D J Webb
Looking back on my schooldays, when there was no multi-culturalism and very little promotion of any other –isms or –phobias, it is clear that the left-wing shrieking that passes for political discussion now has impaired our culture. The UK is wearing to live in, notably because of the constant political propaganda. Left-wing cultural deconstruction has sapped the joy out of our culture.
In many—non-Western—countries, the population retains an uncomplicated relationship with traditional culture and national identity. In China, for instance, a country that had its own Maoist, extremist phase, Chinese people are not yelled at for being pro-Chinese or for enjoying China’s traditional culture.
Social bonds.
This makes sense, as culture is, fundamentally, a bond that unites people in a nation and keeps society healthy. It would spoil family life for members of a family to spend Sundays denouncing the family’s common pursuits. A family whose members did not wish to spend time together is a family that has become dysfunctional. Similarly, British culture, including our architectural, religious, literary and artistic culture, as well as our language, is something that we all ought to enjoy. It’s a glue that unites people in Britain. It’s something that makes social life meaningful beyond economics and money.
When we’re told that immigrants have “integrated” because they hold jobs, it is being suggested to us that we live in an economy, but not in a society and not in a culture. I’m sure there are many immigrants who work in the UK and pay taxes here. But just as you work to live, rather than live to work, the economy and the labour market are there to fund social and cultural life and paying tax is not all that integration means.
