[jonbxx]

Ooh, this could end in a locked thread and some bannings!

I think how we see British culture and how other see it are quite different. I saw this thread and then had a call with a colleague from Belgium and asked him what he thought of British people and culture. On the positives, he saw British people as being open and fair and surprisingly flexible. On the less positive side, he saw us as being somewhat parochial or cliquey and tended to look backwards than forwards.

I asked him what other people were we like and he said somewhere between the Swedes and Germans (not the Danes though) which I guess is a compliment!

So culture in general. It depends on if you see British culture as what identifies us or a snapshot of where we are now. In my mind, culture is an organic thing, always changing. Britain and the culture of britons has been changing for centuries, from a largely illiterate population working in serfdom, through the industrial revolution and the growth of cities to having vast amounts of information available on a device which sits in the palm of your hand.

If you look at 'foreign' culture coming here, how much of that is normal now? We have cherry picked and anglicised other countries products, foods, words, etc. for ever. Sitting in your pyjamas, drinking coffee and eating a pizza in a bungalow and so on...

I am in no doubt that British culture will continue to change. I am also in no doubt that there will be many who decry cultural change as the virtual destruction of British culture. Of course, the counterargument is who says that where we are right now is the absolute peak of our culture and any change will be a downhill one?

It's an interesting discussion!