AIBU to not want to go to war

[TemporaryPosition]

It's expensive and it hurts and it helps nothing, it just puts innocent sons, brothers, fathers, uncles and friends through the meat grinder. The only people who benefit are those who make a fortune from selling weapons and are granted contracts for reconstruction.

Haven't we learnt anything? What happened to "never again".

AIBU to really really really not want to be involved in any war?

Devon, Cornwall, Sussex, Norfolk, Northumbria, Aberystwyth, Aberdeen

Can you imagine Trump signing a peace deal with Cornwall. He'd be wanting to make a multi-billion dollar deal for our Radon.

Fill your boots Don!!

If only someone had suggested that earlier.

But now you have, how are getting it to happen?

Of course they are culturally closer to England that Welsh speakers. They may not like to hear it, but it's true, how can it be otherwise

That’s just ignorance. Culture is part of language, but I can assure you it’s entirely possible to be culturally strongly identified with Wales as a non-Welsh speaker, and for the culture of England to be irrelevant to you. Remember Russian is Zelenskyy’s first language - is he more Russian than Ukrainian? What about French speaking Belgians? French speaking Canadians?

Ooohh. Missiles in Cuba.

House

@TemporaryPosition Out of interest what us citizens did the Ukrainians kill?

What a stupid thing to say!

Why do you think people go to war??

Why do you think the Ukrainian’s are at war???

Nobody wants to go to war.

Ignorance is not knowing something, not disagreeing on it. I'd say Zelensky was more Russian than Ukrainians who didn't speak Russian, though I imagine the languages are not radically dissimilar. People speak French in Canada because they were colonised, they were forced to speak the language precisely because it would eventually weaken their identification to their original culture. It is the reason Gaelic was banned in Scotland. Do you think there are other reasons they ban and impose languages on people? If there are let me know.

Then you are ignorant as you don’t know what cultural identity is.

Not a nice guy. But they killed him all the same. Gonzalo Lira. Or rather "he died in custody" - same way Navalny did. Although I wouldn't say they're the same type of person

It's more conducive to discussion if you explain why you think I'm wrong rather than just stating that I am. It's better for others trying to read along too. Because when you say I don't know what cultural identity is without following up with a definition or explanation, it just sounds like it's "whatever I say it is". So please, sincerely, tell me what cultural identity is, because I might not be the only one with a gaping hole in my knowledge

I'm an English speaking Welsh woman and you can fuck right off.

I already did that. Language and culture are intertwined but not exclusive. Culture is made up of lots of things, including the way you feel about yourself and who you are. Language isn’t the be all and end all and speaking a language doesn’t make you ‘closer’ to that culture if everything else points you to a different one. As for your point about eradication of language being part of a hostile takeover, can’t you see how that actually strengthens my point? Lots of Welsh people dont speak Welsh because England did its level best to destroy the language, and you think that means Welsh people are more English? It makes them more identified with Welshness in most cases I assure you. Are you English? The English never understand this in my experience. Probably comes from their culture being heavily identified with Empire. (And yes, I know other British countries were involved with that too, but they tended not to make it the bedrock of their cultural identity).

Cultural identity is more than just the language you speak. In my country there are two official languages, the ones that speak Swedish are still as Finnish as the ones that speak Finnish, just like English speaking Welsh people are still Welsh and Russian speaking Ukrainians are still Ukrainian.

@TemporaryPosition Lira. The chain smoking sex tourist

Hilarious.

Perhaps we disagree on the use of the word "identified", to me in practice it invariably means something the person wishes to be the case, but is not, if they were that thing they wouldn't need to "identify" as it.

This discussion is fascinating though because I imagine the people who take issue with my perspectives often tend to align with the "open borders" lot. What an odd world we live in

No. A Welsh person is a Welsh person and not English whatever language they speak. A Ukrainian is a Ukrainian whatever language they speak. Same for those from Finland as a poster has pointed out above. You were saying they were closer to English culture if they spoke 9nly English. You are wrong. Culture is not just language.

Edit: just noticed your last sentence. Nobody is for ‘open borders’ that’s a daft idea. No point in discussing anything with someone who has been taken 8n by that load of racist right wing nonsense.

Instead of swearing at me, maybe you can use this opportunity to educate me, what are the cultural differences between Wales and England? I'm being serious

I didn't ever say culture was a language. But it's undeniably a component. What is a Welsh person then? Can someone actually explain that to me or is it just "someone who identifies as Welsh"

If you’ve lived in England without realising there’s a difference between you and people over the Welsh border this long, then there’s no point in trying to explain really. It’s about attitudes, food, the arts, humour…what makes you English? What makes anyone anything? You seem to be suggesting there’s no difference, so perhaps you don’t really believe in nationality, national identity and culture. In which case why so hostile to immigration (‘open borders lot’).

You said someone who didn’t speak Welsh was more English than Welsh. You were wrong. Lots of people have explained why. You’re one of those who think U.K. = England, aren’t you?

I don't live in England, I'm a different nationality living in a different country.

You don't know the cultural differences between Wales and England? If you don't know that, then perhaps its best you don't claim to know anything about the cultural identity of Ukrainians either.

I'd be quite interested to hear more about the cultural differences between Wales and England. Having lived in both (and being neither Welsh nor English) they aren't hugely apparent tbh.

What a stupid post. Of course that’s not unreasonable.

@Natsku

I have been to England if that helps. I haven't been to Wales, but I genuinely couldn't pick apart the difference in attitudes between them - so I would especially be keen to hear what Welsh attitudes are in the way they differ to the English. The food is probably fairly similar to what they eat over the border? Maybe some occasional baking but generally do we not all eat pesto pasta, wraps and wedges, chicken curry, chilli and so on now? Also, nobody has money or time for the arts, they spend their recreation time mostly on American or BBC (English) media, as far as dominant day to day culture goes across the UK there is really very little meaningful difference beyond official symbols and what tourists are sold. I could flit between the 4 nations of the UK very comfortably. Am I wrong?