The phrase ‘aggressively British’ seems something of an oxymoron, given that the national character is one of meek and mild people who love politely queueing and baulk at display strong emotions. However, it turns out that Brits can be as passionate as other nationalities, they just show it in more restrained ways. Reddit user LegitimateFoot3666 posed this question on the AskABrit page:
What is the most aggressively British thing you’ve ever caught yourself doing?
And received lots of replies from people who gave off such UK vibes that their stiff upper lip may have wobbled a little bit.
1.
‘Someone dropped their baby at the park and I automatically went ‘whhheeeeyyyyyyyyy’. Was so ashamed.’
–SONNYDISPOSITION
2.
‘Cooking on a barbecue in the pouring rain. Running in and out of the house with an umbrella to check on the food.’
–Plumb789
3.
‘Saying ‘EXCUSE ME EXCUSE ME EXCUSE ME’ when what I actually meant was ‘DO THAT AND YOU FUCKING DIE’.’
–MMH1111
4.
‘Queuing for a COVID jab, in drizzle, and chatting to the elderly woman in a wheelchair in front of me about the weather and her grandchildren.
The rule is you cannot speak to a stranger (I’m in the south) unless they are very old, you are both female and one or both of you are obviously nervous. Then start with the weather.’
–Fanoflif21
5.
‘I’m from Norway but live in Scotland. A few years back my mum came for a visit. We went to a pub where a lovely old couple struck up a conversation with me. I say me and not us because my mum looked like she was unsure if she’d be breaking the law by speaking. We do not talk to strangers in Scandinavia.’
–miasabine
6.
‘Said sorry to a post for bumping into it, realised it was a post, then turned back around and apologised to it again for thinking it was a person.’
–properwickedness
7.
‘Hidden from people I half know when seeing them on the train platform for the morning commute.’
–Zealousideal-Set-592
8.
‘TLDR nearly bled out because I didn’t want to make a fuss. When I had a C – Section, the doctor put the thing in my hand for blood (a tourniquet?). She walked away before ‘closing it’ so my blood started to slowly flow out onto the floor.
As a polite Brit, I thought ‘This is probably fine, I don’t want to cause a fuss. The doctor must know what she’s doing’. A minute or so later she came back, saw she fucked up and sorted it. Phew!’
–Vacant418
9.
‘I finished doing all the ironing and then sat in the chair it had been piled up on and had a cup of tea in victory.
I’m not even ashamed.’
–Magpie213
10.
‘Probably when I realised I was having 8-15 cups of tea a day.’
–Indigo-Waterfall
11.
‘I once ate a full English for breakfast, fish and chips for lunch and roast beef for dinner all in the same day.’
–sossighead
