Americans misunderstand Britain well
Americans misunderstand Britain well
Exploring the Nonsense: American Perceptions of Britain
A recent New York Times restaurant critic, Robert Draper, made a rather peculiar statement upon his return to London after a decade-long absence. He claimed to be astonished that the local restaurants had moved beyond the culinary offerings of “porridge and boiled mutton”. Unsurprisingly, Draper’s comment has been met with ridicule and mockery. However, his misguided observation is not an isolated incident. There has been a surge in American-sourced gibberish about Britain, both from the left and the right. This trend reflects a psychological force—an inclination to project one’s own fears onto a conveniently English-speaking canvas.
The left argues that Britain is falling apart due to its rejection of globalisation, while the right fears that it is too keen on globalisation, causing its demise. The New York Times, for instance, has run several articles on what it deems the evils of Brexit Britain, describing it as a divided nation, with a wealthy south and a Dickensian north. The country’s decision to leave the European Union is commonly dismissed as a product of racism-tinged nostalgia. Such portrayals reduce the UK to a modest-sized ship adrift on the global ocean, with its captain, poor Theresa May, lashed to the mast without the authority to decide on the ship’s course.
While I personally believe that Brexit is a colossal mistake that reflects deeper problems within the country, such as economic concentration in the southeast, there is also some good news among the dire predictions. Britain boasts some of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe and has been a destination for immigrants for many years. Support for the far-right United Kingdom Independence Party has declined, in contrast to the rise of other European far-right parties. Britons manage to find time for literary festivals, pop festivals, and even restaurants amidst the rounds of self-flagellation.
If the left specializes in despair, the right seems to revel in terror. Media outlets like the Drudge Report frequently highlight the darker aspects of British life. They focus on the epidemic of knife crimes, the rise of so-called “no-go areas” dominated by sharia law, and even propagate the idea that entire cities, like Birmingham, have become exclusively Muslim. While it is true that there have been troubling incidents, such as the appalling Rotherham grooming scandal, where mainly Pakistani men preyed on teenage white girls, the scale of disorder in Britain pales in comparison to that in the United States. Nonetheless, leading Americans, including President Donald Trump, have embraced the Britain-as-catastrophe argument, perpetuating unfounded fears.
The problem lies not only with American perceptions of Britain but also with the British media’s portrayal of the United States. British journalists often focus on the darker sides of America, including gun crime and the struggles of the Rust Belt. They also take advantage of Americans’ politeness, resulting in satirical portrayals such as those seen in the work of Sacha Baron Cohen and Louis Theroux. British versions of the hapless Mr Draper likely exist, marveling at the revelation that American cities offer more than just McDonald’s.
- John McDonnell proposes an ambitious economic policy.
- Birmingham’s significance to today’s Conservatives
- Tory Party split
This transatlantic exchange of nonsense brings to light a larger issue with journalism. If journalists cannot accurately understand and portray countries with which they share a common language and culture, how can they be trusted to report on more exotic nations? Journalists often engage in projection, stringing together loose generalizations that reveal more about their own anxieties than the subject they aim to write about. This problem is exacerbated by the internet, where aggregation sites tend to amplify the most extreme articles, reinforcing readers’ pre-existing prejudices.
In conclusion, the recent wave of American-sourced gibberish about Britain reflects a desire to project fears and anxieties onto a familiar canvas. Whether it is the left’s portrayal of a divided nation crumbling due to its rejection of globalisation or the right’s insistence on the dangers of multiculturalism, these perceptions often fail to accurately capture the complexities of British society. Similarly, British media’s obsession with the dark side of America perpetuates a skewed view of the United States. It is crucial to question these narratives and recognize the limitations of journalism in depicting nations accurately, particularly when it strays from familiar territory.
