New Rough Guide to (Self-Important and Irritating) England

• bean
  May 9th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

  I couldn’t agree more about the irritating and self-important bit.

• E
  May 9th, 2008 at 2:11 pm

  I’m planning on going to London, hopefully soon. Glad to hear you had a great time.

  Personally, I like to judge people as individuals and I don’t believe in ‘national character’, so the travel guide stuff doesn’t mean much to me.

• avraamov
  May 9th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

  idiocy bordering on racism.

• Monica
  May 9th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

  I’m English and it all sounds pretty accurate to me, apart from this bit, “a country priding itself on patriotism”. IMO we’re more inclined to be proud of NOT being patriotic. We love complaining one of the things we enjoy complaining about most of all is England :p

• Alex Fear
  May 9th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

  That description of England is not even the half of it.

  Imagine living in a country that is 10 years behind the times in technology and innovation, yet believes itself to be one of the leading countries of the world in these areas… that is England.

• pete
  May 10th, 2008 at 1:38 am

  Well I’ll be buying Lonely Planet Guides from now on…

  And I’m not even English.

• Michaelinnotts
  May 10th, 2008 at 4:15 am

  I’m an American living in England, and I couldn’t agree more with this description. I, for one, love England’s quirks–they make life interesting. I can honestly say that I have never had a more adventerous life than I do here. The English tolerate chaos more than any other country, and although that is infuriating, it is often also fascinating.

• ted
  May 10th, 2008 at 6:36 am

  Most European countries are self-important, though.

• Camille
  May 10th, 2008 at 9:57 am

  “Most European countries are self-important, though.”

  Because America is not?

• Brendan
  May 10th, 2008 at 12:24 pm

  I’m English, should I be offended or proud?

  I don’t actually like England that much, but don’t think it is a bad place. There are pro’s and con’s to ANY place really.

• smak
  May 10th, 2008 at 3:42 pm

  Camille, thanks for the anti-American sentiment. I was wondering when it would show up!

  Remember kids: hating America is cool!

• Moose
  May 10th, 2008 at 4:29 pm

  Also multiculturalism simply doesn’t work, but no politicians are brave enough to stand up and say that fact. Race is irrelevant, but countries need a cultural identity to bind everyone together and it’s the variety of cultures that makes it worth visiting other countries otherwise you end up creating ghetto’s of different cultures.
  Can’t wait for the next election - if only there was someone who might actually make a difference.

• Pol x
  May 10th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

  firstly, the PM is Scottish, he is the PM of the UK.

  But then again, so was the last PM.

  Yes Blair was Scottish too.

• Untruth
  May 10th, 2008 at 6:44 pm

  I’m not quite sure where that rough guide gets it’s ideas from really. As a whole England is incredibly UNpatriotic, at least in the less idiotic sectors. We just moan. Even the idiot Sun readers who ARE supposedly ‘patriotic’ spend half their time bitching about the government or whatever other part of the country’s admin they hate that day. Hardly patriotic. The closest you get is 80 year olds who speak so dearly of our country, but that’s like any country.

  Patriotic? Hardly. Noone believes in the governments ability here, aside from Conservative people who forever believe that they’ll do well if the Tory’s are in power. They’re right, THEY will do well…. however the average citizen who doesn’t have a 6 bedroom house like them won’t.

  We are as a whole definitely self important though. Anyone who is remotely intelligent wreaks of self importance, myself included.

  We embrace multiculturalism not because it ‘just works’ (it doesn’t, it needs effort) but because it is correct & human to accept other cultures. It is fair, and it broadens the mind. It does become ghettoised in parts, but it’s better than trying to ram some sort of cookie cutter culture into people who have enough difficulty with social differences between cultural groups here, never mind anything else.

• Rosi
  May 11th, 2008 at 7:12 am

  Untruth, I think we are patriotic in our own way. Not in the “LONG LIVE ENGLAND!” and “THE QUEEN FTW!” way most people would think, but a sort of national pride in the small things, like Marmite, David Beckham and the terrible weather. And yes, we complain constantly, but if everything was perfect I could guaratee you that we’d still be complaining. Also, I really don’t think patriotism refers to the government, but more to the country as a whole. I think most people worldwide dislike their government. I’m sure half of America doesn’t like how their country is run, but overall there is a strong feeling of national pride there.
  I completely agree with this article. And just because there are bad points doesn’t mean you should be put off from visiting here. I think our country is a great place to visit, even if you live here. To be honest, if you believed everything you read about a country, then I’m sure most people would never even leave their homes. You have to experience things for yourself.

• Hannah
  May 11th, 2008 at 9:50 am

  I am British myself and happen to love it..

  “The world has shifted from Anti-Americanism to Post-Americanism”

  England may have its bad points but they don’t negatively affect the rest of the world on any scale similar to that of America.

  I would rather live in a country that is proud of it’s multi-culturalism than in one that is ashamed of it.

• Heather
  May 11th, 2008 at 10:29 am

  Whay do people assume Prince Philip is Greek? He’s German, and so I believe is the Queen. (I’m from England by the way, and I’m not fat and hate soaps!)

• Morgan
  May 11th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

  I have to love a country that gave us Dr. Who.

• Moodindigo
  May 12th, 2008 at 4:19 am

  @Heather

  No, he’s more greek than German. Originally a Greek-Danish prince and a member of the Danish-German House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, which includes the royal houses of Denmark and Norway and the deposed royal house of Greece. Not that it makes much difference nowadays. Most of the royal houses of western Europe have somewhat “entwined” familial ties anyway (read red-necks with money).

  I am British and I love it here, especially when the weather is as beautiful as it is right now.

• Randall
  May 12th, 2008 at 1:08 pm

  Criticizing your country is not unpatriotic. Part of the logic of criticism is that you believe it could be better, and want it to be better. Blindly ‘loving’ your country isn’t the way of a democracy, its the way of totalitarian states.

  I’ve only been to england once, the people were nice.

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