Being British
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What does being british mean to you?
I was born in Afghanistan and came to Britain (legally) as a child with my parents - I am a British Afghan. I am proud to be British and proud to be an Afghan. I value the cultural and religious diversity of the British society. Being a citizen is about making positive contribution to society and living in harmony with others. We Brits moan too much instead of appreciating the good things that we have!! Safia, London, United Kingdom
You ask what it means to be British, and what are the unifying values that group us together. The answer is our sovereign as Head of State. To be British in the UK is to accept cultural diversity that has been brought to these shores largely due to the nation’s history. And anyone who chooses to become British and to live in this country does so knowing he is permitted to become part of that society at the goodwill of his host nation. Good manners dictate he acknowledges and respects the culture of his hosts, and makes every effort to intergrate into his adopted society. Trevor Yang, London, United Kingdom
As someone born in the UK but with a Polish name, I regard myself as British. To be English you need to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, Welsh, Irish or Scottish people are of Celtic origin, each making up what it takes to be British. "British" is an all-encompassing adjective to describe anyone from the UK, whether English, Bangladeshi, Canadian or Kenyan in ethnicity. The passport is proof of Britishness, but let us not forget that that simple word is what gives the UK an advantage over France, the Netherlands and other countries with ethnic diversity - we have a word which aids integration: British. Raymond Goslitski, Leuven, Belgium
This country is epitomised by surprise - nothing is as you expect it to be. Unlike a police state, there is a tradition of allowing eccentricity and variety in Britain. The language is terribly important. Of course they speak English elsewhere, but it does not have the same reverberations. That, for a writer, is one of the most important aspects. UA Fanthorpe, poet, United Kingdom
Britishness is about valuing freedom, fair play, tolerance, inventiveness, adventurousness, and self-deprecating humour and irony. It is also about understanding that our responsibilities to society and the duty to contribute to it are just as important as standing on our rights. Important to all this is at least some understanding of the history of the British Isles - how and why our social and political capital has been accrued and protected over the centuries. And I would say that this should be accompanied by a basic level of appreciation of our territory - the portion of the earth that Britons share together, the landscape and ecology of which which is highly varied and intricate in proportion to its size. Finally, it’s about valuing and holding onto the depth of our rich language and vocabulary and not letting it get pared down into a kind of estuarial pigeon-English! Ray, Bromley, United Kingdom
We’re the only race on earth which is so emotionally secure that we don’t mind our actors constantly being cast to play the Bad Guys in Hollywood movies. Come to think of it, we’re the only race on earth which still laughs at ridiculous phrases like "emotionally secure".... for a little while longer, at least. Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, United Kingdom
Being British gave me the privilege of being taught by a wonderful man, Captain Keith Waterhouse he served through the whole of The Great War and the Second World War campaigns and still remained the most humanitarian person you could possibly meet, it was he together with a Russian Jewish émigré Mr Prinz who had a wonderful gentle and philosophical outlook on life and who introduced me to the subject of the natural world that had a huge influence on my childhood they are to me what is great about Britain the example they both set of tolerance and reason is one that has been hard to emulate but some of their influence lives on in most of those who came into contact with them. Being British is the feeling that there is a large rump of the population who may not have all the virtues of tolerance, reason, patience, generosity, fair play ect but between them can muster up most of them most of the time Liverpool Lad, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Britishness is the countryside, individual liberty, unbroken tradition, and no revolutions. For the British countryside I would pick out the West Highlands, the Lake District and the West Country. There is a strange mistiness alight, such as Turner picked up on so brilliantly. It is a country of poetry. Shirley Williams, Liberal Democrat peer, United Kingdom
I feel the most British characteristic of all is a sense of humour. Use it to mock authority and keep those who exert it from getting too big for their boots. Doesn’t matter if it’s satire, wordplay, sarcasm, farce or screwball. Jokes to beat tears when you’re sad, and jokes to get you out of saying anything too sentimental when you’re emotional. If you do not possess a highly developed sense of the ridiculous, you haven’t really arrived as a Brit yet. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! Anon, United Kingdom
Only in Britain would you find its inhabitants whingeing and moaning about the country in which they live. Move! Leave the country! Deal with it! We’re extraordinarily lucky to live in a country where the majority of people are open minded, open to a multicultural society and such like. You can also wear what you want, worship what you want, say pretty much what you want. Isn’t that GREAT? I think so. Charlotte, West London, United Kingdom
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