British stiff upper lip
Here, by Theodore Dalrymple, a mixed view of "typical" British restraint, from a refugee from the Nazis who appreciated it but eventually found it limiting.
posted by Jim at 4:02 PM
09 December 2008
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2 Comments:
Interesting article with some poignant passages. I like this observation:
"...many Britons under the age of 30 or even 40 now embrace a kind of sub-psychotherapeutic theory that desires, if not unleashed, will fester within and eventually manifest themselves in dangerous ways. To control oneself for the sake of the social order, let alone for dignity or decorum (a word that would either mean nothing to the British these days, or provoke peals of laughter), is thus both personally and socially harmful."
I should add that it is difficult for such arguments not to rely too much on anecdotal evidence. How would one best study these matters systematically?
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