"...But yeah im more than happy to bash the british - im british and despise the way my country is!..."
I agree with you, Charmed. I think that's the difference between the Brits and a lot of other nationalities. Brits tend to be very self-deprecating and self-critical.
That's why it's okay for a Brit to say that they despise the way Britain is, but if an American says that, then they are un-American, as in my experience, patriotism is much more of a big deal with Americans -- the whole, you're either with us or you're against us mentality.
With Brits who don't like or approve of the way the country is run, there's a laissez faire attitude amongst other Brits, a shrug of the shoulders and an 'okay, so that's your opinion.
With Americans I've encountered, some who don't like the way their country is being run, who disapprove of their country's foreign policy, it seems that the reaction amongst their compatriots for voicing such dissent is that their compatriots take it as a personal affront. I get the impression that if an American espouses their dislike of certain aspects of their country's government, other Americans will take it as a personal criticism.
By way of contrast, for Brits, yeah, it's possible to be against Tony Blair/the government/any of a number of bugbears and still to have a residual pride in being British (as oneself defines it, not as defined by Blair et al).
In some ways, being British isn't to be overly patriotic; to complain and disapprove of the running of the country is part of the national psyche, it's partly what makes us British. We are whinging poms after all. We're British, it's what we do!
"...But yeah im more than happy to bash the british - im british and despise the way my country is!..."
I agree with you, Charmed. I think that's the difference between the Brits and a lot of other nationalities. Brits tend to be very self-deprecating and self-critical.
That's why it's okay for a Brit to say that they despise the way Britain is, but if an American says that, then they are un-American, as in my experience, patriotism is much more of a big deal with Americans -- the whole, you're either with us or you're against us mentality.
With Brits who don't like or approve of the way the country is run, there's a laissez faire attitude amongst other Brits, a shrug of the shoulders and an 'okay, so that's your opinion.
With Americans I've encountered, some who don't like the way their country is being run, who disapprove of their country's foreign policy, it seems that the reaction amongst their compatriots for voicing such dissent is that their compatriots take it as a personal affront. I get the impression that if an American espouses their dislike of certain aspects of their country's government, other Americans will take it as a personal criticism.
By way of contrast, for Brits, yeah, it's possible to be against Tony Blair/the government/any of a number of bugbears and still to have a residual pride in being British (as oneself defines it, not as defined by Blair et al).
In some ways, being British isn't to be overly patriotic; to complain and disapprove of the running of the country is part of the national psyche, it's partly what makes us British. We are whinging poms after all. We're British, it's what we do!