gurkhas, refuse to let you live in that country! Its about a green and pleasant land which is continually being built on while houses remain boarded up and derelict. Laws that don't apply to the rich. Its about being governed by people who couldn't run a p**s-up in a brewery, who continually get it wrong, and then blame the sick, elderly or the unemployed for all the countries woes. Security cameras on every corner watching your every move!
Britishness is an out of date concept. An illusion. Hence the reason the union between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is slowly falling apart. Believe me, another ten years and there will be no UK just four independent countries occupying the British Isles.

reply posted on 3-10-2008 @ 02:48 AM by Merriman Weir

Originally posted by Mintwithahole.
reply to post by Merriman Weir

"
You can talk about catchment areas all you want, but it stands, Liverpool hasn't "contributed more entertainers etc to this country than anywhere else". There's been some genuinely significant contributions (again the Beatles) but as for pure numbers? Sorry, that's not the case.
"

In future when people define the word "wrong" they will refer to what you wrote above. . .

Seriously, this is getting tiring now. The list that you provided doesn't constitute an over-representation of talent when compared to other areas of the country. Think of all the bands that have ever come out of Britain - seriously, all those bands, and you honestly believe that more come out of Liverpool - despite as you admit, it has a much smaller population than many other cities in the country - than anywhere else? The same goes for comedians and writers too?

I can understand someone being proud of their city of birth, but this is stretching it.

reply posted on 3-10-2008 @ 03:08 AM by Merriman Weir

I think one of the aspects of Britishness is that it's always rooted in a past that's always just out of reach. Much of the national identity of the individual nations that make-up Britain has, to an extent a forged past that is rarely what it seems. Whilst there's always been a mythologising throughout history, there was a major revival of sorts into the notion of shared national identity that swept much of Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries which culminated in such diverse things as the Third Reich and Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings'.

This revival was reflected in various fields from art, non-Christian belief, history and so on and helped create a mythology that, to a degree, solidified as a pseudo-reality which set the foundations for what many people believe to be the origins of national identity. There was a massive interest in 'folk as history' during this time. This certainly created the 'Celtic' revival that informs what people think of Scotland and Ireland and to a much lesser extent Wales - which American Celtic revivalists seem less desperate to romanticise for some reason; maybe it's too close to the Evil English?

Anyway, here's a link to a Flickr page with a load of Punch 'British character' cartoons on it.

[edit on 3-10-2008 by Merriman Weir]

reply posted on 3-10-2008 @ 01:47 PM by SciDoc

When I lived in England, I always considered myself "English". But when I moved to the United States, americans would always refer to me as being "British". I rarely get called english here.

Frankly I don't care...as long as you know what I am talking about, and what country that is, its fine.

So the difference between, Britain, England, United Kingdom, The Commonwealth in my head is as follows:

Britain = England
United Kingdom = England, Wales, Scotland
Commonwealth = The above, Canada, Australia + Bahamas, Jamaica etc.

reply posted on 3-10-2008 @ 02:09 PM by Merriman Weir

Originally posted by SciDoc

So the difference between, Britain, England, United Kingdom, The Commonwealth in my head is as follows:

Britain = England
United Kingdom = England, Wales, Scotland
Commonwealth = The above, Canada, Australia + Bahamas, Jamaica etc.

Yes, it can get pretty complicated. I struggle myself at times with this, no wonder 'Johnny Foreigner' gets confused. That said, there's no excuse for things like 'is England in London?' type comments I've genuinely come across in the past.

[edit on 3-10-2008 by Merriman Weir]

reply posted on 3-10-2008 @ 02:31 PM by SciDoc

reply to post by Merriman Weir

Oh yes. I have gotten that one too. I have also gotten "do they speak british in britain?" or the "what language do they speak there?", "isn't that close to paris?", "have you met the Queen?"

Quite embarassing for them when you have to explain the answer.

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