Britishness

[Littgull]

I don't really accept the concept of countries but I do reluctantly accept that for the foreseeable future we are stuck with them!

[pwa]

Looking at it one way you could see Britishness as a gift. Because of the complex nature of national identity in the UK (and places like the Isle of Man that are not even part of the UK) we have a flexibility in our view of what national identity can be. Here in Wales I sometimes feel proud of my Englishness, but when Wales play England at rugby I don't want Wales to lose badly. Sometimes I find myself cheering for Wales. I hate it when English people are rude about the Welsh, or vice versa. I call myself British because it is a big enough blanket to cover all that I feel I am in terms of national identity.

My Dad is Irish and proud of it, but I don't feel much emotional attachment to Ireland. Not like I do to Wales and England. I believe I would get an Irish passport if I wanted one, which seems ridiculous to me. I'm not Irish.

I grew up on the outskirts of Bolton, a town with a substantial Asian population, so I am comfortable with the notion that Britishness does not mean white, Christian or whatever. It embraces Hinduism, Islam and other traditions.

[ChrisOntLancs]

german car, french beer and indian cuisine (a bit of a 90s response that soz)

humour defines us, i like that. i'm a fan of veep, a sort of american remake of the thick of it. it's part of a new trend in american comedy that's got a heavy british influence (and i do agree that they've had the same effect on us). in an interview stephen fry said something along the lines of the protagonist being an underdog in british comedy, but you're supposed to be laughing with them in american comedy. he probably put it much better but now as things change i see just how spot on that is.

nice thread. i want to start a "towns mint - pictures of manchester" thread but i haven't taken any photos of my bike in it

[blackbike]

An interest in Britishness seems to be confined to two sets of people.

There is at small number of people who loudly proclaim their pride in being British.

Then there is a larger minority of people who call themselves 'liberal' and who are always eager to tell us just how awful the British are compared to sophisticated, cosmopolitan foreigners.

Both these groups of people are a bit odd and nobody really takes much notice of them.

[Mistik-ka]

… I am comfortable with the notion that Britishness does not mean white, Christian or whatever. It embraces Hinduism, Islam and other traditions.

pwa, you are a credit to your nation.

[reohn2]

… I am comfortable with the notion that Britishness does not mean white, Christian or whatever. It embraces Hinduism, Islam and other traditions.

pwa, you are a credit to your nation.

Whatever nation that maybe

[pwa]

On a positive note, yesterday I arrived at my place of work and walking towards me was a young muslim woman I know, with her hair covered as her tradition dictates. As we passed she did what she always does and raised he right hand for a hi-5. I'm not the sort of person who finds hi-5ing natural, but of course I do it when someone requires it because it is a gesture of friendship. That young woman has Pakistani heritage, but she is British. Not only on paper, but also in the way that she is a part of our society. And because of people like her "Britishness" is redefined a little.

[reohn2]

On a positive note, yesterday I arrived at my place of work and walking towards me was a young muslim woman I know, with her hair covered as her tradition dictates. As we passed she did what she always does and raised he right hand for a hi-5. I'm not the sort of person who finds hi-5ing natural, but of course I do it when someone requires it because it is a gesture of friendship. That young woman has Pakistani heritage, but she is British. Not only on paper, but also in the way that she is a part of our society. And because of people like her "Britishness" is redefined a little.

Or was it just Humanness?

[pwa]

On a positive note, yesterday I arrived at my place of work and walking towards me was a young muslim woman I know, with her hair covered as her tradition dictates. As we passed she did what she always does and raised he right hand for a hi-5. I'm not the sort of person who finds hi-5ing natural, but of course I do it when someone requires it because it is a gesture of friendship. That young woman has Pakistani heritage, but she is British. Not only on paper, but also in the way that she is a part of our society. And because of people like her "Britishness" is redefined a little.

Or was it just Humanness?

That too. But also Britishness. I suppose part of what I mean is that she embodies some of what I see as the ideal way a British person should be, which is tolerant and accepting of others who are a bit different, and with a default setting of friendliness. People who are like that fit in. She is a good example of how muslims can and do live as British people, able to live in harmony with anyone who will give them a chance. I feel that in these times it is worth pointing out that most of our muslim neighbours are like that.

[reohn2]

On a positive note, yesterday I arrived at my place of work and walking towards me was a young muslim woman I know, with her hair covered as her tradition dictates. As we passed she did what she always does and raised he right hand for a hi-5. I'm not the sort of person who finds hi-5ing natural, but of course I do it when someone requires it because it is a gesture of friendship. That young woman has Pakistani heritage, but she is British. Not only on paper, but also in the way that she is a part of our society. And because of people like her "Britishness" is redefined a little.

Or was it just Humanness?

That too. But also Britishness. I suppose part of what I mean is that she embodies some of what I see as the ideal way a British person should be, which is tolerant and accepting of others who are a bit different, and with a default setting of friendliness. People who are like that fit in. She is a good example of how muslims can and do live as British people, able to live in harmony with anyone who will give them a chance. I feel that in these times it is worth pointing out that most of our muslim neighbours are like that.

What I'm trying to say is that the thing you term as Britishness isn't confined to British people but found throughout humanity it's all that's good in people,an intrinsic thing found in people's throughout the world neighbourliness, welcoming in of the stranger.
Groups such as Daesh,and it has to be said the UK with it's attitude towards certain other people's has been the source of division and scepticism of anything it seeks to demonise,Hussain and Gadaffi being prime examples,we are where we are because of what we did then.
Listening to Tim Parry speak on QT last night who said it all to me.
I can't agree with Britishness as you define it as it isn't unique to Britain.

[pwa]

Or was it just Humanness?

That too. But also Britishness. I suppose part of what I mean is that she embodies some of what I see as the ideal way a British person should be, which is tolerant and accepting of others who are a bit different, and with a default setting of friendliness. People who are like that fit in. She is a good example of how muslims can and do live as British people, able to live in harmony with anyone who will give them a chance. I feel that in these times it is worth pointing out that most of our muslim neighbours are like that.

What I'm trying to say is that the thing you term as Britishness isn't confined to British people but found throughout humanity it's all that's good in people,an intrinsic thing found in people's throughout the world neighbourliness, welcoming in of the stranger.
Groups such as Daesh,and it has to be said the UK with it's attitude towards certain other people's has been the source of division and scepticism of anything it seeks to demonise,Hussain and Gadaffi being prime examples,we are where we are because of what we did then.

Saddam was a bad lot. Nobody had to demonise him. Gadaffi not much better. But I set another thread for that topic...

Yes, of course some of the qualities I see as British ideals are not confined to Britain. But to fit in to modern Britain you do need to be tolerant of other people's differences, you need to be sensitive and keen not to offend, and you need to be slow to take offence. These are things that allow us to live peacefully together in spite of differences. Some white British people with British lineage going back centuries are rubbish at some of those, so in that sense some relatively recent arrivals and their UK born offspring display British ideals better than those whose families have been here a lot longer.

[reohn2]

Saddam was a bad lot. Nobody had to demonise him. Gadaffi not much better. But I set another thread for that topic...[/quote ]
We helped arm them,wound them up and let them loose,we knew what they were when we did that.We are the authors of the problems we now face.

Yes, of course some of the qualities I see as British ideals are not confined to Britain. But to fit in to modern Britain you do need to be tolerant of other people's differences, you need to be sensitive and keen not to offend, and you need to be slow to take offence. These are things that allow us to live peacefully together in spite of differences. Some white British people with British lineage going back centuries are rubbish at some of those, so in that sense some relatively recent arrivals and their UK born offspring display British ideals better than those whose families have been here a lot longer.

These requirements aren't confined to people living in Britain but requirements for living in any society.