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1960

Abstract

ced back to the Victorian era, a time when restraint and a stiff upper lip were considered virtuous (despite the Victorians themselves being <i>far </i>from virtuous, whatever they’d have you believe). The ethos of ‘playing it cool’ or maintaining a ‘low profile’ has deep roots in the British psyche, mirroring a broader historical discomfort with ostentation.</p><h2 id="d62a">2. Social Norms and Class Consciousness</h2><p id="09ca">The British class system has also played a significant role in shaping attitudes towards success. Traditionally, flaunting one’s achievements was often seen as vulgar or insensitive, particularly in a society where social mobility was limited (and social mobility in Britain. There’s a strong element of egalitarianism in British culture, a desire not to appear better than others, which translates into a reluctance to showcase personal success. The idea is that one’s work should speak for itself, without the need for additional fanfare.</p><p id="43e2">It could also be said that the class system in Britain actively seeks to keep people “in their place” and therefore those of a lower standing have no right to celebrate success, however, I’ll leave a deeper investigation of this to far better sociologists than I.</p><h2 id="af2c">3. The Media</h2><p id="d543">While tabloids are not uniquely British, we’ve certainly mastered the dark art of that form of ‘journalism’. Our media long has a history of elevating people to the level of celebrity with the end goal being just to bring them crashing down again. While this peeked with paparazzi culture in the late ‘90s / early ‘00s, you don’t need to look too hard to see the delight in the press when a famous person is less than perfect…or even just perceived to be (such as Meghan Markle).</p><figure id="56c9"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*4gRoZ6OO0DQahLgc"><figcaption>I could write a 20,000-word essay on how awful the British m

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edia can be…(Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@iamromankraft?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Roman Kraft</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a>)</figcaption></figure><h2 id="5aa0">4. Fear of Envy (Tall Poppy Syndrome)</h2><p id="1ef4">The ‘tall poppy syndrome’ is prevalent in British society — a tendency to discredit or belittle those who have achieved notable success, particularly if they are perceived as being boastful. This can lead to a fear among successful individuals that celebrating their achievements might make them targets of envy or criticism. A ‘made’ person — someone who has gone from rags to riches — will often face higher scrutiny and mockery than those who have inherited their wealth and status.</p><h2 id="0c47">5. The Role of Humour</h2><p id="e6d6">British humour, with its undercurrents of irony and self-deprecation, is another lens through which this phenomenon can be viewed. Celebrating success is often downplayed with humour, perhaps as a way to ease any social discomfort or perceived arrogance that might come with it. I know I take self-deprecation to the limit (and probably beyond) so as not to appear arrogant.</p><h1 id="fbd4">Changing Times</h1><p id="8b6a">However, it’s important to note that these attitudes are evolving. Globalisation and the influence of other more openly celebratory cultures, particularly American, are slowly shifting the British perspective. Younger generations, growing up in a more interconnected and less class-conscious world, may not hold these traditional views as strongly.</p><p id="0baa">With the greater focus on mental health in today’s society, and the generational shift away from some of the less healthy aspects of British culture, perhaps we’re reaching a place where we Brits can actively encourage one another and celebrate our little wins.</p><p id="87f0">But not <i>too </i>much…!</p></article></body>

Why do the British have an issue with success?

A British perspective

After my first article on Medium made the tiniest amount of money, I shared a post on Facebook with a screenshot showing the total of my success.

In mid-November, I’d posted about how I was shocked about how much time I’d wasted on video games at my age, and how I was determined to try new avenues for creativity. This post then was not to brag, but to hold myself accountable whilst also showing that you could make money from blogging.

My first article on Medium: Hello! | by Graeme Fowler | Nov, 2023 | Medium

Amongst a few likes and quips about not retiring yet. and if I’d paid my income tax, there was a joke about how 2 people had viewed it but only 1 had read it — they’d ‘noped’ out of there. Now this was made by a close friend, and he did end with the hope for me of many more reads, but there was a laugh emoji on it from an acquaintance.

It got me (over)thinking — they had nothing constructive to add, they simply felt the need to laugh at someone’s “success”.

That prompted me to investigate this further — why do the British struggle with success?

1. The Historical Background

British culture, steeped in centuries of history, has long valued understatement and modesty. This can be traced back to the Victorian era, a time when restraint and a stiff upper lip were considered virtuous (despite the Victorians themselves being far from virtuous, whatever they’d have you believe). The ethos of ‘playing it cool’ or maintaining a ‘low profile’ has deep roots in the British psyche, mirroring a broader historical discomfort with ostentation.

2. Social Norms and Class Consciousness

The British class system has also played a significant role in shaping attitudes towards success. Traditionally, flaunting one’s achievements was often seen as vulgar or insensitive, particularly in a society where social mobility was limited (and social mobility in Britain. There’s a strong element of egalitarianism in British culture, a desire not to appear better than others, which translates into a reluctance to showcase personal success. The idea is that one’s work should speak for itself, without the need for additional fanfare.

It could also be said that the class system in Britain actively seeks to keep people “in their place” and therefore those of a lower standing have no right to celebrate success, however, I’ll leave a deeper investigation of this to far better sociologists than I.

3. The Media

While tabloids are not uniquely British, we’ve certainly mastered the dark art of that form of ‘journalism’. Our media long has a history of elevating people to the level of celebrity with the end goal being just to bring them crashing down again. While this peeked with paparazzi culture in the late ‘90s / early ‘00s, you don’t need to look too hard to see the delight in the press when a famous person is less than perfect…or even just perceived to be (such as Meghan Markle).

I could write a 20,000-word essay on how awful the British media can be…(Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash)

4. Fear of Envy (Tall Poppy Syndrome)

The ‘tall poppy syndrome’ is prevalent in British society — a tendency to discredit or belittle those who have achieved notable success, particularly if they are perceived as being boastful. This can lead to a fear among successful individuals that celebrating their achievements might make them targets of envy or criticism. A ‘made’ person — someone who has gone from rags to riches — will often face higher scrutiny and mockery than those who have inherited their wealth and status.

5. The Role of Humour

British humour, with its undercurrents of irony and self-deprecation, is another lens through which this phenomenon can be viewed. Celebrating success is often downplayed with humour, perhaps as a way to ease any social discomfort or perceived arrogance that might come with it. I know I take self-deprecation to the limit (and probably beyond) so as not to appear arrogant.

Changing Times

However, it’s important to note that these attitudes are evolving. Globalisation and the influence of other more openly celebratory cultures, particularly American, are slowly shifting the British perspective. Younger generations, growing up in a more interconnected and less class-conscious world, may not hold these traditional views as strongly.

With the greater focus on mental health in today’s society, and the generational shift away from some of the less healthy aspects of British culture, perhaps we’re reaching a place where we Brits can actively encourage one another and celebrate our little wins.

But not too much…!