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We have a few institutions that are close to being considered legendary across the planet: NHS and BBC spring to mind. Neither of those two are perfect but the
by gerdesj 7y ago
We have a few institutions that are close to being considered legendary across the planet: NHS and BBC spring to mind. Neither of those two are perfect but they are both ground breaking and a bit subversive.
I doubt anyone not from these shores (UK) would ever peg the UKoGB as a hot bed of left wing leaning types. Our stereotype abroad is pretty fixed and pretty obvious () and also encouraged by us: tourism is a bloody good earner.
We (people in the UK) now find ourselves as rabid defenders of a left wing dream, despite our political leanings. You know why as well as I do, that we love our NHS. If I want to, I can wander into a hospital ER and will be seen to, without any discussion of money. When someone needs medical assistance, metal discs or bits of paper should not be involved - they are merely pretty things and not useful.
() I should point out here that the "British Scientists" meme in Russia (int al) is one we are aware of, and also laugh at and with. There are loads more: and we still laugh with you, because we love you.
- robocat 7y agoBritish Boffin/Scientist meme in Russia: https://siberiantimes.com/science/opinion/features/british-scientists-mocked-as-outlandish-and-zany-in-siberia/ https://siberiantimes.com/science/opinion/features/british-s... And random internet guy says: “It's seemingly a direct replacement of the Soviet-era ‘Armenian radio reported’ type of joke. [It] gained more notability in 2006 following the British reports of the polonium poisoning of Litvinenko.“
- peteretep 7y ago> It] gained more notability in 2006 following the British reports of the polonium poisoning of Litvinenko Oh, so it’s Active Measures.
- etripe 7y agoRegarding the NHS: what do you base that global legendary status on? I don't have any data, myself, but I would say its status probably applies to the anglosphere (as legendary) and probably only as middling (as compared to other European countries')
- wizzwizz4 7y agoThe NHS was one of the first, and legends are usually set in the past.
- heavenlyblue 7y agoHave you never spoken to someone British about NHS? It’s basically a religion in this country.
- namdnay 7y agoYeah it's really weird, anyone who has used the health system in France, Switzerland, Belgium or many others would never praise the NHS. Don't get me wrong, it's a decent healthcare system that runs on very little money, but it's no way near the best
- randomsearch 7y agoProbably in value for money it's the best. It's also an institution that has yet to be destroyed by capitalism, in that many people working in the NHS do so because it's a vocation and make large personal sacrifices to make it work.
- rzmnzm 7y agothat sounds terrible
- randomsearch 7y agoIt’s a noble thing to follow a vocation without being driven entirely by self interest. In contrast, once market forces were unleashed in academia, good will built over decades was lost and a lot of great people quit. Very hard to get that good will and sense of vocation back. Not everything in life has been to be run by markets driven by self interest. Some things do better without them.
- arethuza 7y ago
- dajohnson89 7y agoThat's an interesting footnote annotation.
- heavenlyblue 7y ago>> NHS. If I want to, I can wander into a hospital ER and will be seen to, without any discussion of money. And what exactly is the chance they’ll actually take care of you if you’re not in an emergency condition?