Binky this is to you most of all but to all the others across the pond too. I hope none of you were offended by what I said because I by no means meant anything I said as an insult. Binky I referenced that I knew some Brits that were younger than me and that I didn't see them as prudish and that I thought they were so funny and so forth. You actually were my thoughts behind that statement.
I also agree with you on your take about the Queen from all sides. Royals are raised to be classy people, to act classy, be classy and to set examples. I think there can be a very fine line at times between prudishness and good manners as well. And again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with either at all.
I was simply trying to give you all a somewhat simplified psychological reasoning if I may, as to why other countries often times see your, meaning the Brits, older generations as a bit prudish. And again, I am not saying I agree or I disagree because to me it's basically silly. But I am giving you all also a logical reason for where and how we came up, and by we I mean everyone else outside of England, not me however, with the notion that the Brits in general can be a bit prudish.
Back to the manners statement. I think that while there is a fine line sometimes between being a prude and being proper, for the most part the world does mistake the two. I have done a lot of studying of cultures and religions because it just fascinates the crap out of me and from my studies for the most part, over the past 30 years most of what we see is manners as apposed to prudishness. And I could even go one further and say that in the generations past 30 years prudish still might not be the correct word but a better word would be reserved, or dignified.
Part of the beauty of humanity and of the world is that while we all come from different countries, different backgrounds, different classes, different cultures and or religions we are all still humans. We have the ability to celebrate our differences. Something I never quite understood is why we as humans don't take what we can learn from everyone and combine it to better ourselves, as a people, not as a country. Every country, every corner, every person has the ability to change, the choice is whether or not they are going to make a good change or a bad one. Everyone could be a bit more classy and or modest like most of you Brits are. Everyone could be a little bit more friendly like the Aussies are. Everyone could celebrate and cherish our elders like the Asians do. Everyone could be a bit more open minded and free like we Americans are. We all have something to offer. We just have to be big enough people to push notions, ideas, and differences aside so that we can have the room to be receptive.
I have to be honest with you here, I don't actually think the original poster meant to be offensive at all. I believe he was simply trying to understand a culture that he was not familiar with. Because he probably like many of us only know what we are shown in the media or up until recently what limited amount of British TV we were able to see here. I also understand that it is basically ignorance, but it's not intentional ignorance or ignorance that was meant to be offensive. Know what I mean there? There is a huge difference.
A good example of this kind of ignorance is something in my life actually. As you all know I was born and raised in Amishville USA. Everyplace I have ever lived my entire life until the past 8 years has been basically, well no, it has been all white. It wasn't something I did on purpose or sought, it just happened to turn out that way. Well needless to say, and I gotta be 100 percent honest here, I am not even sure what term at the moment is the politically correct term to use. So if I offend anyone, please forgive me. I will use the term "black" for simplification purposes for the rest of this story, and again, not trying to offend. However I am not at all familiar with black culture or history at all with the exception of what i have read and or watched on TV.
So the city I live in now has a fair amount of black people and I have had the pleasure to have worked with quite a few. So we were outside on break and a few of them were talking about hair products and being "ashy". Well being someone who likes to learn new things and takes every opportunity to learn where ever possible, I flat out asked them what ashy meant. They had to laugh at me because no one has ever asked, and everyone in this city grew up with black people and are good friends so they are aware of stuff like that. I explained to them my history of where I came from and why I didn't know. Once they understood where I was coming from and why I was asking they actually went out of their way to explain things to me if they were talking about ethnic things in front of me. They were not offended at all because they knew I was ignorant. Not ignorant out of trying to or being offensive, or ignorance for any other reason except lack of knowledge.
So ignorance while not always favorable sometimes just is because of lack of knowledge, education, or exposure. Often times we can't help it if we are ignorant because we have not been awarded the opportunities, chances, exposures or what have you on the topic in which we are ignorant. So when someone is a bit on the ignorant side and is so because of lack of exposure or education or knowledge, try to see past that and into the real reason they are asking in the first place. It's almost always because they want to understand you more, get to know you more, expand themselves and little by little maybe start eliminating common stereotypes.
That's my take on it anyway.
Mashie