If that's right, then the immigrants can't be the problem. They are the hard workers. PS How many generations before they are not concidered immigrants?
I have 2 Poles working for me, and to be honest if everyone else here had their work ethic I'd be laughing. Nice guys, too. So how's that for a national stereotype - damn Poles with their hard work and their good manners.
I'd think that the wave of asian immigrants that came over, say in the 1960s, were coming for a better future and were hard-working. They came from a country that was unsafe, where life expectancy was depressingly low and where some places weren't powered by electricity or had a water supply etc, etc. No wonder they came here and with the right attitude. But the offspring and grandchildren of these immigrants may not be as desperate to improve themselves or may not have the capacity to although many certainly have. The guy in my corner shop is pretty much like me in outlook, he was born here, is second-generation and doesn't really consider himself an immigrant or son of an immigrant.
I think the English are basically an uptight nation. We work some of the longest hours, for the least pay, the least public holidays, with little job security. We have **** weather for 10 months of the year and we're told that buying stuff that we don't need will make us happy. We've lost most of our manufacturing industry - and the thing that made us a proud nation, 'Made in Britain' has gone. Replaced by a bunch of crooks in banking and finance whilst our great contribution to public health, the NHS is quietly being sold off to private entreprenures. We have nothing tangible left to be proud of - except our countryside, which is encroached on more and more by supermarkets, out of town retail parks, selling us more **** that we don't need and turning our old town centres with their local businesses into ghettoised ghost towns. Some people try to blame immigrants for it all, when it's actually immigrant nationals who do the majority of public sector jobs on low pay that keep this nation going, whilst benefit spongers sit on their arses moaning about it. I think England is great, but it has nothing to some broken capitalist dream, former war general or false idolisation of a 'royal' family. My England is in the trees and the meadows, on the moors and cairns, cliff tops and beaches and through the music of the people who live and breathe the land.
The media will tell you that it's their job to report facts, but in reality, the papers and media in general look to sensationalise their stories. They have to, to attract people's attention. Then for some reason or other we throw ourselves into the filth. Strange creature is the human being.
They will once they have accomplished what they went to Newcastle to do.....and that isn't play for United or rape dogs...you know, the local dreams..
I think England is great, but it has nothing to some broken capitalist dream, former war general or false idolisation of a 'royal' family. My England is in the trees and the meadows, on the moors and cairns, cliff tops and beaches and through the music of the people who live and breathe the land. Nice one Piske.
I do think British people, in general, are very tolerant of others. Except in Scotland, though, where they are incredibly intolerant of each other. Not that I've had any bother up there, like, what with me being the next best thing, apparently.
It is, for a tourist, a beautiful country to visit. Not sure I'd like to live in some of the dodgier areas of Glasgow though.
I'm sure you've all heard some variation on this one: A Welshman, an Englishman, and a Pakistani man are sat in the hospital waiting room, when a nurse comes in and tells them that their 3 respective wives have all given birth but there's been a mix up with the babies. The nurse tells the men they'd have to pick which baby they think is theirs, so the Welshman goes first and picks up what is clearly a Pakistani baby. The Pakistani man then shouts "Hey that's mine!" and the Welshman says "I know, but one of those two is English and I'm not taking any feckin chances". The moral of the story? I'd rather have Pakistani neighbours than English! P.S. Google "define an English person"
At the moment we are 'free' to express our opinions to anyone we wish, without threat from our government. And whilst it may seem from reading papers/listening to the news that Britain is sinking fast, that opinion has been around since the year dot. There are elements about Britain that many of us don't like, hence the moan about the weather etc, but really, foreigners don't moan? The class system is alive and well, the elite are still the elite, but most Britons have prospered since WW2, I'm afraid some will never prosper no matter how hard we try. It has always been said the we are more like America than Europe, but I feel we are trying to be more like Europe, especially the South of the country which tend to be nearer the continent. As for immigration, one of the greatest nations on earth is built on that very subject, America, and whilst the immigration subject does cause tensions I've lost count of the number of times I've been seen by none English doctors, nurses etc whilst in hospital. No I don't hate Britain, I get very annoyed with her at times, but its home, I was born here and bred here. The diversity is both a plus and a minus, depending of your point of view, but on a simplistic level I cannot remember a time when there has not been a Chinese take away alongside the traditional fish & chip shop, which meant that the chippy had to up the stakes to its customers. Rule Britannia? That is for the people at the Proms, like Empires before, ours has gone and what we must try to do is make Britain a place fit for our children and grandchildren, which at the moment seems a very difficult thing to achieve.
Some nice points mate. The biggest problem I can see at the moment is the dangerously high cost of living. Yes, we can all cut down on the luxuries but mortgage/rent/utility/food/petrol/tax prices/costs are all cripplingly high in his country. God help anyone who loses their job.
That is another story Dorty. In today's Britain most of the kids I know, from whatever background, seem to think they are deprived if they don't have and iPhone, iPod, or whatever gadget is flavour of the month, in their possession. When my kids were young I use to refuse to pay extortionate prices for named trainers and other accessories when cheaper options were available. Well 20 years down the line I'm still being reminded of the fact and my own grandchildren are now dressed in all the named stuff possible, some I've never heard of, mind you my fave store at the time was C&A LOL.
