LOL@gambler
Aw! Shucks! Ain't he sweet?
Oh, us Brits are terrible, but Americans are the last people on the planet who should point the finger!
If you've met Brits who find it hard to laugh at themselves, then you have met a VERY unrepresentative sample. It's the national hobby.
Of course, we laugh at other countires too, especially America as they just give us so many hours of amusement.
I work in the Netherlands, and have to tell you Americans are stereotypified as arrogant, ignorant, with no natural ability to laugh at themselves, and very poor understanding of irony or sarcasm, not by just English people, but by Dutch, German (ha! like they know), Finnish, Chinese and Spanish people I work with.
Of course, I know some wonderful Americans, have travelled in America, and know that this is exactly what it is, a stereotype.
I suppose we keep them buring as brightly this side of the Atlantic as you do over there...
... I'll just pop off and whip some peasents, before I jump on a horse and kill a fox, before retiring to my country estate for a spot of tea, and then early to bed - the Queen's popping in tomorrow!
Toodle-pip!!
People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...