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During the 16th century, when the British were in permanent conflict with the Spanish Empire, they started the so-called "Black Legend," spreading rumors about the extreme cruelty, inertia, and obscurantism of their main enemy. No, Spain at that time was far from a paradise on earth - but it was also not as terrible as they said.
Centuries have passed since then, we know much more about history (although Spain is still not presented in the best light, for example, in The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise), and our selection today is dedicated to the modern pros and contras of the United Kingdom, expressed by its residents and tourists.
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#1
The way that large parts of British society demonise refugees fleeing from their homes because of war and other horrors that we cannot even imagine is utterly shameful.
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#2
Football culture. People need to not let the outcome of some random sports teams match effect their lives so much.
#3
The NHS is about to collapse and not offering good service at all. Yes, it can work brilliantly, but people are dying daily because it’s underfunded and understaffed. And all that British to do is to blame foreigners and immigration as if that magically solves the two issues mentioned before, in particular as most doctors and nurses are immigrants.
Edit: funny how this has turned into a rant about immigration again rather than looking at the actual sources. Don’t bother fixing it when you can blame immigrants. You just go and suffer when you are ill… FFS.
The selection of opinions that we suggest you read today is based on this online thread, the author of which, the user u/tylerthe-theatre, once asked netizens in the AskReddit community: "What are some unpopular opinions you have about the UK?" Yes, the British generally have a very high opinion of their homeland, and very often these opinions have a solid basis, but there are critics too.
The resulting thread, with over 4.7K upvotes and around 6.7K highly discussive comments, includes both humorous opinions, which in fact only express pride in their country, and descriptions of real problems. However, some shortcomings are actually inherent in many countries of the modern world. Don't believe me? Then let's read on!
#4
We have aligned too much with American culture and not enough with European. We are too damned lazy to learn another language.
I quite like Essex.
#5
The UK is nowhere near as racist, homophobic, xenophobic and generally unsafe as people make out.
Try visiting other countries with a black gay couple and you’ll soon realise how much worse others are. Not saying this country is perfect but it’s far from the hell hole people make it out to be.
Also we are nowhere near as frigid as we are made out to be either.
Edit: because people can’t understand the difference between “not as bad as people make out” and “we live in a tolerant utopia” I’ll simplify it. We aren’t perfect, but we aren’t as bad as often portrayed.
#6
God Save the King is probably one of the worst national anthems about. Not only is the the tune an offensively dull, dirgy number, but the song doesn’t mention Britain at all, it’s all just banging on about some members of the German aristocracy.
Perhaps one of the main shortcomings that the British see in themselves (and foreigners also note this) is the excessive immersion of many Brits in football culture. Well indeed, very often the lives of the British depend very much on how their favorite team played on the weekend (or in the middle of the week, if they support a club playing in the Champions League).
On the other hand, is it actually this bad? Firstly, in Britain, like in no other country, the principle of 'support your local team' is developed, so teams playing at different levels will always find an opponent that they can beat. Secondly, the relegation league system adopted in football in the UK almost guarantees that sooner or later, no matter how weak your favorite club is, it will find itself among equals.
This also means that later, there will be the joy of returning to the top division, which is also incomparable. Just watch the cult documentary series Sunderland 'Til I Die, released back in 2018, and you will partly understand what the fans of this club felt when Sunderland finally returned to the Premier League this season.
#7
This sub is full of popular opinions shocker.
But.....
British cheese is better than French cheese is mine.
#8
Not everyone is miserable, broke, lonely, s*xless despite what the UK-related subs will tell you.
In fact lots of people are really happy enjoying their life in the UK.
#9
The litter in this country is disgusting and people need to take personal responsibility for it instead of whining about a lack of bins. Take it home.
Some Britons don't really like their national anthem, which doesn't reflect in the text at all, any mention that it is about Great Britain, and only praises the monarch. On the other hand, firstly, God Save the King is just the anthem of the king himself, not the country (it's not officially approved), and secondly, the monarchy per se is a rather specific system in any case.
So, besides returning to football, probably the most popular football song of all time, You'll Never Walk Alone, doesn't contain a single word about the game or the fans. By the way, some national anthems don't even have lyrics at all - only music.
#10
Went to Germany (Koln), was in a public park. I saw an immaculate gas BBQ set sitting next to a rain cover. I asked the guide, ‘Why doesn’t anyone steal the bbq?’ The guide turned to me with absolute horror on his face and replied: ‘If a person were to steal the bbq, then no-one else who comes to this park would be able to use it’. I have never felt so embarrassed to come from UK.
#11
We're actually lucky to have the weather we do here, really, in the grand scheme of things.
Another common complaint about the United Kingdom is London itself. According to people in the comments, the capital is too cramped, too noisy, and everything is absurdly overpriced. However, what did you expect from one of the main megalopolises of the modern world?
If you take travel notes from about the beginning of the 19th century, when London became the largest city in the world, then the complaints about it remain approximately the same.
#13
The UK has had many positive contributions to history across a variety of fields, we weren't just evil coloni***s.
#14
No body gives a f**k about Empire or coloni***ion. We don’t think about it. We neither proud nor ashamed. We just trying to remember the Wi-Fi codes and pay our electric bills.
#15
Large chunks of the population disdain education which makes it hard to progress as a country.
As for the weather, which has been considered one of the main drawbacks of the British Isles for centuries, are you sure that overcast skies and drizzling rain in the era of global warming, when many countries break temperature records every summer, are that bad? Who knows?
In any case, representatives of almost all countries in the world can express unpopular opinions about their homeland - and they will almost always be quite right.
#16
British people are far too wedded to their cars and driving. I’m 30 and have never learned to drive. Never wanted to. When I tell people that, they look at me with either pity or contempt, as if it’s somehow embarrassing to use public transport. When really it’s the state of public transport that is the problem in many areas.
#17
London is hideous. Too cramped, too noisy, everything is absurdly overpriced. The one good thing is the range of diversity from people to food, but other than that it is simply the worst place on earth.
The weather is brilliant though.
So, if you are British or have been to the United Kingdom at least once, we definitely expect you to express your own point of view about what you liked or disliked about this country. And all other respected readers are simply invited to read this selection to the very end and, perhaps, think about what unpopular opinion about your own country you can voice as well.
#19
People drive far too fast, drink far too much and are so easily swayed into stupid decisions by insidious media methods.
#20
We aren’t as funny a nation as we think we are. 90% of our jokes are verbatim taken from stand up clips and the rest are saying things in a sarcastic tone.
#21
That the UK is actually a good place to live with a great history and if the UK didn't exist the entire world would be a much, much poorer place to be.
#22
Modern British film is a bit c**p and it's annoying how it always looks like it's filmed by a bunch of students in the early 2000s.
#24
The word C*nt is not frequently used in most social circles in the UK, and its use in most situations is highly offensive.
Edit: to be clear, I'm not particularly offended by the word, it's the emerging 'meme' on UK subreddits that we use the word all the time that I find cringey, and a bit inaccurate.
#26
I don't give a s**t about tea or proper breakfasts or any of the other superficial nonsense that people on Reddit seem to think makes you "truly British".
#28
The UK has the worst of socialism and capitalism.
Relatively high taxes associated with socialism and low public services / benefits associated with capitalism.
I'd rather have lower taxes and the state did less or higher taxes and the state did more for everyone.
#29
I think the UK police is too soft. I have personally witnesses police officers being told off by random drunkards, being told to fck off, etc...
They are too much customer service oriented, not how police in most of the countries operate for a reason.
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What do you think ?
Joy 9 months ago
Public toilets in London are the pits and I feel for the attendants who have to clean them. Shout-out to the wonderful lady who keeps the Chapel Road Market loos in Islington spotless, but generally if you can find one you'll discover the toilets really do take the pi$$. Incidentally a Green Party MP recently submitted a discussion review to the House of Commons titled The Toilet Paper, but I'm not sure what came of it. Speaking as a Londoner born and bred, our parks are lovely and despite the Daily Mail's propaganda, people really do get along. Brexit though has been an disaster. The tabloid obsession too with a very strange royal family is one-sided. The Duchy of Cornwall for example was set-up to create an income for the monarch. In 2024 Prince William, who inherited it from his dad, was awarded £23M. What he does with it no-one knows, and in a country with poverty it's a question that is never ever asked. Odd.
Joy 9 months ago
Public toilets in London are the pits and I feel for the attendants who have to clean them. Shout-out to the wonderful lady who keeps the Chapel Road Market loos in Islington spotless, but generally if you can find one you'll discover the toilets really do take the pi$$. Incidentally a Green Party MP recently submitted a discussion review to the House of Commons titled The Toilet Paper, but I'm not sure what came of it. Speaking as a Londoner born and bred, our parks are lovely and despite the Daily Mail's propaganda, people really do get along. Brexit though has been an disaster. The tabloid obsession too with a very strange royal family is one-sided. The Duchy of Cornwall for example was set-up to create an income for the monarch. In 2024 Prince William, who inherited it from his dad, was awarded £23M. What he does with it no-one knows, and in a country with poverty it's a question that is never ever asked. Odd.
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