Britain Smitten. By Richard Bamford
With all the current enforced and somewhat false patriotism and celebration centred around bigging up one privileged family, and my lack of enthusiasm for the upcoming Olympics, I started to question what it is that I do feel proud about the United Kingdom and to call myself British. Clearly, the English language is something to be proud of; it’s beautiful intricacies and word weaving are pretty much the envy of the world. Sure, French sounds sexy and never would the ol’ rocket science cliché be more befitting for the notion of a westerner learning Mandarin. English, though, when used properly, can evoke every emotion and stir the senses in one sentence. Shifting selections of punctuation and pauses can completely change its meaning. I love all forms of communication and languages, but English is something special for me. The thing is, I don’t have to live here to appreciate the language, so what else? Here’s five things that instantly sprang to mind:
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1.) The multiculteralism:
It’s been a long time since the Vickings were here and even longer since the prehistoric Grimaldi African wandered our land. Britain has slow cooked into a rich caserole of many different races, cultures and creeds. When not mared by igorant, racist idiots, it keeps our society fresh, exciting and extraordinary. Let’s not forget the humble curry being the most preferred dish to one and all.
2.) The music:
British music has long been admired, copied and constantly changing.
I think this has been hugely influenced by the fusion of different people and backgrounds.
There’s too many different genres and pigeon-holes to point out, but, Britain is the birthplace of Drum and Bass, Dubstep and Grime, Broken Beat, Lovers Rock, Indie, Folk and Punk.
I’m constantly impressed in its creativity, development and Britishness.
3.) Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, London, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Swansea, Belfast, other major cities are available:
I lived in London for most of my life, but I have visited all the other major cities in the UK. Each one has its own history, architechture, fashion and multiple scenes and styles therein. Live and direct culture is to be had and enjoyed and, considering this island’s minute size, the array of experiences are vast.
4.) The labour loved working class angel that is, The National Health Service:
Slowly being crushed by the government and people who take this for granted. It’s the only true classless system in the United Kingdom. It cannot be prejudiced or snobby. It’s the envy or the world and is something everyone should treasure and look after.
5.) Stiff upper lipped positivness about the Weather:
A bit of a controvertial one, but stick with me on this: Everyone moans about the rain…and contratry to what the government and water companies will have you believe, it does rain a lot. Other parts of the world aren’t gifted with drinking water, healthy crops, lavish countryside and constant supply of food. Don’t get me wrong, I love the sunshine and the summer….when it’s not raining; it puts a smile on the face and an amount of the sun’s rays are actually good for us. Something has to be said for the seasons and I’ve grown to have a fondness for each of them; my favourite two probably being the Spring and the Autumn; mostly because of the huge difference in the season preceeding them and the contrasting colours and temperatures.
Yep, lots to be indignant about over here, but, the bits that are good are very good and do give me a sense of pride. I decided not to mention our various inventions of sporting activities partly because I don’t know much about them but mostly because every other corner of the world seem to whoop our arses at them these days.
My conclusion is, be proud, love nurture and cherish things that are worth it; things that you can freely and eloquently talk about. If you’re unsure, question everything; if you’re positively ecstatic, express it; share it!
