Originally Posted by Soldier Boy (Post 11270967)

As with anything there's a lot more to it than the black and white (literally, there are entire degree courses on Empire/Colonialism that I imagine still barely scratch the surface. It will always be the case that real history is far more complex than the buzz topics and phrases... And the most simple reality is that human history is incredibly murky. We've not been very good to each other.

LOOSELY though - it's very difficult to take the stance that the British Empire (or any other empire) was in any way a good or benevolent thing... Empires from the beginning of history to right now have ultimately been about selfish resource hoarding by wealthy people, to the detriment of pretty much everyone else, but affecting some far more than others.

Its also a pretty spectacularly ill considered take the stance that "Britain heroic" for being one of the first to outlaw slavery or for making efforts to help end it in other places too. I mean yes, they did do those things, but ... They wouldn't have been able to "heroically" stop trading slaves if they'd never traded slaves in the first place, and making amends by utilising the Royal Navy to help stop slavers wasn't heroic either, it was really the least they could do at the time as part of making amends.

Imagine someone keeping a human locked in their basement for years, and then one night having an epiphany and letting them go the next day... Would anyone say "Wow a hero!!". It seems unlikely. And if that person dedicated the rest of their life to getting other people out of basements that would be the right thing - but really the least they could do. And you wouldn't expect the person who had been in their basement to say, "You know what? You're actually an OK guy!".

Then there's the idea that the Empire "brought civilisation" to the world which of course, it didn't. It brought capitalism to the world, and people who equate capitalism with civilisation might see it that way... But it really all rests on that old premise that before the Empire brought order, people in colonial areas were "Savages" with no culture when of course that wasn't the case at all, it was just different culture, and thus rejected as being culture at all.

Originally Posted by Glenn. (Post 11271314)

I’m moving to Australia next year and can safely say the only thing I’m going to miss is my family. This country is the pits

Originally Posted by Glenn. (Post 11271314)

I’m moving to Australia next year and can safely say the only thing I’m going to miss is my family. This country is the pits

Originally Posted by AnnieK (Post 11271329)

Not your friends?
I'm no major fan of this country but I have lived overseas and its not quite rhe Mecca its made out to be. Same ****, different place comes to mind. Everywhere has its issues, history and rubbish parts.

You make wherever you the best you can make it, no place is perfect.

Originally Posted by Glenn. (Post 11271331)

A lot of my friends will visit whereas a lot of my family wouldn’t.

I’ve tried to make the best of things. My prospects are far greater moving down under than they ever will be here.

Originally Posted by Glenn. (Post 11271331)

A lot of my friends will visit whereas a lot of my family wouldn’t.

I’ve tried to make the best of things. My prospects are far greater moving down under than they ever will be here.

Originally Posted by James (Post 11271412)

I think we have a kind of tourist's eye about other countries - we see all the nice parts from the outside, but people living in those countries have to deal - like here - with all the minutiae of politics and the news that might cause division and upset.

Domestic issues in other countries don't usually make the news or have interest to people here.

Originally Posted by Glenn. (Post 11271384)

What’s so funny?

Originally Posted by Oliver_W (Post 11271403)

Are you a nurse or something?:)

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 11271398)

What part are you going to Glenn?

Originally Posted by Oliver_W (Post 11271403)

Are you a nurse or something?:)

Originally Posted by Glenn. (Post 11271452)

Brisbane. My partner has family out there.



No

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 11271454)

Best of luck with it, it's handy to have people out there while you get yourselves set up.

Originally Posted by Glenn. (Post 11271457)

We’re a bit spoilt for choice especially with accommodation. My other half has a guaranteed job when we go. He spent a couple of years out there working.

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 11271458)

Ah that's brilliant, it will take the pressure off a bit. Life in the sunshine sounds good (especially this time of the year on this side of the world!)

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 11271459)

YOu would not cope with the spiders Neem

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 11271461)

I've been to Australia and I didn't meet a single Spider there :idc:

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 11271461)

I've been to Australia and I didn't meet a single Spider there :idc:

Originally Posted by bitontheslide (Post 11271462)

that you know of ........

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy (Post 11271425)

It is somewhat ironic Glenn... Australia is culturally known to be both more racist and more homophobic than the UK. They're extremely strict on immigration and they take very few asylum seekers. It is sunnier though :shrug:

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy (Post 11271425)

It is somewhat ironic Glenn... Australia is culturally known to be both more racist and more homophobic than the UK. They're extremely strict on immigration and they take very few asylum seekers. It is sunnier though :shrug: