What is Britishness?

What does it mean to be British? This is a difficult question which I have given much thought.

The traits most commonly shared among Brits are tolerance, understatement, decency, a charitable nature, an amiable eccentricity, a level of common sense and an appreciation of fair play.

We are a people of contradictions. An example being our appreciation of all things foreign (people, customs and food), leading to their gradual adoption into our culture, whilst still being a fiercely independent collection of islands.

We are also a very proud people. Proud of the diverse nature of our society, of our long history of political, legal and economical institutions, and indeed democracy itself. Our small archipelago has had, and continues to have, a huge influence on the world, wildly disproportionate to its geographical size and population.

Humour plays a large part in British society. Britons can be a serious lot at times, but underneath this thin veneer there is always a sense of fun and mischievousness, that doesn't need much coaxing out. We are correctly famous for our particular sense of humour, often misunderstood by outsiders, our irony and sarcasm is never malicious. If it is used against you it is in an affable way. We are also famed for our self-effacement. If we are taking the piss out of you, then you can be sure we will be aiming our wit back at ourselves five minutes later.

We use this humour to both survive tragedy and celebrate victory, glossing over the bad things that come our way and a drive to just get on with life unimpeded during times of adversity.

Being British in the 21st Century is not about skin colour or place of birth but about a sense of shared values and dignity.

If you really want to find out what the British are like, then come and join us at Brit Camp.