The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
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The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
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Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#2As a former pedestrian commuter through the City, I'd love to see the goons who think a golf umbrella makes a suitable and sociable rainscreen pelted with fruit.
I almost considered setting up a Tumblr of ridiculously oversized umbrellas at one point, knocking people off pavements.
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#3"But the famous ‘insularity’ and ‘xenophobia’ of the English is far stronger in the working class than in the bourgeoisie. In all countries the poor are more national than the rich, but the English working class are outstanding in their abhorrence of foreign habits. Even when they are obliged to live abroad for years they refuse either to accustom themselves to foreign food or to learn foreign languages. Nearly every Englishman of working-class origin considers it effeminate to pronounce a foreign word correctly."
From George Orwell - England Your England http://orwell.ru/library/essays/lion/english/e_eye
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#4Those of us who live in Seattle tend to feel the same way. If you see someone carrying an umbrella here you can bet they're a tourist.
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#5"But the famous ‘insularity’ and ‘xenophobia’ of the English is far stronger in the working class than in the bourgeoisie. In all countries the poor are more national than the rich, but the English working class are outstanding in their abhorrence of foreign habits. Even when they are obliged to live abroad for years they refuse either to accustom themselves to foreign food or to learn foreign languages. Nearly every…
Reminds me of the Hornblower books, where Hornblower has to pronounce French cities and landmarks with the mangled British pronunciation rather than saying them in the French. The books repeatedly make a point of him doing it, along with Hornblower's annoyance at having to do so.
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#6"But the famous ‘insularity’ and ‘xenophobia’ of the English is far stronger in the working class than in the bourgeoisie. In all countries the poor are more national than the rich, but the English working class are outstanding in their abhorrence of foreign habits. Even when they are obliged to live abroad for years they refuse either to accustom themselves to foreign food or to learn foreign languages. Nearly every…
What's worse, that or not speaking a perfect Frankish language of when in the land of Franks? At least the English tolerate all kinds of foreign mangling pretty well.
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#7Cabbies. They probably deserved umbrellas then as much as they deserve Uber now.
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#8"In the minds of many Brits, umbrella usage was symptomatic of a weakness of character, particularly among men. Few people ever dared to be seen with such a detestable, effeminate contraption. To carry an umbrella when it rained was to incur public ridicule."
This sentiment is very much alive today. I'm always surprised how I seem to be the only person carrying an umbrella in London when it rains. Especially bankers seem to prefer getting soaked.
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#9Those of us who live in Seattle tend to feel the same way. If you see someone carrying an umbrella here you can bet they're a tourist.
Portland as well. It's seen as a sense of pride, probably because the rain here is light.
Re: The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User
#10"In the minds of many Brits, umbrella usage was symptomatic of a weakness of character, particularly among men. Few people ever dared to be seen with such a detestable, effeminate contraption. To carry an umbrella when it rained was to incur public ridicule." This sentiment is very much alive today. I'm always surprised how I seem to be the only person carrying an umbrella in London when it rains. Especially bankers…
This is definitely alive in Portland, OR. There's a pride in handling the rain.