Culturist Conference 2013

[J Ed]

OMG are you the racist Brony that Laurie Penny was arguing with?

 

[Binxie]

OMG are you the racist Brony that Laurie Penny was arguing with?

Huh? I don't even know who Laurie Penny is if I'm honest, but no. Why do you assume I'm racist merely because I have a different opinion?

 

[Firky]

I had a feeling this may attract some "culturists" because this thread (third result on google) has had more views than their FB group has likes.

 

[Binxie]

I had a feeling this may attract some "culturists" because this thread (third result on google) has had more views than their FB group has likes.

Don't get all conspiracy theory Firky. I have just found this website and was having a browse and I was just a bit annoyed reading people making racist comments about how the British do not have a culture. No one would dare say that about any other nation, so why is it deemed acceptable to say that about the British?

 

[SpineyNorman]

Don't get all conspiracy theory Firky.

It's hardly holographic lizard territory now is it? And since a 'culturist' did turn up he appears to have been vindicated.

I have just found this website and was having a browse and I was just a bit annoyed reading people making racist comments about how the British do not have a culture.

You can't be racist about the British cos imperialism. Fact.

No one would dare say that about any other nation, so why is it deemed acceptable to say that about the British?

I dare. The US has no culture. But then again I'm hard as fuck and really daring and that.

 

[J Ed]

Don't get all conspiracy theory Firky. I have just found this website and was having a browse and I was just a bit annoyed reading people making racist comments about how the British do not have a culture. No one would dare say that about any other nation, so why is it deemed acceptable to say that about the British?

Sometimes I feel like I'm the last pony in Equestria too

 

[Binxie]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the last pony in Equestria too

I think you were referring to 'The Last Unicorn', not anything to do with Equestria I'm afraid, but nice try!

You can't be racist about the British cos imperialism. Fact.

So let me get this straight. Due to British subjects over a hundred years ago being coerced into doing Corporations biddings, their descendants are denied a right to show cultural expression? That's some pretty repugnant argument you have there.

 

[SpineyNorman]

So let me get this straight. Due to British subjects over a hundred years ago being coerced into doing Corporations biddings, their descendants are denied a right to show cultural expression? That's some pretty repugnant argument you have there.

Pretty much yeah. You can't be racist if you're black either.

This is basic stuff mate - I'm feeling like I should maybe check my privilege a bit here though cos I think you might be a bit dim - I'm wondering whether I should step up or step back?

 

[J Ed]

I think you were referring to 'The Last Unicorn', not anything to do with Equestria I'm afraid, but nice try!

If we keep letting so many zebras into Equestria, ponies will go the way of the unicorns

 

[SpineyNorman]

I think you were referring to 'The Last Unicorn', not anything to do with Equestria I'm afraid, but nice try!

Yeah J Ed you thick fuck. I thought everyone knew that

You wait till your mates down the pub hear about this - you're gonna get ripped to shreds.

 

[Binxie]

I dare. The US has no culture. But then again I'm hard as fuck and really daring and that.

America is a young nation. I'm not going to argue with you there.

 

[cesare]

*creates safe space*

 

[xslavearcx]

Here is a video on the topic from 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fwznJfl7-qo

Get those arm movements.

I like how he keeps emphasising that british culture is all about seperation of church and state. I can only think he thinks british constitution is the same as the american one without an established church

 

[cesare]

*removes safe space*

 

[SpineyNorman]

If we keep letting so many zebras into Equestria, ponies will go the way of the unicorns

To be honest if their miscegenation results in cool shit like this I'm all for it

 

[SpineyNorman]

America is a young nation. I'm not going to argue with you there.

 

[toggle]

Don't get all conspiracy theory Firky. I have just found this website and was having a browse and I was just a bit annoyed reading people making racist comments about how the British do not have a culture. No one would dare say that about any other nation, so why is it deemed acceptable to say that about the British?

then you can tell me what British culture is. Is there a single British culture? How does British culture relate to English culture? how does it relate to the culture of national minorities?

 

[Binxie]

To be honest if their miscegenation results in cool shit like this I'm all for it

Not bad..

 

[xslavearcx]

That's actually an Iron Cross, but nevermind. However, put into context, the Fylfot (what you would call a Swastika) in English tradition is actually a symbol of luck and was used a lot before WWII, for obvious reasons though we stopped using it. However, I don't see anyone calling Hindu's racist for using the same symbol.



The British State had been trying to colonise everything since 1707, not the English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish people who were often flogged and forced onto ships or driven into the Army through great poverty. Its a bit like saying the British and American voters of today are responsible for the invasion of Iraq for oil, I can pretty much assure you no common folk ever did well out of the British Empire, but hey ho! No British person deserves a identity, right?

It is rather comical of course to hear a lot of you saying that the British or the nations that make up Britain have no culture. Lets just see over some of the cultural expression of Britain shall we? Rule of law, the idea of constitutions and individuals right set in Common Law and in the Bill of Rights (which incidentally is what the American Constitution is based on.) Traditional Liberalism is one of the many things Britain gave to the world, along with fellow Americans within the Liberalism movement.

There have been many other empires come and go over the years. Rome, Japan, Greece the Ottomans. I don't think I ever once read anyone say that 'there is no such thing as Japanese culture' before. So you have to ask why is it only the British (or more commonly, the English) who are denied a cultural expression?

Seems the word bigot can be spun both ways.

Hiyah Jack Bucklby! Hiyah Pal!!!

 

[SpineyNorman]

Fish and chips innit

 

[xslavearcx]

then you can tell me what British culture is. Is there a single British culture? How does British culture relate to English culture? how does it relate to the culture of national minorities?

I prefer 'english' folk music to 'scottish' folk music (shorthands), my maternal side have a quintessentially english surname,whilst the paternal side have an irish name - how do i decide which culture is my culture so that i can stop betraying it????

 

[xslavearcx]

Fish and chips innit

I can't stand chippy chips horrible slimey lardy things..... its got to be frozen chips like you get out a kebab shop...

 

[SpineyNorman]

I can't stand chippy chips horrible slimey lardy things..... its got to be frozen chips like you get out a kebab shop...

You're clearly a culture-free American. No cultured brit could possibly say that. You should go to the culturalist conference to learn about equestria, British culture and my litte pony and that.

There's a chippy I know that fries chips in dripping. Food of the Gods.

 

[J Ed]

Slightly off topic (from the topic of nationalist bronyism...) but I was surprised to see wikipedia describes egg and chips as a working-class dish, isn't it just normal food that everyone eats?

 

[cesare]

Slightly off topic (from the topic of nationalist bronyism...) but I was surprised to see wikipedia describes egg and chips as a working-class dish, isn't it just normal food that everyone eats?

It's a bit of a culture clash on that one cos of chips and egg

 

[xslavearcx]

Chips with dripping and chips with eggs --- disgusting!!!

Actually spiney you might be right about the american culture free thing. the ideal chips for me are either mcdonalds or burger kings french fries...

 

[Binxie]

then you can tell me what British culture is. Is there a single British culture? How does British culture relate to English culture? how does it relate to the culture of national minorities?

Is there a single British culture? No, I don't believe there is.

People tend to forget that this Island has only been united under the term United Kingdom since the early seventeen-hundreds, but I do believe that collectively they constitute a 'culture'. The nations that make up the United Kingdom have a very rich history and we do have many cultural gems, but first I suppose it would be apt to ask what is culture?

I would say that there are a few independent although all very similar cultures throughout the United Kingdom, you have Southern England, Cornwall, Wales, Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

But culturally?

I'm trying to include all member nations within the UK here, which is difficult, but here are some concepts:
Scottish Kilts?
Historical texts such as Beowulf, the works of Shakespeare etc.
Welsh language.
Celtic music.
Historic constitutions such as the Magna Carta.
Morris Dancing.

These are all very British cultural expressions, I accept that they may differ from area to area, but generally speaking they all add up to create a British Culture. It is the same way that different parts of India are different linguistically or culturally, but as a whole, they are all deemed part of India.

National Minorities is a loaded question. I expect the answer is somewhere in the middle. Someone who has moved to the UK from somewhere (e.g the West Indies) I presume after a generation or two would combine aspects of both cultures, but that does come down somewhat to how much the individual is prepared to integrate into British society. That in itself however merely proves that there is such a thing.

Look... I agree with the distain you look on with regards to the British Empire. It was a disgusting abuse of power. However, when you look at say, Imperial Japan and what they did in China before they entered WWII, there are very few people who point the finger (except maybe the Chinese) at Japan and then make some strange accusation that Japan isn't entitled to their own cultural expression just because they were led by arseholes in the past.

 

[Binxie]

Pretty much yeah. You can't be racist if you're black either.

This is basic stuff mate - I'm feeling like I should maybe check my privilege a bit here though cos I think you might be a bit dim - I'm wondering whether I should step up or step back?

So blacks murdering white South Africans on account of their skin colour isn't racism? It'd be funny were it not so tragic.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Everyone has a culture, and those cultures are constantly changing over time. There's nothing wrong with saying that a British culture exists, and there is nothing inherent in doing so that is incompatible with an anti-racist politics.

America clearly does have a culture too; If I I asked you to identify some American films, music, food, holidays, sports, political tendencies or common beliefs, I bet you could do so in a flash.

 

[xslavearcx]

But a lot of these things don't neccesarily add up. Kilts (something iirc was an invention by walter scott) signify scottish tweeness to some people in scotland; to others they may be symbolic of british army regiments and british colonial rule over ireland. I personally have avoided Shakespeare like the plague because im a bit of a philistine, and have sympathy with the view put forward by either starkey or paxman (yikes!) that robert burns poems are a horrible dirge. Again, coming from an irish catholic background in glasgow, things like burns nights tied in traditionally with orange order and masonic order symbolise some degree of being otherised in scotland despite being scottish.

I think british punk is shit, whereas american hardcore (particularly of the New York variety) is fab.

But the bottom line there is not one of that list you put there i identify with. Then again someone could group all those things together, like you just done. But my personal example contrasted with yours surely shows how subjective and arbritary it is...

and then if we are gonna be abritary why stop with a set titled 'british' why not have a wider set why stop there?