VoyForums

VoyUser Login optional ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1234[5]678910 ]
Subject: Well done again!


Author:
Paddy (Scotland)
[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]
Date Posted: 10:52:18 11/30/04 Tue
In reply to: Ian (Australia) 's message, "Eureka letter" on 19:38:39 11/29/04 Mon

I fully agree that raising awareness of our common heritage, even on a small scale is very important.

One thing that I have never understood is the attitude adopted by many in Aus & NZ (and perhaps Canada - but I don't know) where they blame the "British" for less savoury incidents in their history and say, almost in the same sentence, that their nation was built not by the British but by them. The latter is true, but they wish to pass on the bad aspects of history to the "British" without acknowleging that all of their political and legal systems and most of the things that have made these countries good places to live are also British in character.

Perhaps it has something to do with Britain's near-catastrophic, Socialist-led collapse in the late twentieth century that people wanted to dissociate themselves away from Britain in decline.

Also out in Oz, some people would tell me that they were "Norwegian" or anything else non-British when their name was "Ryan" or "Smith" and all of their relatives, except for one female grandparent, were of British descent.

Please, can anybody from Australia, New Zealand or Canada explain my observations or tell me if it is not relevent to their experiences?

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:
[> [> Subject: I think it has a lot to do with the wish to be exotic


Author:
Ian (Australia)
[ Edit | View ]

Date Posted: 16:06:49 11/30/04 Tue

Ironically, it could be seen as reinforcing the fact that "British" is not an ethnicity, and that "britishness" is so fundamental to our society that we don't even refer to it.

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]


VoyUser Login ] Not required to post.
Post a public reply to this message | Go post a new public message
* HTML allowed in marked fields.
Post Password:
Keep password cookie for 24 hours

* Message subject (required):

Name (required):

  Expression (Optional mood/title along with your name) Examples: (happy, sad, The Joyful, etc.) help)

  E-mail address (optional):

* Type your message here:

Choose Message Icon: [ View Emoticons ]

Notice: Copies of your message may remain on this and other systems on internet. Please be respectful.
The Voy.com User Agreement applies to all visitors.


Forum timezone: GMT+0
VF Version: 2.94, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2012 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.