How British are You?

Cavehill Red

seanmc1980 wrote: »

so you admit Irish can be idiotic drunk fools when abroad but we don’t have a riot at a football match so were better then the british??? Get over yourself. I’ve travelled all over the world and I can tell you Irish and English have the exact same rep. drunkin fools. But that’s as usual the minority of both countries they just give everyone else a bad name

Of course the Irish can be drunken fools, as can the French, the Argentinians, the Zimbabwean, and a lot more besides.
But the British have an undeniable reputation, especially in the Mediterranean countries but across Europe generally, for unsavoury antics leading to arrest which neither the Irish nor any other nation has. And there is a reason for that, because they habitually go beyond the drunken tomfoolery to the point of arrestable offences much more often than anyone else.

CamperMan

partyguinness wrote: »

I really dislike Official Britain (BBC, media, Sky, Premier League etc) which I find quite detached from the people on the street. I find the people quite pleasant to be honest and can't fault them.

With I find sad here is the complete lack of soul. There is absolutely no buzz or craic. Everything is dreary and mundane. It's like a hallow shell. Every high street is the same, with the exact same shops, buildings and no landmarks to distinguish it from the next city. Everything is a chain.

the Brits are two faced.. they will stab you in the bloody back without hesitation.. i was happy to have finally have left the UK for good.. and I shall never return

LordSutch

CamperMan wrote: »

the Brits are two faced.. they will stab you in the bloody back without hesitation.. i was happy to have finally have left the UK for good.. and I shall never return

Another ridiculous sweeping statement, this thread is going downhill fast . . .

steddyeddy

A thread asking how British are you has turned into people bashing both the Irish and British. Is there really a point to doing this in this day and age?

fasttalkerchat

LordSutch wrote: »

Another ridiculous sweeping statement, this thread is going downhill fast . . .

A sweeping statement so broad he almost included himself


Sorry I'm just trolling now.

fasttalkerchat

steddyeddy wrote: »

A thread asking how British are you has turned into people bashing both the Irish and British. Is there really a point to doing this in this day and age?

Is there really a point to after hours?

ejmaztec

Cavehill Red wrote: »

I've been to nearly 100 different countries.
People fail to see the distinction I'm making. Fewer than 300 Irish citizens were arrested abroad in 2011, only a fraction of whom were guilty of the sort of antisocial behaviour we are discussing. That isn't just not as much as the British, it's a tiny fraction thereof.

You seem to be conveniently forgetting the huge population difference between the UK and Ireland.

fasttalkerchat

ejmaztec wrote: »

You seem to be conveniently forgetting the huge population difference between the UK and Ireland.

The Irish diaspora, maximally interpreted, contains more than 80 million people.
The British diaspora is estimated to be 140 million people.

ejmaztec

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

The Irish diaspora, maximally interpreted, contains more than 80 million people.
The British diaspora is estimated to be 140 million people.

I don't see the relevance.

Cavehill Red

ejmaztec wrote: »

You seem to be conveniently forgetting the huge population difference between the UK and Ireland.

You seem to be forgetting per capita comparisons. Fewer than 300 Irish arrests abroad, not all of which were for antisocial behaviour. But let's round it up to 300 and say they were all done for antisocial behaviour. That's one arrest per more than 15,000 population.
The UK? nearly 7,000 in a 2008/9 12 month period monitored by the FCO. At current UK population that's an arrest abroad per 9,000 population. That's a substantial difference. Essentially British people are, per capita, 66% more likely to be arrested abroad than Irish people are.
Or to put it another way, FIVE TIMES as many Brits were arrested in Spain ALONE than Irish people were arrested in the whole world.

fasttalkerchat

ejmaztec wrote: »

I don't see the relevance.

It depends if you are talking about Irish people or people living in Ireland.

ejmaztec

Cavehill Red wrote: »

You seem to be forgetting per capita comparisons. Fewer than 300 Irish arrests abroad, not all of which were for antisocial behaviour. But let's round it up to 300 and say they were all done for antisocial behaviour. That's one arrest per more than 15,000 population.
The UK? nearly 7,000 in a 2008/9 12 month period monitored by the FCO. At current UK population that's an arrest abroad per 9,000 population. That's a substantial difference. Essentially British people are, per capita, 66% more likely to be arrested abroad than Irish people are.

You seem to be forgetting that a higher proportion of British people go abroad than their Irish counterparts, taking advantage of easier access to the rest of Europe thanks to cheaper travel and more available routes.

fasttalkerchat

ejmaztec wrote: »

You seem to be forgetting that a higher proportion of British people go abroad than their Irish counterparts, taking advantage of easier access to the rest of Europe thanks to cheaper travel and more available routes.

This would suggest that a higher percentage or our holidays are abroad:
http://www.ssb.no/norge_en/ferie_en.pdf

Possibly we take much fewer holidays in total. Couldn't find statistics to 100% disprove your point tbh.

Cavehill Red

ejmaztec wrote: »

You seem to be forgetting that a higher proportion of British people go abroad than their Irish counterparts, taking advantage of easier access to the rest of Europe thanks to cheaper travel and more available routes.

I believe you're incorrect. The last figures I saw showed that the Irish travelled abroad per capita more often than the British.

AEDIC

Cavehill Red wrote: »

You seem to be forgetting per capita comparisons. Fewer than 300 Irish arrests abroad, not all of which were for antisocial behaviour. But let's round it up to 300 and say they were all done for antisocial behaviour. That's one arrest per more than 15,000 population.
The UK? nearly 7,000 in a 2008/9 12 month period monitored by the FCO. At current UK population that's an arrest abroad per 9,000 population. That's a substantial difference. Essentially British people are, per capita, 66% more likely to be arrested abroad than Irish people are.
Or to put it another way, FIVE TIMES as many Brits were arrested in Spain ALONE than Irish people were arrested in the whole world.

I would bet that a large proportion of those British arrested abroad though are for drug type offences and not the loutish shagging in the street and rioting behaviour you are trying to imply. Not saying its any better mind...just that you are possibly not comparing like for like in your target comparison.

AnonoBoy

Quite.

I am pie

Cavehill Red wrote: »

I believe you're incorrect. The last figures I saw showed that the Irish travelled abroad per capita more often than the British.

It's funny how people react extremely defensively against attempts to negatively portray groups of people (by nationality, by race, by sex, by age) via 'bad science' but then are quite happy to attempt the same malice against a group of people perceived to be an acceptable target.

Your argument is nothing more than some half rememebered, barely analysed statistics and some bare-faced prejudice.

Galwayguy35

Funny question to answer when we are born in Ireland.

LordSutch

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Or to put it another way, FIVE TIMES as many Brits were arrested in Spain ALONE than Irish people were arrested in the whole world.

Do you happen to know the regional breakdown? British passport holders from what parts of the UK? Hom many English, how many Ulster folk, how many Scots, Welsh etc . . . .

Not that it matters, seeing as the Brits are prone to being drunk & disorderly anyway (according to CamperMan & Cavehill Red).

Cavehill Red

I am pie wrote: »

It's funny how people react extremely defensively against attempts to negatively portray groups of people (by nationality, by race, by sex, by age) via 'bad science' but then are quite happy to attempt the same malice against a group of people perceived to be an acceptable target.

Your argument is nothing more than some half rememebered, barely analysed statistics and some bare-faced prejudice.

On the contrary, out of the morass of nonsense, half-facts, self-loathing and forelock tugging in this thread, I'm the only person to have provided any facts.
I have supported every assertion I've made so far with cited evidence. If necessary, I'll go off and get you relative holiday stats for Britain and Ireland too.
Show me anyone else on this thread who has offered anything other than anecdote. There isn't one, apart from Fred's valiant but false attempt to implicate Ireland in the atrocities in Afghanistan.
You don't like my opinion? Fine. Unlike yours, however, it's supported by evidence.

Cavehill Red

LordSutch wrote: »

Do you happen to know the regional breakdown? British passport holders from what parts of the UK? Hom many English, how many Ulster folk, how many Scots, Welsh etc . . . .

No, because the FCO doesn't distinguish. Take it up with Whitehall.

Fratton Fred

Cavehill Red wrote: »

On the contrary, out of the morass of nonsense, half-facts, self-loathing and forelock tugging in this thread, I'm the only person to have provided any facts.
I have supported every assertion I've made so far with cited evidence. If necessary, I'll go off and get you relative holiday stats for Britain and Ireland too.
Show me anyone else on this thread who has offered anything other than anecdote. There isn't one, apart from Fred's valiant but false attempt to implicate Ireland in the atrocities in Afghanistan.
You don't like my opinion? Fine. Unlike yours, however, it's supported by evidence.

Maybe you could explain then, why you chose the 2008/9 figures for the UK rather than those published in May 2011, which show 5700 Brits arrested abroad.

AEDIC

Cavehill Red wrote: »

On the contrary, out of the morass of nonsense, half-facts, self-loathing and forelock tugging in this thread, I'm the only person to have provided any facts.
I have supported every assertion I've made so far with cited evidence. If necessary, I'll go off and get you relative holiday stats for Britain and Ireland too.
Show me anyone else on this thread who has offered anything other than anecdote. There isn't one, apart from Fred's valiant but false attempt to implicate Ireland in the atrocities in Afghanistan.
You don't like my opinion? Fine. Unlike yours, however, it's supported by evidence.

Why is it forelock tugging just because people dont agree with you.... that statement is moronic and self obsessed at best...

And as far as your 'facts' are concerned.... to be relevant they have to be comparable and current.... you have quoted figures from different years, some of which arent current and you are self admittedly 'rounding up'..... hardly the basis for a sound argument I would say

Cavehill Red

AEDIC wrote: »

I would bet that a large proportion of those British arrested abroad though are for drug type offences and not the loutish shagging in the street and rioting behaviour you are trying to imply. Not saying its any better mind...just that you are possibly not comparing like for like in your target comparison.

It is like with like. Total arrests abroad. The Irish are as likely to have been arrested for drugs as the British. There is no available breakdown of offences from Iveagh House or the FCO. These are total arrests abroad, and per capita the Brits get arrests 66% more than the Irish do.

Cavehill Red

AEDIC wrote: »

Why is it forelock tugging just because people dont agree with you.... that statement is moronic and self obsessed at best...

And as far as your 'facts' are concerned.... to be relevant they have to be comparable and current.... you have quoted figures from different years, some of which arent current and you are self admittedly 'rounding up'..... hardly the basis for a sound argument I would say

Grand. Let's round back down to under 300 Irish arrests, then. That makes the disparity even more acute.
The facts are comparable. They are current. 2009 is not the Dark Ages. It's very recent indeed. I'm not going to spend all day digging up statistics for you to pick holes with because they don't suit your world view.
Fact: the British have a reputation abroad the Irish don't have. Fact: they get arrested per capita way more than the Irish do, which explains the reputation.
Now, if you doubt that, why not find me the statistics that say otherwise. You won't be able to. Even better, why not put it to the test yourself, by telling people the next time you're abroad that you're English and see if you get treated any differently. Might open your eyes to reality somewhat.

partyguinness

CamperMan wrote: »

the Brits are two faced.. they will stab you in the bloody back without hesitation.. i was happy to have finally have left the UK for good.. and I shall never return

Well yes I would not trust them as far as I could throw them especially in business but I know plenty of Irish people that are the exact same so it is not somethinig unique to the British.

I can tell you this much, I am certainly more cautious of the Irish over here than the natives. Especially the Irish from the border counties or the country and western belt.

AEDIC

Cavehill Red wrote: »

It is like with like. Total arrests abroad. The Irish are as likely to have been arrested for drugs as the British. There is no available breakdown of offences from Iveagh House or the FCO. These are total arrests abroad, and per capita the Brits get arrests 66% more than the Irish do.

Are you quoting comparable years?

I am not saying that the numbers arent going to show one side more favourably than the other.... thats what the numbers invariably do... but if you are going to use them to back up your view... you have to make sure they are relevant surely...no?

Also...in this thread you have gone from making statements that say 'The Irish dont do that' to 'some of the Irish do that' to 'actually yes ok the Irish do p1ss some people off but not as much as them so its not as bad'

Obviously poetic license there but you get the idea :P

Queen of England

Silly Irish people.

Jorah

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Grand. Let's round back down to under 300 Irish arrests, then. That makes the disparity even more acute.
The facts are comparable. They are current. 2009 is not the Dark Ages. It's very recent indeed. I'm not going to spend all day digging up statistics for you to pick holes with because they don't suit your world view.
Fact: the British have a reputation abroad the Irish don't have. Fact: they get arrested per capita way more than the Irish do, which explains the reputation.
Now, if you doubt that, why not find me the statistics that say otherwise. You won't be able to. Even better, why not put it to the test yourself, by telling people the next time you're abroad that you're English and see if you get treated any differently. Might open your eyes to reality somewhat.

British people win substantially more Nobel Prizes than the Irish. So it all evens itself out then?


We know your game pal. You are bitter and have a hatred of British people. I refuse to believe you've visited over a hundred countries yet still harbour such childish and generalised views about people.


Tally ho!

partyguinness

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Grand. Let's round back down to under 300 Irish arrests, then. That makes the disparity even more acute.
The facts are comparable. They are current. 2009 is not the Dark Ages. It's very recent indeed. I'm not going to spend all day digging up statistics for you to pick holes with because they don't suit your world view.
Fact: the British have a reputation abroad the Irish don't have. Fact: they get arrested per capita way more than the Irish do, which explains the reputation.
Now, if you doubt that, why not find me the statistics that say otherwise. You won't be able to. Even better, why not put it to the test yourself, by telling people the next time you're abroad that you're English and see if you get treated any differently. Might open your eyes to reality somewhat.

Maybe I missed this earlier but where are you sourcing your facts?