‘What’s a very British habit or attitude that people rarely question, but probably should?’ – 23 ways our stiff upper lips are doing us down

British people are a contradictory bunch, on the one hand alcohol-fuelled bantz-merchants who love a laugh, on the other miserable self-deprecators who talk the UK down at any opportunity. But is any of it doing us any good?

Perhaps not, if the answers to this question posted by AsleepDiscussion2328 on the AskUK subreddit are anything to go by:

What’s a very British habit or attitude that people rarely question, but probably should?

It feels like every country has certain habits or ways of thinking that just become “the norm” over time. For people in the UK — what’s something like that where everyone kind of goes along with it, even if it might not be ideal or logical?

Could be social behaviour, daily routines, or general attitudes.

Lots of people had thoughts on the things we should perhaps start reconsidering, like these…

1.

‘Sunday trading hours. People talk of saving the high street and yet opening times are restricted on 50% of the weekend days.’
–RainbowPenguin1000

2.

‘As an immigrant to the UK, I don’t like how you’re expected to hate yourself and put yourself down all the time. It feels like you’re not allowed to be happy or proud here; you’re always meant to be assuring everyone that you’re not getting “above your station” in any way. You’re always meant to be moaning about everything and anything good you achieve is supposed to be downplayed into oblivion.

It also connects to how you can’t have real conversations with anybody; somebody will immediately start taking the piss whenever you try to talk seriously, as if real emotions are too uncomfortable. I had to talk to my British husband about this, how he’d automatically shy away from any real feelings by deflecting the whole conversation into a joke. It felt very dismissive; thankfully he did stop doing that after we spoke about it a few times. But I still notice it a lot in other people.’
–boudicas_shield

3.

‘Complaining about spouses/kids! It drives me mental.’
–Due_Reserve7065

4.

‘Not calling out bad or problematic behaviour for the sake of politeness, and if you do, YOU’RE the rude one!’
–NewDate6115

5.

‘As an immigrant the entire class system thing is revolting. Especially when people use it to make themselves feel superior to others. It is so weird seeing it from the sidelines.’
–EvenMathematician874

6.

‘The concept of queueing on the motorway or dual carriageway when you can merge in-turn.’
–spinners_888

7.

‘The UK office culture of the person whose birthday it is brings in the cakes for everyone else, instead of others bringing in treats for the birthday boy/girl. That took me a bit to acclimatise to – the first few times, it was hard to resist thinking, “Hey, it’s MY birthday, why am I supposed to bring stuff for YOU rather than the other way around?!”’
–Ahleanna-D

8.

‘Because it gives you, the birthday haver, the choice of how you want to be celebrated. Want a giant chocolate cake? Have at it. Nothing at all? No one will notice.

The other way around, it becomes a popularity contest where some people are celebrated and others ignored.’
–birchblonde

9.

‘Yes, we seem to have automatically developed a startlingly egalitarian way of dealing with office birthdays. It’s actually quite lovely.’
–nogeologyhere

10.

”Open 24/7′ should mean 24/7, not 24/5 and half a day on Sunday.’
–WhatsThePlanPhil95

11.

‘Normalising being okay with miserable living conditions. So what if energy bills cost a fortune now and so many can’t afford to heat their homes — wearing multiple socks and jumpers indoors in a deathly cold flat is “just the British way!”’
–fussilyarrabbiata

12.

‘Banter tilting over into disguised bullying.’
–Andries89