why do brits diss everything american?

I’m a Brit and watch American films all the time.

You have to understand that it has been become ‘cool’ around Europe to ‘diss’ America for anything. Don’t worry, they will grow out of it once they leave Uni.

the answer is we don’t. As in any society, with any situation, there will be majority and minority groups. The majority of british people have no problem with america – or canada for that matter, or australia…

however, there are minorities that do. generally quite narrow-minded minorities. One of these is the ‘english gentry’ stereotype – people that are hung up on English tradition: that britain won world war II, that england is a hundred times better than france or germany, and that all americans are inbred, gun-toting racists. none of which are true, obviously.

i can only assume from what i’ve seen on TV and the internet that it’s the same at the other side of the pond – most americans will have a neutral attitude, but some will also see the english as tea-drinking, stiff-upper lip limeys. and see scottish people as ginger-haired “och aye the noo” farmers. none of which are true, obviously. again.

as for movies – everyone knows hollywood is the king. always has been, probably will be for a long time to come. the only people that will dismiss all american movies are idiots, and you plainly shouldn’t talk to them. syaing that, britain has produced many good films as well – films such as This Is England (don’t go judging when u read the title – it’s a damning indictment of england during the times of the falkland war), trainspotting, lock stock and two smoking barrels, green street, braveheart, billy elliot… the list goes on.

tv shows, in my personal opinion… most of the ones i watch (whenever i do watch any) are american – House, scrubs, friends,family guy… but there are british ones that are massive too – Skins, gavin & stacey, the mighty boosh etc. britain loves stand up comedy though. we love to have the piss taken out of us. harsh comedy is huge over here, where it doesn’t seem to be in the states.

american culture is not ‘mimic’ed per se, but mass media culture is driving us towards a homogenised state of being. i think, anyway. most of it is americanised – even your damn spelling is creeping its way into English dictionaries. american english seems to be the language nowadays.

still, when i get the money i want to become an expat and go and live and work in america, or canada, or australia. it’s too damn cold in britain.

and, for the record, i’m Scottish.

So basically, we don’t ‘diss u’ at every point. some of us do. but if you talk to some people in america, they’ll undoubtedly ‘diss’ britain at every point too.

all the best,

Mark.

That’s a bit prejudice! Sure some Brits may not like America but not all of them and some Americans hate the Brits but it’s not fair to say that all Brits diss america cuz it isn’t true! I love america and go there every year and don’t say bad stuff about it! You should see some comments americans make about british! You just can’t class a whole race as being horrid to america when the majority of people like it! A lot of things in british culture have been mimiced by americans too ya no. Don’t rite this kinda question if you don’t no wat yor on about!!

Also a lot of people in america stereo type brits too like saying they talk with a really posh old english accent and they don’t, that doesn’t mean all americans think like that either!

Just please don’t insult a whole race next time you type a question,

I think that you may have experienced a very vocal minority. You could just as easily say “Why do Americans hate France” which is at least a common theme in the media.

However there is some significant resentment amongst some people that we have suffered over the “Special Relationship” with the USA in recent years. Particularly with reference to the Iraq war and the economy.

America is also an easy target. Holywood makes a large number of movies. Other areas make fewer movies. If you take the idea that 90% of fiction is poor quality, then Holywood produces more poor quality films than other places do. This is not indicative of Holywood’s quality, but its volume.

When a good film is made it is easy to say “James Cameron made a great film” when it’s poor people may say “Holywood produced another expensive waste of film”

It could also be that British people have a different set of values to Americans. We tend towards more socialist outlooks on the world with a deeper sense of history (Sorry this is a gross generalisation, but you get the point). For example, I have always found shows which feature a father and son in the same career to be trite. It simply means I have different tastes.

Source(s): Being British

I am a Brit but I don’t know any Americans. Sorry!

I don’t and I would publicly like to thank you all for The West Wing, ER, The Sopranos, Will & Grace and 3rd Rock from the Sun. I also loved visiting the States – New York, Boston etc. I love Apple and Leonard Bernstein.

Please don’t generalise, not all Brits hate Americans, some of us, like you, are grown up enough to accept nations have differences and similarities.

That sweeping generalisation is mostly incorrect, and I think you’ll find America is dissed all over the world, it is after all the most hated country on Earth.

I have to agree that British movies are generally utter crap, America does produce most of the best films.

And vice versa I think – many Americans are dismissive of England too…..

….. by the way I do think you’re generalising a tad too….

Lastly Shakespeare & classic UK literature does not “mimic” American culture, it was there long before, sorry to be so pedantic but it’s true….

I love American culture.

I love the films, shows, music, accent and food.

well…I did..until you branded and stereotyped me along with all the other ‘Brits’

now i kinda think i should agree with the people who DO ‘diss’ you.

guess you just ruined it for yourself.

It’s just rejection of American hegemony. We love your scenery: Cheddar gorge ain’t a patch on the Grand Canyon. We rather like your engineering: The Golden Gate and Empire State Building. However, we hate your exports: Burgers, weak coffee, obesity, crap cop shows, unfettered capitalism, war, international terrorism (sorry, you call it extraordinary rendition) and general stupidity.

81