BAD weather, bad food and grumpy people - that's what some people think of first when they think about Britain.
BAD
weather
,
bad
food
and
grumpy
people
-
that
's
what
some
people
think
of
first
when
they
think
about
Britain
.
Many online commentators even joke that Britons are so grumpy precisely because it constantly rains and they are always hungry.
Many
online
commentators
even
joke
that
Britons
are
so
grumpy
precisely
because
it
constantly
rains
and
they
are
always
hungry
.
In fact, many believe that Britons are inherently negative, in contrast to their neighbors across the Atlantic Ocean.
In
fact
,
many
believe
that
Britons
are
inherently
negative
,
in
contrast
to
their
neighbors
across
the
Atlantic
Ocean
.
"Americans are more optimistic, due to the fact that they are told they can become the next president of the United States," Ricky Gervais, a British comedian, told online forum Big Think.
``
Americans
are
more
optimistic
,
due
to
the
fact
that
they
are
told
they
can
become
the
next
president
of
the
United
States
,
''
Ricky
Gervais
,
a
British
comedian
,
told
online
forum
Big
Think
.
"British people are told, it won't happen to you.
``
British
people
are
told
,
it
wo
n't
happen
to
you
.
And they carry that.
And
they
carry
that
.
They carry that with them.
They
carry
that
with
them
.
We champion the underdog."
We
champion
the
underdog
.
''
It's no wonder that Britons hold the reputation of having a "stiff upper lip" - being cold and not showing any emotion.
It
's
no
wonder
that
Britons
hold
the
reputation
of
having
a
``
stiff
upper
lip
''
-
being
cold
and
not
showing
any
emotion
.
Britain's reputation as a grumpy country may, however, simply be the result of a cultural misunderstanding.
Britain
's
reputation
as
a
grumpy
country
may
,
however
,
simply
be
the
result
of
a
cultural
misunderstanding
.
According to the BBC, British actor Michael Caine once said: "I think what is British about me is my feelings and awareness of others and their situations.
According
to
the
BBC
,
British
actor
Michael
Caine
once
said
:
``
I
think
what
is
British
about
me
is
my
feelings
and
awareness
of
others
and
their
situations
.
English people are always known to be well-mannered and cold, but we are not cold - we don't interfere in your situation.
English
people
are
always
known
to
be
well-mannered
and
cold
,
but
we
are
not
cold
-
we
do
n't
interfere
in
your
situation
.
If we are heartbroken, we don't scream in your face with tears - we go home and cry on our own.
If
we
are
heartbroken
,
we
do
n't
scream
in
your
face
with
tears
-
we
go
home
and
cry
on
our
own
.
It's completely to do with your comfort - we don't intrude on your space.
It
's
completely
to
do
with
your
comfort
-
we
do
n't
intrude
on
your
space
.
That's very English."
That
's
very
English
.
''
A BBC reader noted that the perceived coldness of British people is actually their way of dealing with hardship.
A
BBC
reader
noted
that
the
perceived
coldness
of
British
people
is
actually
their
way
of
dealing
with
hardship
.
Remembering the terrorist attacks in London on July 7, 2005, Stuart Colley, who lived in the capital at the time, said: "It seemed to me that most people's response was a 'cruel' determination to carry on and not to 'fall' into an over-emotional outpouring of grief or anger - despite what many of us felt inside.
Remembering
the
terrorist
attacks
in
London
on
July
7
,
2005
,
Stuart
Colley
,
who
lived
in
the
capital
at
the
time
,
said
:
``
It
seemed
to
me
that
most
people
's
response
was
a
'cruel
'
determination
to
carry
on
and
not
to
'fall
'
into
an
over-emotional
outpouring
of
grief
or
anger
-
despite
what
many
of
us
felt
inside
.
Our stiff upper lip seems to be something that gives us strength as a society when we most need it."
Our
stiff
upper
lip
seems
to
be
something
that
gives
us
strength
as
a
society
when
we
most
need
it
.
''
BAD weather, bad food and grumpy people - that's what some people think of first when they think about Britain. Many online commentators even joke that Britons are so grumpy precisely because it constantly rains and they are always hungry.  In fact, many believe that Britons are inherently negative, in contrast to their neighbors across the Atlantic Ocean.  "Americans are more optimistic, due to the fact that they are told they can become the next president of the United States," Ricky Gervais, a British comedian, told online forum Big Think. "British people are told, it won't happen to you. And they carry that. They carry that with them. We champion the underdog."  It's no wonder that Britons hold the reputation of having a "stiff upper lip" - being cold and not showing any emotion.  Britain's reputation as a grumpy country may, however, simply be the result of a cultural misunderstanding. According to the BBC, British actor Michael Caine once said: "I think what is British about me is my feelings and awareness of others and their situations. English people are always known to be well-mannered and cold, but we are not cold - we don't interfere in your situation. If we are heartbroken, we don't scream in your face with tears - we go home and cry on our own. It's completely to do with your comfort - we don't intrude on your space. That's very English."  A BBC reader noted that the perceived coldness of British people is actually their way of dealing with hardship. Remembering the terrorist attacks in London on July 7, 2005, Stuart Colley, who lived in the capital at the time, said: "It seemed to me that most people's response was a 'cruel' determination to carry on and not to 'fall' into an over-emotional outpouring of grief or anger - despite what many of us felt inside. Our stiff upper lip seems to be something that gives us strength as a society when we most need it."