so much governing; or in his case, being governed. Not just by the firm he works for, with all its labor policies and inspectors and supervisors and personnel officers and foremen and managers and union officials and shop stewardsthere are also rent collectors and insurance men and installment collectors and council inspectors and health visitors and welfare officers and a host of other people, all of whom represent authority in one form or another; all of whom can make him do this, or stop doing that, or ask him for information about the other. He finds that he has practically no control over his own environment. He exists in order to be governed(p.56, The English). America has it much the same and with all of this social anxiety it is no wonder the typical person finds foreigners an easy target to criticize. British people have been taught to do exactly what they are told and not to ask questions. Perhaps this is why the United States has such a good relationship with them, Americans like to tell someone to do a thing with no questions asked; it seems to work. For years these myths about the British culture have existed and no one should expect them to disappear overnight. Hopefully with the continued exchange between our cultures the people will find the truth. Someday Americans might be able to understand that cricket is just as fun as baseball, that tea is just as good as coffee, and that some reserve and politeness can be a good thing....
