2. Correctly Use The Phrases "Sorry" And "Thank You"
Warner Bros.It's odd, but whenever we reach the cashier at the supermarket, the words "thank you" and "sorry" suddenly become interchangeable. Both just begin to echo through our discourse like an addendum to everything we utter, as if we are required to justify ourselves and maintain a constant aura of politeness, lest we be banned from the establishment for life. The same thing has been known to happen at spiffier-than-usual gatherings, and pretty much any social occasions which require interactions with strangers. If somebody offers to do something for us, we sometimes slip in a "sorry", and it's disturbing how involuntary this reflex can be. It's almost as if we should apologise for requiring even the slightest amount of help with our existence.
1. Forgive Ourselves For Everything On This List
FoxYes, we're so self-conscious about how awkward, shy, and unassuming we feel we have to be that our minds are constantly in a state of tension. It's the conundrum of the British state of mind: we're very much aware of how ridiculous we can behave and act in accordance with Great British Values, but simultaneously, few of us have the self-agency to do something about it. Instead, we'll just repeat our stiff-upper-lip mantras, refill the kettle and indulge in those stereotypes a little more. Even though we're all aware of how utterly bizarre our day-to-day behaviour can be. Are you English? Do you suffer these problems on a daily basis? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.