What’s a cultural tradition from your country that you love?
I know that younger people hate the whole “In my day…” ethos, but here’s a fact, Britain has lost a lot of its famed courtesy and kindness.
To be clear it is not immigration that caused this. Far from it. Britain was far less multicultural when the rot set in.
I have always maintained that the attitude of certain 1960’s pop groups started the rot. Free love, drugs, rebellion against the older generation, and the establishment.
Standards were laughed at. They drew the youth in with them, influenced young children to demand expensive brands, and generally started a fracture between the generations. My parents went through hell.
My aunt and uncle agreed, particularly that the 1970’s Labour government visiting schools, and telling children that if their parents smacked them they could call the police meant they lost complete control of both teenagers.
You know the rule: give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.
I’m sorry younger people but I’m very glad I was born before this happened.
The positives!
Of which there are many.
When I went to university aged 39 I encountered a generation of lovely, thoughtful, considerate young people, who were far wiser and more switched on than we knew how to be.
They were also very kind and respectful. When each lecture finished they would open the door, and tell other young students who weren’t mixing with wrinklies to stand back because we would need to visit the toilets quickly. It tickled us pink but was much appreciated.
I absolutely loved them as I do our young neighbour. For reasons I can’t share I have so much admiration for her, plus her kindness, willingness to work, compassion, they’re off the scales.
I also have a mainly Asian team of doctors looking after me, alongside mainly British heritage nursing staff, and their kindness, understanding and encouragement is off the scales.
My point is that what it means to be British is still there and much enhanced by our multi-culturalism, with one main collective exception:
Unfortunately, as there always is, there is an underbelly of criminal behaviour, stealing, shoplifting, arranging for people to come over illegally in boats that are terrifyingly dangerous, in one of the most deadly waterways in the world: The English Channel. That and too much more. You will probably recognise this problem in every society.
The fact is that populations grow and the bad grows alongside the good. Plus the pressure on Europe a whole now is extreme. We simply can’t take it and we can’t help.
So the UK is still a good place, but I miss the quietness, the neighbourliness, the old fashioned respect, that was the story of my childhood.
We did have the bad apples, but not too many. Violent people were first to sign up to fight in 1939 they either came back changed or they didn’t come back. Sadly. As such the 1945 to the late 50’s period were a particularly privileged time to live. Not perfect but very, very nice.
I would wish that for everyone, everywhere, forever.
It’s our willingness to do what we can that I love.
Best love
Amorah – Deb
Deb Hawken - Amorah 