3 ms·

Fyi, that's not really true. Areas with actual immigrants were the least likely to vote out. Areas with basically no immigration on the other hand voted out. h

Fyi, that's not really true. Areas with actual immigrants were the least likely to vote out. Areas with basically no immigration on the other hand voted out. https://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-how-areas-with-low-immigration-voted-mainly-for-brexit-62138 https://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-how-areas-with-low... All the "reasons" people claimed were red herrings.

1_player 5y ago
I don't know. In my experience the people hating foreigners are those that live as far away from immigrants as possible. If you live in the big city and see that Europeans, Chinese and Arabs eat, shit and look exactly like you, you'll tend to moderate any tribalistic views. The vast majority of EU haters has never crossed the Channel nor met any European in their whole life. That's how racism work.
- coolso 5y ago
  There’s also the “misery loves company” aspect that I think drives a lot of city dwellers. Furthermore it’s not just the non-immigrants who can vote in cities. The immigrants will tend to vote for the more liberal policies. So of course high-immigration areas will have more pro-immigration voting. Finally there’s the factor that, if your city is already inundated with immigrants, then it’s not like they’re going to be going anywhere even if anti immigration policies are put in place, so even if people were against them, they may just be resigned to the fact that they’re there to stay. There’s nothing to protect against, they’re already there. Those living outside of big cities see all the crime and problems that go along with living in a city and want nothing to do with it. You can call this behavior any name you want, but I think it just comes down to wanting to live a nice peaceful life with your family and not having to deal with all that city BS.
bryanlarsen 5y ago
In the States, areas with few immigrants are much more anti immigrantion than those with lots. I suspect it's the same in Britain.
thechao 5y ago
I see this in Texas: most of the Texans I know (not recent imports) are "meh" about immigration; and, illegal immigration? Eyeroll! My relatives in the Midwest where there's hardly any immigrants? - they're the ones complaining of an immigration apocalypse. Scapegoats are only easy when you don't have to look them in the eyes. I worked with enough ... poorly documented ... guys in the 1990s. They all made good with the Feds: made enough to lawyer up, strike a deal, pay some fines, sometimes go back 'home' for a few years, then go Green Card & become citizens.
- LatteLazy 5y ago
  Anecdotal but... I've heard so many pensioners complain about Polish people taking their jobs. But they're pensioners and haven't worked in years. Meanwhile people I know in construction where a lot of migrants actually work don't care. I think this whole thing was fueled by a sort of boredom mixed with fear of changes that have already happened. In all my discussions with brexiteers they claim it's about X but when you ask or point out the lack of logic suddenly it's about Y. Then Z. It's like how you can't really explain why your favourite colour is your favourite colour. Only with massive consequences for other people. I think the truth is people did it for no actual reason and then attached reasons to make it sound less crazy after the fact.
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    The alternative would be to admit that they were wrong. But that's not going to happen.
  - 123pie123 5y ago
    I had a wierd conversation that backs this up, talking to a 70 to 80yo guy, he seemed extremely fit and mental young, but as we got talking about the brexit vote he suddenly got angry/ passionate!! about how the polish are coming in and talking all the jobs, he went on and on for what seemed like ages (about 2 to 3 minutes) I asked him in a calm but intrigued way to explain more, has he lost his job or has is family been affected? He suddenly changed his demeanor from angry to very calm and passive then said there's been no immigrants to his village and he's retired, but that they might come though - I thought wtf I asked him does he read the daily express? he shrugged like, whats that got to do with anything and he said yes, the conversation moved on
tpush 5y ago
That's actually not a contradiction but a well-known phenomenon. In any given country, the area with the least immigration is often times the most vocally xenophobic.

1_player 5y ago

I don't know. In my experience the people hating foreigners are those that live as far away from immigrants as possible. If you live in the big city and see that Europeans, Chinese and Arabs eat, shit and look exactly like you, you'll tend to moderate any tribalistic views. The vast majority of EU haters has never crossed the Channel nor met any European in their whole life. That's how racism work.

coolso 5y ago
There’s also the “misery loves company” aspect that I think drives a lot of city dwellers. Furthermore it’s not just the non-immigrants who can vote in cities. The immigrants will tend to vote for the more liberal policies. So of course high-immigration areas will have more pro-immigration voting. Finally there’s the factor that, if your city is already inundated with immigrants, then it’s not like they’re going to be going anywhere even if anti immigration policies are put in place, so even if people were against them, they may just be resigned to the fact that they’re there to stay. There’s nothing to protect against, they’re already there. Those living outside of big cities see all the crime and problems that go along with living in a city and want nothing to do with it. You can call this behavior any name you want, but I think it just comes down to wanting to live a nice peaceful life with your family and not having to deal with all that city BS.

bryanlarsen 5y ago

In the States, areas with few immigrants are much more anti immigrantion than those with lots. I suspect it's the same in Britain.

thechao 5y ago

I see this in Texas: most of the Texans I know (not recent imports) are "meh" about immigration; and, illegal immigration? Eyeroll! My relatives in the Midwest where there's hardly any immigrants? - they're the ones complaining of an immigration apocalypse. Scapegoats are only easy when you don't have to look them in the eyes. I worked with enough ... poorly documented ... guys in the 1990s. They all made good with the Feds: made enough to lawyer up, strike a deal, pay some fines, sometimes go back 'home' for a few years, then go Green Card & become citizens.

LatteLazy 5y ago
Anecdotal but... I've heard so many pensioners complain about Polish people taking their jobs. But they're pensioners and haven't worked in years. Meanwhile people I know in construction where a lot of migrants actually work don't care. I think this whole thing was fueled by a sort of boredom mixed with fear of changes that have already happened. In all my discussions with brexiteers they claim it's about X but when you ask or point out the lack of logic suddenly it's about Y. Then Z. It's like how you can't really explain why your favourite colour is your favourite colour. Only with massive consequences for other people. I think the truth is people did it for no actual reason and then attached reasons to make it sound less crazy after the fact.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  The alternative would be to admit that they were wrong. But that's not going to happen.
- 123pie123 5y ago
  I had a wierd conversation that backs this up, talking to a 70 to 80yo guy, he seemed extremely fit and mental young, but as we got talking about the brexit vote he suddenly got angry/ passionate!! about how the polish are coming in and talking all the jobs, he went on and on for what seemed like ages (about 2 to 3 minutes) I asked him in a calm but intrigued way to explain more, has he lost his job or has is family been affected? He suddenly changed his demeanor from angry to very calm and passive then said there's been no immigrants to his village and he's retired, but that they might come though - I thought wtf I asked him does he read the daily express? he shrugged like, whats that got to do with anything and he said yes, the conversation moved on

tpush 5y ago

That's actually not a contradiction but a well-known phenomenon. In any given country, the area with the least immigration is often times the most vocally xenophobic.