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

[blythely.livejournal.com]

Heh, I read some less-than-impressed reviews of it too but my suspicion is that people don't really want to read ethnographies of their own cultures. It's not a flattering portrait - not one to be ashamed of, but rather just like reading a biography of a socially awkward colleague whop you drunkenly snogged one night.

So - it's not brilliant but it *is* insightful in a way that I as a faux-Brit colonial with Professional Opinions on Cultural Difference thought was quite good for a pop-sci book.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's always hard to take that look. When raitala and I were trapped in Paris and doing endless laps of CDG airport in 2009, we took time to assure each other that we were doing very well by virtue of our native stoicism and that coping with adversity was a Sterling British Trait.

Exactly at this point, a sweet little English child skipped past, singing to herself. We exchanged a look and smug nods.

Seconds later, a shriek of 'Sharon! I am at my wits' end! Get back here before give you such a smacking!' rang out.

There was a moment, after which rai murmured 'Ah, the British abroad ...' and we pretended we were French for a bit.

[blythely.livejournal.com]

LOLZ *tear from eye*

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Inamac and I always recommend Watching the English to people moving to this country. It is generally correct.