The Issues Facing British Society Today - Essay Example

? The Issues Facing British Society Today England is considered to be a place of elegance, a rich heritage, and sophistication. When people think of the British, the first thought that comes to mind is a race of white, cultured people who are prim and proper and speak English in a much accentuated manner. Other things associated with this notion are thoughts of balls and ball gowns, tea parties, and huge manor houses overlooking scenic areas such as the settings described in Jane Austen’s novels. Thoughts of kings and queens and the royal family of the United Kingdom may also be popular associations made with the word “British” or “Great Britain”. However, British society today may be quite different from what it originally was decades or centuries ago. Previously being one of the superpowers of the world and ruling nations such as America, India, and other colonies, the British Raj abruptly came to an end when the USA began to gain power and became the new reigning hegemony of the world. While England had many similarities with the USA in terms of economic position, the English language, and some cultural values, there was still a vast difference prevalent between the two nations. Nevertheless, the UK has retained its name as a desirable place for people to settle and is home to millions of immigrants from around the world. It is also home to some of the oldest and best universities in the English speaking world and also houses millions of students from various nationalities each year. While the English culture mixes in with thousands of others to create a new multi-cultural England, there are a multitude of problems and issues surrounding British society today. The first issue surrounding British society today may be a loss of identity because of the immense influence of other cultures prevalent in Great Britain. The traditional culture, accent, and way of life of the British have changed as other cultures and immigrants seep in and cover the mass of London areas. The traditional shopping malls and shops have gained influence from foreign brands and offer a variety of different outfits that appeal to various consumer tastes. The cuisine offered in restaurants is multi-cultural. While traditional fish and chips are still available, the majority of restaurants are diverting their cuisines to offer Indian, Chinese, Lebanese, and other national foods. Hence, British traditions, lifestyles, and the simple British identity may be in danger at the moment as it may not mean the same thing that it previously did (Smith, pp.1695-1698). Britain’s biggest cities are full of people from different nationalities and seldom do you see a fully traditional British person. Hence, the true persona of being British and the cultural values that came along with it may be currently lost to the multitude of cultures superseding or overtaking Great Britain. Another issue faced by British society today is the issue of the effect of media upon the retaining of British culture. American media and the popularity of American films, television, and music may pose to be consequential for British society. While Britain has also produced some of the biggest bands and stars of the world today such as the Spice Girls, BLUE, and sports stars such as David Beckham, the USA monopolizes on most of the entertainment world. All societies are deeply merged with the trends of the USA and the media has also cast a deep influence upon all societies in this manner. The British are no less influenced by American media as British kids have started using slang in their everyday language and are accustomed to listening to rap and other forms of primarily American music. Dressing styles and other American food has become a part of everyday British culture such as McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, and other fast food restaurants. American brands such as Starbucks Coffee and other popular brands are the norms of contemporary British society. Perhaps, the overpowering nature of American culture has taken the Britishness away from the British culture and took them towards a multi-cultural society (Smith, pp. 1694-1698). Amongst the other issues facing British society currently is the economic crisis which may be caused because of the multitude of immigrants and students flooding into the country and taking over the available jobs. Once an economically emancipated country, while Britain offers its citizens a lot of financial security, it is currently struggling to provide good jobs to its skilled and unskilled workers. Hence, the unemployment rate is high in Britain currently and the underemployment rate is high as well as people struggle to find jobs that are conducive to their degrees. It is difficult for the government to provide benefits to all of its citizens and create demand in the market. The market has gone into a cold recession which has caused several upheavals for British society as they struggle to make the country prosperous again (Clark & Oswald, pp. 650-651). Changing governments and the expenditure caused by the war against terror has inflicted British society as they struggle to make ends meet. While pairing up with the USA to wage the war against terror, Great Britain has suffered a drastic blow to its economy. A lot of lives have been lost and a massive amount of the budget has been allocated to weapons and military expenditure, which has caused British society to suffer immensely in terms of economic emancipation. Another issue bothering British society in the contemporary world is the issue of changing infrastructure from the old architectural heritage to skyscrapers, shopping malls, and contemporary buildings as the USA has. Great Britain is full of scenic beauty and pasteurizing fields with a lot of greenery. However, the current scenario demands that more contemporary infrastructure be built along such places in order to make big cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester level with other big cities like Singapore, New York, and Beijing. However, the British are quite attached to their Victorian architecture and the scenic beauty of their lands. Hence, making transitions into modern day infrastructure may upset some of the British society who salvages culture and heritage (Pickard, pp. 98-112). British society is still overshadowed by the British monarchy which is an integral part of being British. The royal family still has a considerable impact upon the traditions of the British, yet it is losing considerable power in the British legal system. The royal family is now just an emblem of British society and lacks the old power that was given to the monarchy a few centuries ago. Retaining the royal family and their expenditure is also an issue that prevails in British society. While many taxpayers are not happy with the immense amount of money paid to the royal family each year, others feel that retaining the British crown is an important part of the British tradition (Mukherjee, pg. 1). Hence, British society is currently undergoing an issue concerning whether the British crown should be maintained through the money of the state and how much power the monarchy is supposed to have upon Great Britain. Being a new member of the European Union has also posed as an issue in British society as the problem of retaining the pound or switching to the Euro has been widely discussed. While Parliament is still considering the implications of switching to the Euro and being a part of the European Union, British society is struggling to find its own identity and stance in the world and retaining their unique place (George, pp. 110-112). Besides the general issues concerning British society as a whole currently, there are several social issues that are affecting British society and its youth. High crime rates, growing poverty levels, low education levels, breaking families, and problems such as drinking and drugs have become a norm in British society. Hence, there is a loss of traditional values and British society has changed to resemble the problems found in nations such as the United States and other Western nations (Mukherjee, pg 1). The old traditional and conservative values found in traditional Britain have evaporated to create a problem for the confused youngsters prevalent in the nation. With a mixture of traditions, cultures, and religions, the youth are being brought up in a vague bubble in which they struggle to make themselves distinctive and develop their own identity. Christianity was the prevailing religion of the British Empire and was the official religion of the nation. However, with the number of immigrants in Great Britain and the wide dispersion of religions and beliefs, British society has shifted away from traditional Christianity (Mukherjee, pg. 1). A considerable number of people are changing their religion in Britain as the quest for the truth continues. The ones who are still religious in some way are not actually in touch with their traditional religious values to a great extent. Therefore, British society is filled with social evils and problems that must be impeded through practical solutions and programs which can seek to educate and reform society towards a better living. Amongst all these issues, there is a need for considerable measures to be taken to solve these problems. Perhaps, while other cultures are welcome in Great Britain, there should be a considerable effort made to preserve traditional British restaurants and old architecture. A balance should be stricken between the old and the new and the social evils of British society must be removed through programs that enhance and encourage the traditional values of British society. These measures can be taken through the media, films, fashion industry, and other influential agencies, which seek to educate the masses about the distinctiveness of British culture. Through such measures, it may be possible for British society to retain their distinctiveness and keep the old traditions of their forefathers at heart. British culture is very distinctive and unique in nature and must be preserved, but this needs to be done with the help of strong institutions. Some of British culture can still be seen in Great Britain such as the concepts of having tea and fish and chips and old architecture still surrounds the suburbs of big cities. People still speak in a distinctive English accent and British brands are still purchased in shopping malls. Umbrellas are always carried whenever going outdoors and a respect for the British crown still exists. The important point to consider is whether with the current problems of British society, such traditions will prevail for an extended period of time. While time will tell what becomes of the dilemmas of British society, measures must be taken now to preserve the true essence of being “British” or being “English”. Works Cited Clark, A. & Oswald, A. “Unhappiness and Unemployment.” The Economic Journal, 1994. George, S. An Awkward Partner: Britain in the European Community. Oxford University Press, 1990. Mukherjee, M. British Social Attitudes-The 24th Report. Sage Publications UK. 2008. Retrieved on June 30, 2012: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/spu-bsa012308.php Pickard, R. Funding the Architectural Heritage: A Guide to Policies and Examples. Council of Europe Publishing. 2009. Smith, G. D. Learning to Live with Complexity: Ethnicity, Socio-Economic Position, and Health in Britain and the United States. AMJ Public Health. 2000. Read More