I spent King Charles’ coronation in a pub waiting for the football to come on the TV. After the game, I went home to tickle my nieces. Rather than pretend to care about a stranger’s family, I pinched mine while they’re young enough to request that sort of tomfoolery.
Great piece Tobi, you did a great job capturing the complex feelings involved with the Crown, many things I’ve never even considered being American and a mere spectator of British culture.
Like you mentioned, an American such as myself doesn’t care too much about the Royals and yet I also found myself taking a too-long glimpse at the Coronation events. Maybe because it’s so unusual and other-worldly? Colonization and the sickening excess represented by the Royals makes me livid. But I also don’t shame Brits who were both saddened by the Queen’s passing and moved by the King’s Coronation. And (being part British), I also wonder where I’d be today without American Colonization, for better or worse. Long story short, your piece here is such a good example that we can hold conflicting paradoxical thoughts and that’s ok. Even more importantly, we can allow others to celebrate something we feel is preposterous because, for them, it brings meaning and pride. (I say that in this context... And yet if there was a lavish celebration for someone like let’s say Trump... I’d be singing a different tune! Get your celebrations out of my country!! 😂)
your wording "holding conflicting paradoxical thoughts" is so real. that's precisely the thing I wanted to convey. Like there's this idea that we're supposed to have a resolved "take" on many things but reality is more nuanced, more complicated and we shouldn't rush to condemn others who see things differently. But I do hear ya re Trump haha, I would feel the same, but that's the measure of tolerance I guess lmao
Great piece Tobi, you did a great job capturing the complex feelings involved with the Crown, many things I’ve never even considered being American and a mere spectator of British culture.
so far so good I'm yet to be kidnapped by the Royals so maybe Spicy Tobi is here to stay 😅
Like you mentioned, an American such as myself doesn’t care too much about the Royals and yet I also found myself taking a too-long glimpse at the Coronation events. Maybe because it’s so unusual and other-worldly? Colonization and the sickening excess represented by the Royals makes me livid. But I also don’t shame Brits who were both saddened by the Queen’s passing and moved by the King’s Coronation. And (being part British), I also wonder where I’d be today without American Colonization, for better or worse. Long story short, your piece here is such a good example that we can hold conflicting paradoxical thoughts and that’s ok. Even more importantly, we can allow others to celebrate something we feel is preposterous because, for them, it brings meaning and pride. (I say that in this context... And yet if there was a lavish celebration for someone like let’s say Trump... I’d be singing a different tune! Get your celebrations out of my country!! 😂)
your wording "holding conflicting paradoxical thoughts" is so real. that's precisely the thing I wanted to convey. Like there's this idea that we're supposed to have a resolved "take" on many things but reality is more nuanced, more complicated and we shouldn't rush to condemn others who see things differently. But I do hear ya re Trump haha, I would feel the same, but that's the measure of tolerance I guess lmao
Exactly! Everyone's all about the hot take. How daring to have no take or... all the takes? Ha!
I’m with you Tobi. I can’t look at British monarchy without thinking how absurd it is and how it represents a class based view of the world.