Britain?

[brighteyes]

The ones saying No clearly haven't travel much or ever watched the news... Go and spend a week in the Townships of South Africa for example...

Edited April 24, 2011 by brighteyes

[worm]

It's not the place, it's the people. I'd suggest that Tony's on about every place having its own unique beauty. But then there are such factors as poverty, which make some regions of the world cruel places to live.

The people of Britain are just as much to blame for this: We consume 6 times as much as we produce.

Edited April 24, 2011 by worm

[llcoolphil]

The ones saying No clearly haven't travel much or ever watched the news... Go and spend a week in the Townships of South Africa for example...

[gratedenini]

(moderated)

I remember circa 1966 been given apples at school cos it was Empire Day...and watching cracklin films of little african kids packin oranges into cases for our enjoyment.

I personally at 8yrs old didn`t ever interpretate the Great in Great Britain as to mean "better" than anybody else.

Are we to blame our forefathers for exploring the globe? What seems like to be exploytation now probably meant something very different back then in the very early days.

Britain is great.. after been around visiting different places... theres not many places better to live...permanently.

Personally, I`m pig-sick of people who live here knocking seven shades of shit out Britain.

Of course--its not an idyll--and esp not at the moment...but overall-- comapred to lots of other countries,we are tolerant and welcoming.

I think part of our problem now is theres too much varietion and diversity and somehow Great Britain has lost its identity.

Y`know--theres always this talk comes up about the "wrongs" we`ve committed--- Empire wise..but I think we are too hard upon ourselves.

Our Lasses lot dont batte an eyelid about what their country did during the War.

Look--this country is basically a f**kin good place..we should stop knockin it so much..it could be a load lot worse....

den

[t8yman]

"national pride" pisses me off, its the basis of most prejudice and bigotry IMHO.

I have acquaintances that used to be active BNP members, the one thing that unites them is national pride, ignorance, and football hooliganism. I feel the same way about flags.

Borders divide, and the whole "we are a great nation" stuff doesnt help anyone. I would have much more pride in our national identity if we spent more time doing positive stuff. How anyone can be proud of a country that lets children die in poverty, and the old and infirm be left to die alone is beyond me. and saying "at least we aren't as bad as x" is f**king bollocks.

This country does lots of things right, that doesn't make it "Great", it just proves that we are capable of doing the right thing, but fail on so many levels.

[rexclark]

Britain certainly isn't the worst country in the world to live but it's far from the best as well. It is however perhaps one of the most iconic countries in the world but this doesn't really equate to it being "Great".

[llcoolphil]

(moderated)

I remember circa 1966 been given apples at school cos it was Empire Day...and watching cracklin films of little african kids packin oranges into cases for our enjoyment.

I personally at 8yrs old didn`t ever interpretate the Great in Great Britain as to mean "better" than anybody else.

Are we to blame our forefathers for exploring the globe? What seems like to be exploytation now probably meant something very different back then in the very early days.

Britain is great.. after been around visiting different places... theres not many places better to live...permanently.

Personally, I`m pig-sick of people who live here knocking seven shades of shit out Britain.

Of course--its not an idyll--and esp not at the moment...but overall-- comapred to lots of other countries,we are tolerant and welcoming.

I think part of our problem now is theres too much varietion and diversity and somehow Great Britain has lost its identity.

Y`know--theres always this talk comes up about the "wrongs" we`ve committed--- Empire wise..but I think we are too hard upon ourselves.

Our Lasses lot dont batte an eyelid about what their country did during the War.

Look--this country is basically a f**kin good place..we should stop knockin it so much..it could be a load lot worse....

den

[Purple Monkey]

and saying "at least we aren't as bad as x" is f**king bollocks.

[grumpyhack]

Unfortunately there isn't a way to vote Yes and No in the poll.

Having seen the extremes of obscene wealth and grinding poverty in countries like China and South Africa, I'm pretty pleased to be living in Britain.

Partly it depends on how you define great.

Some bits of Britain are still great. We had a French couple staying with us over Easter as part of our village's twinning we took them to Bristol (including seeing the SS Great Britain) and up to Mid Wales to see some glorious countryside and both of those days out were great.

I can sleep fairly safely in my bed and pretty well say what I like in company without the fear of being reported to the 'thought police' so things like that are still great when compared to many other countries or societies.

But there are many aspects of Britain that are still far from great. I'm lucky in that I've got a job and a home. Ask someone who has neither and you'll probably get a very different answer.

On balance, I think we're moving forward slowly. It depends against what timescale you make comparisons. Against Dicken's days in Victorian London (just think Oliver Twist) we've made significant progress and that was a time of Empire when many in Britain probably really thought it was Great.

Culturally I think we've become more open minded and inclusive though there is still a long way to go.

[llcoolphil]

Given that we can now see - just as we did during the miners strike - a politically motivated police force acting as the government's private army with actions that have been rising to current levels over the past few months, no we're not great nor in a position to be telling other countries anything. You'll reap what you sow dibble.

[diddly-dee]

Given that we can now see - just as we did during the miners strike - a politically motivated police force acting as the government's private army with actions that have been rising to current levels over the past few months, no we're not great nor in a position to be telling other countries anything. You'll reap what you sow dibble.

[llcoolphil]

Here's an excellent article from The Guardian highlighting the self-serving nature of plod.

link

Whilst this may not be the appropriate thread yesterdays royal wedding and the obsequious toadying of a sycophantic media and the seeming embracing of all the bullsh*t by a 'bread and circuses' population was, for me, a depressing example of why britain is clearly not great.

[diddly-dee]

It is beyond bizarre that Monbiot should even have to propose that dishonest plod get sacked. On the plus side, the momentum towards disruption and disobedience appears to have been maintained over winter and is picking up slowly as the weather becomes more favourable. A decent summer could see us revisit 81 again - the economic climate is ripe. Defaulting countries could see europe wide unrest.

[llcoolphil]

Absolutely, in a supposedly civilized society where there is a 'rule of law' (although we know that this is nothing more than lip service to a notional ideal that has, all too often, scant reality to it) it's inconcievable that someone has to explicitly state that crooked plod are held to account - actually, he's not even going that far, he's suggesting they just get sacked - and then what? Forget all about it? Tragic and a very sad indictment of what we put up with.

lol, sorry. It made my blood boil too.

[diddly-dee]

Good piece here

http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/guy-aitchison/political-policing-in-britain-ahead-of-big-day?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzEmail&utm_content=201210&utm_campaign=Nightly_2011-04-30+05%3A30

[Kowalski]

If I didn't like it, I wouldn't live here.

[worm]

If I didn't like it, I wouldn't live here.

[eFestivals]

I wish it was that simple. I have intended to move to Seattle ever since I can remember and without my upcoming novel being a relative success (i.e. getting the bad boy published) I think it's going to most difficult.

perhaps try a week's visit to anywhere in the USA first?

[worm]

perhaps try a week's visit to anywhere in the USA first?

[eFestivals]

Nah, when you have a calling that's all there is to it.

Oh yes, you definitely do have a calling.

[worm]

Oh yes, you definitely do have a calling.

[llcoolphil]

If I didn't like it, I wouldn't live here.

[Kyelo]

They (the British) are like their own beer; froth on top, dregs at bottom, the middle excellent.

[Banana Co]

I wish it was that simple. I have intended to move to Seattle ever since I can remember and without my upcoming novel being a relative success (i.e. getting the bad boy published) I think it's going to most difficult.

[worm]

If you don't like a country the worst place to move to is America. Rude people, annoying version of the English language and too much religion.