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American Reacts to What It Means to Be British - Stephen Fry
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- Published on May 21, 2025
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As a Brit, the thing I struggle with about American patriotism is it’s frequently stated belief that it’s “the best country in the world”. I love my country (Scotland, actually) but I would never shout about it being the best in the world… it’s the best for me, because, for me, it’s home… simple as that… but no country should shout that it is the best in the world.
What a great comment. So true. You've really hit the nail on the head about being British.
The British have always been able to laugh at themselves and everyone else. Religion is a private thing. Morals are more important. Patriotism is not shown by flag waving, it's a quiet pride in being British.
‘‘Patriotism is not shown by flag waving, it's a quiet pride in being British.’’
Not solely, but have you ever seen Night Of The Proms or the English, Scottish or Welsh fans on Euros and World Cup? Or British lads and ladettes or geezers and gals on holiday? ... Quite a load of flags there.
@@laziojohnny79 Point taken, however, The Proms are a special case, where Brits feel a sense of pride in the stirring music. The sporting events are mostly tribal and alcohol fueled. Holidays, see alcohol excuse.😁
@ Alcohol is embedded in British culture and thus not a valid excuse.
On the surface.
@@laziojohnny79it’s an excuse for uncharacteristic exuberance and joie de vivre. Without the alcohol self repression and self loathing (the class system) is the norm
Stephen Fry - our national treasure. JPS, you are educated, measured and mannered... a credit to yourself and your parents
National treasure ? The once atheist but proud Zionist supporter -
Nah he’s kinda not a national treasure anymore, he’s not just one of those people we will never forget who he chose a political ideology.
he is an ogre.
National treasure? He is an immoral, privelliged, patronising, far-left cry baby. Most regular Brits can't stand him.
Compared with other reactors l really appreciate that you listen without constantly interrupting.
Constantly interrupting is a way of adding value to the video to make it transformative, it breaks up the plagiarism/ copyright detector, and is what a reaction video should do. Playing the original video uninterrupted, and in its entirety, can be a way of stealing someone else's content, views, and income.
@@hughtube5154 That only works if the interrupter adds something to the conversation. Some answer questions that come up and then act surprised that their thought was addressed. I get what you mean though.
@@hughtube5154 You all miss the point. Most of them spin out the length of the original video to increase the Dollars you tube pays them for us watching the hated adverts. Anyway. copywrite does not apply if they ask the video makers permission to comment on it.
I agree completely. I don't mind pausing the video and reacting - I mean, it's a reaction video so it'd be rather odd if that didn't happen - but some reactors tend to be too eager to say whatever thought enters their mind throughout, and much of it is pointless, but JPS listens, understands, and reacts accordingly with intelligence. And that's the welcome difference.
@@hughtube5154 Reacting once or twice but mainly at the end is okay. However, listening to the reactor, ad nauseam, is a kind of self promotion; that and the ubiquitous baseball hat and constantly taking a drink. Ugh!
We complain openly about our country, but we don't allow other people to do it.
That’s a pretty universal feeling !
What are you on about? We allow every Tom, Leroy and Abdul to complain about our country but WE are not allowed to defend ourselves. Pay attention, you loon.
It's equivalent to complaining about your family, I can criticise my family, but I will defend my family from outside criticism.
But we do allow it though.
My previous comment was censored by YT which is apparently allergic to truth.
I do and more often.than not.these days agreeing sadly
I think you are one of the very few Americans who can understand this interview Joel, thanks
Yeah, Americans tend not to absorb this kind of stuff so well.
I think what makes us British is the tightrope we walk between pride and shame, joy and sadness, peace and anger, kindness and sefishness. Because we wrestle with dichotomy we find it difficult to give absolutes.
What a great insight!
We can be extremely patriotic when a situation requires it. Take the Queens funeral and her lying in state for example. The queuing to pay respect to her was a quintessentially British thing and lovely to behold.
I dont give a fuck about the queen, yet still consider myself quietly patriotic. The Royalists flag waving is frankly nauseating; we should have stopped conflating royalism with patriotism long ago.
@@willgeorgakis1500 wind your neck in.
Except for Phil and Holly.
@@willgeorgakis1500you are still in a minority and frankly unnecessarily vile and rude. Your inflated sense of your own importance is distinctly unBritish but then your ancestors clearly don’t go back far in this country
True confidence is the ability to take the piddle out of one's self.
True confidence might include being willing to write "piss" rather than "piddle". 😅
@@t.a.k.palfrey3882 Ahh but now we are getting to British class.
I've got a Porsche. It's not an automatic.
@@t.a.k.palfrey3882 the confidence to be crude? Vulgar?
Stephen Fry is always of interest. He presents so well, and is a bundle of knowledge.
He's a national treasure.
Stephen Fry is indeed a National Treasure, he is a rare soul who is both very English but has the vision of an outsider. He is sensitive to our many innate contradictions that come from out history and our relationship with the world. This is one of the reasons we struggle with tall poppy syndrome. Britishness is a broad church of connected cultures and languages, it is the spirit in where we meet and recognise our shared values and the differences in each other that we look at with admiration. Every Englishman wants to look good in a kilt. Everyone wants to make a brilliantly authentic curry. We want to sing like the Welsh, dance like the Irish at a ceilidh, we want to be it all. When we have to be we can be resilient with a stubbornness that stone could envy. We express our patriotism in verse, not in rallies. Shakespeare, Robbie Burns, Dylan Thomas, they inspire us. We love and are proud of our Scottish Welsh Irish relatives. We value free speech, a fair go, free health care, generous victors, good losers and good teachers. British pride isn’t angry or loud. Those that present it as such are not celebrating Britain, they are merely trying to decide who belongs. It is a privilege they do not have. Being British is messy, contradictory, well mannered complex and bloody marvellous.😊
Excuse me, but I don’t want to look good in a kilt. I don’t eat curry either. But I still feel 100% British. 😊
What I find interesting is that Stephen Fry comes from one part of British/English society (trad. public school, "lovie" [theatrical background], well-off, liberal - what many people would call the "elite"), but actually his understanding of what it means to be British is very close to those who would decry his "Elite" label and claim allegiance to a tough, working-class society.
It really does cross "classes" (if they still exist). The sense of "fair play" and of not putting yourself forward or boasting, is pretty universal.
Yes, I thought this too. Social class and level of education and privilege can colour anyone’s view. I think he represents something of what it is to be English but doesn’t altogether reflect what it is to be British.
The Class system definitely still exists fantastic But Stephen fry is still a great bloke and I believe I would love to have a drink or 2 and a conversation but to be honest I may struggle 🍻🤔🤗
Very thought provoking video, i am 81 and would ,and do, happily talk/discuss/chat about my politics,the government , failures and achievements, anywhere and with anyone. I find it sad that some /most? Americans think we do not have free speech here in the UK. Our son lives in the US ,25 years now, he quickly learnt not to talk about politics or religion with American friends, work colleagues and indeed just anywhere. I really enjoy visiting him and am always welcomed by everybody I meet but don’t really feel completely relaxed except in his home, That sense of being British kicks in the moment I am flying in over our crowded towns and green fields. Fairness,equality,respect and duty to others not as fortunate are paramount to me. But always being able to disagree agreeably , Brits love a good “argument “!!
He only refers to one part English society while turning a blind eye to the different values and cultures of the three other nations that make GB apart from England and even then only compares Britain to the US and not the wider world. Steven is very well educated but only within his own little bubble.
@@timphillips9954 Absolutely agree. He is the epitome of the elite to the man in the street. Britain is a Union not a nation. I'm an Englishman and proud to be, just as any Welshman or Scotsman.
No people wouldn't hiss, they would tut. Tutting is a very British thing.
Yes they would, it would be like someone jumping the queue
Tutting is a good thing. You can do it a few times, and then it is over.
Usually tutting, sighing deeply and eye-rolling.
And or glare angrilly doing nothing, saying nothing and thinking negatively while having a wide beaming smile on our face.
And folding your arms. You know you've messed up if you get folded arms!
Britain is a microcosm of nearly every landscape there is in the world and we are woefully unappreciative of what we have on our doorstep. ❤
I adore being British, and am proud of the massive positive impact the Empire had. We 'led the horse to water.... rule of law, democracy, government for the people, policing by consent.... although it didn't take root everywhere and now even America seems to be rejecting them..... /sigh.
I could listen to Stephen Fry for hours and I wish I could express myself the way is so brilliant at be able to do. Fabulous. Edale is beautiful and just 10 miles from where I live. We probably just take it for granted it’s there I suppose.
I used to really like and respect SF. But I’ve noticed in perhaps the last decade that he’s very scathing about us , especially when he’s abroad. The brown nosing that goes on in the US by SF is shocking. And he said of hissing, spitting, aggressive students…… ‘They’re lovely people really’. He’s so disingenuous and a moral coward.
Manners.
Respect.
Fair play.
Law & order.
Humility/quiet pride.
Privacy.
Liberty with responsibility.
Belief in our institutions whilst holding them to account.
Self-deprecating.
When I get fed up of Britain it’s when I see these things
In demise, when I see them in volume I feel proud.
I have never seen manners, respect, and liberty given to or championed for lgbt ppl, brwn ppl born In the UK, quite often women, even the d!s@bl3d ... sometimes not even privacy or law and order , nor any holding the system accountable for wrong doings against them, but whatever u say , Britain seems alot more to me like 'I only care about ppl just like me and how life affects me'
You are living in the 60s
I have dont see manners, respect, and liberty given to or championed for lgbt ppl, brwn ppl born In the UK, quite sometimes women, even the 'diz-a-belled' ... sometimes not even privacy or law and order , nor any holding the system accountable for wrong doings against them, but whatever u say , Britain seems alot more to me like 'I only care about ppl just like me and how life affects me, nobody else is as important'
@@sueburke6096 and? That’s what I believe it means to be British. You do you and I’ll do me.
@@jadebel7006 i do see many of those things. I see lots of it missing too, but I see lots of it, and I think it’s our civic duty to be it so that is spreads and is upheld. I’m sorry that’s not your experience.
Loving your comments in this video Joel. You display quite a few British traits! Considered, thoughtful and intelligent commentary. Fabulous. I'll go now - getting too gushing. lol.
You are a sweetheart, thank you for cheering me up today. I am (quietly) proud to be British.
I'm 63 years old and for me, being British is about a quiet pride in British global achievements over hundreds of years whilst experiencing some uncomfortable guilt about the bad things that often made those things possible. I do feel that the good outweighs the bad though. Were we the most terrible invaders? No, we weren't and we usually left invaded countries in a much better state than we found them. We've also gladly handed back independence to those countries that have asked for it by majority vote because as Fry said, we believe in fair play. It's a British trait I do feel very proud of, that and the innate support of the underdog. It's a dichotomy in the British that we do not like someone or like what they stand for, but they have to be given fair play. We can not accept or be comfortable in any victory we win if fair play wasn't given. It would be a hollow victory and cause many sleepless nights for most I think. 😂
Also, I forgot to mention the British sense of humour is a huge part of what it means to be British. British humour is something that's bred into you by your class, heritage, upbringing and life experience. It can be broad slapstick, quiet side-eye or laser-targeted sarcasm and of course a self-deprecating piss-take of ourselves and none of it can be taught, it has to be lived in my opinion or the subtle nuances don't always work. ❤
Many of the places you left ended up being partitioned, Ireland, India, Palestine, Cyprus. Also you didn’t leave voluntarily. It too a lot of struggle and loss to get rid of you.
@@rincemor You need to see the colonial past by the standards of the day. Just look at the former colonies of the French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and British empires. Almost all of the former British colonies are modern free democracies with free and fair legal systems and strong economies. This is certainly not the case for most other countries former colonies. Overall the british way of empire was probably the best way at the time - and don't even think about the German and Japanese way of empire building.
Not many major countries that do not have regrettable activities in their past. History is full of examples.
Hear hear..👏👏
You should always be critical of your government. It exists for your (collective) benefit, not the other way around.
You've made a decent effort to understand our culture and I've appreciated your intelligent foreign perspective since you started.
I have a Norwegian friend who says the modesty thing is even stronger there. Apparently any outward display of wealth is seriously frowned on in Norway. You do not wear flashy, expensive clothes. You do not buy an expensive sports car etc
Also in Norway, everybody’s tax records are openly available and searchable. Want to know how much your boss or your neighbour earns? Just look it up.
Yes I think that’s generally true in the UK too. It’s sometimes misinterpreted as envy but I guess, to use a traditional phrase we see it as “bad form”.
So... I must be Norwegian rather than skint.
One of the worlds great and genuine people. Could listen to him all day
Stephen Fry was good, too ...!
Well done Joel. Planning this summer's trek to the UK. Exploring small towns and villages is an absolute favourite pastime!! Stephen Fry nailed it in this interview. Cheers, John in Canada
Stephen Fry is always good value, he is erudite but has also done the hard work of thinking so that he can achieve a coherent and integrated view. I share your great admiration of him. As he explained himself, however, he is a product of the white English upper middle class and Britishness has now become a multi faceted mountain upon which one must shine many lights to achieve a view of the whole. I think our somewhat precarious achievement so far has to been to listen to and make space for the new voices in our country and to integrate these voices into a whole. I think this has been facilitated by the fact that most of us subscribe to the basic values that Stephen describes. It would be interesting to ask a West Indian or an Asian person what they feel it means to be English in modern society.
He's got a degree in English literature from Cambridge. Big deal.
@ Seems to have worked out well for him,😄
Stephen has had therapy which I think has helped him be more open about everything. I met him decades ago. A absolutely lovely person.
I'm British - English, Born in London ( Mile End ) and I'm Married too a Greek ...and he needs to remind me sometimes that I should be proud to be English, as he is to be Greek
I wear my Patriotism like an old coat, it isn't fashionable and may be a little worn, BUT god help you if you try to take it away. I don't neeed to boast that I am British, I just am! Just as I don't need to shout and scream when someone scores a six , I don't need to fly a flag, wear a badge , or talk loundly about it, my britishness is lower key , but like the letters in a stick of Rock it runs through me.
Excellent analogy!
That is spot on, exactly how I feel 😊
beautifully expressed
Poetry. Thankyou.
I’m afraid what is being taken from you is not an old coat. It’s your large cities, your church your freedom to speak as you find, your capital city, your history . in another 100 years britain will be unrecognisable . But keep waving the union flag and good luck
That question is something to ponder, I have thought in the past that we were losing our British identity and that our culture wasn't the same as it once was. But in the last few years, I have witnessed people who have come here and call it their home and how quickly they adapt to our way of life. Yes, we moan about the state of affairs home and abroad, and for me, that's all part of being British. But Stephen's right we support the underdog. We are empathetic, but don't treat that as weakness. We are strong of mind and can laugh at ourselves extremely well.
Hi Joel, I am a very patriotic Englishman who has always arrogantly believed that my patriotism is assumed so I have no need to display it. If I wish to feel the exhilaration
of patriotism, I can always watch the last night at the proms!
English or British?
@annberry5420 English surely!!! If you say British then you are not patriotic at all as Britain is NOT a country.
@@annberry5420English for me!
Thank you SIR Stephen. You truely deserve your Knighthood
Truly
"Britishness" is, perhaps more than in some other countries, layered. For example I am Scottish and British, but a lot of discussion of Britishness is made from an English point of view. Understandable because England is the dominant country in the Union population wise, but there is also a strong local identity as you know, Joel. I agree with the comments here about it being a generational thing too, but all identity develops and changes over time. Good video, I always enjoy listening to Stephen Fry.
I’m Welsh not British. The reason is it takes away from the Welsh nation.
@@fayesouthall6604 to be honest I never answer "British" when someone asks me my nationality. I just write it on forms and stuff, but I don't particularly mind it. If anything it means I can travel to Wales, easily with no passport 😁
@@fayesouthall6604 Why can you not be Welsh and British? I am English but if anybody asks me my nationality, I will always say I am British and that I am from the United Kingdom. I am proud of my compatriots, be they Welsh, Scottish or from Northern Ireland. Incidentally , Faye, whether you like it or not, there is no such nationality as Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or English, we are all BRITISH..
@ Rob please stop calling me British that’s English excepting us to cowtow . Wales is a country with its own flag, capital and language. I’m not British. I’m Welsh and I’m European. That’s my choice no matter what you say. Scottish people might want a word too.
@ as I said, "Britishness" and in fact, all identities, are layered. If you want to only go the "Welsh" layer then that is your choice. Except of course when ordering something online, we can't choose "Scotland" or "Wales" in the drop down menu!!!
Love Stephan Fry,nice guy and the perfect person to represent our country.I agree with all he says about what it means to be British
Stephen mentions the threat of prison for his sexuality, while growing up. He was born in 57 and it was indeed illegal untill 67. He must also have been acutely aware of how people such as Alan Turing, often hailed as the father of computing and the genius who helped crack the enigma code, so ending WW2 years early and saving countless lives in the process, were so poorly treated.
I have the greatest respect for Stephen, a true English man.
Um, that would mean, he was into sex with men, before he was 10,,,,
That would suggest he was a victim of a pedophile.
Also, while Alan Turing was a victim,,,
both Lord Keynes and Alister Crowley flaunted this behavior for years.
This proves, the persecution of Alan, was not because he was gay,
but because the government disliked his thought and just used him being gay as a tool, to destroy him.
Homosexuality was partially decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967. It was allowed in private between two consulting àdults aged 21 or over. It was not allowed in hotel rooms or, essentially anywhere outside a private home. It remained a criminal offence across the board in Scotland until 1980 and Northern Ireland until 1982.
Fry is a man who will mince his way out of defending his country on the grounds of liberalism and then cry like a baby when the payment is due.
I was born in the fifties too, but at aged 10 I knew nothing about sex other than my brothers having willies! So for SF to grow up in fear? Really? We might not have talked so openly about homosexuality, but we just didn’t talk about sex full stop! I suppose him going to a boys boarding school played a large part in his sexual development. The downside of being a rich posh boy!
Ove seen a few of these reactions from various Americans & I can honestly say, you're one of the most intelligent & perceptive. Keep going!
British people are humble, ie they understand that space that encompasses humility and self awareness. It is a virtue only afforded by those with real but private pride in who they are.
Hello Joel. I have commented on British values in Yorkshire terminology of "Be reyt wi' folk" and explained by the same Aussie reference. Another one, praised in my county is knowing when to shut up. You are one of us now kid.
Joel we are a product in part of our upbringing but also our life experiences. We are constantly growing the hard part is choosing the correct lessons during our lives. I am on the wrong side of seventy for longevity but I still learn every day. Your choices of material have enabled me to grow. I have never travelled so I love to watch the perspectives of people elsewhere to broaden my own experience. Thank you for your work.
Being patriotic in uk, isn’t unacceptable, we just don’t feel the need to bang on about or condemn people who don’t feel the same. We allow people to be who they want to be
Nice one, Joel. You are an excellent listener - and that makes a good content maker or even interviewer!
I love that you are prepared to talk about these things, you’re real, you have a unique perspective. Keep doing what you’re doing. And congrats on passing 100k, I hadn’t noticed that before, stoked to see your channel grow.
Stephen Fry is always captivating. He is able to articulate ideas so well and in a way that is always thought provoking. Celebrating Britishness (or Englishness) is not only seen as being culturally distasteful but also often 'jingoistic' or 'popularist'. There are no such concerns with celebrating Welshness, or Scottishness.
Celebrating Britishness or Englishness requires a sense of 'permission' to be granted for it to be acceptable. This may be through global sporting events or of British institutions like the Royal Family, NHS, Armed Forces, or even the BBC. When the Brits commemorate such things, no-one does it better because it unlocks a constrained pride rarely allowed to surface. However as it is also very British to be subversive, the denigration of these institutions is also often voiced louder than the quieter pride that is more generally felt, which produces our national schizophrenia. However the quieter outward expression of pride belies a far harder core of conservative (small c) values which helps Britain to be more politically stable and resilient than most.
Quite right about Scottish/Welsh patriotism in relation to celebrating Englishness. These days, having pride in being English is quite literally conflated with the far-right, as is the English flag. A sad state of affairs, coming from a proud Gen Z Englishman.
We have a separate, Germanic culture, with a rich and beautiful language, but because it is the default English culture somehow does not exist. When it is English, it's often deemed "British" but when it is Scottish or Welsh it is specified as such.
Tolerance, Fair Play and Self Deprecating Courage. These are the things that make me proud to be British. Well said Steven Fry.
"No man is an island" is a definite truism. I love Stephen Fry - always have from the first time I saw him on my TV screen - I love his intelligence, his 'naughty boy' sense of humour, his honesty, his vulnerability, just Stephen. Top of my Bucket List now I'm in my 70s would be to actually meet him - especially now I would want to give him a hug to let him know I care.
Stephen Fry is a national treasure; funny, witty, intelligent, articulate, well read, well traveled and with a well rounded and well considered world view. I’m not surprised when people say they enjoy listening to anything he has to say.
Really enjoyed the video. Thank you.
Speaking as an Englishman, self deprecation is above all over things, "the" prerequisite quality that a gentleman appreciates. It's the foundation upon which all good friendships are formed.
Being British - driving a German car to an Irish themed pub to drink Belgian beer, pick up an Indian takeaway on the way home to sit on a Swedish sofa watching a Japanese TV all while being slightly suspicious of anything foreign! 😂
Think you robbed that from somewhere. Who said it originally?
😂
An old one, but still a good one.
It's called globalisation.
Your user name and avatar betray you.
I have thoroughly enjoyed your video - thank you for your kindness (from a Brit!)
Right now it's good to have an affectionate post like this to remind us that the Anglo- American link is stronger than current events might suggest. Thank you
British people are the most tolerant in the world. We have given so much to the world. Granted we have a chequered history but for such a small island we have so much talent and given so much to the arts, music , writers, etc. the list goes on. We are a nation of kind people and empathetic people. I still have faith in the British people, when the chips are down they rally.
Joel, in an earlier life you must have been a Brit. You display so many quintessentially British traits. I'm of Welsh/Cornish heritage, but have lived only very little of my life in the UK. Somehow the Celtic blood doesn't become diluted by absence from its source. There's an understated confidence in being British. We don't need to shout it from the rooftops. It's simply there.
I’m of Welsh/ Celtic heritage too and have lived in various parts of England all my life. There is a fire burning under my quiet exterior which only comes out when it must.
Well articulated, Joel - you have good grasp of the British reserve & all that that encapsulates; subtlety, nuance, irony, discretion & self-effacement being (at least) some of the attributes possessed. As always, superbly presented,
Andrew.
The reality of what is is to be British is substantially characterised by. 'Being British means being the type of person that Americans think THEY are, but aren't. Honest, Decent, Honourable, Trustworthy, Polite, Reasonable, Respectful, Intelligent, Educated and Considerate of others. Neither nation is entirely those things but the British are an order of magnitude closer to those goals than Americans, who pay lip-service to them and for whom they are a paper-thin veneer. We despise trump, you elected him.
Lots of British people like Trump.
Sure, an overall minority but a rather significant one.
Freedom. To Roam. I wish you'd seen more of the peaks but the footage you took was awesome..We Brits who know you, have adopted you..Always welcome...
In Europe, most of us admire successful people and smart people who are also achievers. We just HATE when someone has a big mouth, steals credit, brags about himself and shows expressive arrogant behaviour. It's just a no-go, such person would not be liked. And it's not because of envy or revenge or anything like that. It's just we appreciate modesty and self-critical thinking. And the ability of someone making fun of himself, shows lots of self-security and confidence, that is something we hold dear. Humour. Ah, the British humour, 1st class! :-D
I like how you are genuinely interested in what may be of obscure and unlikely interest to many Americans. We're still cousins in lots of ways, but quite different in others. Your genuine interest is great. There was a US family who did UK posts a couple of years ago while they lived here. They deliberately filmed themselves giving their British housekeeper their car when they left. There was nothing wrong with the kindness, but to put it on display is not British. We do it behind the scenes. Thank you.
Haha you came to Edale! Never expected to hear that 😄 So glad to hear you enjoyed it.
To me, to see the flaws in your country is true patriotism. You can't love something if you don't want it to get better. If you think you're the best then you can't improve. Also we like private pride for everything haha you can have pride in your country and yourself but it needs to be humble pride or it's just embarrassing to us. I do think we need more pride now adays though. By losing our pride we are letting people destroy our country because we don't care about it as much. You can love Britain without loving colonialism and acting otherwise is stupid.
I love Stephen Fry!!
Hes on it!!
I think we often like to be critical about the UK precisely to show that we aren't jingoistic; though at times too we feel there are genuine problems that need to be addressed.
RE in Kipling's book when they hiss at the visiting speaker who rambles about patriotism - you said you know it's "just a book", but what you should understand about Kipling is that he was first and foremost a journalist, and a novelist second. Thus a great deal of what he wrote was written from first-hand experience, and indeed much of what he wrote was largely or partly autobiographical disguised as fiction. I can very well imagine that the "hissing scene" from the book did in fact happen. Whatever one's opinion on the British Empire, there is no denying that Rudyard Kipling was a great writer and gives us an excellent insight into a time, place, and culture.
This was great to listen to thank you JPS. 👍
You are quite right in saying we should get out and about in Britain. There is beautiful scenery, pretty villages, cathedrals, castles, mountains, lakes, lochs, rivers. Not to mention the beaches, parks and amazing cities!
My wife and I went and saw Stephen Fry in an on stage talk here in Perth, a very insightful man and spoke rationally, rational thought is something that has gone missing in this age of social media. It seems anyone can post something, accurate or not, and the rest of the world runs with it, just spreading misinformation and disinformation without any fact checking.
👏👏👏👏To Stephen, and to you. Both very articulate and appreciative.
this is next level JP
I enjoyed this one. Few Britons speak more articulately about our nation(s) than Stephen Fry, and I think he's essentially right: we tend to find open displays of patriotism distasteful. I've always despised flag waving, or boastful people, etc. It's very common for Britons to say, 'I'm not staying in this country! It's gone right downhill - it was better years ago, and I want to live in Spain...' as if there was some mythical golden age which we were unlucky enough to miss out on. I totally agree about the beauty of our countryside, and you are right to encourage us to appreciate it much more than we probably do. That's what I'm truly proud of: hills, dales, woodlands, our wonderful rivers. The almost spiritual splendour of those things. I'm not interested in the baggage of empire.
Spain, Italy, Germany, France. many expats have quit the UK for a different quality of life yet retain their Britishness. I love England and do miss the countryside but enjoy a better standard of living being an expat, something that I couldn't achieve back in the UK. When I was young I wished that I had lived in the 19th century thinking it was better but realised that you have to make the most of what you have right now. I still think the UK has a lot to offer but not for me.
Patriotism is wanting your country to e the best it can be which means recognising the ways in which it needs to improve. What Trumpism is the conviction that the country is already the best thing since sliced bread.
I'm proud to be British, but certain groups/organisations try to make us feel ashamed even to the degree that flying our flags is shameful . Britain did do a lot of bad things over time as many many other countries did but we also brought a lot of good to the world. We can't keep living in the past, but can change the future. Being British we should be a fair and tolerant, but as I say there are certain groups/organisations that try to over step or mock these attributes.
@@amandanash8464 the main problem is the violence and racism of the far right, the flag is associated with them. This puts most people off.
Stephen Fry is Hollywood's idea of what British people are like. The majority are not ... he is very public school (meaning 'private' if you are American). He has a delightful rebellious streak but he is a 'posh' person and not even remotely representative of the nation as a whole.
@positiveimagineltd, could any British person be representative of the nation as a whole? We are a mongrel nation, most of us having a mix of Scottish, Welsh, Irish, English and Cornish, with all of the mixed ancestry from the East (Northern Europe etc) that that entails and we are divided into different countries, regions and social backgrounds. Nowadays, of course, our ancestry is even more diverse - it would be impossible for one person’s experience of ‘Britishness’ to represent that of everyone else
@@geemo4284You’re right, but humans are obsessed with trying to put people into boxes.
Joel, good one. Your mind is so open.
For the last 20 years I have tried to take 3-4 trips within the UK every year, I don't drive so I use trains and coaches- there is no shortage of places to go.
Stephen Fry is always worth listening to.
In many ways Australia is much like Britain and what Stephen says a lot is true for Aussies. One thing though about patriotism. In sport the Old Dart and Australia are very parochial!
The great war brought patriotism to the forefront through Churchill, "we shall fight them on the beaches....". Australia lost 10% of its population in war casualties defending the old Dart in WW1. Why? Because although we hate losing to each other in cricket, we are still brethren!
Absolutely. Definitely Aussies are our real cousins. I think JP would love Oz.
Well said, chum (from a whingeing pom).
My idea of Britishness is being self effacing and finding humour in adversity. Underplaying our talents and never boasting. Always trying to be polite and considerate and listen to other points of view without being arrogant. A belief in fair play and being gracious when losing. These are some of the values that were instilled in me when I was young and which I believe define us as a nation. I think Stephen Fry would agree with most of that.
I feel that with a number of people when you get to a certain age after doing a load of ill advised and dangerous or stupid things. That you reflect on them as sometimes a little pointless or that there was an easier or quicker way to achieve the same. That you become a little milder and a bit more humble but maybe wita sense of propriety but an inner pride and a firm sense of who you are without needing to flaunt it. I think that this is the way that older countries like the UK are very much like this.
Self praise is no recommendation !!
a very rare thing in life now
an honest man
A corollary to what you said about the tallest poppy. I live on the Isle of Man, a small Island between England & Ireland. I'll give an example of Manx humour. A fisherman is sitting on a breakwater with a bucket of live crabs. A passer by notices that one crab is trying to crawl out of the bucket. 'Oh I'm not worried about that' says the fisherman, 'as soon as the others realise he is getting out, the others will pull him back down.' :)
I am English and about the same age as Stephen Fry. I think he is a good actor and has appeared in what I reguard as the best comedy ever made, Blackadder I really like him. Having said that we could have come from different planets and I think society does not take into account enough that we are all individuals.
Inevitably, Fry's view of his world and Britain is a very upper middle class view. It is a world away from the life experiences and culture of a huge section of society; the traditional working class. You would need to spread your net much wider to discover the views and attitudes of British society. For instance, the Scots would come to the question from a quite different standpoint. People from the old industrial towns of the north of England would likely have a different attitude compared to those in the affluent parts of the so called Home Counties. Fry's comments are interesting and revealing but partial.
Yes, some people would condemn him for his accent which they associate with things like foxhunting or the House of Lords.
Do you think they have different values to the ones he's talking about? If so, which?
I agree. I'm not here to put down Steven Fry but he really does come from a strata of Britain that ninety five percent of British people do not or, have access to. Mr. Fry has talent but he is a major player in the nepotism he claims to dislike. The chances of anyone working in the the UK media without private funding are almost zero.
@@andyr226 However, he has a long and proven track record as an astute observer. I'll ask you the same question I asked earlier - what traits he assigns to the British in general do you believe are NOT applicable to that other 95%?
@@wessexdruid7598 Are you from Britain. Genuine question.
Love this funny articulate man
The line “They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool” in the John Lennon song Working Class Hero always struck me as particularly British. It does feel sometimes that we just like to always be negative especially about ourselves.
To be British to me is to stand up for freedom and democracy across the world, to be respectful and dignified. Too stand up for people and countries that need our support.
Stepken is truly a remarkable man and one well worth listening to. Glad you clearly feel the same. The flag and patriotism are interesting, perhaps we Brits express this through our love of Pageantry - so in a different way to the Americans (although you too have ceremonies of different types).
The difference between America and The UK is the same as the difference between a young teen and an adult.
A teen has to be a hard man to prove that they ARE SOMEONE. A teen DEMANDS respect
An adult KNOWS who they are and does not have to tell everyone how good they are. An adult EARNS respect.
• Ps and Qs
• Understatement
• A sense of fair play
• Workplace humour
• Irony and sarcasm
• Appreciation of quirkinesses
•”Keep calm and carry on”
• Not showing off
• British reserve
• Coded language that usually means the opposite of the literal sense
These are all universal traits in pretty much every Briton. The class system and regional cultures will obviously throw up more localised differences, of course.
I've always been extremely proud of being British, English, and a UK citizen.
We mostly cheer on and celebrate our country in sporting endeavours, which I'm surprised that Fry didn't mention.
The pride we hold is mostly held on an internal level though, but is demonstrated by our humility and decorum at the appropriate time. A good example of this could be seen during the various mourning activities Queen Elizabeth II's passing, where there was no question in how to compose oneself.
It might not be overly explainable, but the feeling of Britishness is known strongly within.
Am in my late seventies and lived in the UK all my life and the change that seems to have evolved is that we (the British) always had empathy for the underdog - the little chap fighting his corner. Now, the feeling I find among the older generation is that they feel they have become the underdog. Foreign investment is skimming vast profits from our country (much of it American owned) and the money is going abroad via tax havens and not going into servicing our debt here. It is fine to be fair, hold principled values and be proud to stand alone, but in the present world greed and exploitation have risen to wield great power , while the means to oppose such forces are defragmented and brittle. The sense of fair play, don't kick someone who is down, living as a decent humane being are being sacrificed as soft unrealistic by minds that see personal gain as the only achievement worthwhile.
I fear that this is the new norm that the great grandchildren of those who fought and so many died to quell such ideologies are accepting them too readily into their societies, here in the UK and abroad.
Yes as someone in my 70s I feel that too
Very British, we moan and complain about our family, our street, our city, our country... but we really don't like anyone outside doing it because we love those things and they are ours to moan about, not you! Our culture is important to us, stoicism and a passion for doing the right thing run deep in our veins.
Very good reaction Joel.
Although I agree with Fry at the end, in his summing up, I fundamentally disagree with his point about not showing our patriotism. He’s speaking very much from his middle class background, his experience of being one of the country’s elite class. He was correct in the respect to this being the position of that small class of people. However, if you include the working class, he couldn’t be more wrong! Go to any football match, especially against a foreign team and, well……..need I say more?
What he should have said is that “Stephen Fry needs to adopt a more working class perspective rather than an un-british one.”
In this case his perspective was seriously skewed by his the elite bubble he’s ensconced in - his mention of all those private clubs he’s a part of shows this to be the case.
I would say we have a quiet confidence. If you believe deep down that your state has generally positive points there isn’t any need to go around talking about it or talking it up, as it will speak for itself. Equally, criticising it to a high degree is done because we know it is secure enough to withstand the criticism. It could also be a metaphor for life. If you have self belief and are comfortable with yourself then you don’t have to go around shouting it out, and equally any criticism from others you can brush off.
Thank you
Years ago Stephen Fry had a break down and dissapeard for a few months, he had a break do. His first time publicouting was to awarda to every student at Dundee uni, he was amazing he shoock every hand, he looked ama3in his red robes.
I think we British are very reluctant to discuss our most intense feelings, whether those are of patriotism or love
Good video, mate 👍.
Thank you for your closing remarks. I have been lucky enough through my job to have traveled for work and visited every part of the UK, I made a point of using my return trips to at least drive through those beautiful places you talk of and many others. I made a point of going to the furthest points north south east and west of the mainland and have managed to reach most of the local island groups and some overseas.
I am quietly very proud to be a Londoner, English and British (with a real feeling of being part of Europe) I hate the shouty racist people who don’t accept the rich mix and a recent London excursion (haven’t done it for a while, used to commute there for work) and wow the vibrancy and confidence of our young multi-cultural city is amazing.
Hi JP, i think, your videos about the UK, and all its cuture, history, and our banter, and our quirks, has gone onto another level, after visiting the UK twice, and for the msot part visit different places,, Lomdon, and the nothern cities and towns, which has given you a great sense of the culryre county by county norh and sounth,witr accents and pub culture and every day life, i can see if big change in how you speak about the UK to wjat you were before, when just learning
A lot of his family died in the Holocaust. it's interesting that he says he kind of overdid it. I understand how that feels.. very good self insight there.
British understatement has caused difficulties. There was one instance in war when a British officer, with his troops outnumbered many times over (Korea maybe)described the situation as 'a bit sticky' in a radio communication with his US superior who genuinely didn't understand just how bad the situation was and didn't send reinforcements.