Boozy, ignorant, intolerant, but very polite – Britain as others see us

[steve2470]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/boozy-ignorant-intolerant-but-very-polite--britain-as-others-see-us-9633967.html

The UK is full of heavy drinkers with bad eating habits who are ignorant, intolerant and too nationalistic – so it’s just as well that we are also very polite.

It might sound like a stereotypical list of national traits, but these are the views of more than 5,000 young adults from five different countries who were asked to give their opinion on modern Britain by the British Council.

Its report As Others See Us, published today, shows that the UK is struggling to overcome certain long-held negative perceptions about its poor weather and cuisine, which are viewed as its least attractive features. Culture and history are seen as its best qualities, with its best-known cultural icons cited as Shakespeare, the Queen, and David Beckham.

Worryingly, it seems that the UK is right to be worried about its binge-drinking culture and the loutish behaviour with which it is associated. Asked to name British people’s worst characteristics, 27 per cent of those surveyed ticked “drink too much alcohol” – a figure which rose to 34 per cent if the person had actually visited the UK and experienced the drinking culture first hand.

more at link

[steve2470]

1. the study

http://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/press/best-and-worst-british-eyes-world

[mr blur]

2. What a depressing load of stereotypical garbage.

“too nationalistic”, “ignorant of other cultures”, “bad eating habits”, “intolerant towards people from other countries”
Says who - young adults from America?!
There, see how easy it is?

[steve2470]

3. says 5 different countries, so I dunno, I would hope the British Council actually cared enough...

to do a decent study. I'm sure the USA gets slammed hard for many things.

Steve, an Anglophile

[steve2470]

5. actually, all those things could easily be said of *some* Americans....

Maybe the British Council got the survey results mixed up ?

[snooper2]

6. Well, they forgot to add that they talk funny

[whatthehey]

4. Having been there quite a few times

Seems about right. Every single trait except the polite part shared by Americans too come to think of it. We seem to prefer overdone fake bonhomie masking either apathy or xenophobia with foreign visitors.

Nationalism is of a different kind. Less concerned with symbolism like the flag here but if anything even more parochial certainly among the less educated. Racism is far more overt there. Boozy? Can't say I was bothered there. You can find heavy drinkers anywhere.