Land of Hope and Glory
Sep. 14th, 2003 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azziriaWatched the last night of the Proms on the BBC on Saturday night (a great British tradition). Among other things they played (as always) Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March no. 1 (the one with the Land of Hope and Glory tune in it).
Land of Hope and Glory. I'm not sure that Britain is exactly that any more (although the number of illegal immigrants trying to enter the country might give the lie to that).. I'm fairly widely travelled, and most of my work is for companies based in continental Europe. I consider myself a European. But in particular I'm glad and proud to be British.
We have our faults (a certain insularity being foremost among them) but we also have our strengths. The British are never better than when facing hardship or crisis - it's as though we don't really enjoy ourselves unless we're suffering (which is probably why queuing is a national pastime...) - and we are capable of exhibiting a wonderfully self-deprecating sense of humour. And (although many still pay lip service to the old class system) putting on airs, getting above yourself, or thinking too much of yourself make you a prime target for getting shot down in flames.
I'm not blind to the faults of my country and my fellow countrymen, but at the end of the day, as I said before, I'm glad - and proud - to be British.
Land of Hope and Glory. I'm not sure that Britain is exactly that any more (although the number of illegal immigrants trying to enter the country might give the lie to that).. I'm fairly widely travelled, and most of my work is for companies based in continental Europe. I consider myself a European. But in particular I'm glad and proud to be British.
We have our faults (a certain insularity being foremost among them) but we also have our strengths. The British are never better than when facing hardship or crisis - it's as though we don't really enjoy ourselves unless we're suffering (which is probably why queuing is a national pastime...) - and we are capable of exhibiting a wonderfully self-deprecating sense of humour. And (although many still pay lip service to the old class system) putting on airs, getting above yourself, or thinking too much of yourself make you a prime target for getting shot down in flames.
I'm not blind to the faults of my country and my fellow countrymen, but at the end of the day, as I said before, I'm glad - and proud - to be British.
Re: Insularity
Date: 2003-09-16 07:28 am (UTC)