What do you dislike about your country's culture?

[WomenHour]

I would say the binge drinking culture of the UK

Shaking hands! I hate that. And hopefully since covid, people may now stop doing it forever.

@IncandescentSilver

Gardenpad My father had people work for him. He was a very well known problem solver, very experienced - I think someone who can resolve issues no one else can will always be popular!

Kind of a standard part of a job though, isn't it? For a more experienced worker to teamwork with newer employees. Its not really great to crow about it or use it as a reason to undermine others.

I thought the point in doing a degree in engineering was to be able to draw up algorithms and design new products and not just to problem solve through years of experience - horses for courses and different things, but theres a huge difference between design engineers and maintenance engineers, and you will always need a degree to be any good at the former and to be taken seriously by most modern employers.

Quite presumptuous to suggest that when I referred to my Dad as an engineer I meant mechanic! I do know the difference, I studied Mechanical Engineering at University. When I refer to my Dad as a problem solver, I mean he built a unique machinery to solve a problem - he patented several pieces, one was even put into production for 15 years. Many of his exploits were reported in the local press and he made several appearances on TV - he was not involved in maintenance - unless it was on his own designs or vintage cars...you really should learn to not jump to conclusions.

• not accepting foreign workers into the country but preferring to be on benefits than do the low-paid unpleasant jobs that the foreign workers are needed for (abbatoirs, cleaning, etc).
• voting for parties that promise low taxes then wondering why the NHS, schools, roads etc are in a terrible state
• virtually thinking the UK is the whole world, hence some people actually thinking this government has handled the pandemic well
• anyone who voted for this government actually

@IncandescentSilver

Gardenpad My father had people work for him. He was a very well known problem solver, very experienced - I think someone who can resolve issues no one else can will always be popular!

Kind of a standard part of a job though, isn't it? For a more experienced worker to teamwork with newer employees. Its not really great to crow about it or use it as a reason to undermine others.

I thought the point in doing a degree in engineering was to be able to draw up algorithms and design new products and not just to problem solve through years of experience - horses for courses and different things, but theres a huge difference between design engineers and maintenance engineers, and you will always need a degree to be any good at the former and to be taken seriously by most modern employers.

And to address you first point - it wasn't about teamwork - if my Dad needed people to help, he always had willing helpers - people owed him favours from days of old because he was always willing to help people out. Generally he designed, made and tested the prototypes himself, I doubt he ever would have fitted in with working for an employer - it wasn't his style, he's quite eccentric...fortunately didn't have to.

The UK, so many things that I could be here all night listing them.

The sense of entitlement and whinging about everything in Britain.

not accepting foreign workers into the country but preferring to be on benefits than do the low-paid unpleasant jobs that the foreign workers are needed for (abbatoirs, cleaning, etc).

I don’t understand this point of view. I know it’s intended to be liberal but it just reeks of privilege.

Basically, you’re saying the British lower class are too lazy to do the shitty jobs for no money so we should get immigrants to do it because they’re happier to earn a pittance.

Surely we should be looking at how we can support low paid workers to seek higher incomes so that they feel it’s worth getting up and going to? For example, the government awarding 30% of the amount the worker received in benefits once they’re working if they’re earning under a certain amount or earning a small amount more than they got while on benefits.

The “get the foreign workers in to do the shit jobs lazy Brits won’t” while claiming some kind of moral high ground attitude makes me really uncomfortable.

That we don't put an emphasis upon learning other languages well.

I’m a Brit in the US but I moved here as an adult so lived most of my life in the UK.

UK
The mindless vandalism and lack of pride in place.

The overall acceptance of antisocial behavior, for example, spitting, shouting and swearing in the street, littering etc. Horrendously, one of the last times I came home, I was on a night out and saw a very drunk young woman in her going out clothes crouched down next to a building society having a poo!

US
The guns.

The lack of critical thinking and adherence to family politics and religion. E.g. if your Dad was in a republican, you are too.

The hypocrisy, particularly when it comes to religion.

The obsession with money and getting ahead at whatever cost.

And don’t get me started on the ingrained sexism in my state that starts with putting 11 year olds in cheerleading and doing them up like baby hookers.

So many in the UK glad I'm tanned and can disconect myself slightly.

@SuddenArborealStop

The begrudgery - ireland

I think that’s why my Mum left and never seriously considered returning

Great posts @IncandescentSilver I spent 10 years in Scotland and felt the same. Deeply surprised at the complacency to a Scottish govt that kept the masses placated by nationalist rhetoric and overexpenditure on the public - far beyond what the coffers allowed.

@Jamdemic

- not accepting foreign workers into the country but preferring to be on benefits than do the low-paid unpleasant jobs that the foreign workers are needed for (abbatoirs, cleaning, etc).

• voting for parties that promise low taxes then wondering why the NHS, schools, roads etc are in a terrible state
• virtually thinking the UK is the whole world, hence some people actually thinking this government has handled the pandemic well
• anyone who voted for this government actually

Yes!

Nothing I'm proud of myScottish culture and our 3 languages Scots Doric and Gaelic

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken No, you have completely either misunderstood me or deliberately twisted my words.
I welcome foreign workers into this country to do any jobs that they choose. I believe in freedom of movement and freedom of employment - principles at the heart of the EU. I also highly valued the fact that UK workers were free to work in the rest of the EU also.
With Brexit, however, the UK will find itself severely short of workers in abattoirs - do you know that 70% of abattoir staff and vets are foreign? Who will do those jobs now? Glad you have a plan though.

[quote Jamdemic]@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken No, you have completely either misunderstood me or deliberately twisted my words.
I welcome foreign workers into this country to do any jobs that they choose. I believe in freedom of movement and freedom of employment - principles at the heart of the EU. I also highly valued the fact that UK workers were free to work in the rest of the EU also.
With Brexit, however, the UK will find itself severely short of workers in abattoirs - do you know that 70% of abattoir staff and vets are foreign? Who will do those jobs now? Glad you have a plan though.[/quote]
I really don’t think I’ve misunderstood or I’m twisting your words. I think it’s hard for people to face the reality of their convictions.
How is what I’ve written any different to what you wrote except it’s framed in a less flattering light?

I'm a bit of a mixed bag of cultures

Netherlands: "Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg" = Just be normal, then you're already crazy enough. If you don't do the same things in the same way at the same time as them, people look at you here like you've grown two heads.

America: The fake nicety and playing games. Nobody ever says what they actually think or want. You have to jump through a ton of hoops to figure out why someone doesn't like you while they are insisting you are BFFs. So many people living lives as lonely and as miserable as each other and too afraid to admit it.

Turkey: People constantly touching each other and getting in each other's business. Nothing is ever private, it's always a family affair. Im middle aged and still regularly get my cheeks squeezed by old ladies, in queues people stand right behind you breathing down your neck, and any random stranger might hold on to your arm the whole time you talk.

There are things I absolutely love about all 3 cultures too. Like the Dutch for example are brutally direct. I found it so rude at first but now I absolutely love it and cant stand people wasting my time with fake sentiments and games before they get to the point.

@NoMoreMrNiceGaius

I'm a bit of a mixed bag of cultures

Netherlands: "Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg" = Just be normal, then you're already crazy enough. If you don't do the same things in the same way at the same time as them, people look at you here like you've grown two heads.

America: The fake nicety and playing games. Nobody ever says what they actually think or want. You have to jump through a ton of hoops to figure out why someone doesn't like you while they are insisting you are BFFs. So many people living lives as lonely and as miserable as each other and too afraid to admit it.

Turkey: People constantly touching each other and getting in each other's business. Nothing is ever private, it's always a family affair. Im middle aged and still regularly get my cheeks squeezed by old ladies, in queues people stand right behind you breathing down your neck, and any random stranger might hold on to your arm the whole time you talk.

There are things I absolutely love about all 3 cultures too. Like the Dutch for example are brutally direct. I found it so rude at first but now I absolutely love it and cant stand people wasting my time with fake sentiments and games before they get to the point.

My mum has a Dutch friend and she's like this. She's very blunt, but in a good way. There's no bullshit with her. Apparently Germans are similar.

@NoMoreMrNiceGaius

I'm a bit of a mixed bag of cultures

Netherlands: "Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg" = Just be normal, then you're already crazy enough. If you don't do the same things in the same way at the same time as them, people look at you here like you've grown two heads.

America: The fake nicety and playing games. Nobody ever says what they actually think or want. You have to jump through a ton of hoops to figure out why someone doesn't like you while they are insisting you are BFFs. So many people living lives as lonely and as miserable as each other and too afraid to admit it.

Turkey: People constantly touching each other and getting in each other's business. Nothing is ever private, it's always a family affair. Im middle aged and still regularly get my cheeks squeezed by old ladies, in queues people stand right behind you breathing down your neck, and any random stranger might hold on to your arm the whole time you talk.

There are things I absolutely love about all 3 cultures too. Like the Dutch for example are brutally direct. I found it so rude at first but now I absolutely love it and cant stand people wasting my time with fake sentiments and games before they get to the point.

Yep my Dutch relatives are like this too! It’s refreshing to know exactly where you stand. If they think you should bring a bottle of wine to dinner, they’ll tell you. Not tell you to not bring anything and just wait until you leave to slag you off like my British family 😂

Racism.

Chips with everything.

I recently joined a FB group about local takeaways and everybody orders chips to go with their curry or chow mein!

Just why? It's grotesque, and I didn't realise it was actually a thinguntil a couple of weeks ago.

Then we went to an Indian restaurant last night and there was a boy of about about 7yo who was eating chips. I thought nothing of it because kids often don't like curry, until DH said "He's living his best life" after noticing the boy had curry, rice and chips all to himself .

But before a couple of weeks ago it was the entitled attitude of people towards free education. Comfortably off parents complaining about being asked to contribute towards drama groups visiting the school etc. Also people just not valuing education, (although I'll admit that was me as a teen). When I meet people from other countries they seem to value education so much more than British people.

For me, it's brexit moaners. It's been four years get a grip!

I hate how British people get all mortally offended by stuff but they don't just come out and say it, they'll just act passive aggressive or bitch behind your back instead.

Stupid rules like not giving money at weddings and poems asking for money is tacky - who honestly gives a shit?

Endless moaning - I do it too but my husband doesn't understand why. His culture is very much "put up or shut up" which I prefer these days.

Pretending class doesn't exist. Middle class people getting all huffy about the word "chav" when every single working class person uses it with impunity to mean someone who acts like an outrageous chump.

Moaning about immigrants, particularly because the reason we're a wealthy country that people want to immigrate to is because we went around colonising everywhere

The fact that people can't see that we are a bit shit as a country these days. Take coronavirus as an example - people can't accept that the reason many Asian countries did a better job of stopping the spread of it isn't culture or SARS or weather or food, it's because the people actually hold their governments accountable and the governments actually give a modicum of shit about the people. Our government couldn't care less and yet people continue to line up to rim Boris Johnson. Or worse, just shrug their shoulders and say "meh that's just how it is".

The fact that so many English people are completely ignorant about Scotland, NI and Wales.

There are so many good things about the UK but we are declining fast.

"I was a teacher in an alternative secondary provision (behavioural unit) and feel 90% of the parents were responsible for their kids failings as they really did not give a flying F about their children and blamed all and sundry before they would ever check their own behaviour- so sad :-"

Yes this kind of shit. It's so alarming how many people truly don't give a shit in the UK. So many awful parents who just drag their kids up.

@seayork2020 Well I don't love Australian beer generally there is one or two I like

Im missing that aussie gene, all beer tastes like crap to me
Give me a nice cocktail or simple vodka and oj lol

on a side note, EB seayork?