To think everyone loves traditions/culture unless it is our own? (UK)

[vitahelp]

This week has made me wonder about the above. I find so many people appreciate and enjoy tradition and culture when they are travelling overseas, but back in the UK will declare it outdated and embarrassing.

Things such as religion and places of worship are almost romanticised when abroad in certain countries, but back here are considered ridiculous by many. And I can’t help but think if we were watching from afar at a country who had just lost their Queen, the same people who are moaning this week would find it quite beautiful that people were wearing black and events were cancelled.

Is it just me who finds that culture and tradition are appreciated until they are on our doorstep?

You can ask for a greek salad in greek and they will bring you one. I've done it thousands of times and many Greeks do it. Greek coffee is also called greek coffee in Greece (even though its turkish).

I can appreciate traditions and religion, doesn't mean I want to partake in them. This is the same no matter where I am in the world (e.g. I love Japanese temples, many Japanese traditions, and appreciate Shinto and Buddhism, but don't want to adopt those as my own beliefs and religions).Not sure mixing religion and tradition is wise either. They can b very different

I think it’s a touchy subject when it comes to cultures and traditions in regards to the UK @Cornettoninja particularly for the devolved nations as so much was forced out and is now lost, including our languages, due to forced assimilation to England and English culture (historically).

Is this because people dont all universally love the monarchy as much as you do?

It’s not beautiful in Malta, religious views contribute to having incredibly strict abortion laws that hurt women.

Recent news - warning, about miscarriage

People have moved away from religion all across Europe- look at the stats for Italy.

Part of the issue in the UK is that the Anglican Church served a particular political purpose and perhaps its vocation is to die out.

That doesn’t change that the Greek name for it is Horiatiki. I don’t know how to make it any simpler.

I think I understand what you mean OP. We love watching programmes about and engaging in traditions and rituals from other cultures. Japanese tea ceremonies, religious festivals ect ect. But when it comes to our own rituals we proclaim they're old fashioned, embarrassing and should be binned.

I'm also deliberately not getting embroiled in an argument about salad. How very mumsnet.

@phishy / @HarpicHarpy
Take it outside, it gets boring..

I think your confusing 'what is the traditional name for Greek salad' with 'what do they call Greek salad in Greece'. They call it Greek salad. Everyday all day. Greeks and tourists alike.

👏

Yes this exactly! It is all exciting when abroad and something people want to immerse themselves in. But here it is embarrassing and needs to go.
I know this does not apply to everyone but I’ve definitely seen the hypocrisy in some and I may have even done it myself at some stage!

But when it comes to our own rituals we proclaim they're old fashioned, embarrassing and should be binned

Have you got some examples that are to do specifically with the UK?

I love the English language, love a lot of our literature, some of the art and music of recent centuries, our military history. Compared to some countries we probably lack with respect to folk traditions and music, and to architecture. Also, these things do change and evolve. If you look at the cultural and social changes during the lifetime of our last queen it's been huge. The loss of the the empire, decline in world and economic standing, social changes, ... etc ... it's different place. But we still have our language, books, art and music to be proud of.

I never said whether I appreciate religion or care about the Queen. I’m not trying to preach to anyone. It is the just hypocrisy I’ve observed in some (not all) and I just wondered if anyone else had noticed.

The UK is renowned globally for music. We also have amazing folk traditions! I am mystified by those being used as examples.

I suspect it depends where you are in the country, and what you mean by tradition/culture.

It's the difference between visiting and living. I love to visit traditional, distinctive societies rooted in tradition. But live there full time? Not a chance in hell! Same applies in the UK.

But, you know, it's not really a surprise if someone who's grown up with umpteen dozen harvest festival assemblies, sitting cross-legged on the floor looking at a wonky display of tins of beans on straw bales, isn't blown away by the romance of it, whereas going to see something totally unfamiliar in another country is going to be much more exciting.

Only anecdotal I'm afraid @cakeorwine Lots of people I know and lots of comments online (including mumset) suggesting the all the ceremony and protocol around the Queens death and the Kings ascension, should be scrapped as its antiquated and cringworthy.

@sarahandquack That's a very valid point. Grass and greener spring to mind.

The example of the maltese being proud of their culture isnt exactly the best example. The catholic church is ever present in Malta. Abortion is banned in all circumstances. They still shoot migratory birds every year and most of the maltese way of life is unrecognisable from how it was when i was a child due to tourism and overdevelopment, but they are still staunchly catholic, but with quite a low tolerance in general to other religions and races.

YANBU. God is ridiculed as a big sky fairy, except when we're talking about non Christian religions, at which point the tone is one of deference.

Flags are racist, except when we go on holiday to France where they're all over the place and that looks nice.

To aspire to a mono cultural society is knuckle dragging, except when we go on holiday to Italy or Greece, where we'd be gutted to find anything other than an untouched 1950s postcard world with only Italian and Greek restaurants.

I adore our traditions & am sad when they fade away.. being in my 60's, I remember Whitsuntide & the marches, church bands going round the streets, children dressed up in their Whit new clothes! Wonderful.
I wouldn't go out of my way to see Morris dancers, but I'd be gutted if they ever stopped..