What do you hate about Britain?
Discuss issues that have a social and cultural impact, including but not limited to issues such as racism, teenage pregnancies, the social impact of religion, and the state of the education system.
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View Poll Results: What do you hate about Britain?
Immigration levels 112 34.36% Education system 70 21.47% Weather 130 39.88% Tuition fees 106 32.52% British people 81 24.85% Lack of jobs 114 34.97% High cost of living 119 36.50% Crime 109 33.44% British culture 67 20.55% Lack of national pride 81 24.85%
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What do you hate about Britain?In the wake of statistics about the large proportion of Britons who are dejected, apathetic and eager to emigrate, I thought I'd set up a miniature TSR poll - to see what's bothering young people in the UK about this country.
So, as a complement to the poll, what do you hate about Britain?
I just find it depressing. I find the dejection a vicious circle, as glumness begets glumness, almost. We have so little pride in ourselves, our local communities and our country as a whole. I'm not one for flag-waving patriotism, but a basic sense of taking pride in where you live seems to be missing in Britain. This is, of course, compounded and fuelled by our problems with high costs of living, a poor education system prior to university and a lack of jobs. We're a despondent little island, and I just don't find it pleasant to live here.
That being said, I'm not planning to leave. I do love this country, for better or for worse. It's not a matter of being a patriot or a nationalist - just a sense that my community is worth saving, rather than abandoning (not that I cast judgement on those who leave - there are quite a few reasons to).Last edited by Tudball; 18-04-2012 at 09:44. -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?Because then you'd all vote for it, and I'd look silly.(Original post by Borderline)
Why isn't there an option for repetitive, pointless threads on TSR?
Here's the statistics: http://www.emigrationgroup.co.uk/367...seas-migration
Just one of many sources. -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?Very few things. Poor and insufficient education and skills training directly contribute to the lack of jobs.
Weather isn't bad, try living in Cambridge where it only rains like 5 times a year. And with good old global warming the weather is only going to get better!
The other things mentioned are things I like about living in the UK. I wonder how many people whining have actually ever lived anywhere else? -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?Self-righteous attitudes. "I am more important than you/ I deserve that more than you/ get out of my way" ugh people are just rude it drives me crazy, I wish British people would be more polite and respect one another a bit more. A lot of people seem to think they are entitled to everything on a plate.
Last edited by jennifex; 18-04-2012 at 09:53. -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?How can you complain about high cost of living? We have one of the highest mean real incomes in the world. Tuition fees have been eliminated altogether.
British people and culture are generally great, and our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud. -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?"British people and culture are generally great."(Original post by py0alb)
British people and culture are generally great, and our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud.
"Our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but those two statements seem contradictory to me. How can you appreciate British people and culture without appreciating Britain? -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?Having lived abroad, newspapers like the Mail that try to make Britain a less tolerant place.(Original post by py0alb)
British people and culture are generally great, and our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud.
Where I live there is strong national pride, which is fine, but there is also greater acceptance of attitudes towards minorities in society which, as someone who's grown up in Britain, are shocking, but which pass without comment.
Not a big fan of the North/South divide either. -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?I hate the disrespectful, inbred, no-future teenagers that wash around the lower echelons of society like so much fecal matter.
Btw you've missed a few points on the poll (though I guess there's a limit to how many choices you can get down there before it's useless) but I don't mind immigration levels whatsoever, I mind the limp-wristed attitude our country has towards deporting immigrants that cross the line.
In dubai the police force and legal system is somewhat feared, and in reality it makes it a better place to live.
Obviously there'll be some who are innocent yet fall on the wrong side and suffer, but there's no youth yobs, hardly any violence, immigrants serve jail terms and are then deported without question. They are simply thrown out.
Whereas in the UK there'd be a bloody year of appeal ****, and then there'd be the criminal trying to claim human rights violations and all sorts of crap. Our society is lacking in steel, and it's resulting in Britain becoming a gelatinous goo of pansies.Last edited by Architecture-er; 18-04-2012 at 10:10. -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?Yet countries at similar levels of wealth, if we're using that as the determinant, have much more satisfied citizens. I don't think it's wrong to ask why, and seek to rectify it.(Original post by Cannotbelieveit)
Compared to about 95% of the other countries out there, we have it pretty damn good. So stop complaining. -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?Ah you have clearly missed out on that other great British trait, irony.(Original post by Tudball)
"British people and culture are generally great."
"Our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but those two statements seem contradictory to me. How can you appreciate British people and culture without appreciating Britain?
Surely just the sentence "Our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud." is self-contradictory, no? -
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?Well not really, perhaps you view national pride as a herd-method, like fanatical american patriots. So you'd be proud that we, as a nation, are cynical enough to not follow such things(Original post by py0alb)
Ah you have clearly missed out on that other great British trait, irony.
Surely just the sentence "Our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud." is self-contradictory, no?
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Re: What do you hate about Britain?I understood the irony. I didn't understand your reasoning.(Original post by py0alb)
Ah you have clearly missed out on that other great British trait, irony.
Surely just the sentence "Our lack of national pride makes me extremely proud." is self-contradictory, no?
Why are we to have knowledge of our positive attributes, but not take pride in them? What's wrong with being proud to be British?
Not in a nationalistic way - just a sense of belonging to a community and identity you view as worthwhile and worth contributing to.
