--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here in Britain, we can get a little bit…" description: "\"Here in Britain, we can get a little bit snobby about American history. Yes, their history is not quite as long as ours. But it isn't all that short, e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/michael-portillo-5117_american_here-in-britain-we-can-get-a-little-bit_1682188.jpg" --- # Here in Britain, we can get a little bit snobby about… ![“Here in Britain, we can get a little bit snobby about American history. Yes, their history is not quite as long as ours. But it isn't all that short, either.” quote by Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/michael-portillo-5117_american_here-in-britain-we-can-get-a-little-bit_1682188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/michael-portillo-5117_american_here-in-britain-we-can-get-a-little-bit_1682188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/michael-portillo-5117_american_here-in-britain-we-can-get-a-little-bit_1682188.jpg) > “Here in Britain, we can get a little bit snobby about American history. Yes, their history is not quite as long as ours. But it isn't all that short, either.” [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. British observers may view American history as shorter, but it is rich and complex, challenging simplistic comparisons. **In simple terms:** American history is short but deep. Key Takeaway Avoid snobbery; appreciate nuance. Themes culture history comparisons Mood curious balanced Type cultural educational When to use this quote - travel shows - history podcasts - cross‑cultural dialogues Key Concepts national narratives historical depth media commentary Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of US history are often overlooked? - How can we foster mutual respect? A Different Perspective Over‑generalizing can lead to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) [Bit Snobby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bit-snobby-969008/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Either](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/either/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Quite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-quite-969007/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short/) [Snobby American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snobby-american-969006/) ## Related quotes > [Maybe it's a bit snobby, but it's as if you're a proper actor if you do stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bateman/maybe-it-s-a-bit-snobby-but-it-s-as-if-you-re-a-proper-actor-if-you/) [Tom Bateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bateman/) > [I did like history. 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Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by Michael Portillo > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [You never quite know what you do in life that leaves a seed behind that grows into an oak tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/you-never-quite-know-what-you-do-in-life-that-leaves-a-seed-behind/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [If the Tories and Lib Dems fought together, they'd keep their ministerial offices and limousines, and continue to do the right things for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/if-the-tories-and-lib-dems-fought-together-they-d-keep-their/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [Were we ever to find ourselves living under a totalitarian regime, place no faith in the mercy of your fellow citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/were-we-ever-to-find-ourselves-living-under-a-totalitarian-regime/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [America, to me, is this enormous contrast between the heady idealism of founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson, who said, 'All men are created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/america-to-me-is-this-enormous-contrast-between-the-heady-idealism-of/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [There's only one person who knows me - and that's me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/there-s-only-one-person-who-knows-me-and-that-s-me/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [I think a lot of people of my generation have a certain guilt that, from the Sixties onwards, we started taking package holidays abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/i-think-a-lot-of-people-of-my-generation-have-a-certain-guilt-that/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [Television brings with it two dangerous hazards: the worship of celebrity and the blurring of reality and fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/television-brings-with-it-two-dangerous-hazards-the-worship-of/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [People have said to me, 'Oh, you are much nicer making documentaries than you were in politics.' So I should be. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/people-have-said-to-me-oh-you-are-much-nicer-making-documentaries/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > ['Bradshaw's' is a lovely device for the time-travelling television presenter. I just hope that people buying it aren't doing so with the intention of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/bradshaw-s-is-a-lovely-device-for-the-time-travelling-television/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [King Edward VIII was forced to abdicate because he was determined to marry a divorced woman. As a result of that decision, the Queen's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/king-edward-viii-was-forced-to-abdicate-because-he-was-determined-to/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [Three letters send a chill down the spine of the enemy: SAS. Those letters spell out one clear message. Don't mess with Britain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/three-letters-send-a-chill-down-the-spine-of-the-enemy-sas-those/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [If life is a soap opera you shouldn't be in too much of a hurry to get to the final credits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/if-life-is-a-soap-opera-you-shouldn-t-be-in-too-much-of-a-hurry-to/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [Before my teens, my contemporaries were reading Tolkien and were absorbed by his works, but try as I might, I could not be drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/before-my-teens-my-contemporaries-were-reading-tolkien-and-were/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [I will say what I want to say. 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