Original Thoughts of "Being British"
The first icon that runs through my mind when I think about the “British” is their flag with the Union Jack. This flag is very iconic and not hard to find in the United States, as I have seen it on the media often and clothing for fashion purposes. This is a rapid, initial thought since the symbol is so popular.
Then, I think about the British culture, including the accents, the mannerisms, and the traditions, which all seem proper, elegant, and classy. Movies portray British people gathering together at an elegant restaurant with white china, white tablecloths, white walls, and extravagant decorations and accents. They drink tea in small cups with long white gloves, sitting straight up, and hold their pinkies up. The Titanic contains these detailed scenes and has the main character Rose abandoning this lifestyle. As a kid, my friends and I would kid around and drink our beverages with our pinkies up because we thought that it was comical and was the most proper way to drink. Whenever I think about their traditions, I immediately think of the royal family because they are an iconic statement from the big, extravagant weddings and beautiful dresses. They are not seen in casual, street clothes but always in nice outfits waving to people with big smiles. They must act a certain classy and proper way. Also, the royal family is more of a tradition and symbol to Great Britain and does not hold the power like they used to centuries ago, and it interesting that the British people still value this tradition so much. It is hard to comprehend because there is nothing in the United States to compare this to. Another British tradition I think of is cricket, which is not a very labor-intensive sport and does not cause participants to sweat a lot. This is classier compared to most sports in the United States.
Next, I start to think about the Beatles and other bands like The Who and The Rolling Stones and how their mannerisms are very different than the Royals. They still have the accents, but they do not appear as proper and elegant. The Beatles performed in suits and did not perform hard rock, but they experimented with drugs to gain inspiration writing their songs. Drugs are not considered classy, and I cannot picture the royal family experimenting with drugs. The Who and The Rolling Stones are harder rock bands, and hard rock is contrary to elegance. These bands that I think of change my perception of Britain—it’s not all elegant, proper, and classy but rather diverse and includes many different elements.
My perception of “being British” is limited, but the components that comprise the British are very diverse, as shown in the mannerisms of the royal family compared to the mannerisms of various British rock bands, making it unique. This causes me to perceive that no clear parameters exist stating what is “British” and what is not, and I am looking forward to learning more about this and how others perceive it.
