NB: Initially I was asking imperial core comrades due to some potential common experiences that I was looking for but it was suggested that I widen the scope and I agree.

Coming from England where 90% of our culture is consumerism or lifted from America (so more consumerism) I have no affinity for what “makes me english”.

The only real culture or tradition in the England is bourgeois propaganda/bread and circuses nonsense like the opening of parliament or the queen’s platty joobs or bank holidays (lol).

As the proletariat/lumpen there is no culture outside of football and consumerism.

So to that end, what exactly makes one English? Chauvinism and imperialism? Two things that only really benefit the aristocracy.

We aren’t even “english”. We are mostly Anglo saxon but most of us have parts gaelic, celtic, norse, germanic etc history. We aren’t Anglo saxons really, we are just mongrels with white skin and no culture so I don’t get what the fucking nationalists are so proud of. Lol our fucking royal family is less Anglo than we are!!

I have no cultural ties to England, this country has only hurt me and millions of others. We have no beautiful cultural events, music, art etc. Its just homogenised capitalist culture shared with most of the imperial core. The same can be found in every country apart from Brit pop. Get in what a claim to fame.

I speak from an English perspective as scotland, Ireland and Wales DO have culture. But in England we’ve lost any we might have had. I even have Irish mostly and some Welsh and Scottish in me but I’ve never gotten to embrace or experience those cultures, it’s stomped out of you and erased through engloid chauvinism growing up.

As a country we’ve became a shell, white people existing to exist, no love or respect for our history because we have none. Its just rich people fighting other rich.

People might say knights and Kings etc but how is that my history? It’s the history of the aristocracy battling for their wants. As a “serf” we’ve just existed. They try to teach us English history in school and its just slaughter and exploitation. There’s nothing good. It’s all just murder and death and it’s not “we need to be better than our history”, it’s “this history allowed us to be better than everyone else” and that makes me sick.

So with this in mind, why would I care if another country took over? Say china came and ripped England from the royals grip, why would I worry provided I trusted them to look after the citizens better than our own government?

My allegiance isn’t to my country or some nostalgic memory of history, its to human beings. To the workers of this world and to that end what do I care of national identity and my non existent culture?

It’s struck me as a thought, does this exemplify why leftist or more accurately communist thought is such a threat to governments. Its not constrained by national pride or identity so those mechanisms and means of control fail right?

The only reason I see anyone for having any loyalty to England is because we are trapped here, and as traumatised workers without an escape we are doomed to just scrape some existence out of this wretched nation, living in fear that if we don’t swear loyalty to our flag we will die in hunger and pain.

I dunno I’m just sundowning I guess. Depressed and chatting shit.

Edit: I think I just need a hug lol 🤣

  • KiG V2@lemmygrad.ml
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    2 years ago

    Where did you move to?

    And man IMO if you love something you love something, there’s lines to be crossed for sure but you’re not inherently being shitty by being a jazz musician, there’s no need to defend that. I’m not black nor indigenous and I rap so I’m biased but idk I’m part arab and I’m fine with a white person wearing a khaffiyeh as long as they’re based. Not to completely derail I’m sure this could be its own whole ass discussion thread.

    • sudojonz@lemmygrad.ml
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      2 years ago

      I moved to Netherlands. Obviously still part of the imperial core but it was the best I could do given my circumstances. Now I’m too broke to move anywhere else. But poverty in NL is functionally less soul-suckingingly difficult than poverty in US so that’s something.

      I never know when I’m going to get called out for appropriation when I’m just trying to live my life and not hate it, so thanks for the backup! Props for rapping too, it’s one thing to write rhymes and then a whole other thing to spit them out with style. Very cool!