Are most British simply wannabe Americans?
It strikes me that most British seek to heavily distance themselves from Europe, viewing themselves almost as nothing to do with Europe, as if they're some how above them. Most British seem to be absolutely obsessed with Americans, and it isn't just their spineless government either, the people genuinely seem to love America unconditionally and support them unconditionally in all their weird and wacky escapades around the world. I even get the impression that your typical Brit would rather become a state of the US than be a part of the EU, and in the extreme some Brits almost view themselves as "spiritually American", and obsess over this "British-American" friendship thing. Which to be honest, only British people seem to hold on to, it seems quite clear to me that Americans don't regard British people with the same awe and unconditional commitment as vice versa.
Most Americans are completely indifferent to the UK, which is proved by the fact last year, when Gordon Brown took over from Blair (they don't have elections in the UK), Brown went on a state visit to the US, and he didn't realise the same suck-up, ass-kissing treatment from the Americans, as an American head-of-state would receive in Britain, and quite a lot of British were upset by this, and a senior American official said something to the effect of "I really don't see why British people feel they deserve special treatment. To us, you're just the same as all the other countries in the world, when we think of Britian we think of a country between Sweden and Spain, nothing more". And he actually said words quite similar to this, a British person, let alone a British government official would never dare speak as condecendingly as that of the Americans. I think such comments really show how a good deal of Americans actually hate the British, and I really can't understand why British people suck up to them so much.
Prehaps I'm over thinking it, prehaps the British character is just spineless?
Definitely more pro-American than pro-European.
They also refuse to accept the Euro and instead prefer their Pound above the Euro. When it comes to learning foreign languages, they are probably the worst in Europe. More than 90% can't speak anything besides English and you can't find any free European channels in Britain. Says alot really.
<<Most Americans are completely indifferent to the UK>>
Yes, and no. I think that as far as the royal family is concerned, we are utterly enthralled; Prime Ministers, not so much--just another Head of State for wis.
I ween most Americans have a fond admiration and childlike love for Mother Britain. At least I do.
'I ween most Americans have a fond admiration and childlike love for Mother Britain. At least I do.'
You would be surprised then to learn that in most states the largest ethnic group is German instead of British.
Anyway, do the Americans care about UK, or Europe in general? Oh yes they do. In the past ten years they have even developed an interesting case of an inferiority complex (mostly baseless, but I digress). We will see how that evolves.
The op must be exaggerating a little bit. I guess in general, especially the more uncultured Americans are more anti Brit or just don't care, but I've met plenty that were interested in it, especially their music.
It is true that there are actually slightly more Germans and Irish than those of English heritage in the U.S. though.
<< most Americans have a fond admiration and childlike love for Mother Britain. >>
-- I guess many educated white Americans have at least some respect for the country their culture and language originate from.
<< You would be surprised then to learn that in most states the largest ethnic group is German instead of British. >>
-- This is wrong.
1. First of all, in the American census, the "German" entry encompassed any immigrant with a more or less German culture background, including millions of Polish and Russian Jews.
2. the largest ethnic group is German followed by "English", not British. Welsh and Scottish ancestries were counted apart, though it would make more sense to consider all of them as a single British group (including many Irish BTW).
3. Europeans settlers present prior to 1776 (dominant in Kentucky and Tennessee) are counted as "Americans", though almost all of them were from England.
It seems there is some will to downplay the British heritage in the U.S. of A.
I can't think of anyone that would willing want to be "American".
<<the largest ethnic group is German followed by "English", not British>>
That is not exact.
The first largest ethnic group is German (19%), the second is the Hispanic if we considered all of them as a group (15%).
The Hispanic group will be the first one in only 10-15 years. Third one is the blacks (12%). Fourth one is the Irish group (10%) and English group is only fifth with a 7.5%.
So, if only 7.5% of Americans are "English" they really don't deserve a special treatment.
Germany or Spain would deserve a better treatment considering the German and the Hispanic group.
Not to forget the African Americans, Hispanics... They are American too.
"Prehaps I'm over thinking it, prehaps the British character is just spineless? "
PERhaps you are overthinking it.
"Are most British simply wannabe Americans?"
Big and little brother relationship.
"The first largest ethnic group"
I would be curious of the definition of "ethnic". How is classified an american which has an english father-name, an italian mother-name, and so on.
For the descendance, I can mistake, but mathematically speaking, 100 dutch settlers in 1620 will certainly have as much descendants as 100 000 german in 1910.
Firstly you can't really say most Americans are of English descent because that is simply not true. Secondly, America is made up with people from various backgrounds. If you surname is English descent is still doesn't mean you are of 100% British descent. Your mother might have a French surname and her mother might have been married to someone of German descent. So now you are no longer of British descent, you are just AMERICAN!
<<Firstly you can't really say most Americans are of English descent because that is simply not true. Secondly, America is made up with people from various backgrounds.>>
But English descent and blood is the common thread through most of the American leod.
Take African Americans: on average, they are 60-70% African (genetically), the rest is made up mostly of white ENGLISH or British ancestry. So the American black represents to a certain extent the bloodline of Britain.
Same with other ethnic groups: if your German, then you're probably wirkly a mixture of German and ENGLISH; if you're Italian, then you're probably a mixture of Italain and IRISH/BRITISH, etc.
So, not only do 100% English count, but x% English is present in almost all other American ethnics groups. That is huge. No other single ethnic group is so ubiquituos in America. ENGLISH is all-pervasive. We're everywhere!
I think the black Americans with English surnames... actually took the name from their slave owners. They used their master's name! Now there is a bit of history for you!
Guest1111, You don't half talk some shit..!! most if not all the brits don't look up to the Americans,they think the people from the U.S.A, are too loud and proud..!!! they go more for the europe..!!! Give you stupid head a shake..!!