I doff my proverbial hat to you sir wonderful talk
@evelynmccabe3855
Жыл бұрын
Fascinating analysis.
@neilog747
Жыл бұрын
We English, when completing some form or UK document about our nationality, as with the Scots and Welsh, are always forced to choose 'UK' or 'British'. There is simply no 'English' option available on the list. The reason is simple. The British state, with its colonising French origins inspired by the Roman Empire in the Middle Ages, runs the UK as an empire. It even awards MBEs and CBEs to this day. Empires have no interest in national identity. They tend to extract more than they nurture. And sure enough, the north of Britain has the most impoverished regions in Northern Europe. Parts of England feel just as neglected as Scotland or Wales, and Brexshit was us lashing out, in an uneducated way.
@KeithWilliamMacHendry
Жыл бұрын
Many decades ago when I put Scottish on my immigration form to the USA I was told I could only put British or English, I said well I am not English & British is only the collective for the nation state, I have always identified as a Scot first who just excepts that the political state is Britain but Scotland is a country & has been for over a thousand years. Australia is often worse & I received a bit of antagonism for putting Scottish, when I said if I put English you wouldn't have seen an issue, so the immigration officer sort of sighed & let it go. I am comfortable putting British even though I am a Scottish nationalist, sometimes I will do just for ease of passage. That said, I learnt in travel over many decades & it still persists to this day, the Europeans & the wider world almost always refer to Britain as England, it never has been, it never will be & I feel justified in putting my nationality as Scottish.
@casteretpollux
7 ай бұрын
Brexit was a reach out to grab hold of other people's countries again.
@uhtredragnorson9930
2 жыл бұрын
I wish he had mentioned more clearly that the Brexit nationalists are only half the country. The rest of us already had a wonderful international view of our British and European identity, and the 17 million have smashed that and we are so angry that we have no interest in some poxy English identity.
@roisinmalone3015
2 жыл бұрын
You will have to get used to an English identity, if Scotland and Northern Ireland leave the Union
@YouD0ntSay
2 жыл бұрын
This is true. But look how Germans were seen after the war, even if they were children at the time. Russians will suffer a similar fate.
@roisinmalone3015
2 жыл бұрын
@@YouD0ntSay Yes, sadly.
@jasonkingshott2971
2 жыл бұрын
Don't forget two in five Scots voted to leave.
@richardsimms251
Жыл бұрын
Great talk RS. Canada
@robertbusch3368
Жыл бұрын
This is a fascinating talk full of overstretched and mixed metaphors that offer some genuine insights -- vintage O'Toole. There are some oversimplifications that matter to me: e.g. the national welfare-state "umbrella" in the UK has for some time been patched up, sometimes quite effectively, by the EU. Half a decade later, we see that the UK is struggling to replace all manner of EU support mechanisms: for agriculture, for structurally weak regions -- I could go on -- and of course the economic losses from weakening the UK/EU trade relationship widen the gap left, to the point where the re-homing of the UK's net Brussels budget contribution is a trivial sticking plaster. The present incumbents seem happy to rip ever new holes into the UK's umbrella; one waits to see if they will have progressive successors who will do better, and whether they then need to seek a closer EU relationship again to meet their aspirations.
@benedictcowell6547
Жыл бұрын
In terms of fact, truth, practicality the fact was that a badly educated majority played upon by mobster,[Murdoch, Farage, Duncan Cretin Smith]and I, educated in Europe find that I despise and have nothing but contempt for Brexiteers and their voters. I despise the Brexiteers because they are conspirators, and the mob because they are wilfully, militantly, ignorant, and stupid
@luboskulhavy7769
2 жыл бұрын
Education and media constantly forcing the idea that 'WE' are better than them is at fault. Some people grow up from this notion (I or my nation is better than everybody else), most people do not. I just find puzzling that in a society, individuals with such attitude are vastly disliked so how it is possible that a group of individuals under a cover of nation, can think such attitude is acceptable. The same is happening in Russia but also in smaller extent in Poland.
@benedictcowell6547
Жыл бұрын
How I agree with you! The major distortion of English Speaking Western Democracy is Rupert Murdoch just as it was Huggenburg in Weimar. It is an artificially insinuated pain .It is not English Nationalism is it just wide spread ignorance and stupidity. Prejudice and drivel!!!! I do not think any colonial power dealing in slavery has any right Nationalism
@gandydancer9710
10 ай бұрын
@luboskulhavy7769 At fault for what?
@kjpcrow
2 жыл бұрын
Trying to work out if prehaps extraction of the proverbial tooth sounds the real option as they know nothing else ..
@LeHosko
2 жыл бұрын
What an excellent talk which is incredibly understanding of the English Brexit sentimentality and offers ways to address this in good faith rather than attacking it as a misguided force. The Irish perspective is a very salient one looking upon the UKs situation from across the Irish Sea, much more coherent a view than within Britain itself. The speaker is right, the imperative for the UK now is to focus on internal reform allowing for an English identity before it can consider rejoining the European project.
@kjpcrow
2 жыл бұрын
Excellent insight to the actual cause of Brit Exit it do more damage than Co vid as it’s already proven a wasted effort.. playing the blame game as well articulated by Fintan O Toole .
@ricellisfrost620
Жыл бұрын
Putting spaces in the middle of words makes you look stew pid
@garymoore2535
Жыл бұрын
Mr O'Toole being Irish naturally has a very different view the European Union. Unfortunately, he has no clue concerning the reasons for Brexit ! It was David Cameron who decided to hold a referendum on Leaving or Remaining in the EU. I can only presume the intention was to lock GB in the EU for evermore ? When GB and Ireland joined the European Economic Community (E.E.C) it was sold to British people as a way to improve trade. However, the treaty also included those 3 little words "Ever closer union". If the British people had understood that the end state of "Ever closer union" was being absorbed into a United States of Europe and being governed centrally by a faceless group of Eurocrats they would not have touched it with a 10 foot barge pole. Mr O'Toole really lost the plot with British Empire 2 and for that matter Helmond Province. I have had many many conversations about Brexit.....not once has either of these two reasons cropped up ! Mr O'Toole also seems to place false emphasis on the fact that people ticked English on a survey as opposed to British. If both options exist of course you will tick the most specific. If I tick English I am by definition indicating I am British. Only those who hail from elsewhere would tick "British". No more or less to it than that. It certainly does not indicate a surge in English nationalism. One of the main reasons for Brexit is that since joining the EU the standard of living has steadily fallen. A few examples, my parents bought their first home at the ages of 18 & 21. The government at that time provided "Mortgage Tax Relief" which helped them to achieve this. What is the average age of young couples buying their first home now ? My sister when she went to University received a 'Student Grant'.....my son had to take "Student Loans". Exports to the EU were steadily falling whilst exports to the rest of the world were steadily increasing.......should we remain or leave 🤔 Increasingly since joining the E.E.C/EU the refrain from British Members of Parliament was "We can't do that, Europe won't let us". The problem with any Empire is that it needs to draw power to the centre. The EU introduces its "Directives" slowly and quietly and eventually, overtime, the frogs will be boiled. The European Empire can not accommodate individual Nation States Needs "We must have a level playing field". Van De Leyen's "We have the tools" to ensure obedience gave the EU game away.....I am just waiting for the Borgs "you will be assimilated, resistance is futile".....it surely won't be long now. For most of its history Great Britain navigated it's own path......Brexit simply reflected a desire to do so again. As EU states inevitably merge into the United States of Europe, remember you have a friend across the channel.
@jmccullough662
Жыл бұрын
The latest census results for England and Wales show that more people living in England selected British rather than English. The census narrative suggests this change is attributable to the fact that the 'British' option was first on the list, whereas previously, the first option on the list was 'English'. O'Toole is off base with this, but he's generally anti-English, as many Irish people are.
@johnkelly3886
2 жыл бұрын
The Johnston majority brought back the 'will of the people'. Scottish civic 'nationalism' does not fit into O'Toole's account of nationalism. He also seems to think that Britishness has substantially has survived. I do not think English nationalism was subsumed by British nationalism. Britishness was almost a synonym for Englishness.
@YouD0ntSay
2 жыл бұрын
I agree, but I don't think he means it line that. In his other lecture "The Politics of Pain" he addresses this subject too, but briefly. He explains when the idea of Britishness emerged, how it had to be created, and why. I lived in the UK in the 90s and was always surprised how the Scots said tjey were Scottish, the Welsh were Welch, the Irish Irish, the Northern Irish Northern Irish and the English called themselves British - never English. They couldn't see the paradox of not having an English parliament or government. 25 years later and you have Brexit instead. It was so forseeable, just not for them.
@des1029
2 жыл бұрын
I’m not sure I agree with his opening premise that this is English Nationalism at play (or at least not just). Scotland and NI 40% of the population voted to leave as did 52% in Wales.
@thevillaaston7811
Жыл бұрын
The Irish are all very clever and cock sure at the moment, as England and Britain go through and difficult period. But that won't last forever. And we have long memories...
@vincentmcdermott3412
8 ай бұрын
Not long enough. You have utterly suppressed the history of English behaviour in Ireland. Ever hear of the Nine Years’ War? It almost bankrupted Elizabeth Tudor’s government. At the time (late 16th century) two million people on the islands of Great Britain and Ireland spoke English, the other two million of the combined population spoke Gaelic, a language Elizabeth herself studied, although without success as when she met Grace O’Malley, the “Pirate Queen”of West of Ireland they spoke Latin, as the common language both could speak. But this was before the penal laws, when the Irish were still able to get an education.
@thevillaaston7811
8 ай бұрын
@@vincentmcdermott3412 'You have utterly suppressed the history of English behaviour in Ireland.' Your words. How have I done that?
@PGHEngineer
Жыл бұрын
Lost me at the point where you said that the Brexit vote came from places with low immigration. This is blatantly untrue. The highest vote for Brexit came from Boston in Lancashire which is also the town with the highest percentage of East European immigrants. I don't see the point in listening to anybody that exposes such a blatant lack of integrity.
@JohnWilson-yg7ko
2 жыл бұрын
I'm am constantly amazed at the number of times 'speakers' on Nationalism, with regard to the EU, keep forgetting to mention that the Irish had to have three votes on the EU Constitution BEFORE the EU would accept the result. How does that tie in with the TASC idea of what 'Democracy' is?
@memisemyself
2 жыл бұрын
I'm constantly amazed how stupid people keep repeating the same crap. Do a bit of research before you making a fool of yourself.
@roisinmalone3015
2 жыл бұрын
That is not true
@YouD0ntSay
2 жыл бұрын
@@memisemyself It's part of the Brexnik's narrative of lies. They must Be.Leave it, otherwise they'd have to admit their mistake. Sad and pathetic really but that's the way things are at the moment. Future generations will judge. And year-after-year economical statistics will deliver the facts.
@taintabird23
2 жыл бұрын
I am constantly amazed at how deeply rooted the ignorance about Ireland's referenda on Lisbon and Nice were conducted among British people. I blame your media. Ireland rejected Lisbon. The EU did not 'make Ireland vote again' as Nigel Farage claimed, the Irish government established why the Irish people voted against the treaty, which included fear about the threats to Irish sovereignty. The EU said it would move on without Ireland, but the Irish government negotiated a protocol stating that Ireland's neutrality was not affected and put the Lisbon treaty to the Irish people again. The other reason the Irish voted to reject the treaty was because the minister in charge of the referendum said on live radio that he had never read the treaty. He was made read it, second time round. This time they voted in favour and with a HIGHER TURN OUT. Contrary to claims emanating from Britain, it is constitutionally impossible to 'make Irish people vote again' until they 'get the right result'. The Irish people have a history of rejecting constitutional changes they don't like with the expectation that the government will fix the issue and put it to the people again. Sometimes it happens because information or attitudes have changed. This is why Ireland has voted on Lisbon, Nice and divorce law twice and on abortion law three times since the mid-1980s. That is the very essence of Direct Democracy, which is possible in Ireland because unlike in your country, sovereignty rests with the people in Ireland...
@eamonnflanagan7966
Жыл бұрын
The Irish did not vote three times on the same EU constitution because the Irish people were presented with different wording on the EU constitution each time they voted in an effort to satisfy the issue of Ireland's neutrality that the Irish people were very concerned with.
@LindaAndrews-ly1qf
Жыл бұрын
5:16
@benedictcowell6547
Жыл бұрын
The problem with the English and Brexit is ignorance about their own History and Geography. We have benefitted from Immigration. The English are reluctant to admit that most of our industrial progress was either ingenuity of immigrants and/or stolen, and second that during the eighteenth and nineteenth century the great ideas of the world were either Scottish, German, or Jewish. The English played little part in their own industrial success, and now, faced with failure we forget the realities on which the nation was constructed,. It is infernal insolence of the English, who had an Empire, disrupted the lives of others, exported and enslaved millions, to have a thing about immigration. The did well living off the world. The solution to the is to divide England in three and create a federation with the greater British Isles including Ireland and re-join the EU A little humility and less conceit and arrogance from the English would be welcome. Whilst their role in the Second World was honourable and valiant, they did not win the war alone The USSR, the USA, and the Commonwealth, including India and the Caribbean, and Africa played their part. This absurd move [Brexit] was the result of myopia, arrogance, conceit and amnesia.
@anthonylindley2234
Жыл бұрын
What a windbag this fellow is. Brexit must be the best thing ever to have happened to him, he lectures on it endlessly. I doubt that he has any real understanding of the motivations of English people at all.
@dmckevit
Жыл бұрын
I agree that Brexit is the best thing that happened to him, however there is insight here that one is free to take, or leave in your case😎
@davidpryle3935
Жыл бұрын
He appears to have gained this special “insight” into the reasons for Brexit, while gazing out the window of his Holiday Villa, overlooking Galway bay.
@davidpryle3935
2 жыл бұрын
This hasn’t aged very well. That’s probably because o’Toole never understood Brexit in the first place.
@roisinmalone3015
2 жыл бұрын
Aged well to me
@davidpryle3935
2 жыл бұрын
@@roisinmalone3015 Which part ? It certainly can’t be the part where he says they can’t get Brexit through the parliament.
@roisinmalone3015
2 жыл бұрын
@@davidpryle3935 They didn't. There was an election with the lies re Get Brexit done etc. Hehe. Brexit will never get done. Selling the oven ready deal with the Protocol the brexiters whinge about now. All the stuff re English identity having no outlet and turning ugly, Brexit being an English nationalist exercise etc, is on the money. It will destroy the Union. Then England can be England again. Win win.
@davidpryle3935
2 жыл бұрын
@@roisinmalone3015 Yeah, the election blew the remoaners out of the water. So when o’Toole says Brexit couldn’t be done, he was hopelessly wrong. He keeps going on about English nationalism but neglects to mention that Wales voted for Brexit. No mention either of the 38% of Scots who voted Brexit. He doesn’t mention these facts of course because they don’t suit his narrative. Also in his critique of nationalism he fails to mention Scottish nationalism. Again it doesn’t suit his narrative. As I said o’Toole doesn’t understand Brexit. He is of course very much part of the bourgeois liberal intellectual elite who love the EU where everything is decided by people like himself.
@YouD0ntSay
2 жыл бұрын
@@roisinmalone3015 O'Toole's analysis is brilliant, factual, deep and always respectful and one of the most neutral you can get. His other lectures are just as good. Watch "The politics of pain" which was recorded before the 2019 election.
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