FTAO BRITISH PEOPLE

[Sharon]

Yeah so, I have to do an assesment in Citizenship and my 3 questions I need to answer are:

1) What does being British mean to you?
2) Are you proud to be British?
3) How does being British make you feel?

Where as I realise my opninion may be different, I'm struggling for ideas.

CAN ANYONE ANSWER THESE FOR ME TO PINCH IDEAS

[Jay.]

1. Being unemployed
2. No.
3. Sad.

[dbgtz]

1) What does being British mean to you?
It means nothing really.

2) Are you proud to be British?
Yes and no. Yes at how we once were but no considering how we currently are in terms of politics and stuff. If were talking about the country as a whole, no I believe a lot of people here are a complete disgrace, and these might only be a significant few, they bring everyone down. I'm also sick of how everything seems to be mega overpriced here compared to the USA.
One final note if this is included here, I do enjoy seeing England win at sports and competitions.

3) How does being British make you feel?
It makes me feel no different as to if I was a citizen of a country in the west.

[Neversoft]

1) What does being British mean to you?
Not much but I like my accent.

2) Are you proud to be British?
Yes.

3) How does being British make you feel?
Awesome.

[Mathew]

Oh I don't know. On one hand I think we're lucky to have the Welfare State with free healthcare and education.... and it's also nice to come from a country with such rich history and culture.

But then again, after returning from a holiday in the United States, I can't help but despise this country SO MUCH. You drive down a road and you have hundreds of road markings, speed bumps, speed cameras, police cars hiding in bushes.... all in place to CONTROL. I feel the UK is becoming too much of a nanny state; they are creating a false image of wanting to protect us, when in fact it is merely to control and impose power (very much like Habbox, some would say.. ;)).

Whilst talking about politics, I also think the United Kingdom has a STUPIDLY slack immigration system. If you're coming from a country within the EU, it's pretty much a free border and you're allowed to live in our country and claim from our benefits system. Absolute tosh. Compare this to the United States and you've got the two extremes already.

The US seems so much more relaxed. Sure they have to pay for healthcare and sure it's a fairly modern society in comparison to the UK.... but it's just a pleasure to visit their country. We have visited many places in the US, far away from tourist hotspots and the likes. If you walked through a public park or went to do your shopping at Asda in the UK, everyone keeps themselves to themselves and everyone ignores each other, I think it's fair to say. If you do these in the US, people will make the effort to talk to you, smile at you, ask you how your day is going. They are genuinely NICER people, and that is what pisses me off so much about the British because they are rude, arrogant and downright disrespectful.

Why? I think it's the education system in the US. It emphasizes respect towards your elders and it emphasizes respect to your country (Pledge of Allegiance; perfect example). Children are taught from a very young age to show respect to everyone, whereas I feel that in the United Kingdom, there are far too many unruly children who have received bad parenting. Or perhaps it's unfair to call it "bad parenting"... may I suggest "unknowledgeable" parenting.

[-:Undertaker:-]

1) What does being British mean to you?

It simply means being an individual who makes up a part of a historic nation state. It does also however give a sense of duty to the following which I will list below, a duty which means that the values which were fought for here and which eventually were spread around the world are upheld through good example and not destroyed due to contemporary issues.

2) Are you proud to be British?

I am proud to be British because of the history of the United Kingdom and of these islands. Britain after all not long ago ruled the waves and gave so much to the world; a supreme language, a system of jury trial for criminal justice, a robust parliamentary system, the spreading of habeas corpus around the world, the Industrial Revolution which was kickstarted in Britain and which reigned supreme in Britain until World War II and a Monarchy which has the respect of millions, even billions of people around the world - all due to the legacy and actions of the British Empire.

3) How does being British make you feel?

This relates back to the first question, that although the country may be in decline and its values are slowly being eroded - the country can recover before its too late, and that those who are here now have a duty to protect those values which many nowadays don't know how lucky they are to have them compared with some other European countries (ie the example of innocent until proven guilty).

I always view Britain as the mother nation of the world, its touched almost every nation - mostly in good ways; the United States, Canada, India, Burma, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sudan, China, Austrialia, New Zealand and many many more all of which encompassed the biggest Empire the world has ever seen. I dread to think what these nations would be like had the Empire had not led to their modern formation, or indeed what would have been in their place had Britain never of ruled the waves.

[wixard]

1) What does being British mean to you?
It means nothing really.

2) Are you proud to be British?
Yes and no. Yes at how we once were but no considering how we currently are in terms of politics and stuff. If were talking about the country as a whole, no I believe a lot of people here are a complete disgrace, and these might only be a significant few, they bring everyone down. I'm also sick of how everything seems to be mega overpriced here compared to the USA.
One final note if this is included here, I do enjoy seeing England win at sports and competitions.

3) How does being British make you feel?
It makes me feel no different as to if I was a citizen of a country in the west.

lol when does that ever happen

[Inseriousity.]

wait... so people actually do work in citizenship? our teacher just put Friends on for us lolol.

Being British for me means moaning about things but never actually doing anything about it (see above post for example). The whole stiff upper lip thing is very British and I think it's still common in society although that might just be my perception!
Bad weather!
Having a good healthcare and education system. Not perfect as I don't think that's possible but good.

2. yes

3. proud that I live in a country with privilege unlike other countries but I could really say that about other countries.

[RockyHorror]

If she wrote any of your suggestions she'd be deported haha

[Ajthedragon]

1) What does being British mean to you? It means my nationality and a good, proud history.
2) Are you proud to be British? Yes, quite.
3) How does being British make you feel? Good. I love our flag too. :P

[Pawf]

I'll give you some short, snappy written "soundbites" ;P

1) What does being British mean to you?
It means tea, humour and red, white and blue
2) Are you proud to be British?
Yes, but I'm more proud to be English.
3) How does being British make you feel?
Spectacular, there is no greater nation on the planet.

[Technologic]

1) Moaning about everything but also knowing that for some reason everyone loves the British.

2) Hell yes

3) Most excellent indeed

[Swearwolf]

im not british im english

[Technologic]

im not british im english

You live in Great Britain... ann the British Isles therefore you are British....

[Pawf]

im not british im english


You live in Great Britain... ann the British Isles therefore you are British....

Yes, you're Europeans.

[-:Undertaker:-]

You live in Great Britain... ann the British Isles therefore you are British....

Not really, it depends what you class as a nation. Many nowadays (as the Union is dying) only class themselves as Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or English purely because they feel no attachment to Great Britain anymore as its been undermined by its own politicians with devolution as a prime example of this. Smiffla's point is also valid, although only a tiny percentage of Europeans (in the geographical sense) will call themselves European (in the nation-state sense) as they are usually Euro-federalists who are a small and insignifigant minority.

So when Swearwolf says hes English and not British or European then that can be taken as true indeed, however if your arguing over 'well he lives in a region called the British Isles which is located in Europe so he is British and European' then thats also true. Usually though, whenever we refer to 'I am x' it refers to our nation state and not a geographical part of the world just as you hardly ever hear (if you ever do) Mexicans, Americans and Canadians refer to themselves as North Americans or just as you never hear British, Russians, Geogrians, Ukrainians, Chinese or Indians refer to themselves as Eurasian. In the geographical sense they are, but thats it.

[Swearwolf]

I live in England therefore I am English

[Pawf]

Smiffla's point is also valid, although only a tiny percentage of Europeans (in the geographical sense) will call themselves European (in the nation-state sense) as they are usually Euro-federalists who are a small and insignifigant minority.

As soon as I saw your avatar I knew you would reference my point ;)

[GommeInc]

I'm experiencing a lot of de ja vu with this thread, I think someone has asked this before many many years ago :P

1. Being British means being born to or becoming a part of a country with a rich heritage and a good understanding of diversity.

2. I am when I look at the people who make and shape the country, but no so much the ones who abuse it or others and give us a poor name.

3. Pretty good. We've got a good healthcare centre and public services. Everything obviously can improve but I wouldn't say we're suffering.

[Robi]

Yeah so, I have to do an assesment in Citizenship and my 3 questions I need to answer are:

1) What does being British mean to you?
2) Are you proud to be British?
3) How does being British make you feel?

Where as I realise my opninion may be different, I'm struggling for ideas.

CAN ANYONE ANSWER THESE FOR ME TO PINCH IDEAS

1) Nothing really, it's just where I was born really.

2) Nope, I call myself half Spanish because I used to live there. I can't stand England and can't wait to move out of the country once I get an established qualification!

3) Sometimes proud, only when I see like football events etc doing the national anthem. Apart from that, it just makes me sad.

[Adam]

1) What does being British mean to you?
I'm not British, I am English.

2) Are you proud to be British?
No, definately not proud to be labelled as British or to be English.

3) How does being British make you feel?
When people label me as British, it makes me feel dirty because I'm not, I'm English.

[Becca]

1) What does being British mean to you?
the american's want us in bed

2) Are you proud to be British?
yeah why not

3) How does being British make you feel?
makes me want to eat pies and go on a football match with a cup of bovril

[DPS]

1) What does being British mean to you? I hate the term "British", I'm scottish i dont like being called a Brit i take offence to it.
2) Are you proud to be British? I'm not British :P
3) How does being British make you feel? Refer to answer 1/2

[davecool656]

1) What does being British mean to you?
Not much but I like my accent.

2) Are you proud to be British?
Yes.

3) How does being British make you feel?
Awesome.