...So we're British.

[Gaulia]

To state the obvious.

The large majority of this guild are British. Yes, we know that, we've figured that and we're treating it like some kind of an amazing miracle.

Yet we're all obviously somewhat proud of our heritage, otherwise we wouldn't be part of the guild. We all have something to contribute, something to say, our own thoughts and opinions. And a general curiosity, true?
False.
So while I came back to Gaia for the sole pupose of only coming to the guild, I've realised that I don't actually don't want to be a part of this.
Or Britain, really.
I don't like Britain.
Shock horror, anyone to quote that and say 'blasphemy' will be shot. Anyone doing that because I told you not to will be branded an idiot.

I don't like the things which Britain is associated with, the stereotypes, the slave trade, government. The people, places, economy, history, music, culture, monarchy and religious history are all things which I just can't bloody stand. The only thing British which I like - or rather, adore - is some of the literature by British authors.
Feel free to call me somewhat of a philistine.

But it bugs me the way that some people in this guild are so damn hung up on Britain and British things. We've all established we're British, now, can't we move it along a bit from the whole '[Insert pseudo-interesting thing here] BRITAINBRITAINBRITAIN' thing? A few of these threads fine, OK. But what do you people think of other cultures, stereotypes, heritages and lifestyles? What do you have to say about their political situations? Do you know what anyone else thinks? No! Because we never talk about them! And what's worse is that if on the rare instance we DID, people would fail to see the bloody link between that and 'us'.

It's only via an accident of birth that we have what we do, we are who we are and know what we know. I guess I'm lucky and shouldn't be complaining, but this is what I think and if you don't like it because it clashes with what you think and you have a problem with that, fine.

I guess that's it. Shoot me, I have an opinion.
I'll make sure never to make the mistake of mentioning my opinions on an online forum again, for those of you who are likely to get hurt via pixels.
And no. No white text this time. I'm sorry if you're disappointed that I wasn't joking.  

[dizzyjess]

You're right to say that we're all here by accident of birth andyou are, of course, perfectly entitled to your opinions. However, if you join a guild dedicated to British culture then you have to expect it to be at least a little patriotic. There's nowhere else on Gaia to discuss such matters really so the overspill of patriotism is likely to be a bit more intense, at least for a while. I'm all in favour of promoting varied debate though.

Then again I only just joined so I'm not really the best person to comment.  

[Invictus_88]

Hey, that's ok. Personally I like the whole heritage-thing, I just hate the grubby 1980's buildings you see and tacky New Labour ideas.

It;s all well and good, natually, to like British literature. However it seems to me a little inconsistent to abhor that which formed it. British society of the time and such. Countryside, academic institutions, ideals and what-have-you.

You're just as free to hate it though, as I am to love it.  

[and_solo_said]

I like our heritage...But we need discipline, somewhere in the '60s we decided that instead of dealing with problems, we are just going to let tham go on and see where it takes us. Well....Welcome to the future a**-holes! And now you get all these free contraception, drug counciling social idiots who think that a problem goes away if you take away the consequences!  

[Zoutout]

Keep in mind that we're not totally to blame for what we may be associated with.

Slave trade?

You mean back when black people sold other black people to white people from almost every single european country (and America)?  

[Gaulia]

Yes. biggrin DD

Naw, I like the people in the guild alot. (: You all > me.

I didn't make this thread as a personal attack to any of you, I just want to get the point across that this guild gets amazingly same-y after a while. Patriotism is all well and good, but the sheer amount of it here [Especially from some people] makes me wonder how long you have left before you're institutionalised.

heart

But really - some variation just wouldn't go amiss.  

[Invictus_88]

Gaulia

But really - some variation just wouldn't go amiss.

Hey guys! I think she's asking for more yoghurt!

wink  

[Arivel]

Invictus_88

Gaulia

But really - some variation just wouldn't go amiss.

Hey guys! I think she's asking for more yoghurt!

wink

Actually Invi, I think she's asking for less Yoghurt. Hope I didn't burst your bubble or anything...  

[Invictus_88]

Gaulia, say it's not so! eek  

[Nebelstern]

Does yoghurt ALWAYS need to be mentioned? Actually, I really shouldn't bother because I know the answer already...

I severely do not think that Arivel is lying Invi.  

[Ph_ish]

I wouldn't say I was very patriotic. I realise that there are a lot of things wrong with our nation, and I'm definately not proud of many things that helped to get it where it is today (eg. the slave trade, the british empire). But we can't do anything to change what has already happened.
There are things I like about about Britain, things I'm proud of, and other things which I don't like. But I love to complain about the latter, (hey, doesn't everyone?) and talk to people with common intrests.
At the end of the day, the whole point of this guild is to talk to British people about British things (isn't it?).
Hey, be thankfull you weren't accidentaly born in America.
If you want -real- patriots, find the US gaian guild. There's probably several.  

[Foetus In Fetu]

I always thought that the point was that you can't talk about Britain or British things elsewhere on the internet because the majority of people online are American, so we make a guild that's hugely concentrated on talking about these things.  

[A Lost Iguana]

Foetus In Fetu

I always thought that the point was that you can't talk about Britain or British things elsewhere on the internet because the majority of people online are American, so we make a guild that's hugely concentrated on talking about these things.

Ditto.  

[alicelights]

Ph_ish

I wouldn't say I was very patriotic. I realise that there are a lot of things wrong with our nation, and I'm definately not proud of many things that helped to get it where it is today (eg. the slave trade, the british empire). But we can't do anything to change what has already happened.
There are things I like about about Britain, things I'm proud of, and other things which I don't like. But I love to complain about the latter, (hey, doesn't everyone?) and talk to people with common intrests.
At the end of the day, the whole point of this guild is to talk to British people about British things (isn't it?).
Hey, be thankfull you weren't accidentaly born in America.
If you want -real- patriots, find the US gaian guild. There's probably several.

Hear hear!  

[Boolean Julian]

I'm patriotic about a kind of idealist British...ideaology (curse my limited vocabulary). I like the idea of the eccentric English lord, and the PG Wodehouse style knut lifestyle. (There I go again. Oh my eloquence, where are you now? crying ) Unfortunately, Britain simply isn't like that. It's overrun with chavs, and a rapidly deteriorating culture cheifly based around an unhealthy obsession with football. Most British people today probably disapprove of the "perfect English gentleman", the archetype to which many of the zealots of this guild aspire. Every time I see a football-driven maniac sporting (or even donning?) a St. Andrews Cross, I could cry at the shell of empty values and lost ideals it represents. There's nothing more depressing than that blind patriotism that shows a love of absolutely nothing representative of any nation I so often see.

Aside from that, the ancient glory of Britain and much of it's wealth has a far darker side to it. the slave trade is part of it, but also the problems we brought to the countries we colonised. Admittedly we brought them the benefits of the western world, etc.; but with that, we brought disease, guns and Christianity, all equally destructive. I'm not an expert on this, so forgive me if I'm totally wrong here.

Basically, much as I do love certain aspects of British culture, much of it is fading fast and no longer has a place in the nation today.