Brexit |OT| UK Referendum on EU Membership - 23 June 2016

Did you vote for the side that is going to win?


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I do, I'm interested in knowing how others perceive it.

British culture has been shaped by other cultures for centuries, one of our national dishes is curry.
I don't believe there really is a British culture of any note; what foreigners think of as British is more often English.
 
I do, I'm interested in knowing how others perceive it.

British culture has been shaped by other cultures for centuries, one of our national dishes is curry.

The best national dish you mean... :P

But yeah, there is not such thing really as 'British' culture in something you can define, as culture varies so much from even just village to village.

I don't believe there really is a British culture of any note; what foreigners think of as British is more often English.

And even what people think of as English, isn't really English, as it varies so so much in and of itself.
 
Never felt the need to change my citizenship. Although I did apply once but never went through with it.



Portuguese.

If you are ineligible to vote you should return your polling card to your local authority. It's probably an offense to vote when you are aware you are ineligible, even if you haven't made any wrongful statements in registering to vote (their mistake).

There was a software issue recently that meant polling cards were wrongfully sent out to EU nationals. Local authorities received surveys from the government to help identify who were wrongfully sent one.
 
I don't believe there really is a British culture of any note; what foreigners think of as British is more often English.

Or Southern England. Doesn't each American State have a differing culture? I mean, look at thr difference between Edinburgh and Glasgow and they are 40 minutes away from each other! Or even any of the home nations.
 
I understand that culture is extremely complex

my point was, and I should of made it much clearer....I should of asked if you felt you were losing your British identity

It just seems like European countries are the ones that arn't allowed to have distinctive cultures while other countries around the world are, like China, Japan etc.
 
What does European super-culture look/sound like? One of the things that makes the continent so great is how completely different it is depending on where you go. As someone rightly pointed out, if anything, we're slowly becoming more American culture-wise.

On the other hand I'd argue that there are a lot more similarities than people give credit for. After all the continent has been in a state of constant cultural exchange for hundreds of years in form of massive migrations, invasions, occupations, warfare, alliances, religion etc. etc.
 
I understand that culture is extremely complex

my point was, and I should of made it much clearer....I should of asked if you felt you were losing your British identity

It just seems like European countries are the ones that arn't allowed to have distinctive cultures while other countries around the world are, like China, Japan etc.

What makes you think European countries wouldn't be allowed distinctive cultures?
 
On the other hand I'd argue that there are a lot more similarities than people give credit for. After all the continent has been in a state of constant cultural exchange for hundreds of years in form of massive migrations, invasions, occupations, warfare, alliances, religion etc. etc.

but Britain was always closer to America than continental Europe wasn't it?
 
I understand that culture is extremely complex

my point was, and I should of made it much clearer....I should of asked if you felt you were losing your British identity

It just seems like European countries are the ones that arn't allowed to have distinctive cultures while other countries around the world are, like China, Japan etc.

No, the world is a very homogeneous place these days in general anyway, I still think our culture is distinctive, hence why so many tourists visit us for our culture.
 
Well, the comment that we'll be getting no renegotiations end of is a bit middling. Remain was enticing for possibility of renegotiating, but since that is seemingly off the cards then why not try to change it ourselves?

I have a lot more reasons for it, but I'm out and typing on my phone is annoying, but that comment has certainly pushed me.

There will be no more negotiations. Why do you think there will be?

Change it ourselves how? We can't replace a 440m market with high incomes so we will need to still trade with them. Except after leaving we have no choice but to take their terms on the EEA which means complying with everything as per today but with no exceptions and no say in how the rules are set. It's fantasy.

For how successful the post leave negotiation would be, just think about this. The EU regularly brings the most powerful nation state in history to heel on trade issues. The US has to listen to the EU. Everytime. It can crow and bitch and the EU often wins.

I'm curious as to what people think the leverage we would have when we go into negotiating a deal after leaving.
 
What makes you think European countries wouldn't be allowed distinctive cultures?

I look at the USSR and how it swallowed up countries like Ukraine up...destroying any sort of notion of culture for these countries to feet the soviet machine

now the EU might not be the USSR, as a direct comparison...but you can't say people arn't worry about superstates
 
I understand that culture is extremely complex

my point was, and I should of made it much clearer....I should of asked if you felt you were losing your British identity

It just seems like European countries are the ones that arn't allowed to have distinctive cultures while other countries around the world are, like China, Japan etc.

I think that just means you are completely misinformed.

Countries in Europe are varied and distinct, each with regions that in and of themselves varied and distinct.

Even this (not great) parody of European stereotypes at least shows each country is very distinct.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdFgd_Qyhdo
 
Has UK gaf done a poll on in out yet? Would be intrigued to see, I imagine remain would probably be quite a large majority.
 
I look at the USSR and how it swallowed up countries like Ukraine up...destroying any sort of notion of culture for these countries to feet the soviet machine

now the EU might not be the USSR, as a direct comparison...but you can't say people arn't worry about superstates

Have you ever been to Europe? Not to sound rude but it sounds like you've never been to Europe.
 
I look at the USSR and how it swallowed up countries like Ukraine up...destroying any sort of notion of culture for these countries to feet the soviet machine

now the EU might not be the USSR, as a direct comparison...but you can't say people arn't worry about superstates
It's a good point, now look at those countries that became independent from the USSR when it collapsed, they still have distinctive cultures.

I've been to loads of ex eastern block countries and they have managed to maintain seperate identity.

Culture is in the people.
 
No, the world is a very homogeneous place these days in general anyway, I still think our culture is distinctive, hence why so many tourists visit us for our culture.

Our culture is very distinctive and very influential it is just quite flexible and I think that flexibility and variety it introduces throws people.
 
I remember when I lived in Geneva for a bit, we used to regularly go over the border to buy food using the cheaper euro. I wonder if that has any relevance to what would happen if we did leave.
 
It's a good point, now look at those countries that became independent from the USSR when it collapsed, they still have distinctive cultures.

what about the other criticism is that the EU is essentially run by France and Germany... I have heard that one too
 
On the other hand I'd argue that there are a lot more similarities than people give credit for. After all the continent has been in a state of constant cultural exchange for hundreds of years in form of massive migrations, invasions, occupations, warfare, alliances, religion etc. etc.

It's a melting pot, for sure. Living very close to London, I see a microcosm of that all the time and it's bloody brilliant. Embracing our similarities AND differences with our neighbours is what it (should) be all about.
 
I understand that culture is extremely complex

my point was, and I should of made it much clearer....I should of asked if you felt you were losing your British identity

It just seems like European countries are the ones that arn't allowed to have distinctive cultures while other countries around the world are, like China, Japan etc.
I think we all have to accept that globalisation is spreading and with stuff like the internet and greater communication between nations and media and all of it, we're heading towards a future of us all influencing each other and becoming more homogeneous. Personally speaking, I don't see that as a bad thing.
 
If I was British I wouldn't skip the chance of being on the right side of an independence struggle for a change.

What is stopping any agreement that both sides think is beneficial to be preserved?

Not that it compares, but as a Brazilian, I would vote for us to leave our failing block and try to follow Chiles footsteps.
 
I apologize I didn't mean to start any fights or anything, i was just curious that's all


so what is the voting turnout looking like...remain or stay?

Statistically in terms of undecided going towards the status quo and the change in the polls are slightly favouring Remain, but it could go either way still.
 
As an American, I don't really have much stake in this.....but I do want to ask a question to the people that want to remain


don't you feel that remaining is causing British culture to cease into this European superstate or superculture.....? I mean isn't that a worry?

It's not a worry at all, because it isn't happening, at least in any significant sort of way.

There are lots of British cultures by the way.

For example the Welsh culture is thriving (as on continental Europe are the Bretons, Basques, Bavarians ... and that's just the Bs). Of course as communications improve and travel cheapens cultures tend to pinch bits from each other - for example, it isn't that long ago that to get a proper croissant you had to be in France, Austria or Switzerland. But by and large the cultural boundaries between and within countries move slowly and at their own pace and this has everything to do with transport and communication costs and nearly nothing to do with the EU.

I wouldn't even be worried if some EU country beat us at Cricket (thanks Ireland!) as they frequently do at our other sports.

There are still at least four varieties of the game of skittles played across southern England, there's still a peculiar variety of baseball confined to South Wales and Liverpool, change-ringing of bells is still a thing and growing, we may have lost the mines but the male voice choirs and eisteddfodau keep going. Crown green bowls is not dead and poetry is still a competitive sport in Wales. Muncunians still ramble incessantly.

The biggest cultural upsets we've had in my lifetime are Starbucks, Macdonalds and pizza delivery, and they sure as hell are not EU related.

The greater, and more justified, concern is the invasion of anglophone culture into continental Europe.
 
but Britain was always closer to America than continental Europe wasn't it?

Or America has always been closer to Britain than continental Europe.

However the thing is, "national culture" is quite hard to define in European context as there are huge amount of cultural pockets even within the countries themselves.
 
If I was British I wouldn't skip the chance of being on the right side of an independence struggle for a change.

What is stopping any agreement that both side think is beneficial to be preserved?

Because that's what the vote is on. Keeping the current agreements, or leaving for a new set.
 
I look at the USSR and how it swallowed up countries like Ukraine up...destroying any sort of notion of culture for these countries to feet the soviet machine

now the EU might not be the USSR, as a direct comparison...but you can't say people arn't worry about superstates
Having lived in the USSR and now living in the EU, this is ridiculous. USSR's "states" were Russia's window dressing for its pre-1945 conquests.

If anything then EU is giving more money to keep regional and national culture around. Not to mention the amount of money spent on translating everything into all of EU's languages. So far the unification is at the political and economic levels.
 
I remember when I lived in Geneva for a bit, we used to regularly go over the border to buy food using the cheaper euro. I wonder if that has any relevance to what would happen if we did leave.

Prices in Switzerland are mental. Dont't think that phenomenon will happen here.
 
As an American, I don't really have much stake in this.....but I do want to ask a question to the people that want to remain


don't you feel that remaining is causing British culture to cease into this European superstate or superculture.....? I mean isn't that a worry?
Every Country has still their own culture and identity.
If there is one that comes to everywhere, its the american stuff...
 
Anyone know of a rundown of timings for tomorrow's events? Contemplating an all-nighter for this one.

Counts start at 10pm and coverage will be through the night. If it's not close, I think we should know by the time most of the country is waking up. If it is, who knows when we'll know.
 
Anyone know of a rundown of timings for tomorrow's events? Contemplating an all-nighter for this one.
Thinking I heard that first counts coming in are looking at about 2am? But the important ones would be about 3am, I wouldn't expect full results before 6 though.
 
I look at the USSR and how it swallowed up countries like Ukraine up...destroying any sort of notion of culture for these countries to feet the soviet machine

now the EU might not be the USSR, as a direct comparison...but you can't say people arn't worry about superstates

I think you just have to look at what the EU does with culture. They fund so many things in that space; language promotion being the biggie. The EU is a framework for us to protect our cultures, not to amalgam them.
 
There's nothing even close to racism in that speech. You're being close-minded and letting your hatred for the other side blind you to the actual argument.

True, unless I missed it.
As someone who disagrees with him, I'm not sure if I should be sad or glad that people like him are being sidelined by cretins like Boris and xenophobes like Farage.
He has good arguments and presents them well, though he is wrong on some important points.

e.g. He thinks we'll be able to negotiate trade treaties easier by ourselves. There is some logic to that belief, but his main example (India) has explicitly said that they don't want us to leave.
I'm not an expert here, but I think that the openness of the UK economy and our general lack of protectionism means that there's not really any need to cut us a special deal.
He also seems to paint all 'eurocrats' as wanting more EU integration, which simply isn't true (though as an MEP, I'm sure he meets a few people who'd love a US of Europe). Even the Germans want to keep most of their shit in the Reichstag and out of Brussels.

He does have a point about big companies liking regulations, which few people seem to understand. He's a little bit wrong about the reason though. It's generally because regulatory compliance costs help big EU companies (who can afford it and have local knowledge) keep out their Chinese/Indian competitors (who can't afford it and/or lack staff who can understand it). Excessive regulation can have a negative effect on small EU companies, but a lack of regulation would be even worse for small companies since they don't have the marketing 'brand' power to beat cheap foreign imports.
Furthermore, lobbying for regulatory protections applies just as strongly (and probably more strongly) in national government regulations so it's not a good argument for leaving Europe. We'd still have Tesco lobbying for regulations that screw the local independent supermarket or whatever.
 
Thinking I heard that first counts coming in are looking at about 2am? But the important ones would be about 3am, I wouldn't expect full results before 6 though.
Yeah it'll be tough to forecast as unlike a GE we can't apply any kind of swing to estimate later results. Unless there is a big winning margin it will be a very long night. Once you see how a lot of the 'expected' areas have performed you can make projections.
 
I think you just have to look at what the EU does with culture. They fund so many things in that space; language promotion being the biggie. The EU is a framework for us to protect our cultures, not to amalgam them.

The EU city of culture stuff is pretty awesome. It really helped a lot of places like Liverpool...
...once all the southerners have stopped laughing and doign their best Harry Enfield scouser impressions when they heard Liverpool was to be made the European City of Culture.
 
The EU city of culture stuff is pretty awesome. It really helped a lot of places like Liverpool...
...once all the southerners have stopped laughing and doign their best Harry Enfield scouser impressions when they heard Liverpool was to be made the European City of Culture.
AY ay ay calm down Barry.
 
Or Southern England. Doesn't each American State have a differing culture? I mean, look at thr difference between Edinburgh and Glasgow and they are 40 minutes away from each other! Or even any of the home nations.
Eh... The difference between American states kinda over-stated for tourism. It basically boils down to 7 things:
- how do you prepare bbq?
- what is your pizza like?
- what/how often do you drive?
- racism
- god stuff
- does your tex mex suck?
- did you see game of thrones?
 
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