Since the Salisbury poisonings, something has become horribly clear to me: Britain has lost its patriotism. I’m not talking about all of Britain, but my generation – the much-discussed millennials.
Among people my own age (I’m 29) there has been barely a squeak of outrage over Russian agents poisoning people on British soil.
In fact, in 2018 it’s rare to hear any millennial talk about Britain unless they’re being sniffy about it. If you want to gain kudos at the dinner parties I go to, just say something like ‘Britain’s broken’, and everyone will probably clap.
Since the Salisbury poisonings it has become horribly clear Britain has lost its patriotism. Pictured is the scene of Sergei Skripal’s home
Mr Skripal, right, and daughter Yulia, left, were poisoned by Novichok earlier this year
Alexander Petrov (left) and Ruslan Boshirov (right) are suspected of carrying out the poisoning
I’ve actually heard several millennials say our country is as bad as Russia, almost causing me to spit out my avocado toast.
There are alarming numbers of young people who think Britain, capitalism and everything else associated with Western culture absolutely stinks.
Many now flirt with politics that threaten our country, with Marxist ideas increasing in popularity.
Some think it’s time to give Communism another try. I say, like Elizabeth Taylor with marriage, it was doomed after the first go.
These ideological delusions are why few care that Jeremy Corbyn barely batted an eyelid over Salisbury, nor that his first instinct was to doubt British intelligence.
They love him because he promotes and perpetuates the millennial mindset of hating Britain, as well as mistrust over anything the Government says.
In January, a group of university students stormed into a Winston Churchill-themed cafe in London, shouting and telling the owners to change their ‘offensive branding’. The owner said at the time: ‘As far as I am concerned, if you cannot celebrate Britain and great Britons you are just erasing history’.
Never mind that Churchill saved us from Hitler, these young people despise everything, and anyone, representing Britishness.
Of course, millennials aren’t the first generation to be unpatriotic.
Back in the 1970s, punks called the monarchy a ‘fascist regime’. And in 1933, students at the Oxford Union famously voted that ‘this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country’.
But, when it came down to it, previous generations have been prepared to stick up for British values, even taking up arms when necessary.
This would not happen nowadays, not least because millennials would be useless fighters, more interested in playing Pokemon Go on their iPhones.
Come World War Three, you’ll find them all hiding on Jezza’s allotment. Part of me understands why my age group doesn’t like Britain very much, not least because I graduated two years after the financial crisis.
It’s hard to feel passionate about a country where you can’t even dream of buying a home. We millennials definitely deserve our own violin orchestra at times.
But we are also products of modern universities, dominated by Left-wing professors encouraging suspicion about Western values.
PHILOSOPHY BEATS SELFIES
Tess Holliday, the size 24 American model, has had a busy month.
To start with, she became the first plus-size model to go on the front of Cosmo magazine, right.
Then she posted an underwear selfie, gaining even more publicity.
Her critics say she’s overweight. For me, that’s not the issue – it’s this whole body positivity obsession that’s the problem.
The body positivity movement is meant to empower women but it is utterly contradictory
The body positivity movement is meant to empower women to bare their bodies, warts and all.
But it is utterly contradictory, in that it actually reinforces the idea that we are defined by our bodies. We’re not – we’re much more than that.
I wish young girls would spend as much time thinking about philosophy as they do taking selfies.
On Twitter, there is a page highlighting what sort of topics degree students now study, most of which inspire warped thinking. One, for instance, examines the role of milk as a ‘symbol of and tool for white dominance and superiority’. Another examines ‘ecosexuality’ (no, I haven’t got a clue either).
There are countless other bizarre courses. Imagine how detached from reality these are making the young become.
To make matters more toxic, student teaching hours have decreased rapidly, so lots of the nation’s youngsters have hours on end to nurture their many grievances.
But, sorry snowflakes, it’s time to quit the self-pitying paranoia, and get with the real world.
There are so many advantages to living in Britain, which is why half the planet wants to move here.
We can kiss who we want, write what we like, and spout our political opinions without being thrown into jail. That’s in contrast to Russia, where Pussy Riot protesters – mainly made up of women around my age – have been locked up. Earlier this month, one of the group’s male activists was allegedly poisoned.
Because we’ve been so cossetted, never having to face the hardships or horrors of previous generations, we millennials have lost sight of our luck. I just wish more would realise this. And that it’s not a nationalistic thing. Being British is simple. It probably means you like tea. And complaining. And you’re not very good at dancing.
But generally, what unites us are liberal values, with a large dollop of common sense.
It’s time patriotism had a revival.
It’s time it was cool to say I’m British – and proud.
Is Boris’s girl a turn off? Never!
Labour MP Lisa Nandy has warned that the media coverage of Carrie Symonds, Boris Johnson’s ‘friend’, might stop young women wanting to go into politics. I rather think the opposite.
Carrie Symonds, pictured, will not stop young women going into politics
Carrie is young, glamorous and political. Those words don’t often go together.
At a time when so many complain about the ‘male and stale’ parliamentary line-up, Carrie will inspire, not repel.
My secret crush…on Philip May
A shocking confession: whenever someone asks who my dream man is, I secretly think Philip May.
Granted, he’s not Brad Pitt but dare I say Philip is the perfect feminist husband.
Whatever horrors the world throws at her, Theresa can depend on him to hold her hand and smile as if Sunshine, Lollipops And Rainbows was playing in the background.
When he gave her that hug after last year’s Tory conference – the one with the lost voice and collapsing set – I melted. Forget bad boys, we all need a Phil.
There’s a real sexist edge to much of the vitriol aimed at Mrs May – most of it on Twitter from people who I’m sure think of themselves as right-on and supportive of women.
But they’re not as bad as Donald Tusk, who posted a photo of himself offering Mrs May a cake, with the caption: ‘A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries.’
Would he have done this to a bloke? Never. Tut tut, Tusk!
At the Emmys last week, US director Glenn Weiss proposed to his girlfriend.
What a refreshing change from celebrities banging on about Trump and climate change.
Director Glenn Weiss pictured proposing to his girlfriend at the Emmys last week
The Howard League for Penal Reform has suggested making sentencing more lenient for under-25s because they are still maturing. Tough.
I’m sick of moped crime in my area – if youngsters have to grow up in prison, that’s their problem.
Tens of thousands of students are graduating from British universities without basic maths skills, according to the OECD’s education director.
Jeremy Corbyn will be delighted – it’ll make his dire economic plans much easier to sell.