Freedom of speech is all very well, butI think the British have the annoying habit of controlling each others thoughts and feelings. Thus making the freedom of speech in many cases redundant.
I was brought up to believe that the British way of life was fairness to all, toleration of all things and kindness.
Its still the way I feel but I am not sure Britain is like that anymore :cry:
More tea vicar?
I don't know much about "british" but I've found that in most countries I've visited, the main theme is "we're sensible people who want to get on with life, wish nobody harm and love what freedom we have"
except very few people, when put to the test by life, social or political events or a challenging opposition, seem to be able to do as they preach.
and that seems to be true no matter what side of what border you're on.
I think the media has a lot of power over the way people view this country.
I see what is around me and make my opinions up on what I see with my own eyes, I know there is bad in this country, but there is also a lot of good happening too, but it still offers us a lot more freedom that many other countries, but the media will not have you believe that.
I tend to vocus on the good that I see, I don't have time for the bad.
Take a look at a lot of the way others live in other countries then think what we have here.
isn't it all about not liking the French?
lp
Its really relevant to so many threads we have had of late. many of those threads have led to vehement and strongly held views expressed and to wide sweeping and often frankly bigoted and ill informed ones as well.
These views are the consequence of living and reacting in the moment and not seeing the bigger picture.
Much of the controversy over foreign wars, immigration, money cycles and the government are talked about like they are simply the worst thing that ever happened, and are certainly worse than they have ever been, but you know what that just isn't true.
Generations and generations before us have been through similar and almost identical cycles and discussions and debate and they all thought the world was crashing down around their ears as well.
Our way of life as British people is defined by all those experiences one after the other, as a aged mature nation which has time and time again been founded on immigration migration and invasion. As a mature and well established democracy which through all things always tries its best to do the right thing, through wars and market crashes and recessions - the spirit of the British people has been formed and reformed until we became the glorious mixture of moral ,political and creative animals which we are.
To be British is not to be insular and defeatist it is to look at what we have been, what we are and what we may become as the greatest melting pot of history and strive to become the sum of all those things with pride at what we have achieved
Peace
An Englishman
I think to ask "what is our way of life?" is to start with the assumption that there is just one way of life.
There are certainly themes in our society so that you could identify being in the UK fairly easily (apart from the driving on the left and the signs in English LOL) but I think there is far more variation than we often assume.
I know my way of life is very different from a lot of other people's - even my Mum's. But I wouldn't suggest for a second that I have the 'British' (and therefore somehow superior) way of life and they don't.
We should all stand under the same law - but we don't (check out the 'peer who killed a family while texting/driving released after appeal' reports). We should all have the same opportunities - but we don't (see 'postcode lottery for healthcare/education' reports). We should all love each other - but we don't (although there are a few in the chat-rooms giving it a damned good attempt LOL).
But we share this world and this country. And none of us has the right to say that someone else's way of life is wrong just because it isn't the same as our own.
Should take the Buddhist Hotdog view Foxy
I dream about your stuff and nonsense.
'There's only one way of life and that's your own'
The Levellers.
After starting this thread, I was tempted to delete it, I am so happy I did not.
:kiss:
