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| ▲ | biofox 6 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | I think there is a lot of truth in that. It led to the death of patriotism (which is now considered embarrassing outside of sport), national purpose, institutions, empire, and coincided with the decline of heavy industry (which only happened much more recently in the US). EDIT: Saying that, there is still a strong positive national identity. We're just too embarrassed to express it strongly (see patriotism), because of our fall from grace. | | |
| ▲ | arethuza 4 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | Going by the variety of flags i see people flying I'd say there is quite a lot of patriotism about - just not for the UK. | |
| ▲ | jimbokun 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | I also think there is a breaking point, and we're seeing the resurgence of right wing parties in the UK and across Europe as a backlash to anti-patriotism and praise for everyone except those with a long history in their own nation. |
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| ▲ | spacebanana7 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | Totally agree, WW1 is really the root cause of all of Britains problems. Victory wasn't worth the cost. It would've been better to give the entire empire to the Germans to maintain peace. It'd be lost anyway in a short amount of time. Even forcing King George and Kaiser Wilhelm to marry would've been better for them than German Republicanism and the British Royals becoming Kardashians with crowns. | |
| ▲ | danaris 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | A large portion of the UK hasn't really accepted or internalized the fact that the British Empire is no longer a thing, and they're not the most powerful nation in the world, nor anywhere close to it. (...And yes, that does sound like what it looks like is coming for the US, though it's not quite there yet.) | | |
| ▲ | arethuza 6 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | I do know the type of person you are talking about and I don't think it's the Empire as such (which is long gone) but the lingering on of the kind of exceptionalism that was used to justify the Empire. Wonderful sayings like: "Remember that you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first prize in the lottery of life." Cecil Rhodes Mind you - perhaps I'm just bitter because I'm a Scot ;-) | |
| ▲ | hydrogen7800 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | I visited London several years ago, and in the house we were staying was a relatively short book describing, for lack of a better term, "British exceptionalism", and it resonated with me as an American. I don't recall that much, but I do remember the idea, for example, that the European Union was seen to be a good thing in the eyes of the archetypal Brit "for the continent", and not for the British isles. Always exempting themselves from international cooperation/norms/laws, etc. I think America inherited a lot from the British (certainly not an original idea of mine). | | |
| ▲ | arethuza 4 hours ago | parent [-] | | Yes Minister explains it nicely: "Minister, Britain has had the same foreign policy objective for at least the last 500 years: to create a disunited Europe. In that cause we have fought with the Dutch against the Spanish, with the Germans against the French, with the French and Italians against the Germans, and with the French against the Germans and Italians. Divide and rule, you see. Why should we change now, when it's worked so well?" |
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| ▲ | globular-toast 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | That's quite true. On a recent trip I got talking to a girl from somewhere in Europe. She spoke perfect English, of course. At some point she remarked, rather bluntly, "It must be strange for you guys because you used to rule the world." I made a joke but internally I was reeling: used to? I'm almost 40 and still hadn't realised this. Later I was talking to another 20-something, British this time, who didn't know Dr Martens were British. I asked where he thought they were from, "I guess I assumed they were American". Sigh... | |
| ▲ | alimw 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | And yet... TFA |
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