Does England have a culture of anti intellectualism?
953153
damn the middle class.
199142
I think the Britain of Churchill's era was pretty great.  What I don't understand is how the brave and amazing people of the UK can roll over and let themselves be trampled by political correctness and blatantly hostile cultures taking root in their very midst.  I love my cousins across the pond, but I fear for your future.
619880
I agree with Abercrombzie (or something like that): stereotypes! People like to think that someone is more stupid than they are so they blame a whole group as if it proved a point. \nAlso, they assume that people who have been educated do not have a heavy accent. It's true that a lot of people who went to university tend to lose their regional accent if they go to another state. However, it doesn't make you smarter!
774827
I could easily agree with you on some places. British rule always made sure that things in these countries ran much smoother and the British protected those people from outside threats and civil enemies. And it is weird how all these 3rd world countries all seem to be packing old, rusty kalashnikovs... that last bit really made me laugh. One of the things I'll have to remember!!!! But now they are all moving into England and god help anyone who speaks up against them, because "it would be un-PC".
742098
I think bad intellectuals are in.
610808
Isn't Golding Brtish himself? He may just use what he knows best. Also, British may represent Western society in general, so he might be saying something critical there.
424167
England is a pretty birlliant nation, but it does involve itself with a lot of foreign nonsense, and there's a whole boat-load of illegal immigrants working under shite conditions as well.\n\nSweden does a fantastic job with this sort of thing, human rights and relations.\n\nBut my guess is that ICELAND wins.  They are officially the least corrupt nation, and they once stymied a building project because people claimed it would disrupt some elves or spirits that were living in the area.  So imagine the concern they actually have for humans.
755898
What is the English identity? Is it the same as it was a generation ago? A century ago? Surely a nation's character is in a continual state of flux and evolution? I don't think there is anything to worry about, this is business as usual for a healthy country.
271617
it is that the british people are conservative
59154
Not really - I think that America's children are just as smart as any other country's.  However, it seems to me that America does not emphasize education for children as much as other countries do; so therefore, the intelligence as the youth grows up in America is lacking and behind those of other countries.  THAT's the key right there - if we, the people of the USA, concentrated on our children's education as much as we pay attention to the sports, the welfare of 3rd world countries, the next big movie, the latest American Idol, etc., etc. then I would daresay that our education would match any of the world powers.  Intelligence really cannot be quantified as such.  Knowledge, however, can be!
874597
Personally I think British accents sound intellectual. Maybe because it is so soft and light sounding, whereas something like a Brooklyn accent or Long Island accent, or deep southern accent is so harsh. But accents should not at all affect how you think of a person from Britain or Brooklyn or Long Island or the south and so on and so on.
1043292
probably are but then most of english society is that way inclined , you should go to T in the park in Scotland I`ve been twice and its brilliant , scottish people are more down to earth and are generally a more friendly nation whatever you do though enjoy
644621
Because they are pro-ignorant, and anti-intelligent.
879374
i think that our character is basically tolerant, humourous, religiously and democratically apathetic and yet, strangely, determined.  i think that if our status quo is threatened our innate ( as much as a hybrid race can have an innate character ) but well hidden belicosity emerges.  things that provoke us are political and religious extremism ( including that dumbass american evangelical christianity ), aggression of any sort by others and challenge to our common belief in freedom of speech.  we're alright really, doing fine.  some may hate us at the moment but we'll win them round .  i'm proud to be british.  proud to be english as much as that matters and, here's where i'll lose even some of my fellow english... proud to be european.
561981
Of course they are different. Look at their societies; Northern have stronger economies, crime is lower, less corruption. Ironic, but it's the same in Europe as it is in north America. Criticise imperialism, but nations that were colonized by GB are better off today than countries colonized by France, Spain, Portugal, and NL. Good, uncorrupted government serves mankind well.
47866
Because we're way smarter than yanks lol! only joking. The following is just my theory - As a Briton I believe our basic education system falls short in many areas. For the majority this is not good, however, those with a strong desire to learn have an advantage. Because of substandard basic education, there is less purely acedemic BS clogging up the brain leaving more space for ground breaking new ideas. Put simply, liken the human brain to a computer - take away MS Windows (the acedemic BS that makes the computer 'average'), and you have a machine that is open to new ideas (OS's), ie, it can think 'outside the box', which is a vital key in inventive thinking.\n\nNow if only british government & industry would start backing our young inventors instead of forcing them to sell their ideas to the far east...
802794
INTELLECTUAL RATHER THAN EMOTIONAL