What is Englishness?

[rosemary]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/8737686/Hands-off-our-land-The-Eden-that-is-Englands-countryside.html

If England is to stand alone - if Wales and Scotland both become independant - then it needs to redefine itself. It needs to have a clear idea of who and what it is exactly; it needs a set of values that are well known and loved and that its people can be proud of. If it can no longer be defined by its Christian roots, what is left at its core?

What is Englishness? Is there such a thing?!!

Added after 29 minutes:

PS I don´t know what is going to happen with Northern Ireland BTW. Anyone know their feelings ?

[Brian]

Englishness is wide open borders and supporting lost causes.

Englishness is thinking that we are still a world power which can still make a difference.

Englishness is showing too much concern for others at the expense of our own.

Englishness became a lost cause the day it signed the then common market.

[AL JAY]

Spot on Bri, We are a "Soft Touch" for everyone and need to get rid of the Human Rights act which doesn't help normal law abiding citizens!!!

[rosemary]

Are there any positives in Englishness?

[Ecky Thump]

Are there any positives in Englishness?

Yes!

Englishness to me is a generally warm and friendly persona.:)

[rosemary]

Yes!

Englishness to me is a generally warm and friendly persona.:)

But is that friendliness specifically English? What does Englishness have that no other country has?

[christa]

But is that friendliness specifically English? What does Englishness have that no other country has?

Stiffupperlipness?

[Ecky Thump]

But is that friendliness specifically English? What does Englishness have that no other country has?

English people are the only ones that I know of that will queue for hours, moan about it and repeat the same thing the next day.:confused:

[Ed3229]

For me and im English (I AM NOT BRITISH) its the freedom to slay dragons and free princesses from very tall towers that is Englishness...

[rosemary]

So far:

Englishness means:

Supporting lost causes.
Showing concern for others - often at the expense of their own.
Has a tendency to show a "stiff upper lip" in times of stress.
Prefers queueing to chaos.


Any more?

[9PLUS]

Englishness is putting up with rosemarys posts & threads


You've put the Great back into Britain single handedly


Great as in Great patients



cheers

xx

[rosemary]

[QUOTE=rosemary;92928]So far:

Englishness means:

Supporting lost causes.
Showing concern for others - often at the expense of their own.
Has a tendency to show a "stiff upper lip" in times of stress.
Prefers queueing to chaos.
Has romantic attitudes toward women in distress.

[Ecky Thump]

So far:

Englishness means:

Supporting lost causes.
Showing concern for others - often at the expense of their own.
Has a tendency to show a "stiff upper lip" in times of stress.
Prefers queueing to chaos.


Any more?

The freedom to "knock" ourselves without fear of retribution from any governing body....now I think that is unique to any other country, maybe not a good thing or maybe it is?

[rosemary]

Englishness is putting up with rosemarys posts & threads


You've put the Great back into Britain single handedly


Great as in Great patients



cheers

xx

OK I´m off for a cuppa.

Added after 35 minutes:

Aaaah 9PLUS you´re all Soul!

Where would we all be without you....???!!!

[Goforgold]

Yes!

Englishness to me is a generally warm and friendly persona.:)

When I was surrounded by mostly people from Ireland the other day, it struck me at the time how reserved most English people are. They were lovely to be around.

Added after 3 minutes:


Englishness is putting up with rosemarys posts & threads


You've put the Great back into Britain single handedly


Great as in Great patients



cheers

xx

This has to be the longest post you've written - I bet you needed a lie down after !!! ;)

[CaribeCelt]

PS I don´t know what is going to happen with Northern Ireland BTW. Anyone know their feelings ?[/QUOTE]

In the North of Ireland there is over a Million Protestants who wish to remain a part of the Union and thats the way it will stay until the majority says otherwise as stated in the good friday agreement.
But attitudes within the Unionist Community are slowly but surely changing and people can see that politicians in Britain have no interest in the welfare of the working man and woman,be they catholic or protestant,as has beeen witnessed by the savage Tory cutbacks.
In my opinion in Thirty years time there could be a very real chance of a United Ireland.

PS
I said that British politicians have no interest in the welfare of the working people,well the same can be said for the gangsters in the Irish parliament as well.

[dokgolf]

Englishness to me means good manners ( and thats coming from an Irishman!)

[cainaries]

Wimbledon
Twickenham

and Lords, I expect. I don't follow cricket.

Fortnum and Mason
Stilton Cheese .. and cheddar ... and port

I'll let you know when I think of some more ...
snooze ..

Glyndebourne

[ddoyle]

Good Manners and a sense of Fair Play and of course the English language probably the most beautiful language in the World. With regard to N I, I don't believe there will ever be a reunited Ireland the venom sadly runs too deep on both sides.

[cainaries]

Good Manners and a sense of Fair Play and of course the English language probably the most beautiful language in the World. With regard to N I, I don't believe there will ever be a reunited Ireland the venom sadly runs too deep on both sides.

I think the Irish have made English the most beautiful language in the world. I have just read a book by Sebastian Barry (I think it was called the Second Scripture but I've just given it back to my Irish friends) ... and the use of the English language in that book was .. amazing.