England in the 21st Century

[upsticks]

England, famous across the world as the country of Shakespeare, royalty, fair play and manners, is a nation of "overweight, sex-and-celebrity-obsessed TV addicts", according to a new tourist guide.

I'm not sure what to make of this article on England in the 21st Century.


I mean, England isn't the dry stone walls and rolling hills and apple-country it seems to suggest that it is. It isn't the magical fairytale country, where people speak slowly and clearly, and all with the same accent - the perfect RP.

We don't wear bonnets, and complain about decency.

I'm not sure we even feel so strongly about Royalty anymore. I for one, feel particularly indifferent to it (right now, at least).


But saying we are a nation of "overweight sex-and-celebrity-obsessed TV addicts"?

You forgot the Chavs.



Tell me, flist, anyone - from England or not - do you think England is overweight/sex-obsessed/celebrity-obsessed/tv-obsessed?

Comments

[gonewithoutjam.livejournal.com]

They forgot the teenage binge-drinkers. You know, those teenagers who were given a questionnaire about their drinking habits and promptly went all 'Oh yeah. I drink, like, nineteen pints a night me. At least. And take loads of drugs. And have sex in bus shelters.' Exactly like you'd expect teenagers to. Show me a teenager who can afford nineteen pints a night and I very much doubt they're in any way typical.

[glitterfairy25.livejournal.com]

Your comment genuinely made me LOL XD

good point though, if there's anything I've learnt from Psychology, it's that it's difficult to spell and that studies are always criticisable for the way they were executed. Questionnaires suck.

My teenage friends can. Well, I say "afford" I mean "spend their overdraft on".

[gonewithoutjam.livejournal.com]

As far as I can remember, the article I'm talking about referred to a study involving teenagers who weren't old enough to get an overdraft. I know wealthy people do exist, but I'm living in the middle of one of the most deprived areas in the North West and they don't exactly make up a large portion of the people I encounter. Quite a few of the people I met at uni spent their student loans on bikes or computers, which was kind of annoying for me when mine had to go on food and rent. I did meet a bit of the heavy drinking culture at uni, but it seemed very dependent on the course people were doing. Drinking a lot during the week just wasn't the done thing on my engineering course. Pretty well everyone I knew on any course who drank a lot had dropped out by third year. I tend to believe that the whole newspaper angle on drunken students only really fits the ones that end up dropping out or not doing very well, but maybe I'm just annoyed because I wasn't like that and it's not great to have people assume stuff.

[glitterfairy25.livejournal.com]

Quite a few of the people I met at Uni spent their student loans on bikes or computers, which was kind of annoying for me when mine had to go on food and rent.

yeah, I know a few people who've spent their money straight out. One used hers to pay rent for a flat which is alright I spose, but then she had to live on her overdraft for the rest of the year. Another bought a camera. One got a brand spanking new LCD TV. One got Bon Jovi tickets... My mum got annoyed with me when I bought a boxset for 20 quid! *sigh*

I tend to believe that the whole newspaper angle on drunken students only really fits the ones that end up dropping out or not doing very well, but maybe I'm just annoyed because I wasn't like that and it's not great to have people assume stuff.

Yeah, I like to assure people I'm not your usual student. I love going out and doing studenty things, but I'm not big on drinking. I find I have more fun sober, and all without the problems you get from being drunkard. But that's a whole other kettle of fish. I don't know anyone who's dropped out yet due to alcohol (poisoning, if you like), but it does sound very likely. *sigh*