Exactly what is wrong with being British? As a wise man called Hugh Grant once said, in a scene which rivals Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous for its believability, and – let's face it – its heartwarming factor, 'we may be a small country, but we are a great one. A country of Shakespeare, Churchill, The Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter, David Beckham's right foot, David Beckham's left foot come to that...'
It's a question that Peter Whittle discusses in his upcoming book, Being British: What's Wrong With It? But Peter is not the kind of man to confine his views to a book (a very good book). Today's The Sun contained a brilliant article by Peter, who stated that 'I hope the Jubilee helps cure Britain of self-loathing'. In the article he discusses the best things about Britain, why he believes we Brits fail to take pride in ourselves, and how the Jubilee could change it. It's a brilliant read. If you want to know more (how could you not?!) I suggest you read the book.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics look set to make 2012 as successful as the royal wedding of 2011 when it comes to creating a surge of patriotism across our once self-assured land. But despite the latest wave of pride, Britain is in the midst of an identity crisis, with British values and identity the butt of scorn and sneers.
People ask:
“Why do I feel I should keep quiet about being proud to be British?”
“What is it that we should be ashamed of, and apologise for?”
“Why am I frightened of being called an extremist if I want to celebrate being British?”
Peter Whittle has set out to answer these questions. When exactly did we become so sheepish, so tentative, so inhibited? When did British culture change from one which had a basic pride in itself, a pride which could be taken for granted, into one in which a seemingly endless apology, even an outright repudiation of everything about ourselves and our story, was dominant? And why?
With his trademark wit and insight, Whittle explores how, despite being chipped away at from all sides for the past five decades, pride in being British has shown an amazing ability to survive.
With Britain’s values and status maligned and the subject of sneers, no wonder its people are in the midst of an identity crisis. Spurred on by the vexed question of what 'Britishness' actually means, Whittle sets out to examine what, if anything, is actually wrong with being British? More than that, Being British is a humorous and anecdote-packed celebration of the Britain of today, covering some of our greatest national institutions, habits and characters. This is a landmark book as Britain struggles to cement its place in the twenty-first-century.