Strange comments about the U.K.

Also I’d say it’s pretty obviously better to have been born in the UK than in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, Cambodia (80s), Haiti etc.

War, famine, corruption etc and still very much present across the globe and the UK has been mostly at peace.

So frustrating! The op said we must show patience and she would answer them in order. I just feel let down and lied to.

Is the UK the ‘best country in the world’? No. Do I feel lucky to have been born here as opposed to on a literal garbage dump in Africa? Yes.

I love living in the UK and have no plans to live anywhere else. I don’t believe it is the ‘best’ country in the world because I don’t believe there is such a thing- how can there be when we all like different things and different ways of life?

It doesn’t really matter to me what people outside of the UK say about it. If they don’t actually live here then their opinion on what it’s like to live here isn’t of any interest.

And she missed out answering the question at 14.53 on page three…it’s almost as if she’s avoiding certain questions.

Because compared to many places, the UK is a nice place to live. I have countryside on my doorstep, and a city with plenty to do 30 mins away. I feel safe, I earn a good salary, and I generally feel like I have freedom of speech and the law will protect me. Like many Brits, i’ve never lived anywhere else. When people say they feel lucky to live here, they are comparing to other countries where you don’t have freedom like here, or a benefit system to ensure you still get fed and a roof over your head. Most people feel grateful for those things, and rightly so. You’ve only got to switch the news on to see how life can be elsewhere. Not everyone is like you with many counties to compare

What's with all these "Britain is shit" posts?

Why are you on here whining about British people for liking being British? Why do you think it's strange that people like their home country?

It's as bad as this post the other day whining about Britain, claiming it's the ONLY country on the planet that gives you a choice if you want a receipt (it's not).

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5382825-do-you-want-a-receipt

If you don't like Britain and British people, and you're not from here, then maybe you'd be happier if you went somewhere else.

You're floundering OP. You've lost your audience are now you're looking rather silly. 😂

Don’t forget to answer the question about specific criticisms as that’s on page 3..

I agree that people living in the UK are lucky. Not being bombed every day , free healthcare, education benefits system , etc that compared to some it's very lucky.
I also agree with you that Brits have a rose tinted view , I no longer live there and have lived in various countries at times.
I would never willingly swap my life in a different EU country to go and live in the UK again
Here our state healthcare is far superior, we have subsidised travel (often free) cost of living is lower , quality of life is better

It would have been quicker to answer the question than typing all of that

Don’t waste time. Please tell us where this European utopia with no homeless people is…

Also OP, if you’re hearing EU countries grumble about the UK it’s probably a Maslows Heirachy of Needs thing except for countries.

If you live in poverty in an African country, the UK looks like Utopia because it has so many things your country may not have - food, clean water, healthcare, sanitation, infrastructure, women’s rights, no wars etc.

If you live an mid to affluent life in a developed European country thats similar to ours so has all those things, you start to compare more intricate points between the countries as all your basic needs have been met. People can then start comparing/grumbling about things like differences in retirement age, pensions, mental health care, working hours, property prices taxes etc. and comparing countries on those metrics instead of basic needs metrics.

I think a lot of people (UK people), often ‘talk’ the UK down, if you listen to an Australian, they often ‘talk’ Australia up. In my experience the truth is somewhere in between. It’s very subjective and often down to your income, background, type of family and social circle. There is a hell of a lot worse than most places in the UK.

The UK isn't the best country in the world. The idea is absurd. It might be someone's favourite country of course, but there's nothing about it that makes it better than everywhere else. You hear the same nonsense about America being the best or the "freest" country in the world. It's idiotic.

I'd love to live in London if I had lots of money.

You're wrong.

• "More than one-third (39.2%) of the world population live under authoritarian rule. Sixty countries are now classified as “authoritarian regimes”, an increase of one compared with the 2023 index, and an increase of eight from a decade ago in 2014."

• Western Europe has the highest index score of any region, at 8.38, and was the only one to improve its overall score in 2024. The United Kingdom improved its score, moving up the rankings from 18th in 2023 to 17th"

If you count freedom of expression as something you value, the UK is doing OK.

America is moving more and more towards authoritarianism, Trump hasn't been in power for a year and watch how he is is dismantling freedom of expression. Yesterday he fired a government statistician because he didn't like the number of job losses they reported... that's just a tiny example of what's happening over there, as he takes away impartiality.

We have free healthcare, free education and the rule of law still mostly intact in the UK.

We are also part of the G7 meaning we have a pretty high GDP compared to most other countries on the planet.

Presumably you lived in some European countries... sure, they are nice but Europe is dying, did you see the deal they were just forced to do with the USA?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jp-morgan-chief-message-europe-182119626.html

maybe it's time to wake up and smell the coffee? Europe is no longer competitive. It's dying. Literally, the way of life you speak of so highly, it's going. It can't last at the pace of change we are experiencing.

Alternatives are places like Afghanistan? Yemen? North Korea? Myanmar? Even much of S America - sexist, much of Africa - poor/violent, much of middle East, sexist/dangerous, Asia - authoritarianism/despots. And now America turning authoritarian..

I’m not sure it’s the best in the world but I do love the UK. I’ve lived in Japan as well as the UK and travelled to 40 other countries.

On the most part, I find the UK safe, quiet and beautiful with good education, arts and job opportunities as well as free healthcare. It’s a lot more than you’d find in a lot of places. And I love the national trust, my house and area etc.

The main thing I hate in the UK is the dust and dust mites because I’m allergic. My eczema vanishes in SEA/LatAm. It goes wild in the UK, Japan and Korea.

Even Japan which is lauded by people drive me up the wall. I lived far away from the main tourism spots and its was LOUD. Every day beeping and sirens and crossings that make noise and talking adverts in the street. Drove me mad along with the endless and confusing beaurocracy - why do I need to go to the town hall to get a stamp to get a number to put onto a machine to get a paper to give to the car salesman for him to do the same thing to then give me a paper that I then have to take to the town hall? Mind numbing. And the town hall is closed every Monday- Wednesday and every public celebration day of which there are 100 throughout the year.

It doesn’t. But we must all be patient..