Anouther intresting fact that people forget is there is no such thing English! the English dielect is made up from Latin, German and dutch and french, througe the times. Most peopl in the UK were born here but there ancesters thounsend years ago came from all parts of Europe. the orginale people of this land were the celts, which got pused back into Wales and Ireland, ie people with dark hair and white pale skin and people with ginger hair
Britian is apart of the european continent, it doesnt really matter if its apart of the same landmass, its still attached to the same continent.
I say we should take up the Euro, i wasnt too keen on the idea t first but got thinking about it, it was this video which swayed my mind towards liking it:P
Another part of the UK's apathy is the fact that France under Charles de Gaulle hindered UK admission into the EU in the 60s & 70s.
De Gaulle's fear was that the UK would represent the interests of the USA & pull against the interests of an independent EU. He feared US hegemony, envisionning a diplomatic EU as a counterbalance to US military aggression.
The UK has never got over that treatment by France & has even started fulfilling De Gaulle's prophecy of the UK representing US interests.
It could be argued that strong advocates of European unity, are forming a new type of nationalism. A lot of people want to see Europe emerge as a superpower. I'm certainly no UKIP member, but i feel quite confused about the situation. We didn't get the referendum we were promised, which is a great shame. In some ways Europe stips us of our democratic rights by allowing an unaccountable body to dictate some of our laws.
I would also quite like to hold on to the pound - its tradition.
The franc was French tradition. The mark was German tradition.
People have to get over their petty views of 'tradition'. In an increasingly worse economic climate, keeping a rapidly weakening currency for the sake of tradition is ludicrous. I'd rather safeguard the welfare of the British people than obdurately refuse to give up the sterling.
A European country will never achieve greatness on its own with countries like the USA dominating the fore. The unity of the EU is absolutely vital.
i am not a fan of everything EU for one simple reason:
it is a threat to our liberty. i believe that i should be able to decide what i can do and when i can do it, as long as it doesnt harm others. (an argument for another day), i also believe that as an individual i have the right to an absolutely accountable and democratic gvt.
if the EU becomes a superpower, i loose my ability to hold my leaders to account, and my leaders will further limit my liberty.
my only problem is our politics, its boring, it seems o be a bunch of old guys complaining about what eachother are doing and saying, ever tried watching parliment?? id rather shoot myself in the knee cap.
I dont think we will ever join the euro, not aslong as we have a royal family. I didnt like the thought of joining the euro at first, but im more open to it now, besides, wouldnt the euro begin to go up if we took it up?
Maybe the Lib Dem party will get afew more votes due to this crisis, i would love to see the Lib Dems get into power nd do a good job, they deserve atleast a chance in my opinion (one of the reasons im voting for them next election:P)
Whenever I set foot on the continent it always feels like everyone in Europe has their own little club and, frankly, it's quite nice. I can't stand the British stubbornness about joining the Euro and as you rightly pointed out, the Euro would be good for the economy.
The EU doesn't feature heavily on our educational curricula so ignorance & paranoia of EU policies & regulations abound. EU flags fly nowhere; the EU is perceived as some distant, clandestine userper of power.
Xenophobic tabloids constantly spread "euromyths" among the population leading the majority of people to view the EU as a bungling, red-tape-laden bureaucracy whose only function is to dictate the curvature of imported bananas or impose ridiculous new health & safety laws.
Well, as someone who's mother works for the European Comission, I can tell you that it is indeed a bungling, red-tape-laden bureaucracy. But, then, what government isn't?
The English-Welsh education system contains deep flaws that exclude post-WW2 German history, causing children to inadvertently develop early biases & prejudices against Europe, and Germany in particular. Fuelled by euromyths, many uneducated (or rather miseducated) people grow up believing the EU to be some kind of surreptitious attempt by Germany to control Europe.
It sounds rather conspirational, but it is common experience. The word "Brussels" is *spat* out daily in newspapers and blogs.
'The word "Brussels" is *spat* out daily in newspapers and blogs.' That's very true. But it's a shame really because Brussels is a rather pleasant place.
I know. I tend to be very pro-Europe (having actually spent time there). As mindcartographer said they do seem to have their little club. They seem to be able to work together, agree on stuff, and show the EU a kind of respect almost equal to that of their own countries.
I can say I (almost) never even knew the EU existed until I lived in France & Germany for several years. The EU is so distant in the UK, but it is seems so alive and vibrant across the Channel.
I feel a part of the problem with the british holding out on useing the euro is like you said, Nationalism. for hundreds of Years The UK was the dominate power and the pound was the strong currency at the time, and today when all those things are in the past. they have a hard time coming to terms with it (I know this is beside the point of this Video)
No, it's a fair point. Britain used to be an empire and now it isn't. The British have a hard time accepting this. Pride can really get in the way of your best interests.
I think it has less to do with nationalism (which probably has among the least incidence of nationalistic sentiment in the world), and more to do with the fact that the English are a very sentimental people.
The British care more about our connection to tradition than about our failing economy. There was national outcry when Woolworths was shut down, public mourning over the burning Cutty Sark, horror at the prospect of thousands of Post Office branches closing...
There's also the island factor. The UK being an isolated group of islands, Brits tend to feel isolated from the rest of Europe and have a very poor understanding of it.
Yes, very similar to how Japan views the rest of Asia.
This is a good rebuttal to those who say Britain is not in Europe: nobody sane would say Japan is not in Asia, yet Japan has had less interaction with Asia in the last 400 years than Britain has had with Europe (having had in place a 300-year long isolationist policy). In addition, Japan is geographically farther from mainland Asia than Britain is from mainland Europe.
Anouther intresting fact that people forget is there is no such thing English! the English dielect is made up from Latin, German and dutch and french, througe the times. Most peopl in the UK were born here but there ancesters thounsend years ago came from all parts of Europe. the orginale people of this land were the celts, which got pused back into Wales and Ireland, ie people with dark hair and white pale skin and people with ginger hair
JamieA44 2 years ago
Britian is apart of the european continent, it doesnt really matter if its apart of the same landmass, its still attached to the same continent.
I say we should take up the Euro, i wasnt too keen on the idea t first but got thinking about it, it was this video which swayed my mind towards liking it:P
Erech01 3 years ago
Another part of the UK's apathy is the fact that France under Charles de Gaulle hindered UK admission into the EU in the 60s & 70s.
De Gaulle's fear was that the UK would represent the interests of the USA & pull against the interests of an independent EU. He feared US hegemony, envisionning a diplomatic EU as a counterbalance to US military aggression.
The UK has never got over that treatment by France & has even started fulfilling De Gaulle's prophecy of the UK representing US interests.
steevmac 3 years ago
It could be argued that strong advocates of European unity, are forming a new type of nationalism. A lot of people want to see Europe emerge as a superpower. I'm certainly no UKIP member, but i feel quite confused about the situation. We didn't get the referendum we were promised, which is a great shame. In some ways Europe stips us of our democratic rights by allowing an unaccountable body to dictate some of our laws.
I would also quite like to hold on to the pound - its tradition.
duffman3579 3 years ago
The franc was French tradition. The mark was German tradition.
People have to get over their petty views of 'tradition'. In an increasingly worse economic climate, keeping a rapidly weakening currency for the sake of tradition is ludicrous. I'd rather safeguard the welfare of the British people than obdurately refuse to give up the sterling.
A European country will never achieve greatness on its own with countries like the USA dominating the fore. The unity of the EU is absolutely vital.
DecmanReturns 3 years ago
i am not a fan of everything EU for one simple reason:
it is a threat to our liberty. i believe that i should be able to decide what i can do and when i can do it, as long as it doesnt harm others. (an argument for another day), i also believe that as an individual i have the right to an absolutely accountable and democratic gvt.
if the EU becomes a superpower, i loose my ability to hold my leaders to account, and my leaders will further limit my liberty.
why do we need to be a great country?
duffman3579 3 years ago
my only problem is our politics, its boring, it seems o be a bunch of old guys complaining about what eachother are doing and saying, ever tried watching parliment?? id rather shoot myself in the knee cap.
I dont think we will ever join the euro, not aslong as we have a royal family. I didnt like the thought of joining the euro at first, but im more open to it now, besides, wouldnt the euro begin to go up if we took it up?
Erech01 3 years ago
Maybe the Lib Dem party will get afew more votes due to this crisis, i would love to see the Lib Dems get into power nd do a good job, they deserve atleast a chance in my opinion (one of the reasons im voting for them next election:P)
Erech01 3 years ago
Whenever I set foot on the continent it always feels like everyone in Europe has their own little club and, frankly, it's quite nice. I can't stand the British stubbornness about joining the Euro and as you rightly pointed out, the Euro would be good for the economy.
Also, I really want cake now.
mindcartographer 3 years ago
Cake is always good.
celsius233 3 years ago
my step dad is from the uk and he says they are from europe so im gonna go with that =)
4d4mz 3 years ago
The EU doesn't feature heavily on our educational curricula so ignorance & paranoia of EU policies & regulations abound. EU flags fly nowhere; the EU is perceived as some distant, clandestine userper of power.
Xenophobic tabloids constantly spread "euromyths" among the population leading the majority of people to view the EU as a bungling, red-tape-laden bureaucracy whose only function is to dictate the curvature of imported bananas or impose ridiculous new health & safety laws.
steevmac 3 years ago
Well, as someone who's mother works for the European Comission, I can tell you that it is indeed a bungling, red-tape-laden bureaucracy. But, then, what government isn't?
celsius233 3 years ago
The English-Welsh education system contains deep flaws that exclude post-WW2 German history, causing children to inadvertently develop early biases & prejudices against Europe, and Germany in particular. Fuelled by euromyths, many uneducated (or rather miseducated) people grow up believing the EU to be some kind of surreptitious attempt by Germany to control Europe.
It sounds rather conspirational, but it is common experience. The word "Brussels" is *spat* out daily in newspapers and blogs.
steevmac 3 years ago
'The word "Brussels" is *spat* out daily in newspapers and blogs.' That's very true. But it's a shame really because Brussels is a rather pleasant place.
celsius233 3 years ago
I know. I tend to be very pro-Europe (having actually spent time there). As mindcartographer said they do seem to have their little club. They seem to be able to work together, agree on stuff, and show the EU a kind of respect almost equal to that of their own countries.
I can say I (almost) never even knew the EU existed until I lived in France & Germany for several years. The EU is so distant in the UK, but it is seems so alive and vibrant across the Channel.
steevmac 3 years ago
I feel a part of the problem with the british holding out on useing the euro is like you said, Nationalism. for hundreds of Years The UK was the dominate power and the pound was the strong currency at the time, and today when all those things are in the past. they have a hard time coming to terms with it (I know this is beside the point of this Video)
mnewf2002 3 years ago
No, it's a fair point. Britain used to be an empire and now it isn't. The British have a hard time accepting this. Pride can really get in the way of your best interests.
celsius233 3 years ago
I think it has less to do with nationalism (which probably has among the least incidence of nationalistic sentiment in the world), and more to do with the fact that the English are a very sentimental people.
The British care more about our connection to tradition than about our failing economy. There was national outcry when Woolworths was shut down, public mourning over the burning Cutty Sark, horror at the prospect of thousands of Post Office branches closing...
wabawoba 3 years ago
I suppose that's true.
There's also the island factor. The UK being an isolated group of islands, Brits tend to feel isolated from the rest of Europe and have a very poor understanding of it.
celsius233 3 years ago
Yes, very similar to how Japan views the rest of Asia.
This is a good rebuttal to those who say Britain is not in Europe: nobody sane would say Japan is not in Asia, yet Japan has had less interaction with Asia in the last 400 years than Britain has had with Europe (having had in place a 300-year long isolationist policy). In addition, Japan is geographically farther from mainland Asia than Britain is from mainland Europe.
steevmac 3 years ago
Thanks, that's a very good analogy. I'll have to remember that one.
celsius233 3 years ago