With over seven billion people on the planet, it is no surprise that humanity has produced an extraordinary range of different cultures. Every country has certain beliefs and traditions that contribute to creating a sense of shared identity. For example, in Japan it is customary for everyone to remove their shoes upon entering a building, be it home, school or temple. Slippers are provided for visitors entering a public building. In Russia, meanwhile, people only smile when there is a genuine reason – they don’t smile at strangers casually as in the West. There is even a proverb: only fools smile without a reason. Of course, this plurality creates the potential for culture clashes, something Russia foresaw when it hosted the World Cup in 2018. Workers involved in the event were given smiling lessons to better connect with visitors from overseas.

It is therefore strange that in Britain, a ‘multicultural’ society with high levels of immigration, culture clashes are almost never discussed. When the culture of a minority group clashes with mainstream culture, the situation is immediately labelled racist (interestingly, clashes between minorities are rarely talked about at all). One obvious example of this is covering the face. Showing the face is important in the UK, and other Western countries too. People have been willing to wear a mask for medical reasons during Covid-19, but there is still pushback. This is very different to the Middle East, where it is not unusual for women to cover their faces in public with garments including the niqab. This difference has created difficulties for some Muslim women in the UK, yet any attempt to discuss or resolve the situation gets vigorously shouted down. 

It is strange, because no-one is wrong here – there are simply cultural differences that need to be discussed and resolved. Additionally, concerns about equality and how much choice women have in wearing these garments come into play. Challenging conversions about culture clashes should be the norm in our diverse society – indeed, they are essential for its functioning. Sometimes a simple misunderstanding has occurred and everyone can learn something. Other times, a boundary needs to be set, most notably with FGM – something the authorities have struggled with. Not discussing things can tip a concern into prejudice or even racism. 

Indeed, any attempts to define our culture or set boundaries are sharply criticised, particularly by the left. It can feel like there is an unspoken rule saying that because Britain once enslaved people we must now accept every culture in the world with no issues whatsoever. This is impossible. No country or individual can be a cultural blank slate. We all have a hinterland and the huge range of people and cultures around the globe make disagreements inevitable. That we have such diversity in the UK today is a huge strength, if only we would discuss things openly. The bigger the clash, the greater the potential for opening minds. The most difficult conversations can be the most fruitful. 

Many are unclear about what it means to be British today. We talk about British values without really knowing what they are. The citizenship test is a somewhat comical example of how confused we are. Much has changed since the 1960s – Christianity is in steep decline and there isn’t the same focus on good manners that once defined our country. Indeed, we often seem to be rebelling against a ghost of an overly disciplined, emotionally and sexually repressed Brit from before the swinging sixties. Postmodernism hasn’t worked – we need narratives to define ourselves. We need to know who we are as a country today, so that new Britons are clear about the citizens they’re becoming, and that involves discussion and debate. Freedom of speech is essential to Britain, and at the heart of who we are.

Vicki Robinson
@storiesopinions