I find that when people no longer have shared values or are disrespectful of these that tension and animosity grows between people. The main problems I have is with white chavs - but I am finding where I live more and more people from other parts of the world are moving here - mainly refugees from Africa and the middle east. My reaction - like many British people - is to avoid the areas where they frequent - such as the town centre in Stockton. However, I realize that over time it will become harder and harder to avoid these people and their unusual ways of behaviour as their numbers continue to increase. I do feel like my country is lost.
I am not so gloomy. It is hard for the first generation of immigrants to understand our culture. But we are a land of immigrants, and the British culture always seeps into second and subsequent generations.
I think in the past this was largely true - but previous waves of immigrants like the Irish for example have more easily adapted to British culture - but now the numbers of newcomers are so large and from not just different but cultures but often from cultures hostile to the host culture
Foreigners shouldn’t be allowed to buy property in the UK in the first place. It makes me sad when a long-term resident moves out of an area, only to sell their home to someone foreign. I have seen this in my parents area and yes, you guessed it, the first thing any foreign owner does is build a huge ugly cabin over their back garden.
The Eastern European men I often see fishing by the London canals also have little regard for the area, often hosting canal side parties/bonfires and leaving huge amounts of rubbish behind afterwards. A lot of these men give the impression of being in the country illegally, as they seldom speak English and tend to live off-grid on canal barges and in tents by the canal, as well as fishing illegally for food.
Another thing that is becoming very common, particularly in rural areas, is the theft of farm animals for meat. I mean, surely those stealing swans for meat would much rather steal a cow, pig or sheep etc. The fact that such individuals (usually southern Europeans) are willing to steal, slaughter then eat that very same animal also says a lot about the type of person they are.
It always seemed to me more as if each Briton tried to create his own area of tranquil countryside, which is why radios and noisy games or DIY was against bylaws and custom (“Sssh! The neighbours!”, one would be urged.)
In vast empty countries there is plenty nature and space and quiet for those who seek it, so making a hullabaloo and devastating the nature in your immediate surroundings doesn’t seem to matter. In a small overcrowded country like Britain, order, consideration for others and respect for precious shared resources, landscape, soundscape became a cultural essential ingrained in us all until recent decades. We’d therefore leave everywhere as we found it, make no unnecessary sound, and aim to beautify, maintain and preserve all that was in our little domain.
There used to be such respect for others, consideration for the neighbours and so on. You are right, this is a small and cramped nation and without taking care not to tread on each other's toes, life soon becomes unbearable.
An excellent article showing us how to look at something from another person's perspective - so important. But I hope immigrants build a good life, so they will have the money and leisure to enjoy the beauty of a flower garden. As well as realising that paving over the earth creates problems for rain water drainage, and that gardens in cities are often the last refuge of wildlife.
When immigrants come in too fast or to large a flow, they take forever to assimilate. If I moved to most countries in the world except the liberal west, I would have to assimilate. Why not here?
Assimilation and conformity builds a nation. Diversity tears it apart.
The "British values" you now celebrate are not the values you had back in the day, these are not the values that enabled you to build an Empire spanning a third the world's land area.
Hunting used to be a great and noble British tradition, now you've become so effeminate that you faint at the sight of a gun.
Traditionally Britain had very stern punishments for poaching, so a cultural memory remains of that as a taboo. Perhaps a reintroduction of such, maybe aided by cameras in vulnerable places, with publicity in relevant areas would help.
Yes, cutting off the fingers of one hand was popular after the Norman Conquest. I can't see our lily-livered government agreeing to reintroduce this penalty for poaching though.
I should have perhaps made clear that I’d propose starting with a less extreme version of such punishments (for a first offense 😉); medium hard labour in the form of community service clearing rubbish from country lanes, parks and picnic spots for example.
I find that when people no longer have shared values or are disrespectful of these that tension and animosity grows between people. The main problems I have is with white chavs - but I am finding where I live more and more people from other parts of the world are moving here - mainly refugees from Africa and the middle east. My reaction - like many British people - is to avoid the areas where they frequent - such as the town centre in Stockton. However, I realize that over time it will become harder and harder to avoid these people and their unusual ways of behaviour as their numbers continue to increase. I do feel like my country is lost.
The country is indeed lost and I am not at all sure that there is anything we can do about it at this late stage...
Sad but true I suspect.
I am not so gloomy. It is hard for the first generation of immigrants to understand our culture. But we are a land of immigrants, and the British culture always seeps into second and subsequent generations.
I think in the past this was largely true - but previous waves of immigrants like the Irish for example have more easily adapted to British culture - but now the numbers of newcomers are so large and from not just different but cultures but often from cultures hostile to the host culture
Yes, we shared already a language with the Irish, as well as the Christian religion and other cultural ties. This made a difference of course.
Foreigners shouldn’t be allowed to buy property in the UK in the first place. It makes me sad when a long-term resident moves out of an area, only to sell their home to someone foreign. I have seen this in my parents area and yes, you guessed it, the first thing any foreign owner does is build a huge ugly cabin over their back garden.
The Eastern European men I often see fishing by the London canals also have little regard for the area, often hosting canal side parties/bonfires and leaving huge amounts of rubbish behind afterwards. A lot of these men give the impression of being in the country illegally, as they seldom speak English and tend to live off-grid on canal barges and in tents by the canal, as well as fishing illegally for food.
Another thing that is becoming very common, particularly in rural areas, is the theft of farm animals for meat. I mean, surely those stealing swans for meat would much rather steal a cow, pig or sheep etc. The fact that such individuals (usually southern Europeans) are willing to steal, slaughter then eat that very same animal also says a lot about the type of person they are.
It always seemed to me more as if each Briton tried to create his own area of tranquil countryside, which is why radios and noisy games or DIY was against bylaws and custom (“Sssh! The neighbours!”, one would be urged.)
In vast empty countries there is plenty nature and space and quiet for those who seek it, so making a hullabaloo and devastating the nature in your immediate surroundings doesn’t seem to matter. In a small overcrowded country like Britain, order, consideration for others and respect for precious shared resources, landscape, soundscape became a cultural essential ingrained in us all until recent decades. We’d therefore leave everywhere as we found it, make no unnecessary sound, and aim to beautify, maintain and preserve all that was in our little domain.
There used to be such respect for others, consideration for the neighbours and so on. You are right, this is a small and cramped nation and without taking care not to tread on each other's toes, life soon becomes unbearable.
An excellent article showing us how to look at something from another person's perspective - so important. But I hope immigrants build a good life, so they will have the money and leisure to enjoy the beauty of a flower garden. As well as realising that paving over the earth creates problems for rain water drainage, and that gardens in cities are often the last refuge of wildlife.
Yes, the water drainage and wildlife issues are very much worth considering. Building over a garden affects others, beside the owner of the property.
When immigrants come in too fast or to large a flow, they take forever to assimilate. If I moved to most countries in the world except the liberal west, I would have to assimilate. Why not here?
Assimilation and conformity builds a nation. Diversity tears it apart.
The "British values" you now celebrate are not the values you had back in the day, these are not the values that enabled you to build an Empire spanning a third the world's land area.
Hunting used to be a great and noble British tradition, now you've become so effeminate that you faint at the sight of a gun.
There is certainly something in that!
Traditionally Britain had very stern punishments for poaching, so a cultural memory remains of that as a taboo. Perhaps a reintroduction of such, maybe aided by cameras in vulnerable places, with publicity in relevant areas would help.
Yes, cutting off the fingers of one hand was popular after the Norman Conquest. I can't see our lily-livered government agreeing to reintroduce this penalty for poaching though.
I should have perhaps made clear that I’d propose starting with a less extreme version of such punishments (for a first offense 😉); medium hard labour in the form of community service clearing rubbish from country lanes, parks and picnic spots for example.
Sounds good to me!
However, despite my concerns I always have the pleasure of spending time in my back garden (weather permitting) which I try and keep well maintained