But I got stuck because we are so contradictory. Whatever truisms exist about the English, the converse could easily be true.
eg: We are polite and considerate. (Oh yes? What about our proudest export, football hooligans?)
We are reserved. (But ply us with alcohol and we turn into Viking berserkers.)
We moan and bitch and grumble all the time (but are surprisingly stoic in the face of serious shit like, you know, being bombed).
We love talking about the weather. (Can't argue with this one actually. It's the one thing that unites rich and poor, young and old, black and white, etc).
My feeling is that the best book ever written to describe the English was Billy Liar - we are a nation of fantastists.
Still from the film
No, it's no good, I don't have Alda's talent. Help me out here. What do you think? How are we perceived? If you're not English, what do you think of us?
(And is it a stupid question? Does nationality really make a difference?)
20 comments:
Annie, you flatter me, you really do! [Really really. And I can't agree about the talent bit - after all I found your 66 things absolutely compelling.]
In any case I read what you have to say about the English with great interest. I'm convinced the Icelandic and English are very similar - filled with paradox.
I like English humor.
I think the culture of a nationality has some effect on how we turn out. I never like to stereotype though. That makes it too easy to confuse the faults of one for the faults of many. Viking berserkers, for instance ;)
Sarcasm - we're the most sarcastic nation on the planet - or is that just me?
Alda, missing you already... I wasn't fishing for compliments, honest!
I'd love to visit Iceland, have been fascinated ever since a Sugarcubes gig in the 80s with Bjork wearing an emerald green chiffon ballgown over red silk pyjama bottoms, looking like she was about 7 but with the lung power of a prima donna...
I think island people (doesn't matter what size the island) are slightly barking, and that's what makes them interesting.
Viking, I didn't mean you. I'm sure you do your berserking in a calm and civilized manner. What English humour do you like? Any TV programmes? I wonder how they read abroad...
US - no, it's just you. ;-)
Today I bought - 'Instructions For American Servicemen in Britain 1942' - if you want an amusing take on the Brits then it's a fiver very well spent.
My favourite quote - "When you see a girl in khaki or air-force blue with a bit of ribbon on her tunic - remember she didn't get it for kniting more socks than anyone else in Ipswich..."
I love Mr. Bean and Fawlty Towers, possibly the best two TV shows ever.
But I really meant the humor of the average Englishman... That sarcasm Soldier mentioned. And laughing about yourself as much as you laugh about others.
Quoting from a Scottish Soldier at the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland about 12 years ago:
"English? Baaaastards. Hate 'em."
Anyhoo, I don't hate 'em. Being Irish, I am predisposed to hate the English, but like, they're alright, I s'pose. Apart from the odd asshole and bigot here and there, but it's the same in every country, isn't it?
US - what did she get the ribbon for? What are they trying to say? The mind boggles.
Viking - out of all the English comedy programmes, you choose Mr Bean? No accounting for tastes.
Matt, you've gone all anonymous. Once I worked at Glastonbury and all the security guards that year were Irish. Witnessing some of the stupid ignorant verbal abuse they suffered working the gates was an eye-opener.
Still, it's so easy hating a whole country full of people, isn't it? Saves the trouble of getting to know actual individuals...
Annie,
Apropos your photy of Tom Courtney and Julie Christie, I love that film. Especially the poignant ending where Liz has the courage to leave and Billy's exposed as the bullshitter he truly is. Fantastic ending. Two endings in fact, one of hope (for women) and one forlorn (for those of us who dare not leave). For me it remains one of the great movies, very understated.
Oh yeah, to answer your question. Fantasising, or dreaming is part of the human condition, it is a feature of our humanity, so it's not a national thing. Re nationalism, I consider myself an internationalist. I'm not responsible for being born British but I am responsible to an extent for how I perceive the world and all the people in it. As an internationalist I take enormous pleasure in the diversity in human life and culture. It cheers me up that I live in such a cosmopolitan city, full of richness and variety. Lucky ol me, is what I think.
Me too, Dan. I think the book (and film) says something about the English character though, if you can generalise.
Of course all people dream but like Billy, we often don't act on it, just day-dream and think "if only". Consider the way people here feel about successful people compared to Americans... envious, where they are inspired.
(I'm saying English as I can't speak on behalf of the Welsh, Irish or Scottish, I'm sure they don't think of themselves as British ;-))
It's very easy to hate an entire country rather than getting to know the individual people, that's where racism comes from essentially, isn't it? I would never tar an entire country with the same brush as some bigoted fecker who called me 'Irish' and meant it in a bad way. It was only when I lived (briefly) in England that I discovered that 'Irish' could be a bad word.
But anyhoo, we're talking about the English. And I think currently, nationality does make a difference, but someday it won't, and I can't wait for that day.
I think being English is like being part of a very large family in the way we react. For example, we´re very good at putting ourselves down, but should anyone try and slander or mock or misrepresent us we jump up and defend. Just like you would for a brother or sister - I can slag off my brother, but you can´t!!! I found myself in my Spanish class the other day fiercely asserting that Charlie Chaplin was indeed English, rather than the American that most of the class thought. I don´t even like him, but a sudden urge of patriotism swept through me and now my peers are in no doubt of his lineage. Or am I just suffering from expat-itus???
"Charlie Chaplin. He's one of ours, I tell you!"
Em, you want to watch that expat-itus. Next you'll be carrying a furled umbrella and wearing a bowler hat.
I know, I´m carrying a copy of the FT and tutting at the weather!!!!! Quick - get me to a tapas bar!
I've been so long, I couldn't tell you how I perceive anyone.
I'm a Londoner these days anyhow.
Interesting point. Do people say you're different when you go back home?
Hmmm, how do non-Brits see Brits.
Sarcastic. Nuts. Funny, as in great sense of humour. Compassionate. Book lovers. Very polite. Oh, and don't forget, in oz they call you 'the whinging Poms' :-)
Sarcastic? Us? Never... And we do like a whinge. Which is funny, as an English expression dear to our hearts is "Mustn't grumble."
I think that should read ¨must grumble¨
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