Life as an Immigrant in the United Kingdom: dressed in suits, refined manners, and often quoting classics... While foreigners still regard the aforementioned characteristics of the British gentleman class as the standard for a 'cultured person,' the British no longer see it that way.
Recently, a survey attempted to understand what characteristics ordinary British people believe a cultured and refined person should possess, and the answers were astonishing.
The survey revealed that going to the theater (watching plays and performances...) is the top characteristic of a 'cultured person' in the eyes of the British, followed closely by the ability to appreciate calligraphy and painting, as well as visiting cultural landmarks in their locality.
Additionally, skills such as appreciating classical music, keeping up with political current events, possessing a library card, enjoying foreign films with subtitles, and being proficient with chopsticks also ranked highly among the qualities of a cultured person.
The survey indicated that the vast majority of British people feel good about themselves. Although most respondents could not clearly articulate the exact meaning of the term 'cultured,' this does not prevent 70% of respondents from considering themselves as such.
It is evident that the standards for being cultured in the eyes of the British public are quite 'flexible.' One-fifth of respondents stated that a cultured British person should read the original work before watching an adapted film.
When it comes to vacationing, most British people believe that choosing to travel is more 'cultured' than staying on the beach to sunbathe or staying home to read and listen to records.
Short on cash for international travel? No problem. Three-quarters of British respondents comforted themselves by saying that even if they had never traveled abroad in their lives, they could still appear cultured.
The flexible thinking of the British is also vividly displayed in the survey. Although nearly all respondents expressed a desire to visit cultural sites such as research centers, historical sites, and ancient castles that would make them appear cultured, 54% indicated that they would not enter if the ticket prices were too high.
The survey also found that most British people believe they reach their highest level of culture and refinement at the age of 38; attending banquets, dining in upscale restaurants, and participating in job interviews are the three occasions where they feel the need to demonstrate their cultural refinement the most.
However, 70% of British people expressed a desire to appear more cultured, and over 30% of respondents admitted that they sometimes choose to 'pretend to be cultured' to gain a better impression from others.
Below is the ranking of qualities deemed essential for a cultured person according to the survey of British people.
1. Going to the theater
2. Ability to appreciate calligraphy and painting
3. Visiting cultural landmarks in their locality
4. Appreciating classical music
5. Watching ballet
6. Knowing which wine pairs with which dish
7. Watching the news on television daily
8. Watching documentaries
9. Being able to read sheet music
10. Having a strong interest in politics
11. Reading the newspaper daily
12. Walking in the countryside
13. Reading before bed
14. Traveling for vacation rather than spending time on the beach
15. Not missing the live broadcasts of parliamentary questioning of government officials
16. Hosting banquets
17. Having knowledge of cheese
18. Enjoying crossword or Sudoku puzzles
19. Visiting antique markets
20. Having knowledge of meat cooking
21. Watching tennis or cricket matches
22. Reading the original work before watching the film adaptation
23. Watching antique appraisal shows
24. Having a library card
25. Enjoying foreign films with subtitles
26. Visiting farmers' markets
27. Using chopsticks more skillfully than a knife and fork
28. Drinking 'appropriate' coffee, refusing instant coffee
29. Knowing the term 'quinoa'
30. Renting land to grow fruits and vegetables to eat
31. Attending music festivals
32. Collecting vinyl records
33. Reading academic papers on Wikipedia
34. Only eating locally sourced food
35. Being able to answer questions on quiz shows
36. Men wearing bow ties and women wearing brooches
37. Choosing food from the 'premium' ingredient section in supermarkets
38. Drinking herbal tea
39. Having a pure accent when speaking foreign words
40. Not buying cheap furniture from supermarkets