lol, why do people do it?

[Helvellyn]

Why do people feel the need to give information on a subject that they know nothing about?

I mean watching a few highly unfictional and biased Hollywood movies on the UK gives you no right to comment on the political makeup of the country. I admit It has/continues to make me laugh though.

I was reading on Scotland.com a question asking does Scotland hate England? fair enough question, I agree but the answer is just pure class nonsense and makes me think WTF? is being taught to the world regarding the UK.

The answer given as fact was that the English and Scots have to be nice to each other because they are in a United Kingdom. The Scots are not welcome in England and so on, England has a lot of say over what Scotland can and can't do, Scottish soldiers don't like fighting alongside the English in battle because of the past <> thats just some of the highlights...Words really do fail me, he even admitted he has never been to the UK and got his info from movies,books etc etc f*ck me!!!.....Oh oh the next classic by another poster was America and Canada rule because they dont have a silly monarch, unfortunately Canada does have a monarch her name is Queen Elizabeth II and she lives in England.

I've been depressed all day and that made me laugh. It is quite strange though even in the university I attend how non Brits especially Americans have a distorted view on the UK and see England as the BIG BAD WOLF.

<>

[voltaire]

lol nothing like a bit of sophistry to brighten up your day

V

[kathyv]

LOL, Some people are just 'born experts'! A shame, too, as they'd learn so much more by asking a question! England as the Big Bad Wolf! heeheehee 'Howling' with laughter! LOL

WTF is being taught is really nothing! Unless you are a student that wishes to specialize in Foriegn Political Sciences and actually learn what's up, all you really learn is that in 1776 some dude named King George lost a war, the US, under the amazing leadership of George Washington, won it and started a whole new country.

I bet if you were to ask the typical American on the street who the last 5 PM's of the UK were, they would start with Churchill, then probably get Thatcher and might now, just because of the Iraq troubles, get Blair. In my experiences, relating my travels in the UK (and Ireland), most Americans have no idea what the UK is and that Ireland is a separate country. They think Scotland is just a 'State' in the UK and couldn't tell you the difference between Northern Ireland and Ireland or where Wales is..... It's amazing what we weren't taught in school. (And not just about other countries but even about Historical American Women or African Americans. That's another topic! LOL)

I learned more about England in one visit there than I learned in years of schooling.... Maybe we should all take a feild trip there in the 12th grade in order to graduate high school? Cool!

Glad it's made you laugh, I happen to think it's sad and wish the people in my country would bother to learn about their world but I have offended enough Americans by pointing this out on another VCI site! Maybe I'd better keep quiet?! heeheehee No one likes a whistleblower! LOL

[Helvellyn]

In reply to Kathyv:

To be honest you could say the same about many Brits ask them to pinpoint the US on a map they should manage it but ask them to pinpoint some of the individual states and they'll struggle if it doesn't start and end with Florida...well!!! lol,

Like you say if you don’t want to learn than it really isn't going to change. I admit with the UK it can be confusing. I had a similar experience travelling through France and Spain the other year I wasn't sure whether to call the Basque (spl?) regions Spain or France or the Catalonia region Spain as some people who live there want independence from the countries mentioned. I kept quite when I was in Barcelona I addressed it as Barcelona to the locals as to not offend anyone.

I count myself lucky the school I went to CofE had strict guidelines on History and Geography every student had to do them from primary school until year 10 senior. The History lessons covered everything from Roman Britain, the first London 1430, the two fires of London, kings and queens, the period when England became a Republic with Oliver Cromwell, Act of Unions, King James IV of Scotland Union of the Crowns He was the guy who named us Great Britain. Queen Anne 1707. The fighting of Berwick-upon-Tweed how its' English now, but originally may of been Scotland’s capital. American civil war, world wars so a good base to go on anyway.

Like I say it's not just Americans, every nation has its downsides when it comes to respecting other people countries. I sometimes put my foot init with my mate from Cyprus I see it as a separate country but he assures me he's Greek and not to confuse him with the Turkish people of the Island. (Hence the vote recently).

I think the major problem with the UK is that most people from around the world think the word England can be substituted with Britain and it means the same. An example from uni recently we had a general lesson where we talk about anything so we talked about the Iraq war. One of the foreign students stated to my mate who's Welsh they hated England because they had gone to war, me and my mate tried to explain that if you going to hate us for going to war make sure your hating the right countries including Scotland and Wales...She didn't understand that Wales and Scotland was also at war with England as the UK...It sometimes gets very very annoying trying to explain to people in my own country.

You've got to laugh though

[Shevchenko]

I liked this part:

Originally posted by Helvellyn
England has a lot of say over what Scotland can and can't do,

That's people like Blair, Brown, Cook, Robertson... The Scottish-dominated UK government

Originally posted by Helvellyn
I've been depressed all day and that made me laugh. It is quite strange though even in the university I attend how non Brits especially Americans have a distorted view on the UK and see England as the BIG BAD WOLF.

<>

But we like being the big bad wolf (better than the little-piggy-victims)
It IS worse in the 'former colonies', you should've heard what some antipodeans think of us - I've been moaned at about Gallipoli (casualties: 40,000 Aus & NZ, 43,000 BRITISH).
Conversely, Central and Eastern Europe seem to have a stereotype of us that is too nice. Some Ukrainian girls told me they envied English girls because they must be surrounded by charming, intelligent, chivalrous men.
I think the ladies on here who reside in England may have a slightly different view of us.

[Helvellyn]

[/b][/quote]
Conversely, Central and Eastern Europe seem to have a stereotype of us that is too nice. Some Ukrainian girls told me they envied English girls because they must be surrounded by charming, intelligent, chivalrous men.






LOL, Charming, Intelligent, Chivalrous: My god she describes me

[kathyv]

Charming, Intelligent, Chivalrous. . . but do you come complete with the white steed?! LOL

I know we all have misconceptions of other cultures and tend to forget there are many ways to flush a toilet, but it's those who refuse to accept the differences or refuse to learn about a people that drive me up the wall!

I would hope that this shrinking world would open our eyes to accept each other for who and what we are. Travel is easier and can be done fairly economical, languages and money are becoming easier and more understandable, hopefully this will allow for appreciation rather than unacceptance.

It just frustrates me that Americans expect another place to be America, but I imagin that there are those from other places that expect America to be like their home.

My solution? Travel and learn! (What fun!!!!!)

[Helvellyn]

Charming, Intelligent, Chivalrous. . . but do you come complete with the white steed?! LOL


Well...How do I put this, I suppose I have an uncanny resemblance to this guy, LOL

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/goldkee...ets/h21450.htm

[Shevchenko]

So when you tell the girls you look like a model,



you mean like this?

[Shevchenko]

...who get their history lessons from Hollywood...
Get them over to England.com.
The politics board needs livening up - it's mostly me and Voltaire agreeing with each other.

[Helvellyn]

So when you tell the girls you look like a model,you mean like this?

LMAO

Pretty much yeah, You'll be surprised by how often it works!! Try it.



What I meant to say was...errrm that the model in the link was errrm based on me!!





Might be good to get a few more people over here to start livening some of the threads up. Scotland.com has a few who would fit the bill.