Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Britishness day

This is embarrassing.

I always thought that one of the prime qualities of whatever -ness we have in this country is that of not crowing about it. Those values that are most loudly stated are generally the ones least acted upon. My recommendations - Study history.
Don't denigrate our achievements; be inspired by them.
Don't apologise for the past; do better.

4 comments:

Vanny said...

Ah the Telegraph - home to the far right lumieres of the nation. I think it's a jolly good idea though, it's be the cherry on the cake, just the sort of thing you Brits need in these patrioticless times of enlightened decadence.

(ps: how can you know how to do better if you never apologise? and how can you be inspired by an achievement you see nothing wrong with?)

NoolaBeulah said...

I did not say that all the past was achievement and good. Obviously, it wasn't (the Middle East is a good example; Ireland is another). This is just a part of my long campaign against those that see the English / British past as imperialism and therefore bad, something to be foresworn. Acknowledge mistakes, yes, but don't go for the indulgence and feel-good of apologising. Acknowledge greed, plunder and slaughter, but don't feel we're somehow better because we don't do it all so successfully any more. The bad and the good came together; don't hide from one or obscure the other, especially in the name of a state of affairs that will never happen.

Hazar Nesimi said...

Oh, but I think it will happen - just see the way things are going towards

Nazim

Vanny said...

But isn't believing that a state of affairs will never happen more dangerous and defeatist than all the things you're campaigning against put together? It's the best excuse one needs to give up trying, and yes, that is the ultimate feel-good factor. Aren't other people just as justified in believeing that a better state of affairs is possible and achievable?