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While we're doing scientifically-unsound polls, might as well do this one too!

[Poll #1636721]

Only separated out the major/predominantly English-speaking nations because there are probably way more of even one of those than any of the others combined.

This isn't about politics, it's about geographical, physical location. You don't have to identify as an American to be from the US! Chill!

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Not who you were replying to, but I'm almost certain they didn't mean it like that.

Each individual country on the continent have their own cultures - but the UK, because of the island separation/empire thing I assume has always been a bit "other". (and now judge that sentiment ;)

/identity politics, how does it work

ayrt

True. They were big on the whole "isolationism" thing way back when. I've just had bad experiences with British 'friends' who consider themselves above any other European country (including my own, and have very explicitly stated so), so comments like that just instinctively raise my hackles.

Ugh, I hate people who behave like that. I promise you I do not share that attitude, and I'm sorry if I led you to believe that way. In fact, I admire a heck of a lot more about the Scandinavian countries' internal systems than I do about our own.

*er, that should be has*

We're not all like that! Lots and lots of people don't feel superior, in some cases all that's left over is a vague feeling that we're somehow not European!

*nod* Something like that, yes. Thank you, anonymouse.

You're welcome!

The UK is absolutely not in no way never at all the only country in Europe that had an empire.

The rest you might have a point with, but the UK is thoroughly in line with the rest of western Europe in its inclination to empire-build.

I know, I was just hypothesizing. I think it's a combination of many things - the geographical separation probably plays into it quite a bit,

I think the idea is that a lot of English history in specific has involved actively fighting with countries that were part of mainland Europe, which is probably a lot of what set up the vaguely isolationist culture. Rather than the empire thing.

My dad, who tends toward xenophobic, has said in my presence before this something that might give you an idea of a lot of people's residual attitudes (it isn't mine, not really. I have different reasons.) -

"We kept the French out for centuries, then Maggie [Thatcher] goes and builds them a bloody tunnel!"

Meh, most European countries have been fighting each other for centuries. Doesn't usually stop them from acknowledging that, while there are huge cultural differences, they are part of the same region.

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