Paddington 2 and our last chance to save the British way of life.

There is a huge difference between Britain and America. While the Marvel franchise make films of street-savvy muscle-bound all-American-heroes we made Paddington 2 featuring a young Peruvian foster bear. Both fast-paced action films with heroes and villains but where our villain ends up leading a song and dance routine in prison. Notice the zeitgeist difference, one ‘be afraid’ the other ‘be polite.’ Polite is almost negative these days but it encompasses many virtues, consideration, fairness, generosity and an implied equality where acting well benefits everybody. It’s become embedded in our English psyche from our long, often bloody history. America, barely 250 years old, founded on the hardship and struggle to master the land and its indigenous people is brash, expansionist and fearful of weakness. Comparing Spider Man and the Hulk et al with Paddington might at first appear not comparing like with like but considering these two different histories the comparison makes more sense. But Britain is in fundamental danger of being infected by the American zeitgeist and sucked into the ‘special relationship’ we supposedly have and is eschewing our bond with Europe and our long joint histories. We already have Trumpian Boris who like his mentor incessantly paints everything in outrageously glowing colours irrespective of reality, who has already lied and cheated to get into power. Like Trump he’s already filled his government with far right lackeys and like Trump he will promise sweeteners and reforms that will later dissolve. But with a no-deal Brexit Britain will become a powerless pawn in an American ‘trade deal’, a dumping ground for American products and American corporations to take over the NHS, elderly care etc. But even worse Britain will be infected with an all American fearfulness. To give up Paddington’s fairness, generosity and delight for Avengers: Infinity War would make me sick to my stomach and angry as fuck.