Americans dislike of Britain

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be sure to loop! loop! loop! and hstencil, among others, have expressed an antipathy to britain (well, in jons case, the whole of europe). they have been dotted around on different threads though

here they can have a home, alongside any other anti-britain/europe information from ilxors.

this is the thread where you, as an american, can criticize british people and britain, and also, if you have time, the rest of europe..

tell me, what do you hate the most?

― charltonlido (gareth), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:15 (twenty-two years ago)

The way they are so open to, and even invite criticism as if it is a good thing.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate their puerile obsession with alcohol and football. Grow up.

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 08:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Is that because you can't hold your drink & don't understand football?

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Men kicking a ball about... what's there to understand? As for holding my drink, it's not really a problem because I don't feel somehow morally obliged to drink 12 pints at a single sitting. You wacky brits!

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 08:26 (twenty-two years ago)

hahahahahahahahahaha!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I bet 'hata' is a brit

― Michael B, Friday, 28 May 2004 08:38 (twenty-two years ago)

i am from australia and - despite tony blair - have no antipathy to ye olde country.

i just don't want your queen on our stanmps

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never yet met an American who has expressed a dislike of Britain. France and Canada is a different matter of course.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Gaz, I don't want the Queen on our stamps either.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I am a man with extensive experience of British life and culture, but I am not British. Football bores me, endless bragging about how much you've drunk or how bad your hangover is bores me, all manifestations of British moronic yob culture disgust me, your weather depresses me, your pessimism makes me pessimistic, your licensing laws make life less pleasurable, your rents and restaurant prices bankrupt me, your low water pressure exasperates me, your Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie and Julian Barnes stupefy me... the rest of the UK is OK though.

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 08:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Yankee Go Home

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:51 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd say that's fair enough (xpost)

― Dave Amos, Friday, 28 May 2004 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

how considerate of gareth in the current ilx climate to start a thread inviting people to be racist.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 28 May 2004 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

The British aren't a race.

(actually I like the UK, but all countries have their detestable things)

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 08:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Dude, once again, it's not really racism (particularly in tight-white Jon W's case) - it's more like kicking your senile old grandmother's shins as she sleeps after dinner.

xpost.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 28 May 2004 08:55 (twenty-two years ago)

The food is bland!!! The worst food in the world.

― Frances Schultz, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:02 (twenty-two years ago)

except for the Indian which you have when you eat out or the stuff you cook for yourself when you stay in.

In the US of course you have TAco Bell and MacDonalds for eating out.

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:05 (twenty-two years ago)

British high streets all have exactly the same stores and cafés -it's boring!

The food is not necessarily bland, but you have to pay through the nose to get good food.

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:06 (twenty-two years ago)

hata - you are soooo wrong, but I ain't getting into an arguement about it.

― chris (chris), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:08 (twenty-two years ago)

who invented economies of scale again?

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe not Britain, but every high street in London looks the same - one FCUK, one Caffe Nero, one Pret-a-manger, one Waterstones, etc., etc.

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Whereas strip malls are the pinnacle of cultural variety and aesthetic appeal, of course.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:16 (twenty-two years ago)

at least they're not on the high street!

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Really I think the British people are on a loser here if we try to argue. We should just take this thread on the chin, try and enjoy the abuse if we can, or try not to click here if we can't.

Most of what's been said above is what I'd feel as a visitor here, I think. The best stuff anywhere is usually difficult to locate.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I think US strip malls and UK high street homogeny are equally dire.

I also think that Britains who dislike America >>> Americans who dislike Britian

― marianna, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:23 (twenty-two years ago)

but you only go to the high street to shop! And in most towns in the uk the high street = banks, butchers, florists, bakers,etc. as well as the ubiquitous clothes, shoes, electrical good retailers, etc. As for there being fcuks, caffe neros, pret, waterstones - have you been to any town outside the M25, or anywhere non-touristy?

x-post, and Tim otm re. how vistors perceive things.

― Vicky (Vicky), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:23 (twenty-two years ago)

"We should just take this thread on the chin"

Brits have no backbone either.

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, rubbish aren't we?

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:25 (twenty-two years ago)

at least we use our real names hata

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I dislike the high taxes but I like the NHS, so I guess I don't dislike hte high taxes too much. No I just hate council tax. That's because I live in Haringey.

― marianna, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I also think that Britains who dislike America >>> Americans who dislike Britian

True. Marianna go and tip some teabags in the Thames that might help!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:30 (twenty-two years ago)

(xpost)

Pink Panther is someone's real name? And how exactly do you pronounce stevem?

I think you can take this thread as friendly joshing rather than venomous hate. As I said upthread, I do actually like the UK, but every country has its annoyances.

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:31 (twenty-two years ago)

In Edinburgh we have decent water pressure and enlightened licensing laws.

― leigh (leigh), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that Merkin dislike of Britain is possibly less than it was seven or so years ago, coz when I shared a house with Merkins the things they complained about largely centred on how inconvenient it was that they couldn't get cash when they wanted, they couldn't get food when they wanted coz the supermarkets were not open 24-7 ect ect. Since then, the number of ATMs has increased and more shops *are* open 24-7, so it is presumably more to Merkins liking. Also, the range of US chains over here continues to increase (when did Starbucks arrive? there are certainly *far more of them* than there used to be). Improve the weather, bring over Jack in the Box and Dairy Queen and a few more Taco Bells and I think the majority of Merkins would be quite happy with 2004 UK.

Oh, and Liz OTM and Marcello misguided.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Marianna go and tip some teabags in the Thames that might help

I do not think that will endear my countrymen to the British. But, it might attract more wayward seals to the Thames! I love the wayward seals.

― marianna, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I could actually be very happy living in the UK, if it weren't for the weather. Those endless winters when it never really gets light and what light there is disappears by 4, they really are depressing.

― hata, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Really I think the British people are on a loser here if we try to argue

for some reason i think this is a subject that will be more interesting if it provokes angry debate. we brits are too used to assuming we are utterly charming to the americans.

― Dave Amos, Friday, 28 May 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Does anyone remember the wayward porpoise frolicking in the Thames a few summers ago? That was great.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm utterly charming all the time to everybody though

― C J (C J), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Taco Bell is awful tho, there used to be one in Uxbridge

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

ILX Merkins currently living in Britain - 6 at least
ILX Brits currently living in America - 0

Britain proved better by science.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

ILX Brits currently living in America - 0

i think Paul K and Simon R should count

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

and Adam of course

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

In Edinburgh we have decent water pressure and enlightened licensing laws.

Yes, but what about the people who live there? Gumph!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

No-one "dislikes America". It would be like holding a grudge against the color green, or the letter 'H'.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay, Steve. We still win though.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Dadaismus do you like ANY city's people??

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Also I'd like to be the first to welcome Dave Q back. We missed you!

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Look, I'm an American and I like Britain. Too bad if you don't like it fuxxors.

xpost

― Bimble (bimble), Friday, 28 May 2004 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 184 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I was there visiting a friend at UEA.

Hahaha! When were you there, Jon? That's where I went to college. Finnish students practically run that place. And Americans.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

"odd pikey ambling around" makes the threat of violence sound quaint.

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 28 May 2004 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

sounds like British chippie shops need to invest in some bulletproof glass, and soon.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

pikeys vs ruffians

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Hope he doesn't mind me re-posting this, but I like it:

"my least favorite london story... staying out in the burbs for a week with a friend's uncle in uxbridge... went out with his cousins to the pub then a club and we're getting our pints on and out talking and some bird accused of faking my american accent

her- oh, it's almost convincing
me- cheers, have another love

granted, my accent is kinda forqued when i'm imbibing (half-southern drawl, half-californian ), but get off it deary!

other than that: classic. esp: the garage for my 24th bday. ah, good times.

-- gygax! (gygax0...), December 12th, 2002."

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

"getting our pints on" = classic!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I love the Uxbridge Road, especially going west.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:04 (twenty-two years ago)

we know dude

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Jel, do you like Perivale?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you know that nice tapas place just off of Ealing high street? I like it there.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

my Mum grew up around there actually (west of SB Green just off Uxbridge Road). but yeh wrt to 'odd pikeys' i can't remember why exactly but i felt kinda apprehensive wandering around some of those streets just because of the randomness of it all.

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

perivale is okay, it's a strangely empty kind of place.

I always sort of want to take visting americans on a trip down the Uxbridge Road, coz you know central and north London don't represent.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it was spring 2002.

― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaah, well after my time.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

When I was visiting London to stay with my old girlfriend (as you can see on a couple of threads if you dig up the archives), I was at her flat in New Cross, which allegedly was sketchy -- and indeed one time she told me about the murder right around the corner from her place on the street, which did have me worried. But honestly I never felt unsafe or worried while I was there, seemed pretty casual and low key. Similarly Martin's old place was in East Ham and supposedly that has a reputation of some sort, but that seems to be motivated by racism more than anything else due to the large Indian population there. So I dunno.

Yeah, the water in London is a bit off, I recall. The candy is definitely great, though, and all y'all are grand folks. I'll be back again for a visit soonish, hopefully next year as part of a trip to Italy and maybe Russia.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I know the Tapas place you mean, on the same street as that old fashioned electronics shop.

(big Ealing news, the cinema is going to go from 3 screens to 16!!!!)

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

i like Perivale tube station's nice curvy entrance - the line is elevated too so you get a nice view of Horsenden Hill, Heathrow planes and Giant Nick Faldo

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I like to think that the roughest Brit neighborhoods are like Powis Square in this movie, complete with poofster rockstars and boyish French girls:

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

look, i'll kick your ass, alright

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Ned has just signed him self up for Jel's Grand Uxbridge Road Tour!

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Woo!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Hanger Lane = fear.

Let's take him, Steve.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Hstencil should come on the tour soon, we'll go the Redback.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

as usual, I have no idea what you're talking about (or what I'm talking about too).

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 28 May 2004 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Where is Napoli?

― Carey (Carey), Friday, 28 May 2004 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you mean Naples or am I missing something?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 28 May 2004 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I picked up Absolute Beginners in an Oxfam, and the main character lived in Napoli, which seemed to be near Bayswater.

― Carey (Carey), Friday, 28 May 2004 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

veda Napoli e muoia

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 28 May 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Fremme neppa vennette.

― NA (Nick A.), Friday, 28 May 2004 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Here's the condensed version of a conversation I had in a Portsmouth pub some long time ago:

"The thing I don't understand about America is the terrible racism over there ...... OUR main problem is the Pakis!"

― briania (briania), Friday, 28 May 2004 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

two weeks pass...

because jons thread, where he was addressing dislike of england, got locked. possibly because there was this thread that addresses the same concenrns.

jon, the floor is yours

― charltonlido (gareth), Monday, 14 June 2004 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Interesting reason why Brit music suxxxxx here: http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0348/031126_music_punk.php (as linked to from here: Dave Q on the Rhino punk box)

In England, the walls are made out of paper, which is why its singers are lacking in projection skills and presence (i.e., wusses). The oft-told story of Morrissey whispering his demo vocals under a bedsheet before presenting them to Johnny Marr indicates one reason for the Smiths' enormous identification-related popularity in their home country: You can't actually "practice" singing?let alone screeching or hollering?anywhere. As for drumming, forget it; nobody has a garage, and the neighborhood noise fascists in London bear out everything Kurt Cobain said about the English. That's why English youth so unanimously took to techno. Even the "bangin'" sounds of the Prodigy could easily be developed with the volume set low?or better yet, on headphones.

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Gygax! on these dudes watching the Bolt:
ihttp://www.meirion.lewis.btinternet.co.uk/pics/lb2.jpg

that audience looks like they're watching sigur ros or something.
-- gygax! (gygax0...) (webmail), June 5th, 2004 6:33 PM. (gygax!) (link)

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

err these dudes

http://www.meirion.lewis.btinternet.co.uk/pics/lb2.jpg

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

why its singers are lacking in projection skills and presence (i.e., wusses)

i assume this just means 'these days' cos i mean wot abaht yer Lemmy, Brucie and the like? but remember that Embrace song where he tried to shout? yargh

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 14 June 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

"Embrace UK", please.

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Why can't England produce competent drummers?

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

If current US bands were any more interesting or competent at this point this argument would hold more weight.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Monday, 14 June 2004 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

"Embrace UK", please.

Fuck U(K)

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 14 June 2004 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

England has better rappers.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 14 June 2004 18:11 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.yoitsren.com/noisenomads3.jpg

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

McLusky

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Does Rhode Island have gangs?

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 14 June 2004 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I went to high school with member of Asian Gangs.

― Jon in R'lyeh (ex machina), Monday, 14 June 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Does Rhode Island have gangs?

RI has mobs. (watch your family guy)

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 14 June 2004 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I only have season 1!

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 14 June 2004 20:16 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

do you use 'european' to denote british, like is there a conflation of brits with other european nations, when this happens? or is it 2 separate things?

do you think the november elections will change anti-european feeling in america either way?

― charlton lido (gareth), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

do you think the november elections will change anti-european feeling in america either way?

If Bush wins, I suspect that he'll continue to promote his "who cares what the rest of the world thinks" view.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

the possibility (happened before) that not even the majority of the people he governs may agree being the real sickener

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 18:51 (twenty-one years ago)

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