Is UK still culturally influential in the 2020s?

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Suitable-Length4255@reddit

London is an alpha city that competes on the global stage. The rest of the country? Not so much lol

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Clever_Username_467@reddit

Also true of everywhere in the US that isn't New York and Los Angeles.

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"We may be a small country, but we're a great one, too. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter. David Beckham's right foot. David Beckham's left foot, come to that." Okay, it doesn't quite land, we're a fucking awful country in many ways, but we have produced some fucking amazing things, be it media or music or literature or sport. Also, and this is entirely subjective, but we do comedy better than literally anywhere else. From satire to dry, self-deprecating wit, our stand-up, sitcoms, panel shows et al just hit so much harder and *most* stand the test of time. Our comedy is so good, America tries (and fails) to recreate it with alarming regularity. They're welcome to James Corden, though. He can fuck right off.

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zainofabidiin@reddit (OP)

Thank you!

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TWL5@reddit

This post is vomit inducing

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CustardCreamBot@reddit

**[OP or Mod marked this as the best answer](/r/AskUK/comments/17ngdr9/is_uk_still_culturally_influential_in_the_2020s/k7rhy4f/), given by u/imminentmailing463** Nobody here has mentioned Premier League football yet. That's one of the most recognised and popular things in the world. You can go pretty much anywhere in the world and you'll see kids in Premier League team shirts and people watching matches on TV. > >Also in film and TV we're very influential. Think how many famous actors are British. > >Music too. Think of how many hugely successful British acts there are. Three of the biggest in the world are British in Adele, Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran. > >The City of London remains arguably the world's premier final hub, and London in general is one of the world's major cities. > >We're also a major tourism destination. > >Our higher education sector is very influential. Oxford and Cambridge are world famous. Our universities in general produce disproportionately large amounts of influential research. > >We may not be as influential as we once were but we still wield a huge amount of soft power for our size. --- [_^What ^is ^this?_](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/jjrte1/askuk_hits_200k_new_feature_mark_an_answer/)

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imminentmailing463@reddit

Nobody here has mentioned Premier League football yet. That's one of the most recognised and popular things in the world. You can go pretty much anywhere in the world and you'll see kids in Premier League team shirts and people watching matches on TV.

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zainofabidiin@reddit (OP)

!answer Thank you! Just what I was looking for

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BastardsCryinInnit@reddit

Yep, get into any taxi around the world bar North America you usually get "Ahh... Manchester United...." or "Ah... David Beckham" When they discover you're from the UK. Younger cabbies will often talk about different clubs and players, but anyone over 50 will default to Manchester United.

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AbsurdlyLowBar@reddit

I recently had to make awkward small talk with a client in Germany over a video call. When he found out I was in Sheffield he immediately asked which of the 2 football teams I supported. As a non-football fan I was praying for my colleague to hurry the fuck up so we could start the actual meeting to end my suffering.

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imminentmailing463@reddit

Exactly. And people around the world have heard of regional British cities or areas of London just because of football. It's hugely influential.

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BastardsCryinInnit@reddit

We used to live in various places around Asia, the reach of the Premier League was immense. And I also love that scene in Top Gear Burma Special where they're in a really remote village in the Golden Triangle talking about how they're the first Western faces the villagers have probably seen.... whilst standing in front of a battered Chelsea poster at a shack bar. Obviously them saying that was set up as a joke but the poster was real, and the you absolutely bet that bar showed EPL matches.

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mrhippoj@reddit

Football is a huge one that would have never occurred to me. I think you pretty much nailed it and this should be the top answer

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CoffeeIgnoramus@reddit

Agreed. I've been very lucky to travel all over the world and I can guarantee that half the time, someone will comment about their favourite football team. Often "Manchester United" although have heard Chelsea and the odd obscure (in world perspective) team.

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SomeHSomeE@reddit

What language do you speak in the US? Just askin'

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Cr4ckSm0ker@reddit

that's just admitting that the US is way more influential

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dragodrake@reddit

You are going to have to explain that logic.

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Cr4ckSm0ker@reddit

no I don't. It is straightforward.

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dragodrake@reddit

No, you really are going to have to, because it makes no sense.

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Cr4ckSm0ker@reddit

then I suggest a few reading comprehension courses

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dragodrake@reddit

Honestly, I love how bolshy you are being having made a nonsensical statement and being utterly unable to back it up. Fake it till you make it!

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Clever_Username_467@reddit

While he was losing this argument here, he was also losing the exact same argument on an Australian sub.

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Clever_Username_467@reddit

It sounds like you know you're wrong.

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BeanzMeanzBranston@reddit

If it’s so straightforward, please explain it for us simple folk.

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Basic_Memory_4233@reddit

Username checks out......

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BobbyB52@reddit

To give one example, the UK is a major film, TV, and music production hub. We also have a kinds of people just like the USA, or indeed any other country. And yes, cool shit happens here.

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AbsoluteScenes4@reddit

But a lot of the films made here that do well internationally represent nothing about British culture. A Hollywood blockbuster filmed in the UK with an American cast is still a culturally American film. The Harry Potter franchise is our biggest export and that's over 20 years old now. The biggest media exports from the UK recently have been Bake-Off and Downton Abbey. Even Doctor Who is apparently Americanising itself more in the coming new season. I can't even remember the last new British band who made it big in America. One Direction/Harry Styles maybe? And that was several years ago now.

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BobbyB52@reddit

That may well be so, but OP asked if cool shit was happening here- those are some examples of things that happen in the UK.

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AbsoluteScenes4@reddit

He asked how culturally influential the UK was. Give me any examples of the UK having any cultural influence overseas from the last 5 years. I'll wait.

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NoLove_NoHope@reddit

Drake really got into the UK rap scene and inner city London culture once upon a time. So much so that he became a producer of Top Boy or bought the rights to it or something. I’ve heard from friends that reach in Dubai that UK rap and inner city London culture is quite popular with the rich kids over there.

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BeanzMeanzBranston@reddit

Rich kids in Dubai aspiring to be road men from Tottenham. Fuckin hilarious.

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BobbyB52@reddit

I believe he bought a house in Hackney too.

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BanEvad3r@reddit

Arguably the City is the financial hub

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

Only because we allow a lot of money to be laundered here

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BanEvad3r@reddit

I bet you felt very clever typing that

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

[https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-int/21280-why-is-london-money-laundering-capital-of-the-world.html](https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-int/21280-why-is-london-money-laundering-capital-of-the-world.html) [https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/news-and-insight/press-release/fraud-abuse-position-and-money-laundering](https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/news-and-insight/press-release/fraud-abuse-position-and-money-laundering) [https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/money-laundering-london-0](https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/money-laundering-london-0) [https://www.economist.com/britain/why-is-london-so-attractive-to-tainted-foreign-money/21809124](https://www.economist.com/britain/why-is-london-so-attractive-to-tainted-foreign-money/21809124) [https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/london-or-londongrad-what-makes-the-uk-a-hub-for-global-dirty-money-122080800959_1.html](https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/london-or-londongrad-what-makes-the-uk-a-hub-for-global-dirty-money-122080800959_1.html) [https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/time-to-shut-down-dirty-money-s-london-laundromat](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/time-to-shut-down-dirty-money-s-london-laundromat) But it's the truth. It's why some much money comes through London. We're happy to clean it

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BeanzMeanzBranston@reddit

Downvoted for providing multiple sources. Redditors are an odd bunch.

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

People on this sub would rather close their eyes than admit anything the UK does isn't brilliant. Much better to ignore the problem than acknowledge it and try to fix it!

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BanEvad3r@reddit

I don’t care. It puts us top of the charts.

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

I bet you felt very clever writing that

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BanEvad3r@reddit

Just realistic.

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

You're happy our economy is built on money from people trafficking, kleptocracies, and modern slavery You sound like a nice person with nice opinions

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BanEvad3r@reddit

But realistically it’s not. Modern slavery in the U.K. is mainly seen in certain “communities” but I bet you support immigration. I’m just a patriot.

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

No I meant the money generated from it abroad is laundered in the UK. I assume you didn't bother reading any of those links The fact that you think supporting profiteering from blood money is patriotic rather than a complete failing of basic human empathy tells me everything I need to know about you. I'm not going to continue interacting with you

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CaptMelonfish@reddit

Damn, smooth.

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TheFiendDreads@reddit

Urgh, another one of you brigading lot trying to farm karma.

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bornleverpuller85@reddit

Well seeing as 15 minutes before you posted this you was interested in moving to the U.K. then yeah

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zainofabidiin@reddit (OP)

haha! I still am

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LittleBabyCamel@reddit

Brits are sensitive. U asked a question that made them defensive so now they think u hate us and can’t conceptualise the possibility that u actually don’t u just had a question

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BastardsCryinInnit@reddit

Cultural impacts are peaks and troughs. The US has been in downward flow since the late 90s I think. Influence comes and goes, and whilst the UK has waned a bit since 2016, it still has a far reach. Our news makes news across the world still even if it doesn't really deserve it. Even the cat in the wheelie bin lady made the news in Australia. I think the biggest difference is that deep down, the UK doesn't really care about having the biggest influence, it's not part of our national psyche to think we need to be influential. We just do what we so and if people like it...fandabidozi.

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KollyKibber39@reddit

Your logic is really weird. You know that the UK has rural vs urban areas, and a financial district too, right? And what does that have to do with being culturally influential anyway? It's certainly possible that we are less influential but not for the reasons you give. I think there is a strong argument that both the UK and the US are less influential now, with the rest of the world gaining on us, take music for example where Afrobeats and latin music are huge worldwide, also Korean films and music.

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jasperisland@reddit

Well, London is Europe’s financial hub (after briefly losing out to Paris, I believe). Probably about solidify that edge as bankers bonuses have been scrapped recently. We all know how that went last time(!). Culture-wise, The Lord of the Rings TV show moved here from New Zealand, which I think demonstrates the ongoing strength and talent of our film and TV industry. I would say we are probably most culturally influential in our humour, our usually relaxed, accepting good nature, despite what media outlets would try and have people believe. We have some of the world’s biggest musicians, Adele, Harry Styles etc. Though that’s just the pop culture side of things. Politically and economically, however, we are definitely less relevant now we’re outside of the EU m, as we don’t have a seat at the table in that regard. That being said, most of us are over that now and are predominantly focussed on domestic issues such as the cost of living, the climate crisis and housing shortages. Obviously this is just my opinion.

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ManyHabit8785@reddit

The cultural impact of the U.K. ebbs and flows. About every 15-20 years, for some reason, a lot of the world suddenly becomes obsessed with the culture of the U.K. It lasts about a year, and then the world goes back to hating us again.

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da96whynot@reddit

The sectors that are globally influential aren't so well liked here. We're still a major finance and legal hub. Corporate law is something we're still pretty good at, as is banking and insurance. Our university sector is also pretty top notch, able to attract some good talent from across the world to come study here. We're also pretty good in film and TV. I don't think we've had a major international drama hit since Sherlock in terms of domestic IP, but we have a massive industry that is used by major blockbuster movies to film here. But in terms of the impact of British culture on the rest of the world, it is declining and will continue to do so until it reaches a level with our population. We were able to maintain a large influence through colonialism, and as generations pass, that will become less and less of a connection.

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Cannabis_Sir@reddit

Not so much now we've stopped colonising everywhere

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hoverside@reddit

Taylor Swift stopped dating English men and started dating an American Football player from Ohio, it's so over.

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PharaohOfWhitestone@reddit

How old are you? This honestly sounds like a 9 year old pointing out random things in the US.

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zainofabidiin@reddit (OP)

I am aware of the many problems in the USA too! I was just discussing soft power and influence of the UK internationally

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TheFiendDreads@reddit

For example: https://brandfinance.com/press-releases/global-soft-power-index-2022-usa-bounces-back-better-to-top-of-nation-brand-ranking

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