London is one of my favorite international cities because of how easy it is to get around using public transportation. Many people prefer to use the traditional black taxis, but they can be quite expensive after only a few trips. However with a day pass to the Underground, you can see almost every major place in the city except most notably, Abbey Road, for around four Quid (if I may use the vernacular). One particular aspect of the tube that is noticeable to most tourists is the oft repeated "Mind The Gap" warning over the intercom. The warning is literally referring to the space between the platform and the train.
But my interest with the saying lies not with the literal meaning but with its cultural connotations to British society. Karl Marx always predicted that England would be the catalyst of an international proletariat movement. However, we know the British never even remotely entertained such a revolution. To "Mind The Gap" is to acknowledge the difference between expectation and reality, between what can and what will be. The British survived near starvation during the 1st World War and Hitler's Blitz during the second. To "Mind The Gap" is the rallying cry of a resilient people and the source of intense national pride.
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