Thinking about the differences in worldview between Britain and America, this John Oliver quote comes to mind:
It helps to lower your expectations. That’s a very British view of the world isn’t it? ‘Just lower your expectations.’ Here [in America] it’s ‘the sky’s the limit’ and in Britain it’s like whoa, don’t worry about the sky, just try and get through the day.
There’s something very funny about the way he describes the British view as “don’t worry about the sky.” The implication that it, too, could be a problem waiting to happen just seems right, somehow. “Hell is ’round the corner” as that husky-voiced Tricky once croaked.