--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think the British carry a…" description: "\"I don't think the British carry a historical consciousness either.\" — Tom Paulin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13b/tom-paulin-20416_british_i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-histor_624686.png" --- # I don't think the British carry a historical consciousness… ![“I don't think the British carry a historical consciousness either.” quote by Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13b/tom-paulin-20416_british_i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-histor_624686.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13b/tom-paulin-20416_british_i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-histor_624686.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13b/tom-paulin-20416_british_i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-histor_624686.png) > “I don't think the British carry a historical consciousness either.” [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. British society often lacks a deep collective memory of its past, affecting identity and discourse. **In simple terms:** Britain forgets its history. Key Takeaway Cultivate historical awareness. Themes identity memory politics Mood reflective critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - education curricula - public debates - media analysis Key Concepts collective memory national narrative Questions to Reflect On - Why is historical consciousness important? - How can societies strengthen shared memory? A Different Perspective Historical narratives can be contested and politicized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British Carry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-carry-5047736/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-consciousness-1104851/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Think British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-british-526067/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [It was clear to me that the forms of consciousness of our inherited and acquired historical education - aesthetic consciousness and historical consciousness -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-georg-gadamer/it-was-clear-to-me-that-the-forms-of-consciousness-of-our-inherited/) [Hans-Georg Gadamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-georg-gadamer/) > [ \[T\]he visibility of styles is itself a product of historical consciousness. ... The very notion of "style" needs to be approached historically. Awareness of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/t-he-visibility-of-styles-is-itself-a-product-of-historical/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [I think most British people who say they can do an American accent are so bad at it. I find it excruciating. I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-think-most-british-people-who-say-they-can-do-an-american-accent/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [I think what is British about me is my feelings and awareness of others and their situations. English people are always known to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-think-what-is-british-about-me-is-my-feelings-and-awareness-of/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [“The philosopher R. G. Collingwood once observed that the past as past was wholly unknowable. What was knowable was something different: the elements of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ceri-crossley/the-philosopher-r-g-collingwood-once-observed-that-the-past-as-past/) [Ceri Crossley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ceri-crossley/) > [“Historical consciousness therefore leaves you, as does maturity itself, with a simultaneous sense of your own significance and insignificance. Like Friedrich's wanderer, you dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis-gaddis/historical-consciousness-therefore-leaves-you-as-does-maturity-itself/) [John Lewis Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis-gaddis/) > [If we don't have historical consciousness we can't really understand problems in all their dimensions, and if we can't understand problems than we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-jamieson/if-we-don-t-have-historical-consciousness-we-can-t-really-understand/) [Dale Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-jamieson/) > [“What? We feel aesthetic pleasure at a sonata by Beethoven and not at one with the same style and charm if it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/what-we-feel-aesthetic-pleasure-at-a-sonata-by-beethoven-and-not-at/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“This isn’t a matter for the eyes, it is a matter for the heart. Many signs point to a growing historical consciousness among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-isn-t-a-matter-for-the-eyes-it-is-a-matter-for-the-heart-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of the time, the British press make me ashamed and embarrassed to be British. They give others the impression that the British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-chisholm/a-lot-of-the-time-the-british-press-make-me-ashamed-and-embarrassed/) [Melanie Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-chisholm/) > [I think the British people are very, very attached to the idea that the health service is free at the point of use. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/i-think-the-british-people-are-very-very-attached-to-the-idea-that/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [I'm so patriotic, I think every British kid should have a chance to grow up to be our head of state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-hari/i-m-so-patriotic-i-think-every-british-kid-should-have-a-chance-to/) [Johann Hari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-hari/) > [I think the British people have a strong sense of what is fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/i-think-the-british-people-have-a-strong-sense-of-what-is-fair/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [I think the British audience might be more open-minded with some of my imagery and weird choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lambert/i-think-the-british-audience-might-be-more-open-minded-with-some-of/) [Adam Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lambert/) > [If you think back to the great French directors it's difficult to think of British film-makers who are comparable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/if-you-think-back-to-the-great-french-directors-it-s-difficult-to/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) ## More by Tom Paulin > [Hitler bombed London into submission but in fact it created a sense of national solidarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/hitler-bombed-london-into-submission-but-in-fact-it-created-a-sense/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [I'm kind of domestic, untidily so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-m-kind-of-domestic-untidily-so/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [In my view the European culture carries a very heavy responsibility for the creation of Israel... it is a product of both British and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/in-my-view-the-european-culture-carries-a-very-heavy-responsibility/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [Many black people I know are proud of the Irish part of their heritage - an Irish grandparent, say - but they recognise that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/many-black-people-i-know-are-proud-of-the-irish-part-of-their/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [I am not very moved by historical apologies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-am-not-very-moved-by-historical-apologies/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [Everyone who supports Israel is a Zionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/everyone-who-supports-israel-is-a-zionist/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [I went to a grim Victorian school with classes of 40 or 50 children. It was a very rigid and unimaginative education, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-went-to-a-grim-victorian-school-with-classes-of-40-or-50-children/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [Unfortunately, in the north and the south of Ireland, intolerant habits are part of the fabric of emotion, part of the identity crisis which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/unfortunately-in-the-north-and-the-south-of-ireland-intolerant-habits/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [A truly vibrant and creative culture depends on a system of education which is not divided along class and sectarian lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/a-truly-vibrant-and-creative-culture-depends-on-a-system-of-education/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [I think protest and actions have to be organised against the Israelis and their backers. There needs to be a concerted high profile campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-think-protest-and-actions-have-to-be-organised-against-the-israelis/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [I do most of the cooking. I'm kind of domestic, untidily so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-do-most-of-the-cooking-i-m-kind-of-domestic-untidily-so/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [If you spend your life with academics, when you step outside, you realise there is this huge general readership that is almost impossible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/if-you-spend-your-life-with-academics-when-you-step-outside-you/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [My parents were Northern Ireland Labour party people. We read the 'Guardian' and the 'New Statesman,' listened to the BBC. The house was full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/my-parents-were-northern-ireland-labour-party-people-we-read-the/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [Again and again, I find something eerie in many Irish occasions - the unrelenting whiteness, the emotional tribal attachments, the violent prejudices lurking beneath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/again-and-again-i-find-something-eerie-in-many-irish-occasions-the/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) > [I think attacks on civilians in fact boost morale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-think-attacks-on-civilians-in-fact-boost-morale/) [Tom Paulin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) [Explore all 31 Tom Paulin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think the British carry a historical consciousness either.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Paulin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-historical-consciousness-either/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "British" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-historical-consciousness-either/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13b/tom-paulin-20416_british_i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-histor_624686.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13b/tom-paulin-20416_british_i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-histor_624686.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13b/tom-paulin-20416_british_i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-histor_624686.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think the British carry a historical consciousness either.” — Tom Paulin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Paulin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paulin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think the British carry...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-historical-consciousness-either/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paulin/i-don-t-think-the-british-carry-a-historical-consciousness-either/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```