What do other nationalities think of the British

[Baggingarea]

For non UK MNers, what are your general impressions of the British?

I was watching a documentary recently and a Spanish man said our houses are all dirty. I'd never heard that before but can see why someone might think that with muddy weather etc etc.

What do you think about us? Promise I won't be offended (no racism/sexism/general bigotry though please). Can't vouch for others though.

lot of overlap between Irish and British ways of life, so I don't think British houses are dirty! But I do think that some British people buy in to that need to have a nationality on the rung beneath them and they place Ireland there because of their own need. There must be a place with worse weather! Thank you Ireland.

It is often more insidious and harmful than that though (perceptions of class and Irish people through a British lens are distorted but serve a collective need for the British people who hold those views to be less insignificant.)

When it comes to drinking, wanting mortgages, work/home balances, approaches to family life, I think there's a lot of similarity.

And yes I would happily pay more taxes for better healthcare.

As it is I have private medical insurance.

The negative things that Swedes tend to tell me (I'm Swedish but have lived in the UK a long time) are:

It rains all the time.
People have carpets everywhere, including bathrooms.
One tap for hot and one for cold water (will never understand this myself).
Houses are poorly built which leaves them damp, cold and you can feel the wind coming through the doors and windows.
The food is questionable.
Brexit.
People have bad teeth.

The positives:
People are polite.
Countryside is lovely.
Going out is cheap, compared to Sweden.

Actually one other thing I don't get about British culture is the deification of the NHS. It's good if you have a disease which might kill you like cancer but anything debillitating but non-life threatening they are useless at

I completely disagree. Since I was diagnosed with Crohns 15 years ago, I cannot fault the NHS and their provision - scans, procedures, operations, (expensive) medication - just brilliant. Yes, nothing is perfect but for me, once you're 'in the system' the NHS is amazing.

“Actually one other thing I don't get about British culture is the deification of the NHS. It's good if you have a disease which might kill you like cancer but anything debillitating but non-life threatening they are useless at.”

I’m with you. My birth experience for example was so chaotic and risky it was one of the reasons we left the country to have another child. No wonder the UK has a relatively high rate of infant mortality.

For me, I love the British sense of humour, so understated (not much in evidence on this thread!). The amazing banter you can have with a stranger. The incredible variation of food, dialect and culture across counties. The British seaside resorts - so tacky but so appealing.

I also love how British people will go to the newspaper over a stale bun, or the parking meter not spitting their change out or whatever. Just not seen in my country.

I miss the UK.

I think a lot of these are fair enough, tbh. Having lived OS for many years in three different countries I also think a lot of Brits are dirty and unhygienic with bad teeth. I can see the thing about reserve too, but I quite like that. Brits are initially reserved, but then friendly once they get to know you. I find initial effusiveness rather fake. You can be polite and pleasant without having to pretend everyone is your best friend from day one.

Anyway, in Italy they think British women look like horses (like Princess Anne) and that we're not friendly. I was happy to disabuse them of both those things! In France, they think British food is disgusting and bland. In the USA, they're obsessed with our bad teeth, but think all British accents sound classy - that one always particularly amused me

I've found this thread both interesting and amusing.

I lived in the US for a year with an American family. My main observations were that our food was fresher and healthier and that they had not travelled outside the US, and I think, nor outside their neighbouring states. That said, that's specific only to the family I lived with and I'm sure they'd have liked to travel if they'd had the money.

Most American men in particular seemed to love British accents and were more interested in the royal family than I am. There was quite a lot of "you live in London, so you must know the McGregor family that live in Edinburgh". In fairness, the UK is tiny relative to the US.

I'm genuinely bemused by the dirty house comments. I agree, it may be a carpet v hard floor thing. I can understand why people think we're rubbish at speaking their language, I think we are pretty dreadful on that front as a nation. And the fruit and veg is fantastic in the Med countries.

I also second the comments on some other nationalities being over emotional. I find it quite uncomfortable, particularly in a work context where conference calls with our New York office seemed to waste the first 15 minutes having a strange, chest beating pep talk. Perhaps that's an investment banking thing.

What I like most about being a Brit is our dry sense of humour. Helps me get through the knowledge that the rest of the world sees us as emotionally repressed, broad backed heffers with dreadful teeth and a propensity to drink too much...

*'Why do children eat dinner at 4-5 and parents when the kids are in bed?"

This was my experience in the UK too! Children eat really early, and so do the very old.'*

Another sweeping generalisation. All of the people making these comments I judge you and you are embarrassing yourself.

Can people define dirty both for houses and people? I don't get it. Carpets is one small thing and I don't know people who have these in bathrooms or kitchens.

Growing up we thought the UK had badly educated teenagers who know little about the world. We also thought the population have a limited knowledge of the world in general. Cant seem to handle languages, and expect everyone to speak english when travelling (which baffled us as my country insists every kid speaks 3 languages to A level standard).

Decent food, especially carbs. Also decent TV. Great healthcare.

Also thought UK people had NO idea how lucky they were and they spent a lot of time moaning.

You could say loads of criticism and sweeping stereotypes about other countries too; good and bad everywhere! Thread is pathetic and inflammatory I suspect

What I dislike:

• obsessed with “class” (I can’t stand it, classism is everywhere), a lot of snobbish attitudes. Makes me extremely sad.

What I like:

• Smiling at strangers (we don’t have that where I’m from), politeness (well, general politeness is greater where I live in the U.K. comparing to my home country).
• Tolerance and inclusion (unfortunately, I’m from a country that’s famous for lack of such thing).

The USA is a rich country compared to most thanks to having oil, coal, gas and a big home population to buy stuff.
So they have bigger houses and cars and more money for private dentistry. Hence (imv) all the rows of gleaming teeth and firm jaws.
Our teeth are crap but we have less disposable income. And historically we had a huge sugar industry, more so than other European countries. Generalising of course.

Since I was diagnosed with Crohns 15 years ago, I cannot fault the NHS and their provision - scans, procedures, operations, (expensive) medication - just brilliant.

My husband has Crohns and his experience was the complete opposite. Total chaos, dreadful lack of communication.

One thing to add. When we were on safari in South Africa a couple of years ago, all the other families at the lodge were Swiss. And yes, they all spoke excellent English and were very engaging.

When Brexit came up, one of the men said that were had a different view as we were an island, rather than his country being bordered by different countries and languages. I hadn't really thought of the geography in that way. (Doubly poor as I have a geography degree...).

They think they are above other nations.pompous and egotistical!

One thing I don't get about the UK is why school kids can't shower after PE? We always did that back home. If the kids have PE in the morning they have to walk around sweaty and cold all day. It might be fine when you are in the lower years in primary and you don't sweat as much but not in secondary school.

Absolutely fantastic sense of humour. You get the crown for that one. No one else does funny quite like you.

Quite narrowminded about the rest of the world- as in, seem to think that small distances are impossibly far, unaware that other cultures do things differently to you, seem to build up a firm impression of foreign countries based on tv programs and films. That sort of thing.

@Splodgetastic

Wow, lots of anti-British sentiment here. Usually even foreigners aren’t so rude as to say this to your face.

Well yes, but the title gives it away doesn't it? Someone asked.

The British refusal to speak straight and to voice direct, if difficult, opinions/experiences is seen as very rude in some places and deeply unhelpful. It can lead to a reputation for insincerity; cultural difference again.

I personally think the British people who haven't lived abroad, who defend the UK on this thread

1. havent read the question
2. (naturally!) simply can't see how non-Brits, or Brits who live abroad, see the UK. They're among the trees and can't see the forest.

I don't find this thread any ruder than any other thread on here. There are some hugely funny posts from witty posters and some nasty, judgemental posts from others who like to be that way.

I'm British, was born here and have family in other European countries where they were also born, not having just moved there, not feigning a culture they don't really have. I think that makes a difference.

I always though - and have long liked - the general British tolerance for 'live and let live', we generally do have that. If you don't impact on other people, stay within the law and don't try to impose your views on others then people are tolerant.

I don't find this site any kind of barometer of what RL is like, except in odd 'pockets'. It's a melting pot of intolerance and judgement with an enormous and misplaced focus on class and pigeon-holing other people.

I think of food banks and a government that is happy for so many of it's citizens to be fed by charities and a population that seem to see no wrong in this.

Completely agree. The fact there is so much poverty in the UK should shame every single one of us. A great many of us don't seem to care though. Maybe they just think it's the natural order of things and how it should be, there's also a lot of real contempt for the poor (including their children) who knows, maybe that's the reason we're fine to have the poverty levels we do...

Sorry to bring down the tone of the thread...
Sexually unadventurous and boring in bed.
(Had a fling with a Portuguese chap, he said most English girls are squeamish about penises )

Depends where you live also. Being a Londoner I always that the rest of England is so different from the capital in mindset and behaviour...

If you mean 'English' rather than British then unfortunately I think the reputation is that the nation has too many binge drinkers, Brexiters/little Englanders and that there is an unwelcome arrogance and obsession with class/the empire...The Scots and the Irish are usually much more 'loved' than the English.

I must say our politicians are not helping and we can't blame other nations for now seeing us as untrustworthy.

But, I must say that for me London, when we did not have a Tory PM was the best place on earth to live. Breaks my heart how we are slowly being destroyed as a nation.

I hate carpets and I can see how the fact that I keep indoor plants, pets and muddy horse riding stuff everywhere might make someone from abroad consider my home less than 'hygienic'...

@IceniWarrior From what I’ve heard, the unhygienic thing relates to carpets, wearing outside shoes in the house and sitting in your ‘own dirty water in a bath.’
The other things I’ve heard is that British people can’t cook, they have tiny houses, and that if they see a queue, British people will join it.

Travelling in my 20s and speaking English - “no I’m IRISH, IREland - not ISLAND, IREland - no I’m not English, I’m IRISH”, and always similar reactions, a huge change in demeanour to open friendliness, and then the usual , “Sinead o,Connor, Roy Keane!” Yes yes I’m from their country

This was travelling in the Middle East. The change was enormous when they shifted me from English to irish. Frosty to warm!

I live in the UK now. I find England - obviously I like it, I choose to live here! - but as a nation, really a bit clueless about the world, about the UK and it’s role in history, clueless about Republic of Ireland, most people not even really knowing is it or isn’t it part of UK?

Religion is much more important then I realised here. The Christian churches play a big role in communities. That always surprises me! My perception was it was a nation of heathens

Cricket is big in village life.

Hunting (on horse) is quite exclusive. In Ireland it’s not quite so separate from the community.

Homes/gardens are so well landscaped!!! It unreal. houses are finished, properly. Attention to detail is fantastic.

The landscape is strange. Thousand acre fields with no hedge, tree line, nothing. I always find this bizarre. And no small holdings. Farms are enormous.