UK : What *are* "core British values?"

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UK : What are "core British values?"

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January 25, 2007 at 11:31 am

#691613
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General Lighting

@general-lighting

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6294643.stm

I can see what they are getting at….

I’ve always been happy to consider myself as “British Asian” as it is a unique culture and community that has contributed a lot to this country…

but I do think a lot of white kids are now left unsure of their identities and insecure..

OTOH I think one problem is that British people are often too quick to moan and criticise one another without looking for a solution and they create negativity that destroys enthusiasm (particularly that of kids)

Plus a lot of successes of Britain were (and to an extent still are) in the fields of engineering (railways, telecommunications and computers) and these things are no longer seen as “cool”.

And when we do have something good/fun in Britain we tend to flog it to death (like the rave culture) and it is then often suppressed by the hand of the authorities when it gets too “anarchic/hedonistic”

I still think there is a lot of tolerance in this country (lets face it, where else in the world would people still get away with unlicensed use of land and buildings without payment for 17 years? There are many places where the cops or property owners would have defended their resources with firearms!), and a lot of free speech, but ironically they are under threat from the constant moans and whinges of the very people who benefit from it…

And TBH if I really wanted to I could emigrate to SE Asia fairly quickly – but I still prefer to live in the UK…

There is obviously something good about this country, but its hard to defiine (and probably even harder to teach to kids).

what does everyone else think?

Also interested to hear what those of you who don’t live in the UK think of Britain..
January 28, 2007 at 1:56 pm

#880321
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

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no takers on this?

Surely some of you must have an idea of “what it is to be British”, or for those outside the UK – what do you perceive “British culture” to be?

OK maybe not “bowler hats and umbrella” any more, nor Tony Blair’s now abandoned “Cool Britannia” spin, but I do think stuff like the underground rave scene and the music/art associated with it are a good example of British culture…

I think its possible to be proud to be British without being overly nationalistic or having a “superiority complex”; and to accept that although things are far from perfect there are many good things here…
January 28, 2007 at 3:47 pm

#880328
1

665

@665

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I feel the way you describe UK in your first post could be applied to France,especially about criticizing and negativism,wich are actually(an since a long time) THE french sport.

But IMO,what you’ve got in UK is the “touch of fun”,we desperatly try to copy…It’s not easy to describe,it’s more a deep feeling than a clear idea.I saw it when UK tribes(SP 23 i.e.) came to France after the CJA:french soon copied their way of life,but in a more “serious way”.British are the inventors of electronic culture,IMO.

Uk had,and still have,a great influence on European culture,as this country invented styles,musics and fashions,wich have been soon re-invented their way by others E.U. countries.You’re kind of “pioneers”,I guess…Living an island with such a shitty weather could be an explaination?

I’ve allways felt close to Britons,I love your sense of humour,wich is a proof of higher state of mind : )

The only thing U.K. misses is decent food : ) :laugh_at:
January 29, 2007 at 1:40 am

#880323
1

globalloon

@globalloon

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politicians go on about “fairness”

that was a scandinavian value, until the current blairite govt came to power

i reckon personal liberty *was* the common binding factor of our society, until relatively recently

fuck knows what it is now… grassng up your neighbours?
January 29, 2007 at 9:19 am

#880327
1

Tank Girl

@tank-girl

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not sure what your after but myself being a white girl grown up in a suburb of london :

I was brought up to be open, honest, have manners and accept responsibility for myself (whether I wanted to or not) – to offer help and support to others

To stand up for what I believe in but remain open minded and that everyone has the right to freedom of speech (even if I dont always agree with them ) and protest in a peaceful manner

To have environmentatal responsibility and that we individually ‘can all do our bit’

To be and individual and creative, and not go with the flow

I’ve not been brought up religious or into tthe morarchy or anything like that,
I gave up geography and history as soon as I could at school – which I do regret as I have very little knowledge in these fields that have put me in a disadvantage during conversations etc.
I had / have friends from different cultures and I guess I have been influenced by them and I think that this is a good thing

I think he music scene here is a great influence, and some fashions that have been here in the past have influeced other nations (however I’m personally not refering to Chav culture 😉 )
Sense of humour – apparently we have a dry sense of humour

I dont think I’ve ever ‘known what it is to be *british* ‘ as my idea of ‘britts abroard’ is my idea of hell and I dont want to be associated with that. :hopeless:
January 30, 2007 at 6:23 am

#880325
1

marcusblanc

@marcusblanc

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globalloon wrote:

politicians go on about “fairness”

that was a scandinavian value, until the current blairite govt came to power

i reckon personal liberty *was* the common binding factor of our society, until relatively recently

fuck knows what it is now… grassng up your neighbours?

Thing is, there isn’t anything written down about personal liberty – we need a bill of rights, or something.

If we had one, it might stop the creeping ‘big brother v2’, that we seem to be pioneering.:hopeless:

I know what i was taught were ‘british’ values – decency, fair play, tolerance etc, etc.

But i think its always been a fairly thin veneer, which slips when the going gets tough. But its probably no different to most places, and certainly better than some.

Of course, part of the problem is that ‘British’ is an imperial construct… ‘Britains never, never, never, will be slaves’, ‘Britannia rules the waves(?)’… thats ‘core’ values for you!

God i’m a miserable git sometimes! 😉 I’ll leave this thread for people with positive things to say
January 30, 2007 at 11:47 am

#880329
1

Anarkismo

@anarkismo

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Being British is about going to foriegn countries, getting intoxicated with beer and fighting the locals, just like back in the rape and pillage days
January 30, 2007 at 1:35 pm

#880322
6

General Lighting

@general-lighting

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marcusblanc wrote:

Thing is, there isn’t anything written down about personal liberty – we need a bill of rights, or something.

since 1998 we’ve had the Human Rights Act – but look at how much its criticised by the right wing, particularly when rights are given to people whom they don’t like (and have a look at the get-out clauses in the official copy of the legislation below)

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/80042–d.htm#sch1

Quote:

If we had one, it might stop the creeping ‘big brother v2’, that we seem to be pioneering.:hopeless:

unfortunately geography, terrain and culture are on the side of the surveillance society.

The UK is a small country with a finite amount of transport infrastructure; so its possible to closely monitor all movements in this country.

Plus as others have said we are now developing a culture of being prepared to scrutinise and inform on our neighbours if we do not agree with their actions (why else is the “Big Brother” television show so popular here?)

Also, surveillance will not diminish until the “war on drugs” ends. I think this may also be the case across the EU and even worldwide that al human rights laws are overruled by the need to “protect the world from drug addiction”.

Quote:

I know what i was taught were ‘british’ values – decency, fair play, tolerance etc, etc.

But i think its always been a fairly thin veneer, which slips when the going gets tough. But its probably no different to most places, and certainly better than some.

This is true, although most EU nations are in the same situation. But if we don’t all pull together there is a real danger of a worse conflict than World War II in the near future (perhaps not even an all out war between nations but linked civil disturbances within nations), as communities try to protect their individual interests..

I think Britain needs to realise that increasingly its a modern European nation with close cultural, social and economic links to Asia rather than trying to act too much like the USA…

Also as strange as it may sound I think its Middle Englanders who are destroying this country – a kind of “siege mentality” which is hard to explain. It isn’t yet as bad as people blowing themselves up on public transport but manifests itself in a withdrawal of support and investment for communities, social networks, and whilst being participants in the consumer society, spreading negativity, cynicism and hate everywhere…

Even the Blair government wasn’t that bad from 1997 to 2001, but Middle England backlashes and the deteriorating social and world situation wiped out all the positive things that happened then..
January 30, 2007 at 8:08 pm

#880324
1

Raj

@raj

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The British are the masters of the art of understatement.
[The one thing I have been able to come up with in all the time that this thread has been going that I think of as characteristically British:groucho:]
February 5, 2007 at 5:30 am

#880326
1

marcusblanc

@marcusblanc

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General Lighting wrote:

since 1998 we’ve had the Human Rights Act – but look at how much its criticised by the right wing, particularly when rights are given to people whom they don’t like (and have a look at the get-out clauses in the official copy of the legislation below)

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/80042–d.htm#sch1

err, oops, shows what i know! i’ll have to re-adjust my standard issue rant…:hopeless:
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