Depression Understood Forums

It's quite possible that people outside the United Kingdom have never contemplated the vital role that the British weather plays in bring the British people together.
There is an old saying that God made the British weather as changeable and unpredictable as it is, because otherwise the socially-reserved British would never talk to each other! Imagine, that you're meeting someone for the first time, you know nothing about them. How can you break the ice? What subject can you talk about with total safety, and immediately be sure of finding common ground? The weather!
( For example, as I sitting here in the library, it's raining cat's and dogs, outside. I can hear the rain against the windows. )
The British weather is an ideal, not-threatening, way of bonding with another person. If, for example, you're standing at a bus stop with another person that you don't know. What do you do? Ignoring them, might seem unfriendly, but you don't want to seem intrusive. So, you make a simple declarative statement about the weather. EG: What a too-hot, too-wet, non-existent Summer we're having. It's virtually impossible for anyone to disagree with you, or be offended. If they choose not to reply, then at least you've made a friendly gesture. And, there are few better ways for two British people to engage in a moment of social solidarity than to spend a pleasant few minutes grumbling about the heavy rain, lack of rain, coldness of rain, unreliability of buses in the rain etc..........
This is an advantage other nations frankly lack. In California, for example the weather seems to hardly vary at all. So, such a conversation would be almost impossible. Robbing, Californians of a valuable shared subject of conversation, and a wellspring of social solidarity.
Although, I'd be the first to admit that I do have a somewhat idiosyncratic worldview!

our weather is indeed unique and an endless source of wonder / complaining. i cannot remember the last day this november it hasn't p***ed down.

another part of our culture which I think is very unifying and important to us Brits - tea.........

p.s. like your doctor who quote, my boyfriend is a huge fan, we have loads of action figures of the oods, cybermen, clockwork man and of course the doctor himself...

Oh, yes, tea plays a vitally important part in British culture.
I often think of an incident that I read about in a book about the Soviet blockade of Berlin after WW2. Even though Berlin was deep within the Soviet zone of occupation, Berlin was divided into four zones, a Soviet zone, a French zone, a US zone, and a British zone. the Soviets wanted to force the other three nations out of Berlin, and harassed them as much as they could without causing an overt break with the other three countries.
One day an American Army officer in a jeep was driving in the British zone of Berlin. Two Soviet jeeps appeared and tried to run him off the road. He managed to reach a British army post, ran inside and breathlessly explained that he was being chased by the two Soviet jeeps. Of course, the British army reacted immediately! They made some tea.

hee hee, sounds about right! hope they served him some scones and crumpets too

Bit of a *bump*..

I see we had the usual countrywide meltdown following the recent snow. We are horrendous at weather! Such a shame I don't drink tea..

I challenge you that Newfoundland weather is way more changeable. There is a saying if you don't like the weather here just wait 10 mins and it will change. I have seen sun, rain and snow all in one day. You always have to dress in layers because you never know what it is going to be like from one hour to the next.

I'm American but my fiance is from England... I've been there. I hear you all about the weather! He loves the American weather because even though the winter is cold, it is sunny.

And tea... boy he loves his tea!!! I know exactly when he wants it. Did I say wants it? More like needs it! Just one more thing to love about him though...

And England is... beautiful, to say the least. I know it is damp there, but the rain is the reason everything there is green with life.

Just wanted to add that... great thread.