Asking Brits Why They're Ashamed Of Being British

The history of Britain is a tapestry woven with conquests, revolutions, and cultural evolution. From tea-drinking to football, Britain's contributions resonate globally, shaping cultures, laws, and languages across continents. So we hit the streets to ask the public if they're proud to be British.
#british #streetinterview #america #usa
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00:00 - Intro
00:23 - Britain's History
01:10 - Are You Proud To Be British?
04:07 - Generational Study
04:40 - Why The Generational Divide?
06:03 - How Other Countries Feel
07:42 - Outro

[@MrPiccolop]

Britain had a lot going for it but our politicians are very uninspiring.

[@neillatore6975]

Politicians are actors and criM1nal entities

[@beveryamazed2178]

As a millennial, I’m not ashamed because this is the only country I can call home. But where my love for it falls short is we’re just in such a mess right now. We’ve been mismanaged for so long and the establishment is sidelining the history and needs of the native population for short term solutions, which will no doubt cost us later. We’re not content with it anymore. If the establishment wants the British people and this generation to succeed, it is their job to give us with the inspiration and the tools so success can be made rather than sell it like cattle. It may be harder than it sounds but getting us here to this state of decay was all too easy with self interest being put before the needs of many. If we want to be the land of hope and glory we’re often told we are, give us just that.

[@BU532]

Sounds like an Excuse to me. The goverment isn't Briain' Its the people that are. Because of social media people just want to be a victim all the time. You sound like one of those.

[@walterfillingham]

Most people in Scotland would say proud to be Scottish, European, but would struggle to say proud to be British, would really depend on your religion (which of the two football teams you support), but your story is confusing with the headline about Proud to be British then speak about being proud to be English. Completely different story if about Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

[@JupiterThunder]

Scotland is run by a left-wing fascist "government" characterised by anti-English racism. It's a fkd up hellhole run by an islamo-fascist who thinks there are too many white people in Scotland. Scotland is an international laughing stock.

[@randomcamus9445]

Northern Ireland loves being English

[@danumacaodha]

​@msmissy6888in what way?

[@wattbenj]

We're not ashamed at all. We're very proud. What we are ashamed of, is how our country treats us. I'm more proud to be British than any of our 650 MPs are, & when I look at the current state of my life, it shows.

[@user-ei2uv3nf6e]

British people are so blessed to be British.

[@user__100]

$45 Trillion was taken from India by Britain over 200 years of rule

[@gmailvfone]

Where's the proof of that tidy, exact figure?

[@djjlc]

Good

[@RyanG0899]

Lies

[@1nsurr3ction]

And now we have an Indian prime minister who enjoys the same benefits as all other PMs.. remember when he was a minister and to play with the tax system, he said he was a non-domicile..?? Remember how his Mrs ended up being shamed into paying a few million in taxes? There's an equality of privilege that us, the modern day working class, do not get to enjoy.. I know many families were poor back then, and their descendants today are still poor now.. My family owes nothing, we work for a living and already pay taxes on everything, even the cheap toilet paper we wipe our bums with.. Wanna cry at someone? Go cry outside the doors of generational rich families.. don't go demanding charity from others equally poor as you.

[@Austenthor]

So?

[@spacespace764]

I spoke to a guy who lives in Finland 9 months of the year and England 3. The company he works for is UK. I commented (as I’d recently read), that Finland was the happiest place (polled) to live. He laughed and said - don’t believe the hype. There’s the same problems ‘here’ as everywhere, healthcare waiting times etc. It was an interesting discussion. We are let down massively by our politicians. People need to be proud of this country and reflect this in their daily life and look after it. There are a lot worse places to live.

[@griffin955]

I would probably care about my "britishness" if it felt as though we weren't selling it off piece by piece over the last 15 years. When it's framed like that, its essentially asking if we enjoy endless austerity and abuse in the hopes that maybe the stockholm syndrome kicks in. We have amazing countryside, good food (at the restaurant level), good education. But what does any of this matter if we don't have any money? We were the country that others aspired to live in, but now we are falling down the rankings globally in all areas, so now our young people are looking at Europe and the US to see if they would fare better there instead. And I don't blame them, we don't ask for much to allow us to feel proud of what we are and where we live, but even that basic need isn't being met.

[@matty_________]

Yeah mate I don’t think buying a Costa coffee is the reason we can’t afford houses 😂 Average house price was 3.89x higher than the annual salary in 1970 Average house price is now around 9x higher than the annual salary in 2023/24. Houses should really be averaging around £110,000. Not £250,000.

[@thedemon336]

My parents paid £ 27,000 for their current home in the 90's, it's now worth closer to £300,000. You can blame the estate agents for bumping House prices to what they are now !!!

[@matty_________]

@@thedemon336 haven’t even touched on interest rates either with mortgages. That’s another story.

[@julixttx]

1:56 Now that is something I thought I'd never hear out of a British person, considering I'm a French person living in England with people always bashing me about it

[@mitchdesertsquiddogaming]

What makes me feel ashamed and embarrassed of being British (me myself being half Irish) is the fact that we allow our politicians (especially the Tories since 2010) to get away with corruption, human rights abuses, wanting a country that makes hate crime and discrimination legal, using austerity to make people poorer and neglecting services, jobs being lost and prices pushed up as a result of Brexit, Covid and the mismanagement of our country and the fact we have let fascism dig deep into our democracy so we allow the government to get away with their abuse of power. If anything it’s made Britain into a prison for disabled people, the elderly and even those who are different to others, I don’t want to hate my country but the fact our politicians and those who get away with their hate to others makes me question if I was born in the right or wrong planet.

[@johnadams1976]

"Vote for a party that's going to make us proud........" Hummmmmm... I'd love to.... Before you can vote for the party, you need the party to exist!!

[@peterconnor94]

Times seemed more prosperous under Blair, though I was just a kid.

[@raquetdude]

It’s English exceptionalism, people feel it’s incredibly good or incredibly bad. Young ppl are way more likely to be proud to be Welsh / Scottish. Personally if there were decent public institutions people have more pride. Alongside London not getting most of funding control. Sadly everything has been flogged off though, water industry, trains, healthcare, post office, manufacturing, nuclear, the historic buildings and land.

[@peterrobertnixon2243]

Why is it always pride? I like britain, the people are lovely, the countryside and villages are beautiful. Im not proud though, i just like it

[@carlmaster9690]

I'm 27 (born in late 1996) and im proud of being both British and English. Our history is a full of ups and downs, but thst doesn't make us a bad country! I can't stand the pessimism of the younger generation in this country! I find it so disheartening, sadening and angering all at once! I know certain Brits can be arsholes whem abroard-I've being to Spain and seen some embarrising sites involving pissed up Brits acting the twat but that is not a representation of every Brit, and im turn, every nation has people that act the twat when abroard. I see that our country is currently being mismanaged by crook politicians who only act in self-interest, leaving the country and ita population up the river without a paddle, but i have faith! Faith that we'll regain what we lost years ago! The country (all be it modernised) my parents and grandparents had-a country with a prosperous economy, plenty of available and affordable housing, a well funded NHS, well funded infrastructure nationwide, and better border control! I am not a racist or a xenophobe (I love traveling to other countries), I love my country and I love (for the most part) my fellow Brit! Lets fight thr crooks in Westminster! Lets reclaim the Great that is Great Britain!

[@smark667]

I love this little rock. Not proud of the empire, not proud of the politicians, not proud of brexit and how easily the people who voted for it fell for it, but other than that... Great place to live. I am lucky that I didn't have to save up to buy a plane ticket to get here :)

[@gunnerplaygames2305]

Don’t need a plane ticket, just a dinghy, don’t even need a passport

[@reginaldamoah8608]

I'm proud of what I have been able to contribute to and thankful for the advantages I have. In terms of collective achievements and decisions I acknowledge the ones that hurt people and celebrate the ones that fought for fairness. From the peasants revolt to the development of the welfare state.

[@Livingtheoutdoorslife]

The British people are amazing and as a country we have done so much but we should be british.

[@Andy-sh9eq]

The uk has done some great things in the world benefiting a lot of people in the past making the world a better place for everyone, the real problem in the uk is the class system and the politicians

[@jamesheath7601]

I’m not ashamed of being British 🇬🇧 ❤

[@Saturnixdumont]

Haha

[@jamesheath7601]

@@Saturnixdumont what?

[@migueldecarvalho8012]

Is Britain ashamed of the current generations of Brits?

[@nikhoward]

Short answer, yes.

[@historiamilitaris5161]

I would be proud to be British.

[@AnimalAgility90]

People don’t realise how lucky we are to live in a first world country, and most only look at the negatives. Most of us have food on the table and live with all types of technology and advancements thanks to our ancestors that created many of them. We should be proud of being British, All four nations of the UK should enjoy being brothers since the year dot, but also be mindful and ask of forgiveness of the other nations and cultures we have troubled in the past.

[@Jordon168]

Do you mean first world country?

[@AnimalAgility90]

@@Jordon168 yeah my bad

[@simonnaylor7983]

It's one of the most pathetic aspects to being British is the ridiculous self loathing for ourselves and our history. I'm really fed up with this. There were so many countries involved in the slave trade all around the world. Not just the British. Also this country was one of the first countries that put a stop to it as well. We should be proud of that. We need to pull ourselves out of this collective self loathing and look at history as it was nuanced. We can still be proud of our history for all the good aspects as well as recognising the bad and not repeating it. Some of these people in this video need to wake up and stop listening to the people who want to destroy this country from within.

[@Wishmaster787]

Imperialism is only bad if it's Europeans doing it apparently. I never hear Lefties shaming Arabs, Turks, Iranians, Mongolians, Chinese, Japanese etc.

[@cpj93070]

Totally agree, the amount of self loathing and moaning in this country is pretty pathetic.

[@thedemon336]

Done on the backs of people who have died so they can moan their collective arses off !!

[@castafioreomg]

Tbh scientists knew inherently gravity existed..but Newton had a mathematical formula for it but its not like he discovered it.

[@user__100]

Britain killed 4 million Indians in Bengal in 1943 by imposing a famine

[@WaldenPondering]

Imposing a famine? You mean fighting a war against Nazi Germany and losing India's rice source in Burma to Japanese invasion? Try harder.

[@dazaudio2131]

The guy in the NY cap is the problem, he doesn't think there is anything worth fighting for.

[@TheMagicLemur]

Think this is very much a minority opinion - hence why 10% of Brits live overseas (more than any other country).

[@LukeJamesActor]

We can learn from history and do better. But we're not obligated to be ashamed or be guilty for events we weren't alive at the time they happened. It's actually insane/gaslighting to blame people for a countries past.

[@SamBeck6090]

But we still benefit from the past exploitation, so much of our infrastructure was built from profits of the slave trade and british colonialism and to facilitate more of it to happen. And its not like British imperialism stopped with the end of the empire, we still fund wars in other countries, install puppet leaders and even invade. Our business still profit from exploiting underpayed workers in the global South. The empire never realy ended it just went underground.

[@STOP_red_light]

And yet the British electorate continues to fail to learn from our history and vote in disastrous governments of lying spivs and sociopaths who legislate to rob us of our rights and vote for stupid things like brexit. We haven't learnt a damn thing and that is nothing to be proud of.

[@kevinbrown-ge6sz]

To the American respondent who wants to leave the US because of taxes, LOL. He is in for a rude awakening when he lands in a new country and has to pay taxes for things he's never heard of he may move to a third-wold country where there is little or no government services.

[@jimbo6059]

I may be sorry about our sorry pack of politicians, but i love my country. The United Kingdom is one of the better countries. There are times when I feel a little shame like seeing all months I behaviour but why does everyone bring up our history and no one elses. Some countries have a bloodier and nastier history than us.

[@nikhoward]

Another answer. I wish I could be proud.

[@johnadams1976]

Look at what British society has become.... Embarrassment. A radical shake-up is needed... But won't happen. Too late. Not sure it can be turned around.

[@Lina_92_]

Or, conversely, the fact that things have gotten so bad might be the catalyst for a radical shake up. Revolution always comes from rock bottom.

[@moonshapedabsolution]

I just don't really care about British "identity", I just want the whole world to be good, safe, prosperous and comfortable. It's the weird sphere rock in space with a atmospheric bubble that we've grown on to live and we should all treasure it.

[@neillatore6975]

Don’t think the French would prefer you to be French

[@neillatore6975]

? You what you think French people want the English calling themselves French really okkk

[@skunclep1938]

@@neillatore6975 my bad, totally misunderstood you

[@neillatore6975]

No worries bud it’s the internet That’s what it’s best at 😃

[@neillatore6975]

No worries bud it’s the internet That’s what it’s best at 😃

[@neillatore6975]

No worries bud it’s the internet That’s what it’s best at 😃

[@nicktownsend9405]

Not United kingdom,you've only focused on England?

[@Austenthor]

Not British Canadian Britain is a country worth be proud of i Fly a British flag and I’m proud two

[@deviousdescent9010]

I'm totally embarrassed to be British. My daughter is half French and escaped to France after brexit. I'm so jealous, I wish I could follow her but I'm trapped here now.

[@Kingshieldwall]

Not trapped, on your way 👋

[@jonsmith1162]

Nothing stopping you. On your way.

[@AnimalAgility90]

Leave then, goodbye

[@jimbo6059]

Toodle pip

[@weetamix7168]

France 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 France is a bag of shite hahha like you said France hahaha

[@peterm6687]

The question of being proud of your country is a strange and unanswerable one. We can only be proud of our own achievements. A country is too abstract to be proud of as it is full of people we can disagree with and policies we can loathe. A properly balanced opinion would necessitate that we are neither proud or embarrassed of a country

[@FabianEllis]

I have watched this video.

[@Livingtheoutdoorslife]

The guy with the cap you need to stop biting and fund a country that your be happy.

[@oluwolechaviro9937]

As a Brit, I agree. I’m not proud to be proud of these folks :)

[@johnydangerous4597]

Bunch of plebs .

[@Ese96Agoaye]

​@@johnydangerous4597Is that an Android emoticon?

[@TrancetasticWilza]

Older people are blinded by nostalgia

[@phoenixrose1192]

Or they’re not brainwashed by wokeism.

[@trevorloughlin1492]

I was proud to be British but the Tories have destroyed everything which was good about my nation. Even the music is not as good as it used to be, and that was something that also used to make me proud to be British. The vile new build micro-hovels represent the deterioration best.

[@mrinalpathak2745]

‘Some’ questionable things?

[@albertbrammer9263]

Rather be German, me.

[@dannewman8809]

Im ashamed of the people that are ashamed to be brittish

[@DilbertWhitehead]

It's called entitlement and privilege, coupled with riding the current popular bandwagon of oikaphobia

[@allergy5634]

I’m trapped in this country for personal reason. But I hate it hetr

[@LimeyRedneck]

😶

[@user-in7hz1nu8l]

The feckin empire

[@HistoryHideout]

😂😂

[@jons6125]

If we were Proud to be British then we wouldn’t be British…..we’d basically be American Edit: 6:09 i rest my case

[@atxmrane]

first

[@DaGabbaGangsta]

Ha ha what a hard job being English is now, hope they pay you enough my Anglo Saxon neighbours lmao

[@pratikpatel1937]

CCOME ON MAN IM POOR 🇬🇧🙏🏾🍛💩

[@FallenPhoenix86]

"Why are Brits ashamed to be British?" Lets see what only the English think or have to say.

[@SuperSky9]

Yeah, they are Natives of UK. Obviously, they wouldn't ask migrants.

[@FallenPhoenix86]

@@SuperSky9 Not the point I was making... This video was "Why are the English ashamed to be English"... or did I miss the Welsh, Scottish and Irish accents? Even the statistics map presented was explicitly England in isolation.

[@neillatore6975]

Wouldn’t they 😏

[@christopherflux6254]

Fair point. But the context is so different in Scotland and Wales, that it would be a different question needing its own separate video.

[@SuperSky9]

@@FallenPhoenix86 In that case, the question would "Are Welsh, Scottish and Irish ashamed to be part of U.K.?"

[@joshuagarnham9703]

They’ve just said all of the things, like slavery, that everyone says for the hell of it. Don’t mention the we were fighting against slavery for a while. The weather complaint is no reason to hate your country. Honestly, yes we have a bad past, but I would rather live here than any other rock.

[@phoenixrose1192]

It really gets on my nerves how so-called “educated young people” always seem to forget about the West Africa Squadron. Those men were actual heroes, they risked their lives to end slavery and the slave trade worldwide, yet all these people mention is Britain’s initial involvement even though slavery has been a thing for thousands of years in many different civilisations. The slave trade wasn’t even started by the British and nor were they the most prolific, that was the Spanish. The British were definitely not the only people to conquer other countries and create an empire, this has been done since the dawn of civilisation… I’m actually ashamed of the ignorance displayed by these people in the vid. I’m proud to be British. We have achieved many great things in our past too, practically shaping the world we live in today. We have a lot to be proud of, for a generation with the most access to information, it’s ironic that they seem to know little.

[@TrancetasticWilza]

Americans think they are the centre of the World. 😂

[@KatharineOsborne]

Lol the Americans living up to the stereotype. Of course if you only ask people at an American football game you’re going to get a majority of patriots.

[@starofdabloc]

You’re Canadian mind your business neither country has anything to do with you. Find some business in Canada. Nobody cares

[@starofdabloc]

Why are British so obsessed with the United States? Why do you keep comparing yourselves to Americans? Why don’t they ever compare themselves to other Europeans or Canadians or Australians?

[@RipVanWinkle557]

Because they're so similar, like the Americans came from the British, speak the same language (with a few differences ofc), eat same foods, have bustling cities and open countries. There's so many things that Americans do better and so many things that the English do better but it's just cool to see the difference ig

[@starofdabloc]

@@RipVanWinkle557 ok but that can be said of Australians and Canadians and New Zealanders too. Also the UK has a lot in common with France as well. Why do they keep focusing on the U.S.? Canada is more like England than the U.S. anyways

[@RipVanWinkle557]

@@starofdabloc well they compare to them as well I'd imagine but because of American influence and how they'd probably have more access to social media and a bigger population then comparison with them would be more common

[@starofdabloc]

@@RipVanWinkle557 it’s called obsession

[@RipVanWinkle557]

@@starofdabloc nah I dunno if there's much to obsess about in the US

[@redhandtheblack]

How can people be proud of an accident of birth? We didn't do anything to be British, I don't understand why we would be proud.

[@redhandtheblack]

Be proud if you want, I just find it odd

[@sonny8085]

OK George Carlin 😉

[@Tommii38]

No.

[@user-wj5gj9ld8b]

Your being colonized vote them out

[@RipVanWinkle557]

You're*

[@Saturnixdumont]

I just hate the class system, alcoholism, accents, hooliganism and mocking culture.

[@brianglobe1]

I see lots of English things in this British??? Not so much do you realize that the UK is not just England? That might be a good start

[@callieh11h]

Im not proud to be british because of colonialism, slavery, racism and genocide. I wish the UK would do more in accepting its not so lovely past and making things right but they only care about themselves. Also the monarchy is crazy. What makes them better than the rest of us?

[@conorgillespie7832]

The English give The Brits a bad name. (Satire)

[@gmailvfone]

You're being ridiculous. The early inhabitants of England were conquered by the Roman Empire, invaded by hostile Anglo-Saxon tribes from Europe and vikings hoarders from Scandinavia then came William Duke of Normandy (now France) who had everyone speaking French and Latin in his Courts and the inhabitants having to literally justify before a Court why they should keep the land they were living on. Britain's Navy became one of the best in the World because they had to continually keep hostile countries from her shores. Multiculturalism isn't all rainbows and roses. Terrorism is rife in all countries with liberal values now because that's how we are taken advantage of.

[@phoenixrose1192]

The Anglo-Saxons were invited here initially and we do owe our English identity, DNA, language and even the unification of England itself to them. The Royal Navy was *the* best in the world for a time, something I do take pride in. I’m ashamed of the people in this vid though.