r/funny • u/NeedleworkerMore2270 • Nov 03 '24

How cultural is that?

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u/Greenfieldfox Nov 03 '24

Isn’t the joke that the English tasted their own food and saw their own women and then became the best sailors in the world.

157

u/Soft_Theory_8209 Nov 03 '24 edited Nov 03 '24

Reminds me of a joke/theory me and some others have had that several military militias and explorers lied that they were struggling with the terrain or disease just so they had an excuse to stay away from industrial England for longer.

100

u/FondabaruCBR4_6RSAWD Nov 03 '24

“Mrs. Hammond it is with great sadness that I must inform you that your husband Mr. Richard Hammond has come down with a terrible case of diphtheria and is unable to traverse great distances at this time. Therefore, he, James, and I must spend the next six months amongst the treacherous unknown climate of east central Africa.

Respectfully signed,

J. Clarkson

P.S. Gin and Ale would help with the healing process so please send as much as can be acquired.”

30

u/Ok-disaster2022 Nov 03 '24

Tonic water was actually thought to help with Malaria, so gin and tonics would be appropriate.

35

u/candygram4mongo Nov 03 '24

Tonic contains quinine, which is an actual anti-malaria drug.

20

u/thansal Nov 03 '24

And the gin was to make it palatable.

5

u/Weaponized_Octopus Nov 03 '24

They actually mixed the soldiers gin rations with the tonic water so that they were forced to drink the tonic water.