UK-based American woman questions British attitudes to history, patriotism

An American woman, Ellen Ferrara Bencard, has stirred debate after sharing the cultural shocks she experienced since relocating to the United Kingdom.

Bencard, a corporate communications executive who previously visited the UK as a tourist, said she was surprised by three particular attitudes she noticed among the English: ignorance of their own history, a muted approach to patriotism, and a unique outlook on success.

Speaking on TikTok, where her video has garnered over 50,000 views, she revealed that her biggest shock came when she realised “the average English person knows far less about their history” compared to what she was taught in the United States.

She recalled working in an English office on Guy Fawkes Night and being the one to explain to her British colleagues the origins of the holiday. “I assumed everyone would know, but they didn’t,” she said.

On patriotism, she noted that openly displaying pride in being English is “generally not considered cool,” with the flag often linked to racism in recent years. However, she observed exceptions during international sporting events, royal jubilees, and the Last Night of the Proms, when national pride is displayed more openly.

Her third cultural surprise was the English attitude toward success. Unlike in the US, where achievement is often celebrated publicly, she observed that in the UK “success is okay, but one mustn’t be too loud about it.”

She described this as “tall poppy syndrome,” where people who stand out for being too successful are quickly cut down.

Bencard added that she has since adapted by embracing humility and self-deprecating humour, noting that it is the socially acceptable way to navigate success in the UK.

Her observations sparked mixed reactions online. While many Brits agreed with her remarks about modesty and tall poppy syndrome, others pushed back against the claim that they lack knowledge of their own history.

(Daily Mail)

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