The reality of modern Britain – surprises in 2005 and 2012

Drunken Brits outside the Spirit of Speyside Festival in 2009 Sourse: Wikicommons/thefreelancetrader

In 2012 Sarah discovered the realities of living in modern Britain were quite different to her earlier, rose-tinted impressions:

The thing that most stands out to me (as an American who is now married to a lovely Brit, with whom I moved to London 2 years ago) is that, while I used to think of sophistication when the Brits came to mind (as do most Americans), that’s not so much the case anymore. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty still sophisticated about the British. But now I also see the “anti-patriotism”, the “Chavs”, the soccer hooliganism, the cultural drinking problem. In short, I’ve gone from thinking of them as a bastion of old world culture and classiness, to being THAT, *counterbalanced* by a very visible swath of proud anti-socialism. Its’ been interesting, to say the least. PS. Also insightful has been my struggle with the fact I’m in a “mixed marriage” (politically). We’re so very different on politics, he and I, but I’ve come to have a great understanding of why that is so. Namely, I see the things in his culture – and collision with certain things in mine – that has led to his political “head space”.

In 2005 Caroline, an Analyst from New York used stronger language to describe the cold water shock that was the Britain she discovered.

I had never been to Britain before starting a Masters program at Oxford University in 2001. And like many Americans, my impressions of the country before arrival were naive and based on marketing or propaganda – the royal family, tea, proper ladies and gentlemen, country estates. I thought the whole country was bathed in good manners and upper class pursuits. Ha! I soon realized that the best thing going for Britain is its fantastic PR machine. Who really lives like this outside of Oxford and the royal family? Why do we never hear of Football hooligans or immigration tension or alcoholism problems? The TV programs we see on BBC America are lovely dreams of country England – and yet, the US imports only the worst of ourselves it seems. Americans subscribe to the “best” of Britain whereas the British like to believe the worst of Americans – that we are greedy, fat (only slightly fatter than you Brits I should point out) and soul-less. In my very honest and blunt opinion, I am irritated with all the negativity poured on the US by Europeans. Perhaps it is popular to America-bash but it sounds unbelievably silly after the 100th dinner party conversation. We are certainly aware of our faults but some Euros act as if they are perfect specimens of class, beauty, fitness and manners! Is it jealousy? Are you embarrassed? I constantly heard, “oh, but you are not like the ‘average American'” What does that mean? I know many Americans that are thin, speak more than one language and are well educated. Why do Europeans love to hang onto this composite view of the loud, brash, fat, dumb American? Who is this awful person and why has he made his way to every town in Europe?!

Is that really how Britain is perceived in America? An endless succession of costume dramas and posh programming has indoctrinated all Americans to think the British are “bathed in good manners and upper class pursuits”? And is that how Americans are perceived in Britain or Europe? As a “loud, brash, fat, dumb American”? Massive and, of course, incorrect generalisations they certainly are, but perhaps what they are really telling us is that we should look a little bit harder?