British Culture - can you remember when we had one?

Question

I was talking with a friend this am and I was banging on about the erosion of British Culture, particularly in London. He, a man in his mid 40s, asked with all seriousness, what is British Culture? He cannot remember, so before we all forget let's compile a list of things that our ours:

The hymns, Jerusalem and I vow to thee my Country

Playing rounders in the park

Taking tins of baked beans to school for Harvest Festival,

Please add what you can remember

Answer 1

You mean English? Scotland is doing just fine. I hate how English try to equate their culture to all the other countries here.  

Answer 2

Queuing,

politeness,

good sitcoms,

bad cars?

Answer 3

The bubonic plague was a british culture, though not one I took to my harvest festival.

I too am in my naughty forties and remember taking in a few tins...

The cat food went down pretty well, and I'm sure the oldies made a very nice tuna and pasta bake out of it - though if they didn't, it would be well out of date by now.

I don't think us British have a culture any more - just fond memories of what we thought we were... The powers that be were planning it all along.

Answer 4

Fish 'n' Chips

edit: if this country isn't good enough for Mona...she should leave...we don't need attitudes like that in our lovely country anyway!!

Answer 5

ROFLMAO!!!!

British culture is a hymn about another country, a bat and ball game and a can of baked beans - a loss-leading import from America?

Now that is funny.

There is nothing little a little culture.

And this country has little culture...

Answer 6

invading and looting other countries especially India and a lot from Africa and taught the same to Americans

Answer 7

a nice sunday dinner,followed by a nice nap.

Answer 8

Opening a door for a woman.

Being able to wear a tux properly.

Bond.

Quality newspapers. (NOT tabloids)

Shouting at the telly.

First Football Match.(played and watched)

First Rugby match. (played and watched)

Climbing trees.

Cornwall.

Clarkson.

Granddads pottering away in the shed.

Fish and chips.

"the youth of today are so..."

Great music.

Just some of my favourites.

And the best thing.

There not gone.

Answer 9

Can't help, American here who's never been  

Answer 10

Well we became independent from india in the late 1700 as for the culture there was a struggle of weather or not to keep a strongcentral goverment or a goverment that is centralized in the states. We as colonists were still very british at lest in the north for about 50 years you have to remember that a lot of convicts were sent from britian to america and as for being civil it didnt take long before premaritial s*x among other things began to form so I would say at least 200 years ago.

Answer 11

It is not the lack of culture that is the problem. it is the erosion of our society. This started in the 80's with Thatcher's war on the "enemy within" ie, working class society and has continued to the present day with the rich getting richer and the poor going to the wall (as always)

Look at communities in the north and in Wales, just 20 years ago they used to be lovely towns where one could leave ones doors open and no-one would steal anything. Nowadays no-one talks to anyone else and suspicion and greed roam the land. Sigh.....

Answer 12

I think the sort of spirit which was shown in World War II typifies British culture.

Strong Communities, everyone pulling together through the hard times

Stay strong when things are tough.   Keep going

Going down the local to meet up with your friends and neighbours for a pint

Bangers n Mash, Fish n Chips

Hot sweet tea!

Regional accents, slang and dialects etc

Day trips to the seaside

Sunday Roast, all the family getting together for Sunday Lunch

Spotted d**k for pudding (with lots of custard)

Everyone sitting round the TV to watch the Queen's Speech on Xmas day

Street parties to celebrate the Royal Wedding/Silver Jubilee

Harvest Festivals

Cricket

Football

Rugby

Rain (and lots of it) but it keeps our countryside green and beautiful

Answer 13

Sunday, Sunday here again in tidy attire

You read the colour supplement, the TV guide

You dream of protein on a plate

Regret you left it quite so late

To gather the family around the table

To eat and then to sleep

Oh, the Sunday sleep

Sunday, Sunday here again a walk in the park

You meet an old soldier and talk of the past

He fought for us in two world wars and

The England he knew is no more

He sings the Songs of Praise but always falls asleep

For that Sunday sleep

But he knows what he knows

Sunday, Sunday

Oh, that Sunday sleep....

Sunday, Sunday here again in tidy attire

You read the colour supplement, the TV guide

You dream of protein on a plate, regret you left it quite so late

You gather the family around the table to eat enough to sleep

And Mother's Pride is your epithet

That extra slice you'll soon regret

So going out is your best bet, then bingo yourself to sleep

Oh that Sunday sleep....

Answer 14

one thing in british culture they are sold on and that's honoring HRM QUEEN ELIZABETH2. everything revolves around her and that is where the british culture is and always will be as long as there is a sitting monarch on the throne. people change w/the times but not concerning their monarch.

Answer 15

I remember a street party in honour of the Queen. There was Union Jack bunting and peoples mums made sandwiches by the thousand. There was a real sense of community then.

Answer 16

No such thing. Name one thing all British people have in common. Being born in Britain, that's it.

Answer 17

Nowadays, the Albert Hall, Land of Hope and Glory, losing at cricket, the queen and the changing of the guards all endure from the goode olde days. New additions include sarcasm, rain, bridget jones and the london eye.  

Answer 18

What are you talking about? British culture is alive and well. You are demonstrating it right now - British people love nothing more than moaning and grumbling and then doing absolutely nothing about it.

We were the first liberal democracy. We were the first country to limit the power of the monarch. The first to overthrow (although later restore) their monarch in favour of a semi-republican nation. All of that is alive and well.

We were among the first to start global trade, use corporations and organise business. We still have a huge share of global markets. The City is still the financial hub of Europe.

We have had a vastly disproportionate share of artists, musicians and authors - not just in the English speaking world. Try naming a popular musician who isn't British or American and you won't get far.

British culture is the right to do pretty much as you will - and the right to moan about it when other people do the same. It's the culmination of hundreds of years of culture which are held onto rather than discarded in a decade (as in America) - the shipping forecast and red phone boxes. It's self loathing and constantly saying the country is going downhill, but being willing to defend your country the instant someone insults it. It's bitching about your friends and neighbours 90% of the time, but going to the wire when they really need your help. It's not standing for injustice, and believing in fairness. Ordinary people working quietly on their own and producing a masterpiece - be it a prize winning cabbage, fixing a clapped out car or writing a stunning album.

People really need to stop being so negative. Be the change you want to see.

Answer 19

I'm not British, I'm Australian but I can tell you how you're perceived over here...

- Comedy style which 20% of the population just doesn't 'get.'

- The TV show Red Dwarf. Ha ha...I love that show.

- Those guards at Buckingham Pallace

- Fish and chips wrapped in newspaper

- Red phone boxes

- Little village with a tiny population

- Doctor Who (I love that show too!)

- Saying "gov' ner"

- Old churches and a vast countryside