A case in point ...

[blamebrampton]

So, there we were, having a chat on a friend's LJ about the differences between the US and the UK for purposes of a self-Britpicking list, with participants from both sides of the pond and beyond and frequent diversions into baiting and comedy from all sides, and apparently it has become a source of Flocked Drama.

Consider the argument very carefully: At least one American is very upset that British people prefer to be depicted in accurate ways.

And if you can't see why that's a bit dodgy, replace the word British with any other nationality.

I don't want to overstate the case, because really, it doesn't culturally oppress us the way that some other cultures have been oppressed by this sort of thing, since we don't deeply care and we had an Empire first. And while the original source of the complaint is a preference, it's certainly not a sine qua non, and we read heaps of stuff that gets us wrong, and some of it is good and some is crap, and really, at the end of the day we still pronounce and spell aluminium in ways that are scientifically logical, which in itself is enough. But, honestly ...

Interestingly, one of my points of difference was a tendency to soap-opera-like over-reactions in fiction. Clearly I drew the line too narrowly.

AND I left off the fact that it the entire United States has been the subject of mass-brainwashing to accept caffeinated flavoured beverages as coffee. Though I see Starbucks has dropped the word from their logo, truth in advertising at last!

Comments

[teganscrush.livejournal.com]

It's entirely possible (and probable, being me) that I'm oversimplifying and Missing The Point here, but I will never understand how riled people get about any!nation picking.

Yes, the HP books were written within the structure and parameters of the UK, specifically England. The characters, surroundings and details are very distinctly English and unless its an AU, most authors should, and do, try and adhere to Englishisms in setting and details. But at the same time, this is fanfiction. It's not a treaty between nations, nor an official government document and most likely, its not going to change the world. So chill out.

If I write that Harry is hiding in Draco's closet, watching him wank, AND the rest of the story is good, someone closing the window because I failed to use the word wardrobe just strikes me as a shot in their own foot.

We're all trying to have fun, we ff writers. Why be so divisive?

/ ramble

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Well, that's all true. But that's not what the debate was about. People were not being divisive on Britpicking. We were discussing it and listing differences, but, as I said to a commenter above, there was in no sense a 'Your fic must rate 50 Britpoints of more to warrant reading' vibe, rather, a 'If you want to Brit-pick, here are some differences' one.

The drama has come from a reading of any discussion of difference as meanie Brits being ghastly and anti-American. My point is that pointing out Brits are much less publicly religious than Americans, for example, is not anti-Americanism. Rather, telling Brits they are not allowed to talk about difference is quite anti-British.