How to actually preserve British culture and values?

[constantcycle]

Seeing all of the flag-flying and marches in the name of "preserving British culture" and "promoting British values," I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to actually do these things rather than stoking division and hatred?

I already support museums, visit the National Trust sites and national parks whenever I can, and buy from local businesses as much as possible. I love listening to British music and attending events with local artists. I do my best to buy local produce, and I love a good farm shop when I can afford them! I also take lessons in my local language, one of the several dying British languages people are doing their best to conserve. I'm thinking maybe I should find some volunteering opportunities too.

Is there anything more I could be doing, or that others may not have considered? I'd love to see this sudden surge in patriotism used for the good of British society and all of the diverse communities within it!

You sound really angry as if you have a big chip on your shoulder. Not just on this thread but on other ones as well.

Let me guess: I’m being aggressive and emotional?

Well I don't know where in the UK you live but I would imagine that some of your views of English/British culture and traditions would overlap with mine. For example Bonfire Night and Guy Fawkes. Most people would say the English love drinking tea and moaning about the weather. Then you have literature culture, ie Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Beatrix Potter etc.

I don't know are you? You just come across as argumentative.

How dare I come across as “argumentative” on a…discussion forum. The absolute audacity of me. To share my thoughts and opinions amongst the more civilised folk. I guess I just don’t know my place.

I agree with this. 👏👏👏

You've proven my point.

I think we should have more robust planning in place, particularly when it comes to town centres. Don't allow garish, gaudy signage and all kinds of shite outside on the pavement. Keep buildings and the aesthetic in keeping with the local area. I think some towns do this very well.

And you’ve proven mine.

Immigrants must always be grateful. Never complain. Always smile and say thank you. No matter what is happening or who is telling you to fuck off back home or constantly telling you that you don’t belong. Telling you you don’t represent their “values”, you don’t contribute to their “society”. You shouldn’t even be here never mind being here and even attempting to talk about the challenges of your experience. Never, ever complain no matter how you are talked about. No matter the language used to describe you. You must be nice and grateful and smile and say your pleases and thank yous. Because you do not deserve to talk about what you need from the society you live in, from the government you help pay for, from the culture you contribute to. You will never be one of them. You will never truly belong.

But yeah, I’m just aggressive I guess.

Why are you afraid of foreign languages being spoken? I'm sorry, but that is a little bit pathetic. I'm an immigrant, though you wouldn't know it if you met me. I speak four languages fluently. And when one of my relatives from NL is here and we are out and about, we speak Dutch because it's easier for them. Their English isn't as good as mine.

And you aren't entitled to understand our conversation.

Point to any of my posts where I have said any of those things. You're moaning at the wrong person here.

And your response perfectly demonstrates my point. No empathy or understanding, just telling me to take my “moaning” elsewhere. I’m continually disgusted by so many of the responses on threads like this. The utter lack of humanity is astounding.

But yeah, I’ll add moany to aggressive and emotional shall I?

I've just looked up your statement about 'many Muslim countries' where Bible ownership is illegal. It's a tiny, tiny handful of countries - North Korea, that bastion of Islam, is among them.

In other muslim countries you aren't allowed to evangelise (which is fine by me because it reeks of 'my religion is better than yours', or certain versions are banned (i.e. the Jehovah's Witness version) but not all.

Accuracy matters.

A few more British things- we have had great TV, actors and actresses. Some of our children’s tv was awesome -the wombles- and some very funny very British comedies. Fawlty Towers, Monty Python etc. The Goons on radio.

And Bernie Cribbens comic songs- Right Said Fred, and the one about digging a hole.

Obv there will have been sexist, regressive crap too, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t stuff to celebrate- and we should. It all contributes to a sense of identity, and culture.

The Bisto advert. Queuing.

Celebrate what we’ve done well, and let go of the crap.

There's a big difference between what you are describing and what @Northquit is implying, which is that she wants people to not speak their own language when they are out and about. That's hardcore xenophobia.

@PrizedPickledPopcorn I didn't know that was Bernard Cribbens who sang "Right Said Fred". I often sing that to my husband when I'm making a cup of tea.

Let's start with the English moving to Wales, refusing to learn our language and then complaining about road signs.

Once that's dealt with and we're all singing from the same hymn sheet, then we can look at how people from outside the UK integrate.

Ha! On the other hand, according to my 85 yr old dad, Wales moved to Monmouthshire and now all the letters are twice as long with the Welsh included. He spends time and energy he can’t afford writing to complain about it. Seems to think his council tax bill should be tailored to his preference to not have Welsh included.
As soon as the PP complained about hearing other languages spoken, I thought of being English speaking in N Wales, years ago.

I’m too old to have had Welsh taught in my school which is a shame. I’ve not got far on Duolingo.

Why are you asking me?
In answer to your question though, I doubt it. violent thugs tend not to be polite, courteous or have consideration for others, do they?

Do you not know how a discussion forum works? You responded to a question giving it merit, so I responded to you in turn. It’s called a conversation.

My ancestors were immigrants to the UK. It must have been quite difficult for them, especially during WW1, when we were at war with their country of origin.

It wasn't you I was having the conversation with.

Lots of Brits living permanently in France and Spain who don't speak French or Spanish and live in their little 'ex-pat' (I am an ex-pat, you are an immigrant, they are illegals.....) enclaves.

I heard someone describe England as being slightly sticky. I think they were American but I think they had a point. Pub carpets, cafe tables they are all slightly sticky. More so than in other places I've been but it's something you only notice when you have been elsewhere. That and the lack of mixer taps
So maybe that's what Englishness boils down to. Mild stickiness. And I think that's something everyone can be proud of. It's quite inclusive.

To the PP who wrote about the awful impact on Iraqi’s of the Iraq war; the largest ever protest in the UK was the protest to try to stop our government’s war on Iraq, because we could see it was unjust and unlawful. https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/stop-war-londons-largest-ever-protest/
The British are a people who do care about others, and we are not our government, especially when we have governments who are so little interested in the people they’re meant to be serving (Starmer was asked what he preferred, Westminster or Davos. He said Davos without a second’s thought.)

British culture is one of comedy (well, it was), of playing with words and humour (at all the class strata’s) and gentle piss-taking of those we like, the nuclear family, irreverence, often some drinking culture, care for animals and the underdog, women’s rights, and genuine tolerance and like for those from other cultures unless they start to take the piss out of our hospitality and our values (e.g, benefit fraud and abuse of girls). I’m of mixed heritage myself but I don’t like how intolerant, racist themselves, and misogynistic some of the people we tolerate/welcome here are. It’s causing all sorts of problems.