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Viddao's avatar

As an American, this is very touching. Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are very important to us. I sincerely hope and wish that Britain will rediscover herself.

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Tijmen van der Maas's avatar

An American in the UK would be shocked by the amount of ritual in the political and legal system, the universities and schooling, the CofE, or the pubs and town fairs. Of course there are fewer sporting traditions (though Henley, Ascot, and Wimbledon are cultural traditions too) - but that's because the English mostly venerate old academics rather than young jocks. The fact we don't see these rituals on TV would, I argue, make them *more* traditional. As is the fact that they're so much older they're simply assumed - how can you celebrate Thanksgiving without thinking about your own Christmas celebrations?

English ritual has certainly gone downhill - and I hope we recover it. But that doesn't mean America (of all nations!) has more tradition...

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