The Brits have many things to be proud of. If it weren’t for them, we would be deprived of cutting-edge technologies like the umbrella hat, the automatic tea maker, and the flying bicycle. Not to mention the napkin suit or the guillotine. From these creations alone, it becomes clear that the people inhabiting the United Kingdom have some truly weird and wacky personas.
Fortunately, the Instagram account British Moments lets us indulge in them even more. The account is full of snapshots from life in the UK sprinkled with British humor that are bound to crack you up. Scroll down to find them, and don’t forget to grab a cuppa before you do!
While you’re at it, be sure to check out a conversation with Sarah Macklin from the UK, creator of budget home interiors blog Dream of Home, who kindly agreed to tell us more about what it’s like to live in Britain.
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Right off the bat, we were curious to know what Sarah, creator of Dream of Home, enjoys most about being British.
“I love our history, particularly our literature. I like to think we have some of the most famous writers in the world, from Dickens and Austen to Shakespeare and even JK Rowling. They've truly shaped our history and even had an impact on the literature that's produced in other countries around the world.”
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Indeed, the British literature tradition had an immense impact on global literature. Genres like the gothic novel, the detective novel, and the romance novel all originated from British authors. The start of the detective novel can be traced back to the writers like Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. While the first romance novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, was written by Samuel Richardson.
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Just like Sarah mentioned, the United Kingdom has one of the best literary traditions, full of works written by some of the most esteemed authors in the world: William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, George Orwell and so many more. In fact, Britain is one of the leading countries in Nobel laureates in literature, with an impressive number of 11 recipients.
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However, just like any other culture, nation or country, the UK too can’t seem to avoid the persisting stereotypes that are sometimes far from the truth.
The one misconception that Sarah disagrees with the most is that English food is bad or bland. “I know we don't really have anything we're famous for, besides maybe fish and chips, but we take a lot of inspiration from other European countries and I personally think we have some of the best food!”
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Meanwhile, the stereotype that she approves of is the British politeness. “We're polite, even when we don't want to be, and the biggest confrontation we'd have if we disapprove of something or someone is a quiet 'tut'. Plus, we love a queue.”
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Why Brits are so courteous isn’t exactly clear. Perhaps it’s because they are quite reserved and don’t like to say things directly how they’re on their mind. So they resort to various courtesies to be a bit more indirect. Just like saying the tea “Is not bad, actually,” but really meaning “This tea tastes awful, but I’d rather not hurt your feelings.”
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Even though it’s not completely clear where the British politeness comes from, it’s as much of a tradition as tea time and everyone is expected to follow it. Sometimes to a point where they are too courteous for their own good. Just like apologizing when someone steps on their foot or saying “I’m fine” even when they might be on fire.
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The love of the queue can also be linked to wearing their politeness as a badge of honour. They feel proud that they can stand in line in courtesy and decorum without trying to find malicious ways to get out of it. So if you don’t want to make a fool of yourself in the UK, never jump the queue or push in and don’t ask the person near you to hold your place. Learn to respect the queue and you’ll do just fine!
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