What does this country have going for it? UK

[Haveagentlechristmas]

Sorry if this is a goady thread, but with the awful weather we have had for weeks, the astronomical electricity prices, the uncaring and mismanaging government, an NHS that is absolutely crumbling despite those working in it giving their body and soul to the job, locked down borders where we can no longer as easily work, travel and live in 20 something countries, could people please help with positives of this country. I'm feeling like all my pride and patriotism has vanished.

We have so much that I adore. Crisps, rolling hills, beautiful coastline, the output of Victoria Wood, vibrant cities, thousands of years of history, Fleabag, my mate Pete, tea, Yorkshire pudding, architecture, fashion, art, The National Trust, custard, education, volunteering, a welfare state, Brighton, the BBC, stand up comedy, freedom of speech, Sue Perkins, pet ownership, sarcasm, sand sandwiches, random rope swings in forests, open spaces, Christmas, linguistic brilliance, music, pillboxes, railways, tradition, English Heritage, libraries and literature, whimsy, pointless rules, free press, dancing, industry, markets, birds, flowers, trees, shops, work/life balance, emergency services, myths and legends, confectionary, hats, accents, Monty Python, Scotland, the seasons, employment, food, farming, theatre.

And biscuits. We're good at biscuits.

I’ll tell you what I miss:

• The self deprecation and sarcasm. There is a lightness which you just don’t find in a lot of other countries
• People usually give you the benefit of the doubt. Where I live, if you make a mistake it is instantly assumed you did it on purpose or you’re just a total moron. In either case they will call you out on it immediately, which usually isn’t needed. In the U.K. people are actually generally quite polite and friendly. You see it with driving too.
• People read. As in a lot of people read; there are books for everyone and for every taste. In a lot of places, only “intellectuals” read and they have to be seen reading high brow stuff. English children’s books are typically so much more engaging than the endless blah blah blah of a highly instructive German book. Also books can be really cheap, thanks to charity shops. I have never seen billboards for books in any other country.
• Charity shops and generally the 2nd hand market.
• Tea. PG tips isn’t top notch tea, but it does hit the spot sometimes
• Food. You can get SO MUCH variety in the U.K. in a normal shop and the restaurants are so varied.
• supermakets. You can get everything you need in one place. I go to one shop for the basics, the drug store (which ironically has anything but drugs) for toiletries, the pharmacy for so much as a paracetamol (open only until 13:00 on Saturdays, mind), another for spices another one if I need lightbulbs. Shops are all closed on Sunday.
• digitalisation is far ahead in the U.K..I get so many letters here and it is very annoying.
• fish & chips. It’s just not the same elsewhere.

national parks and whatnot are nice but you have plenty of those elsewhere too.

Freedom to be gay, straight, sex outside of marriage without being stoned/lashed/hanged
Moderate weather most of the time
Freedom of speech
Beautiful countryside & coastline
British sense of humour
We do pomp & pageantry so well
Plenty of choice of food
Relatively safe place to live

Gorgeous landscape. Fantastic sense of humour. Generosity (the RNLI fundraisers for small boats have really given me hope).
But I hate what Brexit has done and I hate even more what 12 years of the Tories have done. It’s a difficult country to be in right now.

FPTP makes me doubt we’re great at democracy

Seagulls. We have a lot of them.

Also our literature and history
choral music tradition
fantastic tv and film
v good comedians
lovely quirky little towns and lovely tea shops

I used to miss the uk so much when I lived abroad that I ached.

All of that but I don’t know about the food

I've lived abroad in Spain in the 90s because I thought I hated the UK. I couldn't believe how homesick I was! I missed so many things - the diversity, the humour, the lush green countryside, the food (yes really), the cosy houses, beautiful gardens. I moved before the days of streaming - I missed British TV. There are so many great dramas, intelligent documentaries and good comedies. I'm sorry but Spanish TV in the 90s didn't compare. Im sure it's better now. I missed radio 4. I missed the fact that there was diversity of style in the uk. Where I lived in Spain everyone seemed to dress the same, have the same hairstyles etc. I missed a certain rebellious spirit in Brits, a non-conformist attitude. I missed British bands. All these are things I didn't even know I appreciated until I lived abroad!

I’ve lived in a lovely part of America and travelled all over the world. I now live in a shitty deprived area with absolutely NOTHING going for it culturally, spiritually or aesthetically but I read the news and thank my lucky stars I live in this country.

Yes, we are going through bad times - in some ways it’s unifying. We all laugh at the same Prince Harry memes, we are all rooting for the NHS, we all roll our eyes when it’s another grey day and hunker down stoically when our train is cancelled or another politician is revealed to be corrupt and useless…. Conversely we all love it when England win, or there’s a heat wave, or a bank holiday or national event.

To paraphrase a line from Shadowlands:
‘the crap-ness is part of the happiness’

@ShowOfHands

I love that crisps are at the top of your list.

Nice to meet a fellow MN who has her priorities right.

I’ve wanted to leave the UK since Brexit (I’m not British) but just haven’t managed to make reality of a vague want. This thread is helpful as I still don’t know what to do.

Yes crisps are universally shite everywhere in the world but here.

Ha! I loved that too. I don’t know anywhere else that has the amazing variety of crisps.
our confectionery generally is stellar!

Women are free. Freely able to access education, employment, choose our own husband or not marry at all, free to have children without being married, or not have children if we so wish, free to participate politically, free to dress how we like. Live undependently, travel independently. So many more freedoms we take for granted that are denied to so many women around the world.

For this alone I am eternally grateful to live in Britain

Big Tescos

Shropshire - beautiful place to live.

That my University aged DC are able to access such fantastic Unis (yes I know they will come out of it in debt but we still have some of the best Unis in the world).

Working for the NHS I know that there are a lot of really brilliant humans that will go the extra mile.

What an incredibly low bar.

I mean, your list applies to pretty much any developed and many developing countries around the world.

Unless you are comparing the UK to Iran.

I love living here. I especially love all the events that we have that bring us close together and celebrate things. Jubilee, Olympics, world cups, trooping of the colours... I LOVE the pomp and ceremony.

And England in the sunshine is just 🤌🏼(especially clear, sunny, cold, frosty mornings)

8 years ago was 2014! It’s a different place now, sadly.

Everywhere has it's bad points OP, if you're looking for Utopia you're never going to find it but for your information I love:

The countryside with all the right to roam footpaths
A proper country pub (not Gastro shit)
Our climate, yes it rains but chuck your wellies on and go for a country walk with the dogs and stop off at said country pub on the way! Perfect.
Our shops, especially the ones that have been around for hundreds of years with Royal Warrants.
I can send my children to school knowing there won't be any shootings.
The architecture which ranges from beautiful thatched cottages dating from the 14th century to the present day
Our sense of humour and our ability to take the piss out of ourselves.
Our wildlife which is nothing scary, deers, foxes, rabbits badgers etc
Bluebell woodlands in the Spring

Wildflowers.
Marmite.
Tea and scones.

Great theatre.

Bacon, decent bread and cheese!