We should all want our children to be proud of British history.
Being proud of British history doesn’t mean you condone everything the British have ever done.
It’s about being proud of the journey and the progression and the amount of times we have lead the way for other nations around the world. As the small island we are. We have achieved great feats around the world.
It’s something to be immensely proud of.
If we had never done anything but went to war with the Nazis for invading Poland and all the atrocities we committed, we should be proud of that progress and that stand.
If all we did was lead the abolition of slavery. And everything else was bad. We should be proud that our ancestors lead the way on such a historic change.
It’s not about saying you condone everything. It’s about saying you are proud of the good things we have done. Despite the bad.
There is no morally good nation. Or morally evil nation. All nations have complex histories full of atrocities and good. As one of the most powerful nations in the world for centuries it’s hardly surprising we have our hand in so much of the bad. But also much of the good too.
Very interesting observation which this article is uninterested in exploring further.
xyclic on
Can we not have nuanced opinions in which accept that much good has been done, while also acknowledging that many bad things have also been done by the nation? That not allowed? Simpering patriotism is all we have space for?
ParkingMachine3534 on
The best measure of how tolerant a country is how many people are kicking off about it being intolerant.
Because a tolerant country is the only place they feel safe enough to do so.
Individual_Net4063 on
On net, I think British history has been on the side of good, and that every Brit should be proud of it, even if it had done some evil things (by modern standards) in the past.
PartTimeMancunian on
Judging from some of the absolute drivel I’ve just had to endure from someone on a different post that was discussing our role in stopping the transatlantic trade…..teaching it in schools would be a good idea, hopefully it would help mould a few less uk hating pseudo intellectual bellends.
Right wing think tank with no disclosed funding supports nationalism? Who would’ve thought. They make no effort to disclose their methodology in the report so who knows how they found candidates for their survey.
Paddy3118 on
>… and the abolition of the slave trade.
The creation and continuance of the slave trade is ommitted. Those paid for their ancestors slaves and that our taxes are still going towards funding are carefully ommitted from school history.
It is more a reflection on how the whitewash is working.
Veritanium on
That’s great and all, but I feel like the more urgent thing to focus on would be undoing all the rampant demoralisation propaganda aimed at white Brits over the last decade or two.
wkavinsky on
Immigrants want their children to be proud of British history because they are British, and the parents make efforts to integrate to being British.
Most immigrants are ethnic minorities.
Sadly, most ex-pats **don’t** integrate or want to be British.
PatrickDCally on
I don’t know about this one. Unusually I don’t post according to anecdotal evidence but I really don’t think this is in line with any of my life lived experiences. Like any. At all. Its diametrically opposed to what I have observed irl, in almost every case(except me). And yes, I’m not British by heritage, and yes I get shouted down as soon as I say anything remotely resembling pride of British history but everyone around me who isn’t British.
TeaBoy24 on
I am an eastern European that lived in the UK since my teens.
Technically, whilst I am white, I am an ethnic minority given that I am a member of different ethnic group than white Brits (and yes, there is a lot of differences).
But I am proud of British history… And I actively study history as a hobby. It’s fascinating if you realise that the UK didn’t have revolution per say as much as it had reform – usually democratic reforms. The institution, it’s longevity and ability to adapt.
sexyshaytan on
Do they? I don’t see it. I only see they want to change our culture.
Physical_Flatworm_72 on
Why wouldn’t you be proud of the empire which conquered nearly god damn country on this planet. I’m not british for the context but i do think its something to feel proud of.
Wonderful_Welder9660 on
Our language and culture are things to be proud of.
Ready_Maybe on
It’s actually kind of sad that the people who ended Britain’s slave trade isn’t taught. I probably know more slave traders than slave abolitionists names.
Even our part in the EU, a massive chunk of human rights, and regulation came from us.
17 Comments
We should all want our children to be proud of British history.
Being proud of British history doesn’t mean you condone everything the British have ever done.
It’s about being proud of the journey and the progression and the amount of times we have lead the way for other nations around the world. As the small island we are. We have achieved great feats around the world.
It’s something to be immensely proud of.
If we had never done anything but went to war with the Nazis for invading Poland and all the atrocities we committed, we should be proud of that progress and that stand.
If all we did was lead the abolition of slavery. And everything else was bad. We should be proud that our ancestors lead the way on such a historic change.
It’s not about saying you condone everything. It’s about saying you are proud of the good things we have done. Despite the bad.
There is no morally good nation. Or morally evil nation. All nations have complex histories full of atrocities and good. As one of the most powerful nations in the world for centuries it’s hardly surprising we have our hand in so much of the bad. But also much of the good too.
That’s funny, I’m the opposite in both ways.
>In every group polled – except mixed race – more than half of respondents believed that Britain was a country where someone of their race would be treated fairly, with fewer than 20 per cent in [each ethnic group](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/27/the-first-britons-were-black-exhibition-on-diverse-history/) disagreeing with this proposition.
Very interesting observation which this article is uninterested in exploring further.
Can we not have nuanced opinions in which accept that much good has been done, while also acknowledging that many bad things have also been done by the nation? That not allowed? Simpering patriotism is all we have space for?
The best measure of how tolerant a country is how many people are kicking off about it being intolerant.
Because a tolerant country is the only place they feel safe enough to do so.
On net, I think British history has been on the side of good, and that every Brit should be proud of it, even if it had done some evil things (by modern standards) in the past.
Judging from some of the absolute drivel I’ve just had to endure from someone on a different post that was discussing our role in stopping the transatlantic trade…..teaching it in schools would be a good idea, hopefully it would help mould a few less uk hating pseudo intellectual bellends.
[https://x.com/i/status/1527554678342434816](https://x.com/i/status/1527554678342434816)
Right wing think tank with no disclosed funding supports nationalism? Who would’ve thought. They make no effort to disclose their methodology in the report so who knows how they found candidates for their survey.
>… and the abolition of the slave trade.
The creation and continuance of the slave trade is ommitted. Those paid for their ancestors slaves and that our taxes are still going towards funding are carefully ommitted from school history.
It is more a reflection on how the whitewash is working.
That’s great and all, but I feel like the more urgent thing to focus on would be undoing all the rampant demoralisation propaganda aimed at white Brits over the last decade or two.
Immigrants want their children to be proud of British history because they are British, and the parents make efforts to integrate to being British.
Most immigrants are ethnic minorities.
Sadly, most ex-pats **don’t** integrate or want to be British.
I don’t know about this one. Unusually I don’t post according to anecdotal evidence but I really don’t think this is in line with any of my life lived experiences. Like any. At all. Its diametrically opposed to what I have observed irl, in almost every case(except me). And yes, I’m not British by heritage, and yes I get shouted down as soon as I say anything remotely resembling pride of British history but everyone around me who isn’t British.
I am an eastern European that lived in the UK since my teens.
Technically, whilst I am white, I am an ethnic minority given that I am a member of different ethnic group than white Brits (and yes, there is a lot of differences).
But I am proud of British history… And I actively study history as a hobby. It’s fascinating if you realise that the UK didn’t have revolution per say as much as it had reform – usually democratic reforms. The institution, it’s longevity and ability to adapt.
Do they? I don’t see it. I only see they want to change our culture.
Why wouldn’t you be proud of the empire which conquered nearly god damn country on this planet. I’m not british for the context but i do think its something to feel proud of.
Our language and culture are things to be proud of.
It’s actually kind of sad that the people who ended Britain’s slave trade isn’t taught. I probably know more slave traders than slave abolitionists names.
Even our part in the EU, a massive chunk of human rights, and regulation came from us.