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Even though the term ‘lockdown’ has been thrown about, it doesn’t feel like a lockdown. The uncharacteristically warm weather means that many were treating the beginning of the ‘lockdown’ as a holiday. People flocked to parks and nature sites to enjoy the sun and the time off work. It’s sort of a joke on social media that as soon as the sun comes out, Brits don a pair of shades, glass of ice-cold Pimm’s in hand, and the BBQ is on. Usually this is true. Usually this is expected. But surely not during a pandemic?
When speaking to a friend, Jason, about the crowded parks, he was not surprised. “Brits are arrogant,” he shrugged. “That’s why they call it ‘Great Britain.” He went on to explain that the country’s imperialist past, coupled with support from the USA, means that Britain has come to think of itself as special. ‘British exceptionalism’ I think it’s called. I am reluctant to disagree.
One of the so-called great British values – a liberal value – is freedom. Arguably, it is the greatest of the Great British Values ™. There’s freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of congregation. There’s even a newfound freedom from the European Union. This sense of freedom is enshrined in our laws and in our culture. When Prime Minister Boris Johnson essentially called for a national lockdown, he restricted our freedoms in one fell swoop.
This liberal value of freedom is also shared by our European neighbours. However, they have sacrificed them, many living under much stricter lockdown regulations than the UK, for the greater good. But Brits are… different.
In Britain, such strict restrictions were seen as unnecessary. We were advised to stay at home, to protect the NHS, to save lives. The government trusted us enough to band together and put our country first, as has been done in the past. The daily speeches by government advisors and the constant repetition of the tripartite motto is reminiscent of the Second World War. Years later, ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’, a morale-boosting slogan used during the Second World War, rings true.
Whilst on a government sanctioned daily walk around London at the beginning of the lockdown, I did notice the streets were a lot quieter than usual. There was a pub being boarded up to prevent looting and even Harrods didn’t look as inviting and glamourous as usual. It seemed peaceful, until I reached Hyde Park. There were groups of friends and families lounging in the sun (can you do government sanctioned exercise in a horizontal stationary position?) and some were enjoying a picnic.
More shockingly, last Saturday, a protest was staged in Hyde Park, defying lockdown regulations while protesting against them. The last infamous protest in Hyde Park was the 1908 Women’s Sunday which saw suffragettes rallying for women’s votes. Even the comparison between the two protests seems wrong. We can, however, infer that some of the protesters on Saturday would argue that the current limitations on one’s freedoms and rights are equally deplorable.
The common defiant comment, according to the media, is “I’m young so I won’t get sick.” According to the media, it is millennials who are flouting the government’s advice. Yet, this protest, as well as VE day celebrations and other examples of blatant disregard for lockdown regulations have shown that not all lockdown breakers fit this demographic.
The generational difference is worth noting when talking about ‘British exceptionalism’. Typically, younger generations are perceived as being more liberal than their older counterparts. With the rise of the Internet, there has been a formation of a sort of transnational identity; those who have grown up with the Internet and unprecedented contact with other cultures have formed a sort of transcendent culture through the Internet and memes. This is not the same in the older generation who lived in more nationalistic times.
The most recent show of British exceptionalism – current crisis excluded – is the Brexit vote. Without any concrete plan or expectations, Brits voted to leave the EU. A large portion of the Brexit voters were Baby Boomers (i.e. they were born between 1944 and 1964). They bemoaned the oppression they faced from the EU and labelled the anniversary of the vote ‘Independence Day’. This is jarring for those countries which struggled for many years under British imperialism (the effects of which are still felt today) and fought in order to gain their independence. It is unlikely that the British hand in imperial atrocities was even given a second thought when appropriating the day of celebration.
Brits tend to have a rose-tinted perspective of their imperial past and an even rosier perspective of the neo-colonial missions conducted today in the name of liberal peace. I mention this not to go on an anti-colonial rant – though, that is probably justified – but rather to highlight Britain’s inability to see itself clearly. Instead, there is an air of arrogance, much like Jason suggested, and pride which taints the view. This can be seen by the flippant use of language and the current flouting of government advice. Individual Brits have pride.
This pride has led to people defying government advice in order to enjoy the sunny weather (at the expense of many lives). This pride has led to the delay in serious preventive measures by the government, and the Prime Minister boasting about shaking hands (at the expense of many lives). This pride has led to the British government turning down medical assistance from the EU (again, at the expense of many lives).[1]
The gravity of the situation, even now, months into the pandemic, is not fully realised by the individual Brit. Unless one is directly affected by the virus (i.e. if a loved one is seriously-ill because of it or if one is a frontline worker) then it’s difficult to empathise with its severity. The constant flashing of the rising number of fatalities on our television screens does very little to sensitise us to the situation – in fact, it probably has the opposite effect.
It’s not all doom and gloom, I suppose.
Whenever there is a crisis, there is an overwhelming sense of community (at least from my experience). When the Grenfell Tower fire happened, hundreds of people from the local community flooded the streets on Ladbroke Grove. They provided free food and drinks every night for those who were displaced (or just those in the area). Places to sleep were offered. We’re seeing a similar response across the UK to this pandemic. The government called for 250,000 NHS volunteers to come forwards and they were greeted with a huge 400,000 responses. Even before the government’s call, many Brits had taken it upon themselves to offer their services to their self-isolating neighbours. People offered to go on food runs, pick up prescriptions, free tutoring for children, and some even offer entertainment in the street. When times are really tough, it seems like Brits have each other’s backs.
Brits may big-headed, but they’re also big-hearted.
Author: Tamika McAuley-Christopher
[1] https://www.ft.com/content/c87393c8-6791-11ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3
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