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Frankreich-Blog
British values and a sense of national identity
15. May 2006
The British Government is launching a review into whether traditional British values should be taught in schools. It is thought this will be a good way of combating extremism in society and creating a sense of cohesion and bonding between people. Britain today is a multicultural nation and different cultures have greatly enriched national life. But has a sense of national identity been lost as a result?
Britain has traditionally been associated with values of law and order, good education, scientific endeavour and decency. A good reflection of this is the way that the English word gentleman is now used directly in modern German to indicate someone of good character, reputation and manners. It is no coincidence that this word has its roots in Britain. Is this the Britain most foreign people think of?
Or is there a different Britain out there? The terrorist attacks in London last July were perpetrated by British citizens with a deep-rooted hatred for the country of their birth. What drove them to their actions? Were they simply brainwashed by a warped religious doctrine or is this a reflection of a wider problem in society as a whole?
There are fears about how England’s football fans will behave at the World Cup in Germany this summer. How does a country renowned for its values of decency manage to produce Europe’s most infamous football hooligans? There can be no doubt that Britain has a binge drinking problem, with thousands of young lager louts consuming vast quantities of alcohol every weekend. Why do other European countries like Germany not have this cultural phenomenon of binge drinking? I have been to many German beer festivals in my time, and I can certainly vouch for the fact that the Germans can and do drink a lot of beer. But they have fun doing so and rarely have I witnessed any trouble. However, Britain is still a great place and its problems should not be exaggerated.
Modern-day Germany is also multicultural. There is obviously a strong Turkish influence, and increasingly people from the new member states of the EU are coming to Germany in search of work and a better life. I would be interested to know what German people think about their identity and the values of modern Germany.
With an increasingly integrated world made possible by advances in technology and greater ease of travel, this is a subject of real interest.
Slang words
lager lout│Flegel, der sehr viel Bier trinkt
binge drinking│Komasaufen
Some related newspaper articles:
The Observer
The Daily Telegraph
3 Kommentare Kommentar schreiben
1. stephka | 5. July 2006 um 08:36:54
I once met British people and asked them how they think about Germany and the people there. I recognized that there is still an antiquated image of Germans. They sad we are strict, humourless, always on time and that we try to make everything perfectly. It seemed to me like we still live after the virtues and strict rules like our grandparents.
I tried to explain them that not all Germans are like this and that the attitudes changed.
I guess there is a lack of exchange between both cultures. I also was a kind of shocked that British people call us “Fritz” or “Krauts”. It seemed to me like lots of British people only think of the WW II if they hear “Germany”. But there are a lot of other things they should know. I myself can say that we are always ready to help other people. We are very familiar though some are more keen on their keeping their car clean. Our country distinguish itself because of lots of poets, philosophers and inventors. And last but not least we are always friendly to people no matter from where they are.
I hope the image about Germany will improve in England during the next time. We shouldn’t see always the bad side of other people. Both countries are worth to be explored. I’ve never been to England but I hope I’ll be lucky to visit it soon.
2. Stephen | 1. January 2007 um 19:53:42
I am English and have visited Germany many times. I find Germans to be freindly, and the place to be safe and enjoyable.
It must be addmitted however that Britain is becomming increasingly unsafe and violent. There are much fewer police on the streets in other towns compared to Germany and Main-land Europe. Large police numbers are only seen in central London. There are many unprovoked assaults on people in England and “happy slappings”. Lots of teenage pregnancys, lack of respect and lack of tough government action on violent crime are to blame. We have also a terrible international reputation for lager louts in places like Ibiza.
3. Michael Yates | 15. May 2007 um 15:59:52
Im British and 20 years old, recently I travelled to Austraila for a year and in my time there met many Germans, I was initially guilty of holding a stereotypical idea of Germans and Germany, not in a way where I would ever be rude, or infact ever act upon the stereotypes. However, in just the same way the germans I met all held the same stereotypical views about Britain, and indeed England as I did about Germany, however in all the people I m et on my travells, the people which I spent most of my time with there were German, they told me i’d changed their perception of England, English people and Britain alike – they admired my respect for things, my humour, and the way in which all british people we met were able to ‘take the piss’ out of ourselves. I told them they had completely changed my pereceptions of Germany, since returning to England, I am going out to Germany to see them and travel Germany, and they have already booked a ticket to come to Britain, two of them also now looking into staying and studying in Britain – I hope that both countries will see that the reason we haven’t got along for so long is due to the fact are countries are both so similar, in so many areas of our lives and values. There is a new relationship between Britain and Germany – a good, humourous, respectful and prosperous one
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