Things you hate about your country

[Langeveldt]

UK
Overcrowding
**** weather
Miserable people, strangers generally rude and anti-social
Being negative about global events - eg, if the Olympic Games are such a burden, why not take them elsewhere?
High prices
High taxes
The ban on smoking indoors
The fact we seem to be an outlet for some of the rest of the worlds problems. An open door immigration policy, and feeling the need to intervene in conflicts that are none of our business.
Liberalism when it comes to discipline, especially amongst young people, British youngsters being the worst I've ever come across.

South Africa
50+ years of a racist, ineffective government, who would have thought we could have voted for a worse one?
High violent crime
Everything still based on the colour of your skin
Very high car prices
Shockingly bad terrestrial television
Durban
Jocks
Bad standard of driving

[Protean]

Very lucky you didn't put Cape Town on there..

[Langeveldt]

Originally Posted by Protean

Very lucky you didn't put Cape Town on there..

If Cape Town wasn't there, we would have far fewer tourists, obviously something that is totally essential to the country.. They can get rid of Durban and their rugby team for all I care

[Protean]

Originally Posted by Langeveldt

If Cape Town wasn't there, we would have far fewer tourists, obviously something that is totally essential to the country.. They can get rid of Durban and their rugby team for all I care

Not a fan either, was thrilled that we got to stay home for Christmas this year

On topic, absolutely hate South African accents, I cringe when I hear a strong one on television.

[Langeveldt]

Originally Posted by Protean

Not a fan either, was thrilled that we got to stay home for Christmas this year

On topic, absolutely hate South African accents, I cringe when I hear a strong one on television.

But there is no such thing as a "South African Accent" - You talking about a strong Afrikaans/Cape Coloured one? I'm fine with the accent although people probably cringe when they hear mine..

[Protean]

Originally Posted by Langeveldt

But there is no such thing as a "South African Accent" - You talking about a strong Afrikaans/Cape Coloured one? I'm fine with the accent although people probably cringe when they hear mine..

Pretty much all of the ones applicable to Caucasians, JHB rich girls are my absolute worst.

[Langeveldt]

Originally Posted by Protean

Pretty much all of the ones applicable to Caucasians, JHB rich girls are my absolute worst.

Yeah agreed, long tall Poppies from Sandton basically annoyed my gf so much she quit Uni..

[Xuhaib]

Pakistan

Divisions in society based on classes-For eg in UK I have noticed an investment banker, carpenter,lawyer and a librarian can get together for a cup of coffee and socialize without any problems,no such stuff is possible in Pak.

Lack of quality education

Corrupt institutions

Poor law and order

Educated and rich blokes acting more english then english (gosh absolutely hate it )

[Uppercut]

Norn Iron
No cultural identity whatsoever because we're stuck between two countries
Sectarianism
Shocking accent
Uglier women than anywhere i've ever been except Scotland
Polarised politics leading to backward policies. There are no Sunday Leagues here for religious reasons.
Anything produced locally is horrific- steer well clear of Harp Lager, any Northern Irish TV or radio, Bush Mills Whiskey and most importantly Smithwicks Ale.
Annoying-laughs capital of the world
We've just spent thirty years blowing each other up.
In short, there's absolutely nothing to be proud of about being Northern Irish.

England
Passive ignorance of other countries
Friday/Saturday night atmospheres so scummy it defies belief
Pissed-up slappers
Horrific pro-English bias in sport (which invariably leads to accusations of me being blinded by anti-English sentiment for not sharing their views)
Some pretty atrocious voices and accents
Chav culture
Orange faces, yellow hair
A quite cringeworthy national pride amongst some members of society

[Uppercut]

Originally Posted by Langeveldt

Being negative about global events - eg, if the Olympic Games are such a burden, why not take them elsewhere?

We didn't ask for them, we weren't given a referendum or anything. The whole of the UK pays for them, and the government-funded economic report on their impact shows a flow of money out of everywhere else and into London. 90% of the country is paying significant extra taxes for several years for an event that will, when it finally arrives, cause them to lose more money. This is whether they have the slightest interest in the Olympics or not. Why don't they have a right to complain?

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by Langeveldt

UK
Overcrowding
**** weather
Miserable people, strangers generally rude and anti-social
Being negative about global events - eg, if the Olympic Games are such a burden, why not take them elsewhere?
High prices
High taxes
The ban on smoking indoors
The fact we seem to be an outlet for some of the rest of the worlds problems. An open door immigration policy, and feeling the need to intervene in conflicts that are none of our business.
Liberalism when it comes to discipline, especially amongst young people, British youngsters being the worst I've ever come across.

South Africa
50+ years of a racist, ineffective government, who would have thought we could have voted for a worse one?
High violent crime
Everything still based on the colour of your skin
Very high car prices
Shockingly bad terrestrial television
Durban
Jocks
Bad standard of driving

Well of course people are negative, there is a recession happening and their council tax is going up to fund bourgeois sports such as yachting, sailing and horse riding which is ironically taking place in one of the most depraved areas of the UK.

The ANC of course by abandoning its socialist policies have not readdressed the countries imbalances but by the same token, their favouring of conservative economic and social reform allows ‘White Boy’ in P.E. to post on Cricketweb. Would you have preferred “One settler, one bullet”? Cause that was the only alternative...

And despite being home to too many White English people (such as myself), Durban is the greatest place in South Africa.

And I don’t have anything bad to say about Britain or indeed China (my new home) for as British radio presenter, James Whales said, “If you have a problem with Britain, then piss off”, and I did.

[Uppercut]

Originally Posted by TT Boy

Well of course people are negative, there is a recession happening and their council tax is going up to fund bourgeois sports such as yachting, sailing and horse riding which is ironically taking place in one of the most depraved areas of the UK.

Hit the nail on the head there.

[Langeveldt]

Originally Posted by TT Boy

Well of course people are negative, there is a recession happening and their council tax is going up to fund bourgeois sports such as yachting, sailing and horse riding which is ironically taking place in one of the most depraved areas of the UK.

The ANC of course by abandoning its socialist policies have not readdressed the countries imbalances but by the same token, their favouring of conservative economic and social reform allows ‘White Boy’ in P.E. to post on Cricketweb. Would you have preferred “One settler, one bullet”? Cause that was the only alternative...

And despite being home to too many White English people (such as myself), Durban is the greatest place in South Africa.

And I don’t have anything bad to say about Britain or indeed China (my new home) for as British radio presenter, James Whales said, “If you have a problem with Britain, then piss off”, and I did.

Thats such a South African attitude and it's becoming more and more tiresome every year, "blame everything on our history".. We now get 51 murders a day, a police service that might as well not exist, and a huge proportion of black people saying they had it better under Apartheid.. One can only hope these people make their voices heard and vote accordingly in 2009. Too good a country to go to the dogs but another few years of the ANC wouldn't do us any favours..

Not sure how you worked that out about Durban, but each to their own I guess

And totally agree with the "if you don't like it, piss off" comment.. Thats why I did, although I'm surprised at the level of ranting I've done towards my adopted nation.. Just don't like seeing so much potential go to waste, I think the UK is more of a lost cause..

Are you au fait with recent South African politics? I'm quite excited about the potential of this new breakaway party that are taking a lot of support away from the ANC. Competition is always good but I can't see it changing the result of our next elections..

[BoyBrumby]

England

The insularity - We really are incredibly inward looking as a people. Even when we go abroad we stick together, speak English and moan how we can't get a decent fry up.

The hegemony of football - Now I adore the sport, but, hey, I like others too. At weekends one literally has to turn through at least a dozen pages of football before our papers acknowledge the wider sporting world beyond soccer's boundaries.

The class system - Even as I type an Englishman is speaking and another Englishman is judging him based on his accent. Everything in this country is tinged with class resentment.

Plastics Paddies, Cockney Jocks & Tuppaware Taffs - One Celtic parent doesn't make you Scottish/Irish/Welsh; you're English: deal with it.

Sleb Culture - An oxymoron if ever there was. The empty pursuit of fame for fame's sake has become a goal in itself. I guess more people in this country know who Jade Goody is than than, say, Zadie Smith. As Ricky Gervais said, if all you want is to be famous then just murder a prostitute.

[nightprowler10]

Pakistan:

- Divisions in class as Xuhaib mentioned.
- People's mentality of being comfortably numb regarding the terrorism situation. We've gotten so used to it that Pakistanis don't seem to care about people dying due to such events in their own land much less in other countries.
- Pakistani cricket's situation.
- Our ability to elect criminals and failed politicians to office.

USA

- The fact that we re-elected Bush.
- A large part of the people's racist mindset.
- Discrimination at all levels.
- Materialism.