As a simple Parisian, I’ll try to give you a “froggy” look on Britain, or should I say Great Britain? England? United Kingdom? Whatever, where the grass is greener on the other side of the channel.
It’s been a long time since I have been to England, so my vision of this beautiful country may be a little bit distorted. But on holidays, we lucky French have the pleasure to be “invaded” by British people, so I could maintain a certain link with you dear neighbors. Of course, surfing the Internet helps a lot more than the average conversation – Where is the Tour Eiffel?
Which metro to the Louvre? - I can get in the streets of Paris!
As I said, UK seems so far from France on many aspects: politics (we still see Margaret Thatcher behind every politics), food (no comment), driving (weird way to drive on the other side of the street)… But is so close on many other points: politics (we both enjoy living in a Monarchy….hmm wait no…), food (we eat the same burgers in Quick restaurants… never heard of the Belgian fast food chain?), Driving (like cannonball on French highways…)
My point of view will try to outline the different approaches that a same subject can arouse. Far from UK’s local concerns, French people tend to have a critical perception of UK’s daily news, especially on subjects like Europe, economy, finance...
But on the other side global subjects show that we share broadly the same interest for technology, privacy, culture…
Between fascination and repulsion, the relation of our two countries has always been a motivating challenge, for example, in 2014 UK became the 5th economy in the world exceeding France. For French people, even if we will not show it, we have been somehow affected by this change that tends to prove our politics are not on the good way… On the other side, inequalities are worse in Britain than in France as an OCDE study stated recently, the 10% richer earn 12 times more than the 10% poorer and in France this rate goes 1 to 7.
I think you already don’t agree with those views, and this is all for the best! React, argument discuss, we are here to confront and maybe find a consensus.
