British Beliefs and

Values

By: Nguyen Hong Hoa

Nguyen Hong Hoa

LEAD-IN

What do you think the word “stereotype” means?

(Oxford Advanced Dictionary) a fixed idea or image that many people have of a particular type of person or thing, but which is often not true in reality

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EXAMPLES

German stereotype:Men with big beer gutsOrderlinessCleanliness (only the

Switzerland is cleaner)Punctuality (public

transport as well as individuals always on time)

Directness/RudenessArrogance

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Examples

French stereotypeWear berets and

carry baguettes Drink a lot of wine Eat a lot of cheeseDo not like taking

risksRomantic and

kind-hearted

beret

baguette

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Japanese stereotypeStrict social orderExtreme competitionIndustriousnessEconomical

Examples

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British stereotype

British people are attributed with certain characteristics

However, one should be cautious with such characterizations because:British society is constantly changingWhat is often regarded as typically

British may in fact be only typically English

Britain is multicultural

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-I don’t want to be British. I want to be

Scottish!-I do think of us as part

of Britain- No, but we’re Scottish

- Year, but we’re British. We’re British.

Your passport says that you’re British.

(White Scottish, Glasgow)

British vs. englishYes, I am Welsh first. If someone ties me down, I’ll say I’m British. I’m proud to be Welsh, but

not so proud to be British. Britishness for me is just a name. End

of story.(White Welsh, Cardiff)

The first thing that comes to mind when you

say English is a white person. You don’t see a black person as English.(Black Africans and Black

Caribbeans, London)

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Multicultural Britain

We celebrate the diversity in our country, get strength from differentcultures and the races that go to making up Britain today.

-Prime Minister Tony Blair, 2 October 2001

More than 250 languages are spoken in London

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Contents

1. Conservatism2. Being different3. The love of nature4. The love of animals5. Formality and informality6. Public spiritedness and

amateurism7. Privacy and sex

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1. conservatism

They may NOT BEHAVE

in traditional ways

They LIKE symbolsof tradition and

stability

The decline of nuclear family

Politicians cited enthusiasm for

traditional family valuesas a way of

winning support

however

however

For example

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1. conservatism

They do NOT want to live in

flats

Their most preferable housingis a detached house

of old style

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They like their pubs to look old

1. conservatism

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Contents

1. Conservatism2. Being different3. The love of nature4. The love of animals5. Formality and informality6. Public spiritedness and

amateurism7. Privacy and sex

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2. Being different

Conservatism + individualism = proud of being different

E.g. left-hand traffic

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The double-decker buses

2. Being different

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System of measurementBBC weather forecasts

2. Being different

27o

F41o

F

-3oC5oC

View this forecast in Fahrenheit

View this forecast in Celcius

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Contents

1. Conservatism2. Being different3. The love of nature4. The love of animals5. Formality and informality6. Public spiritedness and

amateurism7. Privacy and sex

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3. The love of nature

British people have an idealistic vision of the countryside

Some countriescountryside = poor facilities +

lack of educational opportunities + unemployment + poverty

To the British countryside = peace + quiet

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3. The love of nature

British Countryside

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Royal Paddock Allotments in London

Used for gardeningRent is quite low

A £20 fee to be in the waiting list

Annual fee for full plot: £20

Annual fee for half plot: £10

An off enrollment fee of £20

3. The love of nature

Plot 36

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Royal Padlock Allotments in London

Plot 154

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Royal Padlock Allotments in London

Nguyen Hong HoaPlot 23A

Royal Padlock Allotments in London

Nguyen Hong HoaPlot 39Plot 115

Royal Padlock Allotments in London

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Some history connected with the building of the Channel tunnel

3. The love of nature

On the French sidecommunities battledwith each other to get the new railwaylines built through

their towns

On the English side,nobody wanted

the rail link near them

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Contents

1. Conservatism2. Being different3. The love of nature4. The love of animals5. Formality and informality6. Public spiritedness and

amateurism7. Privacy and sex

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4. The love of animalsSoldiers’ dog cemetery at Edinburgh

Castle

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St. Tiggywinkles, the world’s busiest hospital for wildlife animals

Treats over 10,000 animal casualties a year Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (even

Christmas) All treatment free to public

4. The love of animals

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Bird watching is very popular

4. The love of animals

Pictures and cover of British Birds (January 2007), one

among many other British bird magazines

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Pets have the five basic “freedoms:1.Freedom from hunger and thirst2.Freedom from discomfort3.Freedom from pain, injury and disease4.Freedom to express normal behaviour5.Freedom from fear and distress

4. The love of animals

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Contents

1. Conservatism2. Being different3. The love of nature4. The love of animals5. Formality and informality6. Public spiritedness and

amateurism7. Privacy and sex

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5. formality and informality When a British person is

playing a public role => formality

When a British person is playing a private role => no rule at all

In Britain, being friendly = not addressing by title

(Mr., Mrs., Professor, etc.) not dressing smartly when

entertaining guests not shaking hands when

meeting not saying please when

making a request

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The British still have a reputation for being the worst dressed people in Europe, and they don’t really care

The vast majority of people buy clothes at high-street stores, e.g. Marks and Spencer

Many people, however, still bargain at charity shops

5. formality and informality

A Marks and Spencer store

Oxfam charity shop in London

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Contents

1. Conservatism2. Being different3. The love of nature4. The love of animals5. Formality and informality6. Public spiritedness and

amateurism7. Privacy and sex

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6. Public spiritedness and amateurism‘The cult of the talented amateur’ This characteristic, however, is

on the decline ‘professionalism’ begins to have

positive meaning

Yet tens of thousands of ‘amateurs’ are actively involved in charity workOxfam, Amnesty International, Save

the Children Fund

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Contents

1. Conservatism2. Being different3. The love of nature4. The love of animals5. Formality and informality6. Public spiritedness and

amateurism7. Privacy and sex

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7. privacy and sex

Privacy underlies many aspects It is rude to ask personal

question (money, sex life)‘how do you do’ is not a real

requestSex, although viewed in a

more open and positive way, is still regarded as an absolutely private matter

More references

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2005 Poll results

75%: Britain is a bout Justice. We pride ourselves of on our tolerance, fairness and fair-play

71%: Britain is about Clever and Innovative. Our creativity in the arts and sciences are world-renowned.

29% say they often feel ashamed to be British, while 55% disagree

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Bbc vote

Tolerant 15.09%

Fair 13.27% 

Nostalgic7.42% 

Pessimistic6.87% 

Optimistic 1.34%

Insular 14.14% 

Class Obsessed 8.37% 

Reserved 9.00% 

Inventive8.14% 

Proud16.35% 

Choose a word that sums what it means to be British (1266 Votes Cast)