10 Great Things about the Brits

[Duff]

So, Brits are hilarious because John Cleese invented a funny character 40 years ago?

Obviously. Because if one Brit can do it then we all can. Duh!

[An Absent Humphrey]

Come on then, 10 Great Things About The Yanks...

1/ They always seem unironically positive, upbeat and uncynical. When David Blaine tried to starve himself over the Thames he was goaded, called a cunt, accused of being self-publicising, and a good many people wanted to see him fail. If he'd done it over the Potomac they'd have whopped him, cheered him on, and been on his side. I rather like that about Americans, even if the cycnical Brit in me occasionally thinks they're being naive and easily led.

[Goldwyrm]

We are naive and easily led. We also have a poor sense of history and a self-absorbed myopic view of the world.

[An Absent Humphrey]

Come on, now, let's not have any negativity. This is supposed to be the GREAT things about Americans.

'USA! USA! USA No1!' If you say it enough times you even start believing it.

[General Paranoia]

We are naive and easily led. We also have a poor sense of history and a self-absorbed myopic view of the world... and we have guns... lots and lots of lovely guns

America is brilliant! Without it, we'd have far more Scots and Irish, not to mention weird religious sects... and let's not forget Australia, they've done their bit for us too!

[Doremi Fasol Latido]

The one that made me laugh the most was the idea that some flighty long-haired Britons in sleeveless vests did the blues better than Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker. Oh you zany paleo-cons! Anything to say white people are better than black people.

I think it's more the fact that white America didn't really notice (or perhaps accept) blues and it took white kids in Britain in the 60's fed on imported records to show them what the music was all about (The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Cream, Led Zeppelin etc) making blues popular. It's not that they were better than their heroes, they were seen as being on par with them because they understood the blues after such great schooling on the genre (plenty of black musicians praised the likes of Clapton for their skill and knowledge of the blues). The great blues legends were big in their day (30's, 40's and 50's) but that was with black audiences. The 60's saw them revitalise their careers as white audiences started listening to them.

[An Absent Humphrey]

America is brilliant! Without it, we'd have far more...weird religious sects...

Damn good point!
In the 17th Century Europe managed to load all its insufferable, pompous, religious, prigs into boats and sail them across the Atlantic. Sorry for that. We suffered under religion, now it's your turn.
That said, thanks very much for taking them - USA! USA! USA no1!

[Doremi Fasol Latido]

America is brilliant! Without it, we'd have far more...weird religious sects...

Damn good point!
In the 17th Century Europe managed to load all its insufferable, pompous, religious, prigs into boats and sail them across the Atlantic. Sorry for that. We suffered under religion, now it's your turn.
That said, thanks very much for taking them - USA! USA! USA no1!

And then the US becomes a self styled world police force fueled by religious nut-jobbery (about half of them believing in creationism!). Not so sure we've really got rid of them then.

[Clayface]

In the 17th Century Europe managed to load all its insufferable, pompous, religious, prigs into boats and sail them half-way across the Atlantic before sinking them.

wouldn't that be a better world?

Pat

[da_bish]

Think you're reading into it a bit more than it was intended.

McInnes saved us the trouble of having to read anything into it!

Blues was just an old man on a porch until Led Zeppelin turned it into a hurricane.