Proud to be British? Share your moments!

I’m proud to belong to this country. I don’t like some of the things that happen, or the things that people do, but I wouldn’t choose to belong to any of the countries I have visited.
If there is a country where all citizens are proud of everyone and of everything that has been done I must have missed it.

growstuff

I agree with what you're saying suzie. I don't feel proud of being part of something which just is - or past achievements, of which I had no part.

However, I'm happy to be part of the bits of British society I admire. I'm also happy that as a people we're making those things happen. I'm just not proud of some of the more sinister aspects of society which some people seem to ignore or even support - that includes flag waving, by the way. I think we're better than that.

Yes - that’s getting closer to what I mean.

I agree with what you're saying suzie. I don't feel proud of being part of something which just is - or past achievements, of which I had no part.

However, I'm happy to be part of the bits of British society I admire. I'm also happy that as a people we're making those things happen. I'm just not proud of some of the more sinister aspects of society which some people seem to ignore or even support - that includes flag waving, by the way. I think we're better than that.

Whitewavemark2

I guess there are levels of pride aren’t there?

Maybe I admire some stuff rather than feel pride?

Partly it’s semantics but not completely. I can’t feel pride in my country side being green for example. I could feel pleased if the government did the right thing - I remember being very pleased indeed when Jack Straw ordered the arrest of Pinochet and horrified when Thatcher visited him when he was under ‘house arrest’. As I said, it’s really an alien concept to me and I’m too old to change now. ?

If you want something more recent to be proud of, I'm proud of our vaccination programme which has been steaming ahead faster than almost everyone else. That, and our wonderful Oxford scientists make me feel proud to be British.

suziewoozie

Pantglas2

suziewoozie

I’ve definitely got a missing gene - I really don’t understand the concept of being proud of something I didn’t do myself.

How sad that you can’t be proud of anything someone else has done - are you so grudging of your friends and family’s achievements also?

Sorry - I should have said in terms of being proud of my country. But even so, I find with family, friends etc that the concept of pride in their achievements a funny way of describing what I feel. I’d use words like respect, admiration, joy, happiness but not pride. It is a deadly sin I believe ?

OK substitute "respect, admiration, joy, happiness " for "being proud" I'm sure no-one will mind. I think "pride" with respect to the deadly sins is self pride rather than being proud of the achievements of others. Fortunately, most people have understood the post correctly.

I guess there are levels of pride aren’t there?

Maybe I admire some stuff rather than feel pride?

suziewoozie

I’ve definitely got a missing gene - I really don’t understand the concept of being proud of something I didn’t do myself.

I can remember seeing that argument in another debate.

It was whether someone can be proud of their child’s achievement and like you the argument was that you could only be proud of your own achievements and and only admire others.

I must admit hard understanding that. My heart bursts with pride when I look at my offsprings achievements - I simply don’t know how else to describe it.

suziewoozie

I’ve definitely got a missing gene - I really don’t understand the concept of being proud of something I didn’t do myself.

I'm proud that we value what to me is important. That is something that we can be proactive about.

I'm not proud of what we appear to be doing to that culture, but this is supposed to be a positive thread. I want to hang on to what's good.

Pantglas2

suziewoozie

I’ve definitely got a missing gene - I really don’t understand the concept of being proud of something I didn’t do myself.

How sad that you can’t be proud of anything someone else has done - are you so grudging of your friends and family’s achievements also?

Sorry - I should have said in terms of being proud of my country. But even so, I find with family, friends etc that the concept of pride in their achievements a funny way of describing what I feel. I’d use words like respect, admiration, joy, happiness but not pride. It is a deadly sin I believe ?

suziewoozie

I’ve definitely got a missing gene - I really don’t understand the concept of being proud of something I didn’t do myself.

How sad that you can’t be proud of anything someone else has done - are you so grudging of your friends and family’s achievements also?

Yes the Olympics were wonderful and it is hard to believe what the country has become now. So much violence and hatred, whether it's hatred of immigrants, gays or just the "scroungers". Who could have foreseen the growth in poverty and food banks and the abuse aimed at those who are forced to use them?

On a happier note I still remember seeing the helicopters flying into Culdrose after the Falklands War. Although I was cheering the return of our Cornish helicopters rather than British ones.

I’ve definitely got a missing gene - I really don’t understand the concept of being proud of something I didn’t do myself.

growstuff

One reason to be proud of being British:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d27gTrPPAyk

Our music is brilliant, so are our theatres. We set the pace in many of the creative arts and we are still pretty good in science and technology. We are actually so much more than whichever political party is in power and I am particularly proud of our resilience. My young neighbours have been brilliant, I have no idea which political party they would vote for, they are just thoroughly decent people with a can do attitude. I am proud to be part of this community.

I am proud to be British. It is what I am and will always be.

Good things and bad things here, as in most countries . Our class system is decisive but other countries have similar but in different forms as far as I can see; whether China, India France or the US. Even Scandinavia has its problems so it seems. We do knock ourselves, but that's our way.,

I went for a day surgery yesterday to the local hospital and was so very impressed. Such care , enthusiasm and attention to every detail. There were friendly staff and everything was super safe.

I so admire the NHS and am sorry for the traumas they have had for the last year. The staff were just back to normal in the day unit and so happy to all be together again. The same careful treatment was given to everyone, rich or poor. Fabulous.

One reason to be proud of being British:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d27gTrPPAyk

BlueBelle

But the Olympics was 9 years ago, no one get anything to feel proud of since 2012 ?... no nor me
I m proud of the NHS and our lovely countryside but at the moment ashamed of our country and how we are acting in the world, so maybe this thread isn’t for me

At least it's more recent than 1945 and 1966!

I'm quite proud of the fact that the UK is seen as self-depracating, with an understated sense of humour. In some ways, it's our unique selling point. There's no doubt that the UK is a small island and has historically punched above its weight to become at one time one of the most powerful countries on earth.

I'm proud that we're renowned for fantastic music, literature and science and being a bit wacky at times. Try to explain pooh sticks to somebody who's never read Winnie the Pooh. I'm proud of our reputation for tolerance and pragmatism. I'm proud of the fact that we don't have to jump up and down waving our union jack knickers for people to know that the UK is a great country.

And I agree with others - the Queen, Bond and corgi were unforgettable - and just so "British"!

Flying out of this country has always given me the greatest pleasure Apologies for this unpatriotic gesture but I no longer recognise the country I was born in and can't lie about it.

...and how badly we have treated the Gurkhas witzend

But the Olympics was 9 years ago, no one get anything to feel proud of since 2012 ?... no nor me
I m proud of the NHS and our lovely countryside but at the moment ashamed of our country and how we are acting in the world, so maybe this thread isn’t for me

You’re right, sodapop - I don’t think other nationalities are so fond of slagging off their own countries. From experience, they’re rather more likely to tell you how great they are.
However IMO it’s very much an English rather than a British thing.

Re the Olympics, I don’t mind admitting that I was foreseeing all sorts of cock-ups, but dh and I had tickets to several events and we were delighted to see how extremely well organised and smoothly run it was.

In particular, after the fiasco over security arrangements (G4?) and the army took over, it was a pleasure to have our bags searched by such a pleasant and friendly young Ghurka.

I'm proud to be British and I'm happy to let my feet do the talking

there seems to be a suspected case of consensus developing here ?

The NHS. They can hold their heads up high and rightly so. Sadly the underfunding is a disgrace and demoralising. Proud of the general public rallying around to look after local communities due to Covid but I’m sure not only here.