Opinions on the UK

[Ruffythepirate]

You give us Top Gear, QI, many other great shows and lots of great comedians. For this I love you (but mostly for QI and Top Gear).

 

[Fridge]

You give us Top Gear, QI, many other great shows and lots of great comedians. For this I love you (but mostly for QI and Top Gear).

Check out IT Crowd and Spaced as well... I love those shows.

 

[Ruffythepirate]

You give us Top Gear, QI, many other great shows and lots of great comedians. For this I love you (but mostly for QI and Top Gear).

Check out IT Crowd and Spaced as well... I love those shows.

Thanks I will
I watch Inbetweeners and Skins too, but discovering shows are hard since I live in Norway.

 

[imnot]

We have stephan fry
/thread

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

I'm from newcastle and i'm very proud of that
Despite that fact that i'd one day like to leave this country, I couldn't be more happy that I grew up here. I love the people i've met, and apparently we have an odd sense of humour? Most of the girls I know (including myself) are just as crude as the boys.

UK has its downsides but doesn't every country? I just hate it when misinformed idiots believe all of the media stereotypes.
If you want to know how UK sixth form students behave then watch The Inbetweeners, the resemblance between them and my male friends is amazing.

LOL yes, true hahaha.

gotta agree with what you say, got it spot on i reckon.
as ive started to grow up the stereotypes have actually started to get to me just because their so...just...wrong.
MAKETH MEH RAAAGE ><.

aaaah Inbetweeners ftw<3

 

[Fridge]

Its overcast. Its in London. There's an old woman wearing a shaw and has a baby in her arms. She's running as a deadly dragon is terrorizing the local knights. Also everyone has a top hat and a monocle. And looks like this:

To the UK users, how close was I to the mark?


Also:
A place where the sun doesn't shine.
Ever.
All pictures I've seen from the UK have all been overcast. Does the sun ever shine over there?

Yep quite regularly...

 

[Fridge]

I tend to see most English people as arrogant narcissistic pricks, that still can't get over the fact that they fucked up and lost their world empire.

That was called not being able to afford it any more thanks to a ************ of a world war started by the Germans during which every other nation caved in at the drop of a hat save Russia, and the Americans stayed out just long enough to make us desperate then capitalize on that desperation. The fact is, had the japanese not bombed Pearl harbour you would have stood by and let Europe be invaded by the nazis which is worse than anything we've done.

And arrogant, narcissistic pricks? If that describes us, god knows what the Americans are.

As for my view on my beloved home nation: great music, great cinema/actors, shit weather, rich history, the invention of the industrial revolution, food that has gotten much better recently, mild politicians, a wide range of cultural influences (hence the improved food), a fantastic history of civil liberties, gentle countryside, hideous inner cities and a fat, lazy, complacent populace.

And an empire I feel no love for in any sense

Don't mention the war!

Sorry had to get a Faulty Towers reference in there somewhere.

 

[BGH122]

Our newspapers though, those things that everybody in this country seems to take as gospel? At their worst they are borderline racist, unethical and untruthful (see the recent GTA scandal in the Daily Star), at their best they are self-serving, elitist and serving the middle class (see the Guardian, it's the best we've got I'm ashamed to say).

This.

The thing that I most hate about England (never lived anywhere else) is the fact that I simply cannot get a newspaper that isn't horribly slanted. Metro? Might as well read the back of a crisp packet for all the factual information contained therein. The Daily Mail? More like the Daily Spew, everything is a conspiracy against the poor down-trodden lower middle classes with fluffy-wuffy pictures of cats and dogs and 1950's-esque opinion articles. The Times? Capitalism works in every direction at all times, did you just say it has faults? COMMUNIST!!! The Torygraphy Telegraph? Labour are a bunch of arseholes (though I tend to agree with that sentiment) and the Conservatives are saints among mere mortals (that one not so much). The Grauniad, The Graudian, The Gaurnida, The Guardian? Hilarious typographical errors aside (sadly, since they switched printing systems they're no longer The Typo, which is a shame because it was the only worthwhile thing in the paper), this is the most sneeringly elitist upper-middle class piffle in the country, it may as well just be called 'The Supercilious' (it's only saving grace is Charlie Brooker (and sometimes David Mitchell)). The Independent? More like The Irrelevant, I find that this paper chooses incredibly odd articles to publish with far more emphasis on foreign affairs than the other papers. I'm not even going to mention the tabloid smut and slander rags because, frankly, they aren't newspapers; they're a glorified copy of Hello! magazine for white van men.

It infuriates me that I can't get a morning paper without being fed some politically or class skewed bullshit. I'll stick with ArsTechnia until a balanced UK paper emerges. I'd prefer to have no UK news than distorted news.

Other than that England is fine for the most part but it gets progressively less fine the further north you go. Unless you enjoy getting shot I wouldn't recommend visiting any of the northern English cities. The weather here is rainy and most people are detestable, but I expect the latter point is true of everywhere.

 

[gallaetha_matt]

snip

Sing it preacher! It hurt to snip that because it was so brilliant. I felt like giving it a round of applause. Right on the money.

Other than that England is fine for the most part but it gets progressively less fine the further north you go. Unless you enjoy getting shot I wouldn't recommend visiting any of the northern English cities. The weather here is rainy and most people are detestable, but I expect the latter point is true of everywhere.

Except for this part. I live in one of the northern cities right now and I've never been shot at, I've been mugged, but I also got mugged when I lived in London so that doesn't really count as much of a damning statement.

We're not that bad you know. If anything I prefer it up here to being down there - if only just because I'm hundreds of miles away from anything even remotely resembling 'rhyming slang.'

However, you're also right on the money with the weather. I haven't seen real sunlight in so long...

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

It rains. Then it rains more. Then it's sunny! Then it rains again.

Fish and Chips are the best food ever. Curry is a lie! A FILTHY LIE DAMNIT!

Nah it's more like pot luck. You'll get blazing heat in November for no reason.

My opinion is they need to stop complaining whenever someone calls them by the wrong obsolete name. Kingdom this. Great that. This island is this, and these two countries when counted as one is that. Just be glad you still exist after losing your worldwide empire.

Relinquishing, actually.

Piece by piece, and you're still holding the little green island close to your bosom in case Iceland feels like swooping in and taking it.

Iceland?

 

[Fridge]

Other than that England is fine for the most part but it gets progressively less fine the further north you go. Unless you enjoy getting shot I wouldn't recommend visiting any of the northern English cities. The weather here is rainy and most people are detestable, but I expect the latter point is true of everywhere.

I have to say I do disagree with this, I live in the west mids and we're very friendly, and from my brief excursions upland I've never found the people to be anything less than nice. Of course go into the wrong pub in any area, north or south and your asking for trouble.
Although I admit we do have to rough it when compared to the likes of London but we don't get as much money. Actually I find the south to be not so much unfriendly as uncaring.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

We have stephan fry
/thread

And we gave the States Hugh Laurie, and he's basically god over there now amirite fellas?

Yeah, QI. Also the BBC in general.

 

[Talshere]

The UK is an achievement of in every aspect of human society from the most brutal and barbaric wars of the Celtic era, and the calculated cruelty that assisted in the formation of the Empire, promoting aggression in the field of battle and the slavery of others. But also in innovation and compassion that ended the same international slavery we began, the independence of every nation (Except the US admittedly) who has asked for it, the innovations that drove the industrial revolution. We continue to lead the way with world class universities and institutions and one of the financial hearts of the world.

We continue to practice free immigration to all members of the common wealth and EU and are leading figures in the EU.

We are once again exploring the way becoming the first country into post industrialism, and attempting to tackle all the problems this brings. (Read most of our socio-economic problems not directly related to the US screwing up the world economy)

We have continued to fight for those who wish to remain British and free from dictatorship (yeah I know how that sounds give me my moment)(WWII, Falklands, N. Ireland) with the best trained and motivated armed forces on the planet.

We are lucky to have a stunning country, with 1000's of years of history and culture. With (generally, all places has its pricks) nice people. Ive had complete strangers offer to pay for a drink when I lost my wallet, and patch me up after falling off my bike. The NHS is a world class system (I dont care what you say, Ive hard years of treatment on the NHS and never once felt like I've had anything less than excellent care)


I love Britain as a whole. I will be British till the day I die. I believe we are stronger as a United Kingdom than we ever could be as independent countries, and hope we will remain so. I know that whatever obstacles our new era provides we will overcome them, because we always have.

 

[killerglance]

Coming from someone born in a rough area (Blackpool, North West of England), I'm unsure about my opinion.
Some days, I feel very proud to be British...other mornings I wake up and I wish I was anywhere else in the world.

I was originally planning to go to University in Liverpool, but with talks of rising tuition fees I am just giving up hope. This town that I live in is slowly dying, which is a shame, as it once used to be a popular tourist attraction. Now all it attracts are criminals and disease.

Get me out of here, please.

 

[thylasos]

Other than that England is fine for the most part but it gets progressively less fine the further north you go. Unless you enjoy getting shot I wouldn't recommend visiting any of the northern English cities. The weather here is rainy and most people are detestable, but I expect the latter point is true of everywhere.

I have to say I do disagree with this, I live in the west mids and we're very friendly, and from my brief excursions upland I've never found the people to be anything less than nice. Of course go into the wrong pub in any area, north or south and your asking for trouble.
Although I admit we do have to rough it when compared to the likes of London but we don't get as much money. Actually I find the south to be not so much unfriendly as uncaring.

Absolutely. I'd go further, though I find London far more threatening than any Northern city. And dirtier. And less polite, in real terms. I come from Essex, moved to Yorkshire, and I'm not living back down south again for any period of time unless I have no choice. Which unfortunately may be the case, given I'm a linguist, and most of the jobs are in the Southeast.

 

[BGH122]

Except for this part. I live in one of the northern cities right now and I've never been shot at, I've been mugged, but I also got mugged when I lived in London so that doesn't really count as much of a damning statement.

You're one of the lucky few: you know that soft pitter patter of rain on your roof at night? It's not rain, it's bullets.

Haha I was being a bit emphatic to be fair, Manchester etc isn't exactly a DMZ. I should imagine that they're much like London i.e. if you go into the wrong neighbourhoods then you aren't coming back out.

Actually I find the south to be not so much unfriendly as uncaring.

Agreed, although I suspect it's like that in any metropolis. It's so huge and commercial that the sense of community is non-existent.

 

[gallaetha_matt]

You're one of the lucky few: you know that soft pitter patter of rain on your roof at night? It's not rain, it's bullets.

Haha I was being a bit emphatic to be fair, Manchester etc isn't exactly a DMZ. I should imagine that they're much like London i.e. if you go into the wrong neighbourhoods then you aren't coming back out.

We get so much rain up north that it's hard to tell the difference. HEY-OH! Thank you, thank you - anybody here from out of town?

I've never been up to Manchester myself (I went past it in a train once, looks like a sprawling mess of sin and depravity to me... I like that). But every town has their 'no-go' neighbourhoods, I reckon - places like Manchester and London tend to have more by virtue of their size. I spent some time in Royston, Hertfordshire a few years back - it's your typical old style country village. Everybody minds their business and says good morning, but there are still places that I would be terrified to walk down on my own.

But that might just be because I'm a massive coward, I don't know.

 

[Verlander]

Scottish people suffer from wounded pride that England is the richer, more successful part of the island.

Uh, what?

I shall rephrase slightly- Scotland hates that it always mistaken for England and not taken as seriously as it deserves for being a fantastic country full of it own unique culture and history.

The above is still true though

That's...uh, nice? I'm just wondering where you're getting your information.

I find it hard to believe, and slightly funny, to think that that is written down in some countries text books.

My grandfather is Scottish, and I lived on the border for 4 years. I love Scots to bits, but it's always there, a deep rooted desire to kill me and put my head on a pike

 

[Blanemcc]

Depression was born here, seriously, it is over cast most of the time and almost every city (I have seen anyway) is gray, it's so depressing.

Bill Bailey describes us as "just a bunch of stoned, illiterate, wheezing, shagging, lardy bastards" ... so there you go.

Eh, Glasgow is a great city. Good vibe to it. Edinburgh is nice looking but pretty meh

 

[TheReactorSings]

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/01/eccentrics200801