Iran’s diplomat makes a Jane Austen reference. White British male newscaster does not get it. SO much of contemporary British cultural hubris and ignorance (even of themselves) encapsulated in this clip.

While the Iranian Ambassador quotes Jane Austen, the US Minister of War quotes Pulp Fiction believing it to be The Bible.

' It's a truth universally acknowledged that a single country in possession of large oil reserves must be in want of US guardianship' 😏

Spot on

Former colonialists find it amusing that the "barbarians" are well-read and sophisticated - not the caricatures their knowledge and media systems portrayed them as...

Because Iranis are erudite. They are not mocking anyone. They are speaking to you in your language using your cultural references.

@malonebarry It is one of the most famous opening lines in all of literature, and English literature to boot! This host should be embarrassed for not having enough cultural IQ to get the reference

A *male* Iranian diplomat can casually make a Jane Austen reference, when men of *her culture* dismiss her works as not serious enough for men to read.

It's a bit embarrassing how uneducated our western leaders and journalists are. And they are completely fine with it. And it seems we as citizens are as well fine with it. Having toxic male traits is more important than having a broad education.

"The West" is discovering what it means to be at war with a nation which is better educated and more culturally sophisticated than they are, and which has a more intuitive grasp of irony and humor, too.

Sad that the female presenter gets the quote wrong…

It is a truth universally acknowledged in the book trade that men don’t read fiction written by women.

How can he be so comfortable in his ignorance?

Come on! I'm German and even I know, that it's a hint to "Pride and Prejudice"! What's wrong with british "journalists"?

Im more irritated by the woman presenters reference to "unexpected" media game of Iran, than by the doltish ignorance of the stuffed shirt next to her. Why "unexpected"? Why would we expect Iranians to be short of humour and culture?

"ya, i still dont get the Austen thing, but i'm sure he was a thoroughly thoroughly decent bloke"

I hate to bring Genders into this but as well as a dim white nepo baby not knowing stuff, this is a dim white male nepo baby not knowing stuff he sees as For Girls

It's fun watching people in the West, particularly UK and US, finding how sophisticated Iranians are, and how aware they are of the Western lifestyle and mindset. Whereas in comparison the West has little knowledge or interest in Iran. That's a large part of why Iran is winning!

He admits his ignorance but then talks over her while she explains it to him, thus ensuring his continued ignorance...

Obviously UK media teleprompter readers don't require to have a degree in English literature. iranians are highly educated, sophisticated people.

@DalrympleWill I can’t think of a more famous Line in English literature - it’s almost like he’s saying he’s close to being functionally illiterate it’s staggering he doesn’t know the reference

Jane Austen wielding serious influence over there. Big W for regency-era literature 📚

Thank you. One would think the expensively educated son of David Frost and grandson of the Duke of Norfolk, the United Kingdom’s premier peer, may be better informed. Cc @SimonPartridge .

Barbaric Iranians with their 80%+ degree educated people, bringing experts to a nuclear negotiation, speaking multiple languages, studying multiple fields, boasting high no. of women and men engineers in the world. But do they have Big Macs & KFC? Our freedoms? Don't think so.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single arsonist and pyromaniac in possession of the nuclear codes, must be in want of a fireworks display.

Iranians have a better understanding of English literature than British male news anchors. Our education system has a lot to answer for.

Pride and prejudice by Jane Austen, which I'm sure most British citizens have read

Those Iranians don't know we have mostly idiots in politics and media.

Eton-educated nepo baby.

Mr. Darcy

@Jackiew80333500 He’s a moron. How do people like this get well paid jobs in the media?

Austen being ironic, of course, intending to ridicule the "truth" (that a single man possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife) and the underlying social assumption. So it's actually the Iranian Ambassador missing the point.

I wonder if there's something in the seemingly odd choice to praise [the other side's] propaganda which recognises that Iran isn't actually our enemy, no matter what our leaders or allies may tell us?

He's just a privately educated numbskull who knows nothing of the world outside his privileged clique. Tv companies need to hire people from normal companies not stupid toffs.

What on earth does the presenter's skin colour have to do with this?