#1
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Why are the English anti-social?
Hi all,
I went out last night & met up with a large group of people, including a mixture of people I know & people I don't. I introduced myself to people, had the usual banter over how difficult it is to remember names etc. Everyone was lovely. Anyway, that's not what this is about. Now, something occurred to me; the situation that some of the other's were in;
My theory as to why the English are on the whole less sociable that the Spanish is simple;
As for getting to know everyone, everyone was lovely, we all introduced ourselves & got into small talk and all that & it all went well. In my opinion, I think learning how to deal with this specific situation should be a must for everyone. In fact, my opinion, not knowing how to handle this specific situation is probably also a big reason why lot of people get wasted before they even go out. |
#2
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
Is SA more prevalent in colder, northern European countries rather than, say, the Middle East? I don't know.
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#3
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
I've noticed this difference too,
it even seems to exist within the UK, But I think it's really more linked to climate than anything else in my opinion I've been working / living in England, then came back up to Scotland and just been struck by how aggressive and hard everyone seemed in comparison, everyone seems a bit softer down south. I've been to Spain a few times and noticed how chilled people seemed there, but I also noticed that there seems to be a lack of manners in Spain,. people often just barge past you, or in front of you in your day-to-day business. to my mind, it seems more like a North/South divide, with climate influencing people's attitude, if you're fighting cold and wind and rain, you're likely to be generally pissed off and a bit hardened towards the outer world, * yes,.. there has been an inordinate amount of generalisation in this post * |
#4
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
I don't find the English anti-social, as much as they are reserved; once one actually breaks the ice and gets talking to people, they tend to be as friendly as anyone else.
However, I agree with comments made above concerning Southern European / Mediterranean culture, in that the main difference is that people there socialise in family groups, whereas our own society has become more fragmented and individualistic; I don't want to get political, but I have seen a marked erosion in the British sense of community since 1979, something which is reflected in our social interaction too. I am fortunate in that I live in a part of the country where it is difficult to walk down the street without exchanging greetings and where strangers will spark random conversation at bus stops, in shops or at bars; there have been occasions when I've been in other parts of the country and forgetting where I was, conversed with strangers to be met with positive reactions (even in London, which is considered an unfriendly place by most outsiders!), whilst I have also discovered other parts of the country (Liverpool and Edinburgh spring readily to mind from my recent travels) which seem to be even more friendly than Derbyshire. |
#5
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
In the words of the great John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett
'I look down on him because I am upper class and he is middle class' 'I look down on him because he is upper class but I look down on him because he is working class' 'I know my place' |
#6
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
Is it such a bad thing? it***8217;s just a diff culture and TBH kinda xenophobic. Personally I prefer the northen repressed protestant culture that is disapearing to the loud brash cultures that are replacing it. But that***8217;s just personal preference, but I don***8217;t go around criticising those cultures.
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#7
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
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#8
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
Isn't it mind boggling that in British society some people have been considered to be 'better' simply because they were born into a family that had more money?! Particularly if that money was inherited. Class is such a weird concept.
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#9
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
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#10
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
One thing I can say is that I felt less SA-ish when I lived abroad. This was partly because I could play the "clueless foreigner" card and get away with stuff I couldn't do in my own country.
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#11
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
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#12
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
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#13
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
@ Cheshirecat;
Quote:
@ Deadbeatunderadustymoon Quote:
@ gregarious introvert Quote:
Finally @ Vasco de gama Quote:
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#14
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Re: Why are the English anti-social?
I've had a few good foreign friends too. Foreigners seem more tolerant of my quirks. I don't know why.
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