Poll: Proud to be British

[Hazzaslagga]

i'm proud to be british but dislike the current state of affairs.

 

[Talshere]

I am and always will be British, even if I live to see its dissolution I will not cease to be British. Despite what my Welsh, Scottish and even Irish brothers might think, I'm proud to be part of a country with them, and believe that we will always stand stronger together. Its my hope that I will live to see some sort of reconciliation between England and Ireland, so we can stand side by side again.

 

[Midnight Baker]

I'm Canadian but I still feel proud that my country was once part of the British Empire. I really do like the fact that Canada is now fully independent from England but I still think it is important to keep cultural ties to the British. That's why things like rewriting the lyrics to "The Maple Leaf Forever" (one of Canada's few patriotic songs) or eliminating British honours like knighthood is a step in the wrong direction. In fact, I'm one of the few Canadians who chooses to use Canada's original "British" flag instead of the red and white maple leaf.

Spoiler

 

[Dyme]

Why would anyone be proud to be born on one or the other side of a boarder. You didn't do anything to become British (unless you immigrated). Why would you be proud?

If I was born 50km more west I would be from the Netherlands. But I happened to be born in Germany. I didn't do anything, I take no credit for it.
I am thankful because Germany provides me with education (I will study law for about 400EUR per year), safety and so on. But I am not proud. It's not my fault that I live in a "good" country.

 

[Spoonius]

If you'd been born in Mexico, Britain would be exactly the same, only you wouldn't hold deluded pride in a slab of land whose history and culture you've had no part in shaping, and only live in by pure chance.

It's not be pure chance though.
My father came from here, and his before him, etc etc, and so, like my father, I was born here. My family have been here for centuries.
Therefore, there's no chance I could've been from Mexico, because many generations of my family come from here, Britain!
I also hate the idea that, if you're born in a country you're form there.
How does that work? There's a boy at my school. He's white, his family are from here but yet he insists on saying he's South African, simply because he was born there. What is he, a moron? Just because his ENGLISH mother got impregnated by his ENGLISH father in South Africa and she gave birth to him there doesn't mean you're attached to the culture and history of that nation and it's people.

It is chance. You have no control over you being born here, and your parents have no control over you being the one who is born.

That's true.

But are you seriously suggesting that nobody is shaped by their parent nation? That the environment and culture within which we grow up has absolutely no relevance at all to who we are as a person? That we are in no way attached to our home country, and should never attempt to be?

Patriotism is not a bad thing... it's an instinctual sense of belonging, the same drive that held tribes together when humans were no more that cavemen.

Not in the slightest.

I have no doubt that my views on, for example, politics have been formed by the government(s) I have grown up with.

What I'm getting at is that we have not contributed to our culture, or our history, or anything else - why should I be proud of anything Britain did, say, 17 years ago? I'm 16, so anything before then is beyond irrelevant to my personal investment, because I didn't have any, and I continue to not have any on the whole.

Borders shift, governments change, people die, culture moves on, and time passes. How could you possibly feel proud of something that is constantly changing, let alone something you've had only the tiniest hand in, if that?

Culture is the collective knowledge of a population... its customs, its beliefs, its history, passed down from generation to generation. It evolves with time, and is shaped by the people who share it. Britain's (or any nation's) cultural identity today is not what is was fifty years ago, and will have changed significantly in fifty years time. To say that we have no part in the evolution or overall progression of our parent culture is untrue. Having developed within a certain environment, it will determine who you are as an individual, and by sharing your identity with the world around you, you are, by definition, ensuring the survival and development of said culture.

You may not revolutionise it, you may not add to it, you may not even contribute to it in any significant or noticable way, but in the end, you're sharing it and keeping it alive.

On another note, I feel proud of my country, and emotionally attached to it. Not because I think it's "the proper thing to do", or because "my country is better that others", but because it's my home. It's the land that raised me, the land that schooled and taught me, and the land that ultimately made me who I am. It's the country that my ancestors managed to create, and I feel proud of what they achieved. I appreciate it as a physical entity, appreciate (most of) the ideals for which it stands, and appreciate all that it has done for me.

Of course, I'd never dream of taking credit for that which others have achieved, and to which I never contributed. But personal recognition of collective success and nationalistic pride are two entirely separate concepts, though often (and incorrectly) interpreted as interchangeable. I'm not even really that patriotic; I don't advertise my nation's merit to the world, or claim undeserved credit for the collective actions of my countrymen. But am (generally) proud of it and them.

I can be proud of people for doing things that I think are right, and I can be glad to live in such a country that is - when all's said and done - pretty great.

See, that's exactly what I'm talking about...

 

[revolutionaification]

I am Scottish. Not British.

I'm not British. I'm Scottish.

I've only read the 1st page of this thread so apologies if someone's already told you this: I hate to break it to you but both of you are actually British. Britain consists of England, Wales and Scotland- if you are from any of these countries you are also British.

Ah, well in case you didn't read it the rest of my post went on to explain that I just don't identify as British. Yes, Scotland is part of the UK but in no way does that make me automatically British. It's right there in the title, 'United Kingdom'. We're just a bunch of countries grouped under one flag, but that doesn't make us (in my eyes at least) British in anything but legal details. (I realise I may come off as a bit snarky here but that isn't my intention.)

OT: I gave some more thought to this today and I take back what I said about possibly being proud earlier. I wouldn't call it pride considering it was luck I was born here. In fact, my parents were very close to moving to Montserrat for job opportunities before I was born but then the volcano went and erupted and unsurprisingly they changed their minds. Let it be known that I'm not patriotic, I don't agree with much of what was done in my country's past and I still don't with plenty of what's happening today but I can appreciate it for the values it upholds and the natural beauty. So, though I am not 'proud' I am most certainly grateful that my nationality can hold connotations with (generally) favourable things.

 

[Jon Shannow]

I'm proud to be both Scottish and British but whenever i see David Cameron or Alex Salmond i just sigh

 

[Dys]

No, I'm not proud. I am only british through an obscure birth right, and my allegance to Australia, the imperfect mess that it is, is far stronger. Despite recent English cricket domination, I feel that Australians better reflect my attitude and approach to life (as steve irwin said, you should never catch a snake by it's tale).

 

[Oh That Dude]

I'm Welsh, and I have many relatives over in the British Isles, not to mention the person closest to me.
I may not be native British, but I do take some pride in what little I am.

Wales is part of Britain and the British Isles, like it or not...

 

[ThreeWords]

I am Scottish. Not British.

And no, I am not.

You're certainly not English, but I'm pretty sure Scottish is British.

 

[Xyliss]

I am Scottish. Not British.

And no, I am not.

Technically you're both. I am English and would classify myself as such but I'm still British. Regardless of how proud of it you are you still are British.

Pfft, I bet you think there're 6 star wars movies or 3 matrix movies, too. See, some Scottish folk, not most, prefer to close their eyes and forget they're connected to the rest of Britain... much like those of us who try and forget the latter two matrixes...

Ah true true, and I do know a lot of Scottish people like that. But just because you close your eyes and cover your ears while screaming 'la la la la' at the top of your voice to something doesn't mean it's not true. (although I totally understand the reasons for doing so)

 

[ninjapenguin981]

I didn't answer, because I pretty much don't care either way.

 

[The_Decoy]

Nope, can't say I'm all that proud - patriotism isn't my speciality, I prefer a liberal dose of apathy. Plus the government is a piece of shit, which really doesn't help.

But then again I'm a Scotsman who doesn't believe in independence, so what do I know?

 

[Squeaky]

Iam proud to be 'British' but not of our goverment in the past decade or the current one in power, the media are fools the only thing left is are humour which is easliy the best thing about the UK but unfortunatly the others cons farsley out way the pros.

 

[daftnoize]

British and English are not synonymous. Any form of nationalism is moronic, the british have nothing to be proud of. Our nation has a horrible past of Salvery, Colonialism and Barbarity. We are an extremely multicultral society and "national pride" however mild threatens reason with stereotypes and quite discrimination.

And to be fair emerald, I think British rule was helpful to a lot of the empire. Look at the state parts of Africa are in, after we (and the French)left.
And *cough* Native Indians *cough*.

There is a difference with wanting to live somewhere and being proud of it. Any time we cling onto similarities we highlight differences. And Don't even get me started on the royal family....

 

[Tipsy Giant]

I'm British and while it is not perfect here, it is better than almost every other country on issues I am passionate about (and we have THE BEST music scene in the world)