London 2012: international media find grumbling Britons conform to type

from today's Guardian

We're not that bad, are we?

Could it be the rain? Maybe a couple sunny days could change things.

I can confirm that, here in E9, there isn't a cloud in the sky!

Well, okay, maybe one. But it does look like summer is making a small appearance at last.

You can see some live pictures of the Olympic Torch making its way through a sunny south-east and east London, skirting its way past the Olympic Park, at http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchrelay

We are.

Some of the moaning I have heard is pathetic (in the media, but also in the office, lifts, cabbies etc.), disgraceful and I do believe such attitudes do palpable harm to this country and its overseas image.

Get a grip, rally round, stop blaming other people and do your bit.

Above all, pull together and while the spotlight of the world's media is on us, let's talk up the many good things Britain has to offer the world.

We won't get a similar Olympic opportunity for a generation or more.

If you hear a moaning minny, don't just nod sagely; challenge them and highlight the harm this collective negativity does.

I'd say yes and no. I reckon cynicism is one of our best traits: the source of much of our humour and a protection against those who would take advantage of our good nature.

Some of the whinging about the low-level disruption does get too much, though. Come on, there are millions of ways of getting across London.

Personally, I have little interest in watching sport in general, so it's pretty much passing me by. The ongoing organisational farces are far more entertaining, and I dearly hope that the Olympic legacy will be to rid us of our reliance on profiteering race-to-the-bottom companies like G4S. Perhaps the public will notice how impressively the public sector are coming to the rescue...

The sponsorship overload is very tiresome, though. And their control freakery gives me no desire to see the sites in person. I do hope this is overshadowed by the sport very soon.

I'd say yes – or at least the British press and media are. Reading the papers, all one seems to see are dire predictions about traffic gridlock, public transport not coping, disastrous delays at Heathrow, buses taking national teams to their quarters getting lost, taxi drivers grumbling, problems about Olympic tickets, problems over supposedly improper use of the Olympic logos, end of civilisation as we know it approaching, and so on.

While all of these things (except possibly the last) are no doubt happening, we never seem to hear about any of the good things, or the excitement of the athletes or of the spectators who are arriving from around the world or from other parts of the UK. People I know are moderately excited (although I would certainly accept that the feelings are much more muted than they were in the run-up to the Queen's Jubilee in June). I suppose it remains to be seen how interested people here become in the Games once they start.

Great moaning Britain.

Not now living in the UK I can only judge by what I've seen being posted on this forum as well as on the BAEC forum so I tend to agree with what they say.....the British are a right bunch of grumpy moaning sods.
The weather has a lot to do with it.....how can you possibly be happy when having constant grey skies and it raining all the time.

It's winter here and we haven't had a spot of rain for weeks...sunny with a forecast of 22c today.....BBQ and cold beer time. I'm H-A-P-P-Y....I'm H-A-P-P-Y......

The mistake is confusing whinging with unhappiness. It really isn't!

That's absolutely true. On the other hand, papers that do nothing but moan (I am thinking particularly of the Daily Mail here, but the Guardian does a lot of moaning too from a different political perspective) are irritating. And I'm not particularly thinking of the Olympics.

Yes indeed....some people are only happy when they've got something to moan about. Of course one consequence of being like that is your opinions do tend to get ignored.

Yes. You (we) are.

Heads out of sand.

No surprise. Because... Dilbertian cultures breed...Dilbertian airlines @:-)

I think a tad more Gold Medals might brighten the mood.

We love to moan about everything. We even moan about the people moaning. It's great!

^ Ah I'm in agreement with expatHIDDY.

As for the idea of needing or wanting to "talk up" the UK, or that by failing to do so, it hurts "the national image" there's only one thing to say...an ancient British word, codswallop.

Nothing better than leaving the UK after a family visit...even on BA, there's always jouissance in getting out. Lowry, Orwell and the BA apologists set the tone of life and it's worse than grey.

On the contrary....the UK is a great place. It doesn't bother me leaving it but I always enjoy going back for visits.....and maybe some day eventually returning for good. No qualms at all.