To think everything will be unrecognisable in 50 years

I referenced 50 years ago when I was a child. And people rarely left the area they were born in because there were jobs, housing and family support. Today people have to travel where the jobs are, hope there is housing, and then pay thousands for childcare that might once have been supplied by family.

And the NHS was founded 78 years ago, if you want to split hairs, so yes it wasn’t around 80 years ago (long before the period I was expressly referencing). The NHS worked fine when I was a child.

Of course India has a culture. Hence we can all recognise Indian style architecture, Indian food, Indian music, even Bollywood films. To say otherwise is just nonsense.

Ofgs. I was born and live in Scotland. I Talk about "the Celts" is cringe making.

Tbh, I don't like Glasgow. It's quite parochial compared to Edinburgh, which has a distinct feel to it as well as being a European city.

Absolutely. My husband's family were from Glasgow. More than other cultures 'taking over', I think that the banal, homegenous slop mono-culture, spread by moronic media is the main issue with cultural changes. It's everyones loss.

My heritage is white British, including Welsh and English, with some Irish thrown in. Though I'm not really sure how that's relevant.

And it's lovely that you have learned a song that you love from your grandmother which you intend to pass on to your own grandchildren when the time comes. No issue with that at all.

But surely that's the point, isn't it? The heritage that was passed on to me by my grandmother - who was just as British as yours - is not the same. I did not grow up singing that particular song and I have no desire to pass it on to my grandchildren. But there are other things which were passed down to me by my parents and grandparents which I shall be passing on because they are important to me.

And that is exactly the point that I'm making. We will all have experienced British culture in different ways, and we will have our own interpretations of what that means, shaped by those experiences. There is no single source because there is no single definition. Because as you quite rightly say, culture is passed down from one generation to the next, and different families will choose to pass down different things.

What ‘distinct feel’ is that?

Interesting that when you are asked to define anything you are against, you have been unable to and yet it is others who are apparently trying to insist British culture doesn’t exist. Pulling out Afghanistan in an attempt to slam dunk, isn’t the flex you think it is. I take it you don’t understand it’s recent history?

On a very granular level, my grandmother taught me to sing Be Thou my Vision, which her grandmother sang to her. My children can sing that hymn, and a great many other traditional hymns and folk songs from all over Britain and I will make sure my future grandchildren can too

Same here! Slane version for us.

Of course there is such a thing as Indian culture. But if you believe that there is one single definitive version of Indian culture, then that just suggests that you don't know very much about India.

Edinburgh doesn't look and feel like anywhere else. Not all cities have that feeling. I suppose it's largely architectural and obviously during August there's nowhere that compares to Edinburgh.

😂

I could say absolutely anything and your response would be ‘but where’s that written down? Is there a study for that? Who defines that? Have we agreed a definition?’

It’s a specialty of some posters on here, and engaging with it is just brain soup. You try to make everything so complicated and incomprehensible that it can mean anything you want it to mean.

So what is Indian culture, which you are saying exists but has no definition?

Do things that can’t be defined exist? Does love exist? Does humour exist, because what one person finds funny another doesn’t?

Even if we can’t agree on a ‘singular British culture’, that doesn’t mean the whole thing is a fabrication that isn’t worthy of protection.

Of course it doesn't have to be codified. You're missing the point.

If there was a single, definitive version, then it would be reasonable to assume that someone might have documented this. But of course, culture cannot be codified because it is constantly changing, evolving and subject to different interpretations.

English culture is often characterised by politeness, humour, a respect for privacy, tradition, and a strong sense of fairness. England is also a diverse, modern country, so customs vary between regions, generations and communities. But there are some recognisable cultural patterns.

🇬🇧 English culture and customs
1. Politeness and good manners
Saying “please”, “thank you”, “sorry” and “excuse me” is deeply ingrained. People may apologise even when something isn't their fault. Queuing patiently and waiting your turn are important social expectations.

2. Tea, food and hospitality
Tea is a cultural staple, often offered to guests as a welcoming gesture. Traditional foods include fish and chips, roast dinners, pies, full English breakfasts and afternoon tea. Sunday lunch can be an important family tradition.

3. Humour, sarcasm and understatement
English humour often involves irony, teasing, self-deprecation and saying something serious in an understated way. People might downplay a significant achievement or describe something disastrous as “not ideal”. Sarcasm is common, but context matters.

4. Privacy and personal space
Many English people value independence and personal boundaries. It is common to avoid asking strangers very personal questions, to respect someone's home as private space, and to avoid making a fuss in public. Friendships can take time to develop but become very loyal.

5. Fairness and the queue
The idea that everyone should have a fair chance is important. Jumping a queue is widely disliked. People often expect rules to apply consistently, and cutting in or pushing ahead can be seen as disrespectful.

6. Tradition and community
Village fetes, local fairs, school events, church traditions, Remembrance Sunday, bonfire night and seasonal celebrations remain part of English life. Cricket, football, rugby and visits to the pub can bring communities together, although not everyone participates.

7. Talking about the weather
The weather is a classic conversation starter. “Lovely day, isn't it?” or “Bit cold today!” provides an easy, non-personal way to start talking without demanding too much from the other person.

8. Informality and social equality
Despite England's history of class distinctions and its monarchy, everyday interactions are often informal. First names are widely used, and people may value someone who is approachable and doesn't act superior. Class, accent, education and regional background can still influence how people are perceived.

Everyday customs worth knowing
Situation Common English customs

Greeting someone: A smile, “hello” or “you alright?” (“How are you?”)

Visiting someone's home: Arrive around the agreed time; a small gift is a nice gesture but not always expected.

Being invited for a meal: Offer to help or bring something if appropriate.

Making conversation: Start with neutral subjects, such as the weather, work or hobbies.

Disagreeing: People may soften disagreement with phrases like “I'm not sure about that.”

Receiving praise: Modesty is often appreciated; people may downplay their achievements.

Eating out Splitting the bill is common; tipping is appreciated for good service but not always compulsory.

Public behaviour Avoid being excessively loud, respect personal space and wait your turn.

Values that often shape English behaviour

A few cultural tendencies are particularly interesting because they can be misunderstood by people from other cultures.

The “stiff upper lip”: Traditionally, keeping calm and carrying on through difficulty has been admired. Modern England is much more open about mental health and emotions, but composure is still valued in some settings.

Not wanting to make a fuss: People may tolerate inconvenience rather than complain directly. They might say “It's fine” when they are actually unhappy, although this varies enormously.

Indirect communication: A phrase such as “That might be a bit difficult” can sometimes mean “No”. Listening to tone and context is useful.

Self-deprecation: People may make fun of themselves to appear approachable rather than boast about their achievements.

Respect for rules, alongside scepticism of authority: Many people value established procedures and fairness but also enjoy questioning authority through humour and satire.

Indian culture exists, but it is not just one thing. There are multiple different manifestations of Indian culture. There is no single definitive version.

It evolves but not that quickly because the whole point of culture is it is passed through generations and stands the test of time, ie not a trend.

You don’t want it to exist because you feel more comfortable in a strictly multicultural country, so now you’re fighting for everyone else to disown it too, and ‘racism’ is just a tool of this.

People need belonging, they need tradition, they need to be able to identify with something on a deeper level than just a passing trend or current fad. Just because the fads suit other people and don’t make them feel excluded, doesn’t mean they’re entitled to pretend we have no culture.

there is no change endpoint.

This may have been answered already but it’s a well studied cultural phenomenon of fewer shared cultural reference points now that people consume media/film/music on different platforms etc, further exacerbated by personalised algorithms. Apple TV, Netflix, Prime all have their own products.

The nation no longer sits down at the same time / same night each week to watch the same tv programme. Now obviously there are mega shows that break this ie GoT or The Crown, Bridgerton. But those likely had a particular demographic. It wouldn’t be the whole family across the generations sitting down to watch the same programme. Maybe GBBO, Traitors, or Strictly?

Neither do we get the same news / media sources anymore. The vast majority of U25 get their news online via SM. It’s been confirmed that FB show different news to different audiences based on algorithms to maximise engagement. So again personalised algorithms come into play. We’re not reading the same printed newspapers.

To add, I haven't argued anywhere that British culture doesn't exist. I think it does exist, but I think different people will have different interpretations of what it looks like, depending on their own experience of it.

I do not value AI answers, especially when they are not true.

So what’s yours?

Again, I'm not arguing that it doesn't exist. I am arguing that your interpretation of the culture that was passed down to you is neither more nor less valid than my interpretation of the culture that was passed down to me.

You are defining British culture in terms that suit your own agenda. That doesn't mean that other British people have to agree with that definition.

So what is British culture to you then? What ‘agenda’ are you referring to? Let me guess, I’m racist 🙄

I thought it was an excellent summary. Fortunately the whole thread is not resting on whether you agree with one person’s post.

I do not respect the watch button being permanently ticked under every post. Just thought I’d put that out there 😡