[Angus]

Originally Posted by BB_Eye

I think part of the reason the UK is more politically correct and multicultural than the rest of Europe is because our indigenous culture and history is so dull. Britain was always better known for its innovations in the natural sciences than the arts, where the French, Germans, Dutch and Italians outclass us to the point of being embarrassing.

Part of the problem is that nationalism and patriotism as we understand it today originated in the 19th century... a time when folk art and nationalist music of Wagner, Chopin and Tchaikovsky was celebrated. Obviously Germans are not so proud of their country (despite their rich heritage) because of the Third Reich, but it is easy to understand why they had so much to be proud of before all of that.

All that Britain represented in the 19th century was the chest-beating pomp of Lord Nelson, Queen Victoria and the British Empire. We even had to make up our own folk stories like the legend of King Arthur, because our medieval literary heritage was so barren. Britain suffered a similar predicament to many other anglophone countries. Its traditions lie in the valuing enterprise over creativity and pragmatism over idealism. As a result, Britain is culturally impoverished and doomed to forever suffer an inferiority complex towards its neighbours.

I've seldom read such tosh - Britain has a rich and magnificent history and has contributed greatly to the world in terms of literature, art, engineering, technology, exploration, science, medicine, invention etc etc.

We are such a fractured society that there is no national cohesion or common purpose any more, and I doubt we will ever again see the kind of unity and love of country that helped us stand alone for two years during WW2.

As a Brit, far from suffering from an inferiority complex, I am extremely proud of our heritage and contribution to the world, and grateful to the servicemen who died in order to keep this country safe from invasion and occupation.