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UK perspective from other countries.

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Secrets5, Dec 22, 2015.

  1. Secrets5

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    Hello,

    I'm from UK and in sociology we often critise other countries for their rules and such, but what do people from other countries [i.e. your own] critise about the UK's rules?

    Just interested.
     
  2. QueerTransEnby

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    I guess the only policy that I can think about is that it is even worse as far as cameras being everywhere. Real definition of a nanny state.

    However, I think it's great that they are gay friendly. I like the fact that the prime minister faces the music every week.

    Culturally, I just have to pause and remember that British folks use different expressions than us. Thankfully, I went to college with some Brits, and other classmates visited there too. Occasionally, I have to stop and think about certain terms and decipher them in a logical way.
     
  3. Aeolia

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    "Before fighting the Germans, French people kept fighting the UK"
    French History in a nutshell.

    But well, the UK are just considered as another Western European country like Spain, Germany, Belgium etc...
     
    #3 Aeolia, Dec 22, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2015
  4. MCairo

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    I've spent a few days in London and it was nice. I can't really think of any reason to dislike the UK.

    Your democratic system seems to work nicely for me and I would like parliamentarism to be used in my country as well (we have presidentialism in Brazil).
    Your history is also quite interesting and no one can deny that the UK pretty much shaped the modern industrial world.

    You guys also seem to be pretty liberal in social issues, even the Conservative party of the UK is very accepting when compared to the conservatives in other parts of the world.
     
  5. Sounds a bit like an exaggeration, but the UK is like the poster child of being a police state. The amount of CCTV camera you guys have is crazy.

    Also, I don't like how the UK still has a monarchy that has virtually no political power. They're a drain to the UK taxpayer. They also infringe upon your right to free speech, because you can't publicly discuss abolishing the monarchy.

    Why are there people calling for the ban of face veils like the niqab? Seems quite unnecessary and unwieldy to enforce.

    Other than those things, UK is a nice country. Love the weather :slight_smile:
     
  6. ForNarnia

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    Racists. Put quite simply, racists. A lot of the older generations are very racist, at least in my area, anyway.

    As for the cameras, I didn't even know that was a thing that people thought about the UK. Pretty much every shop has CCTV because we don't want to get robbed, but the cameras don't hurt anybody :slight_smile:
     
  7. gibson234

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    You have no right to privacy in public. So CCTV is not a problem. It actually helps the police out a lot.
     
  8. SHACH

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    I never realised our amount of CCTV was abnormal. Interesting...

    And we can't publicly discuss abolishing the monarchy? That's very untrue. People argue that the monarchy is outdated and a drain everywhere including on TV, and even politicians make it clear that they agree with this view. We are totally allowed to talk about this stuff. But there are plenty of people who love the monarchy and it's one of the things that makes the UK actually interesting, so we keep it.

    And the veil thing has been being said for ages and nothing has happened and I don't think it will. It's basically about making sure everyone is identifiable, but its way too hard to enforce as you said.

    And if you say you like our weather to a British person in real life, we'll probably burst out laughing in your face.
     
  9. imnotreallysure

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    Yeah.. I was going to say. The new leader of the Labour Party is openly for abolishing the monarchy. A lot of people are. There is an entire group dedicated to that end goal.

    https://republic.org.uk/

    It's pretty much agreed that if the majority of the British public want the monarchy abolished then it will be abolished, but it's very popular for the time being so there's a good chance it will be here at least until Elizabeth II dies. I don't think people have as much appetite for a King Charles though.

    CCTV cameras are everywhere.. they can be helpful. I was watching a TV show recently, and this guy got really drunk and collapsed, in view of a CCTV camera, so the person operating it called out for an ambulance.

    Niqab bans already exist in France, but I don't see it being implemented in the UK. A lot of people would support such a move though - one poll showed 61% support banning it. The same poll also showed most of the support is from people over 40, younger voters don't really care. I think it's inappropriate in court but okay in any other situation.
     
    #9 imnotreallysure, Dec 22, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2015
  10. Ryu

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    England is great if you can get past the rain, the rain, the rain and... Of yeah, the rain.
     
  11. FoxEars

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    No one has mentioned the tea. Hands down, I love a cuppa.
    Or the fact that we talk about the weather way too much.

    Weather talk and its meaning:

    "It's a lovely day" means that the person is fairly happy

    "Horrible weather" means that the person is depressed/miserable. The other person may say something like "it's going to be sunny tomorrow" meaning that they're trying to cheer the first person up. Then the first person might go on to say something about the fact that the weather is always glum, meaning that they ain't gonna cheer up.

    "It's a bit nippy" meaning the person is a little iffy

    Weather talk is actually a deep conversation about emotions, we just shield our emotions with the weather....
     
  12. rudysteiner

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    That's it with the majority of people above around 40 upwards in the UK I think, they're prone to harsh generalisation because they watch too much TV and BBC and ITV's way of 'bending the truth', if you will.

    Even reading the words 'King Charles' and not having it relate to the spaniel makes me shudder. I think Jane Moore (Loose Women - used to be the Royal Correspondent for ITV) said that when he was with Diana, he didn't treat her how she was supposed to be treated, and how he outright admitted he had an affair with Camilla (ugh), basically led to his demise in the eyes of the British public. I can't think of a way to describe him and Camilla, but I'd 100% rather it skip straight to Prince William, which would undoubtedly make everyone who likes the Royal family, a million times happier.

    Is it just me that forgets that CCTV cameras are there, and then get that horrible, crippling fear that somebody is watching my every move when I'm doing something I shouldn't be?

    I've never thought about talking about the weather in this way, but now you've mentioned it, I feel like it's 100% true.
     
    #12 rudysteiner, Dec 22, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2015
  13. AgenderMoose

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    I dunno about what other people criticize about the UK exactly here in Midwestern USA-land (Well, specifically, the really awkward Southeast Missouri part >,>). I personally don't have much to say. I'm pretty open minded, and I'm really frustrated with our nation's politics right now. (try living around a huge truck full of hardcore conservative republicans who are only conservative republicans because of regurgitation and not developing their own opinions...it hurts. Bad.)

    Aaaanyway, outside of that, I'm basically too distracted by United States stuff to think about any criticisms I or anyone else around here may have about the UK...or any country for that matter. Hey, anyone got a "Disappear from the nation free" card I might be able to use? It sounds like it would be useful about now.
     
  14. Argentwing

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    As a rather poorly-traveled American I don't have a lot of strong opinions about the country. But outside of the select cultural differences clear from political discussions on here, I have a generally positive view of it and am even lucky enough to have several friends who live there. I'd absolutely love to visit someday as well.

    ^^In a discussion on Reddit I ran afoul of several Welshman by inadvertently referring to the region as a part of England. It wasn't pretty. X.X
     
  15. Chiroptera

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    It looks like a nice place, with beautiful monuments. I have the impression that people from the UK are never late and always very polite :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    And, is it true that you guys stop everything you are doing to drink tea on a certain time? Hahaha :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  16. Tightrope

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    The OP asks for what we criticize about them. I think there is very little we criticize about them because we are allies and have been for a long time now, and also speak the same language. On a few occasions, I have to wonder whether it's really the SAME language.

    The things that come to mind are their exaggerated coverage of the royals, which is very boring to me, that they are more formal and reserved than we are so an American person might have to be more mindful in their presence, and that they drive on the wrong side of the street.
     
  17. BaldOldGoat

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    This may be a bit obscure, but as I understand it in Britain there are very strict libel, and maybe slander, laws, so that stating one's opinion can be dangerous in terms of getting sued?
     
  18. lemons123

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    Well to tell you the truth, I am not among the biggest fans, BUT I don't want to sound xenophobic let alone as "internet warrior"...so for instance I don't like simple facts such as: the mild/colder climate, the Gothic architecture and certain aspects of their history: Nuclear bombing of Japan (greatly supported by Churchil), invading peaceful cultures like the American Natives, Kenya and the rest etc.

    Having said that, I'm from small country in South-Eastern Europe, not saying that I like my own country that much, I see huge amount of issues where I live but another way to put it: No, I wouldn't trade my place with UK, Belgium, Netherlands or other WE countries. I've always liked Italy though and...Spain...

    As to LGBT: Yes, it's nice UK, Sweden and others are doing better in this regards compared to say Russia, Iran, China.
     
  19. Kat 5

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    I like how the internet is WAY better than in the us. I'm running a BRISK .5 Megabits per second with 80 ping. You're probably at 200mb/sec. British accents turn me on are interesting? Ive heard parliament is a RIOT to watch. So much yelling. May move there if trump becomes president of the usa.
     
    #19 Kat 5, Dec 22, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2015
  20. Fighter694

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    What I dislike about UK is the concept of UK in itself! I think the countrys should be separated and it should simply be England! Maybe it's just the sympathy from the aftereffects of colonial rule!