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This might sound far-fetched, but memes have epic educational value. Sure, their main quality is for ze lulz entertainment that provides endless rabit-holey potential for scrolling. But a little-known characteristic is that they can be fun and educational.

Take Great British Memes, for instance. While providing comedic relief to our otherwise very serious lives, we can also take the opportunity to learn more about the UK’s culture, societal norms, and a lot of other things. If you’re that resourceful, that is.

What are you waiting for? Education awaits below! And to improve your educational experience, we've also got in touch with the man behind Very Brexit Problems and Very Finnish Problems, Joel Willans, to discuss British and other country memes.

More info: Instagram | Facebook | X

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#2

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@hannah1989__ Report

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OdetteB
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think any comments about how s***e the M62 is, is entirely justified.

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Not too long ago, we did a deep dive into the Great British Memes page. The endeavor is the brainchild of George Bacon, who’s also the man behind the GBM group social creative agency.

The meme page was created back in 2017 when Bacon was in university. The founding of the company followed in 2020 during the global COVID pandemic.

#4

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Wondering Alice
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not really Tabby, semantics are very important in my job too however in the part of the UK i live- this is the most common way for a PO guy to ask. Where I grew up (different part of UK) 'how do you want it sent' would be more common. I don't know where you are from, but in UK this exchange is completely normal.

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#6

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Brendan
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've watched it a million times, but I still haven't taken it in. Would love to leave the plane via the bouncy slide, though lol.

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Bacon explained that the page jumps on reactive and cultural things happening in the UK, which, besides the giggles, keeps the audience up to date on current events. See, I told you it was educational!

Besides that, consistency was also a key factor that added to the popularity of the page. Great British Memes posts on the daily (3 to 4 times most days), and has been for the past 6 years. Today, roughly 17,880 posts later, the page boasts nearly 1 million followers on Facebook with another 2.3 million on Instagram.

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#9

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Rosie Hamilton
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it's more sad that a supermarket has a marketing team that feels the need to tell you this.

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Great British Memes isn’t the only player out there when it comes to British memes. Another very popular page is Very Brexit Problems.

Very Brexit Problems has years' worth of unadulterated political, social and very British satire and parody wrapped into memes. And even though Brexit has been old news for a while now, there’s always something to talk about on the matter. Again, memes can teach you so much!

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#10

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Paul C.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to admit the bed bath scene with Joanne Whalley would probably have been slightly different in Harry Potter.

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#11

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arthbach
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is really important! There's no point having a hip replacement, and then putting yourself in positions that are unsafe and will damage your new hip. Be an adult, and be sensible.

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#12

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Anyone-for-tea?
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or, “I wouldn’t have gone this way” as soon as there’s any amount of traffic.

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Bored Panda got in touch with the creator of Very Brexit Problems, Joel Willans, for more context on what makes country-focused memes so great. The UK seems to be one of the internet's favorites, and there's reason for it.

From my experience creating Very Brexit Problems, I’d say there are a few reasons, which spring to mind," explains Willans. "Firstly, the UK has had such a huge influence on the modern world with colonialism, industrial revolution, culture, and language reaching the farthest corners of the globe. The British Empire sprawled across continents, stitching together a patchwork of culture and history that's now meme gold."

"Then there’s our linguistic legacy–English is the global language of billions, which makes it so much easier for people everywhere to relate the puns and word play that make English such a fun language."

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#15

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Chez2202
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to upvote breakfast for tea. Not only do I love it, I just had tea for breakfast. Vegetable lasagne. At 8.45am.

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Willans continues: "Add to that British culture, which is so loved by people, from Shakespeare's witty quips, The Beatles' toe-tapping hits, Monty Python's bonkers humor and Harry Potter magical quotes etc. There are so many globally recognizable icons, which leapfrog borders."

"I’d say final ingredient is British humor. You can see this regularly on the Very Brexit Problems Instagram and Facebook page. British humor is drenched in irony, sarcasm, and self-depreciation, it’s tailor-made for memes. Its unexpected punchlines and absurdity thrive in the meme world, delivering quick, delightful twists. In my opinion, this unique charm, combined with rich cultural references, makes British humor a perfect fit for creating shareable, relatable memes."

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#16

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Rosie Hamilton
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He was in his late 20s and the sapling was removed. The National Trust said "We understand the strength of feeling following the events at Sycamore Gap but the site is a scheduled ancient monument and a globally important archaeological setting, with Unesco world heritage designation, and altering or adding to it can damage the archaeology. It is unlawful without prior consent from government" - they're still deciding what to do but hope shoots will grow from the stump.

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#17

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Cyber Returns
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I jumped over an island with sloped curbs in a nissan micra and later reversed through a factory fence. You know the type, the ones made of metal slats. He said "OK that's enough driving" and I said "See you next week then?" His answer? "No I mean ever"

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While the UK's does have a unique flavor and reach, its meme formula can be translated to other countries as well, even if it's a smaller, more local scale. Willans explains that the key is to leverage that which makes the country's culture and humor tick. For instance, Brits have humor that's drenched in irony, wordplay, and self-deprecation. Other countries can identify their comedic strengths and adapt the memes accordingly.

"Cultural relevance is paramount," elaborates Willans. "British memes thrive on references to local quirks and historical touchstones. Likewise, successful memes elsewhere should be steeped in cultural references and shared experiences that resonate with their own people."

"British memes have an advantage because of people worldwide being able to relate to or understand lots of elements of Britishness, but other countries can use this formula, as successful memes can often transcend borders. You just need a deep understanding of one's own culture and humor, an ability to tap into shared human experiences, with a knack for humor that hits home."

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#19

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Dill
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, often you watch a film with a really great rating and wonder why anyone gave it anything more than 1 star.

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#20

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EL
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A lot of things in museums are on loan or were bought. The rest were claimed by right of conquest.

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But what about other countries? Can others live up to the potential that the UK has when it comes to country memes? Absolutely.

"To start with, I have to say Finland, just because of my own success with Very Finnish Problems, which now has over 1.2 million fans on 5 social channels," says Willans. "While Finland isn’t in any way as universally known as the UK, it does have certain relatable cultural themes commons to the human condition, namely introversion, love of personal space and stoicism in the face of tough conditions (necessary when you have 5 months of winter)."

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it should be. Bored Panda has featured its memes on numerous occasions.

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Willans continues: "Another obvious candidate would be the United States. They've got a knack for churning out pop culture that travels far and wide, from Hollywood blockbusters to iconic TV shows. What’s more, most people have an opinion about the American character and culture, and of course Americans speak English."

"It’s a lot easier to create globally resonating memes with a global language. That said, I think Japanese pop culture, from anime to quirky game shows, has already seeped into the international meme scene. Their offbeat and surreal humor resonates with a wide audience, and their national character fascinates a lot of people."

"So, while British memes have a unique charm, I think many countries have the potential to serve up some meme-tastic delights that could tickle funny bones worldwide."

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#25

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Anyone-for-tea?
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow that’s a lot of effort, I barely change my clocks for BST, I just live in the edge and have to work out if I’m an hour late, and hour early, or on time!

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#26

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arthbach
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Baked beans in tomato sauce, on toast is a quick and easy meal. It's tasty, fills you up, and it's cheap. Served with chips - that's a bit odd.

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#27

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Lucas
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She trained as a dancer... I trained as someone who'll need bandages (always been clumsy!)

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Fun fact, if you’re not yet fully caught up on the whole Great Britain vs. The United Kingdom vs. England thing, here’s a tl;dr for you:

The United Kingdom is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; Great Britain is the big island that’s home to England, Scotland, and Wales (minus Northern Ireland), and England is only one of several countries within the UK.

And if you need to get super nerdy, here’s CGP Grey’s explanation. You’re welcome.

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If you’re still here, you can either keep on scrolling, or you can also go nuts in the comment sections under the various submissions, or the big main one after the article and share your thoughts on anything and everything about British culture, society and memes.

But if you need a bigger fix, be sure to check out more from Great British Memes, and supplement that with some Very Finnish Problems and Very Brexit Problems.

#32

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XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Creme eggs are only available for one day a year, between midnight and 12:01am, apparently

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#35

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OdetteB
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can we also have a kick-a*s Trance music revival too. Begging.

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#36

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Not-a-Clue (she/her)
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And the thing we'll be most annoyed about is if they don't stand on the right on the escalators

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#37

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Cyber Returns
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They won't get banned. One day someone will look in a shop window as they pass and see their reflection. They will stop and stare mid puff and think 'Oh my god! I'm sucking a robots prick! The robot invasion has begun and they started with dirty pranks!'

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#38

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XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why the US has twice the road death rate of most of western Europe.

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#41

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Roan The Demon Kitty
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

to be fair.. a lot of the chavs do have this haircut, but then plenty of perfectly fine guys have it too, it's just a very popular style atm.

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#43

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Uncanny
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I got my licence, the local police station used to do the testing, I went on a rainy day and when I did my reverse parking, the cop didn’t want to get out of the car to check cos he’d get wet, so he said ‘That’ll do.’ The good old days. 😃

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#45

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Rosie Hamilton
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A national speed limit applies sign. 70mph speed limit on motorways and most dual carriageways and a 60mph limit on single carriageways in a car (different rules for some other vehicles eg lorries).

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#49

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The_Nicest_Misanthrope
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember these! Almost every leisure centre I went to as a kid had one near the swimming pool (Millennial here)

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#52

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Brittania Kelli
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

YES! This spider season has been nightmare fuel! They're coming in every window, not even trying to hide, and too big to do the glass and card trap to chuck them back outside. Why do we not have screens in our windows?!

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#53

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Jods
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have managed to go 2 days without spending anything. It won’t last!

#56

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Lex <3 (they/them)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I saw bp written at the top of the sign and my brain, for some reason, translated it to "bored panda"... I think I spend too much time here...

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#57

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NapQueen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or when you're on the balcony with your girls on holiday, with a smirnoff ice and playing Uno :)

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#59

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arthbach
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It literally says 'fromage frais' on the packaging! What's confusing about this?

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#60

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Mir Adwari
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mine went up but I shopped around and found a deal cheaper than I had been paying. Worth making the effort.

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#65

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Libstak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Going under anaesthetic is like imagining you are about to die. I mean you don't actually know for sure you won't be the victim of a medical mishap or be overdosed on the anaesthetic. Good news is, you really actually do not have time to truly panic before you are out cold.

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#66

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Phobrek
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thanks BP, I have no idea what the gag is here. So, why DO they censor any/everything? Does their government require it?

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#67

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Cyber Returns
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When you open the packet and take a look at the chocolate frog...I mean dinosaur inside and can't tell if it is a Deeno or a Freddo

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#77

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Paul C.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am so happy that I have never watched this and have no idea who this person is.

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#78

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