Rough on England

[Hum]

On the minus side, England is a nation of ?overweight, binge-drinking reality TV addicts?, according to the latest edition of a top-selling tourist guide.

It accuses the English of being quarrelsome, contradictory and ?obsessed with toffs and C-list celebrities?.

But before Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells starts spluttering into his Earl Grey, it should be said that the Rough Guide to England pays the country plenty of compliments as well.

For example, England is ?also a country of animal-loving, tea-drinking, charity donors, where queuing remains a national pastime and bastions of civilisation, like Radio 4, are jealously protected?.

The cradle of Shakespeare, Newton and Dickens is described as deeply conservative yet having ?a richly multi-ethnic culture? whose people's ?warmth is in the humour, a sort of national solidarity that is bred in the bone?.

While it highlights a perpetual collision of culture, class and race, it says the country does still manage to ?fit together?. London is praised as a ?colossal, frenetic city? with ?a unique aura of excitement and success?.

The guide concludes with the slightly back-handed compliment that: ?Of the 200-plus destinations across the world that Rough Guides covers, there is none so fascinating, beautiful and culturally diverse, yet as insular, self-important and irritating, as England.?

It does not name the ?C-list celebrities? dragging down the nation but may well have had the likes of Jade Goody, Wayne Rooney and Girls Aloud in mind.

The warts-and-all assessment by the ?15.99 guide, which is published around the world, was taken in good part by the tourism body, Visit Britain, yesterday.

?I think readers of the guide would recognise these comments are tongue-in-cheek,? a spokesman said. ?Our sense of humour is one of the many reasons, along with heritage and culture, that people come here. ?The comments demonstrate the quirkiness of the English personality that is so attractive to many visitors.?

The guide lampoons the national obsession with the weather, saying: 'A two-day cold snap is discussed as if it were the onset of a new Ice Age and a week above 25 degrees starts rumours of a drought.'

It also highlights contradictions, pointing out: ?It's a nation that prides itself on its patriotism - yet has a Scottish prime minister, an Italian football coach and a Greek royal consort.?

A vigorous debate on heavyweight political issues such as immigration, terrorism and street crime is ?served up with liberal dollops of celebrity chit-chat?.

Fish and chips has long given way to chicken tikka masala as the favourite dish, and while all things European tend to be distrusted ?the English increasingly embrace a continental lifestyle?.

The guide suggests only a sense of humour allows the English to negotiate these contradictions, as well as cope with overcrowded roads and ?risible? public transport.

Some of the other comments might test that sense of humour, however.

?The English have become obedient-consumers rather than active citizens, with brand loyalty the nearest thing to religious/spiritual belief,? says the guide.

?The English may have more material goods than they ever have had before, but they also swallow antidepressants by the bucketload.?

The Rough Guide also warns tourists that the English are 'the most contradictory people imaginable adding: ?However long you spend in the country you'll never figure them out?.

The Rough Guides series was founded by Mark Ellingham some 26 years ago after he was unable to find a suitable guidebook for a student trip to Greece.

The company was sold to Penguin in 2002.

source

[stezo2k]

I couldnt agree more. I'm ashamed to be english

[leesmithg]

On the minus side, England is a nation of ?overweight, binge-drinking reality TV addicts?, according to the latest edition of a top-selling tourist guide.

It accuses the English of being quarrelsome, contradictory and ?obsessed with toffs and C-list celebrities?.

But before Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells starts spluttering into his Earl Grey, it should be said that the Rough Guide to England pays the country plenty of compliments as well.

If I got on a train to Tunbridge Wells, I leave from Tonbridge, it stops at High Brooms then Tunbridge Wells.

When you come out of the station, if you turn right and go down the hill it's full of ?2,000,000 (average) priced homes, full of toffs and wealthy people.

However you turn left out of the station to go up the hill towards the high street, the house prices decrease and you come to chav-town.

The article is true, (I don't fit into it like quite a few people don't), England to me is full to the brim of racists, bigots, homophobes, xenophobes, layabouts, obese, drunk, drug dependent morons.

They idolize celebs, they prefer fake tans and they live in a make believe world to which Jade Goody is their I guess the article is correct.rect.

[Stonkwell Bogtrotter]

I couldnt agree more. I'm ashamed to be english

**** off somewhere else then! :crazy:

Edited May 10, 2008 by bmaher

[dysmatik]

On the minus side, England is a nation of ?overweight, binge-drinking reality TV addicts?, according to the latest edition of a top-selling tourist guide.

+

RE: stezo2k

I couldnt agree more. I'm ashamed to be english

Please man....I live in the midwest states, in the one known for beer and cheese....2nd most overweight state to Texas last time I checked....probably most beer consumed too....I'm not asham:D :D

[mad_onion]

yeah unfortunately that is quite a good representation. i don't identify myself as English and tbh i don't really see why i should be. i know i'm British because that's my citizenship and by definition that also makes me European but there doesn't seem to be a defintion of being English so i'm not which is good for me because i would rather not have these negative connotations applied to me if possible.

[Azusa]

yeah its sad that chavs are now in the majority.

[dysmatik]

yeah its sad that chavs are now in the majority.

oh, there is plenty of those in the states....except they call them different things here.....

[That Guy Veteran]

This article isn't really referring to many of us Brits here, as simply by posting on this forum it's safe to say your computer literate, and so probably sensible.

However, when I imagine aw typical British women, I can picture them reading some crap gossip trash (like Heat, etc), talking to their friends all day about Amy Winehouse, and acting all nice to the gay next door then smiling to her friends when his backs turned.

It missed the youth of today in my opinion.

Other than that, fair article, I say.

[Azusa]

oh, there is plenty of those in the states....except they call them different things here.....

yeah but one thing about chavs is they are every social problem in the US rolled into one.

[Guest]

I recently had two weeks in Fuerteventura. We were staying at the south of the island where its mostly German. We hired a car and drove to the north of the island where the brits all stay. We stayed for 30 minutes before driving back again. I was glad that we were surrounded by the Germans. Seeing the other side of the island brought memories of Skegness with the same people minus the tracksuits. If the guys weren't shirtless they would be wearing some sort of football top. I'm not sure what it is be we certainly are a funny nation. Having said that I was glad to get home although it would have been better hadn't my house been broken into and had stole my new 42" TV and company car. Welcome home I guess...

[dysmatik]

yeah but one thing about chavs is they are every social problem in the US rolled into one.

Yeah, they're a major problem here in the states, especially in the cities. They're everywhere and usually up to no good or trying to prove how bad ass they can be :ermm:

That's why I have a little more heart towards the emo kids (see neowin frontpage) .

I'd much rather see someone be "emo" than a "chav" any day. And it's not that I have a problem with anyone liking hiphop, I just think it's ridiculous when someone from the suburbs or someone "well off" acts like they're from the hood. And I do have friends that like hiphop but don't act like chavs. Hell, I grew up in the city and I listen to industrial/noisy stuff. To each their own I guess.

Edited May 10, 2008 by dysmatik

[That Guy Veteran]

Yeah, they're a major problem here in the states, especially in the cities. They're everywhere and usually up to no good or trying to prove how bad ass they can be :ermm:

That's why I have a little more heart towards the emo kids (see neowin frontpage) .

I'd much rather see someone be "emo" than a "chav" any day. And it's not that I have a problem with anyone liking hiphop, I just think it's ridiculous when someone from the suburbs or someone "well off" acts like they're from the hood. And I do have friends that like hiphop but don't act like chavs. Hell, I grew up in the city and I listen to industrial/noisy stuff. To each their own I guess.

+1

Although, I can't stand 'emo' as a fashion :x

[Lant]

There are so many things I just couldn't help laugh at here :D (too many of them were just sadly true)

For example, England is ?also a country of animal-loving, tea-drinking, charity donors, where queuing remains a national pastime and bastions of civilisation, like Radio 4, are jealously protected?.

Tea-drinking may be the age old stereotype but so far the only tea shop I've ever seen was in America in a place pretending to the in the UK, and the only time I've ever drunk tea was on an airplane, but the queuing passtime is t:pe :p

The guide lampoons the national obsession with the weather, saying: 'A two-day cold snap is discussed as if it were the onset of a new Ice Age and a week above 25 degrees starts rumours of a drought.'

This is also true, but ****es me off that every time the temperature hits about 20, it means we are all about to die of thirst so we must stop using the hose pipe.

It also highlights contradictions, pointing out: ?It's a nation that prides itself on its patriotism - yet has a Scottish prime minister, an Italian football coach and a Greek royal consort.?

Hmmm... I don't really know about patriotism much, we really aren't (well compared to America). But we are so multi-national (in London anyway) that I'd be confused if we didn't have all those things

[dysmatik]

+1

Although, I can't stand 'emo' as a fashion :x

I agree when in extremes but it doesn't bother me as much as some fashions.

Edited May 10, 2008 by dysmatik

[Fred Derf Veteran]

I had to look up what "toff" meant. For others who need the help:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=toff

[leesmithg]

**** off somewhere else then! :crazy:

Why don't you.

[Angelic Marge]

Well I'm happy to live in England and that's all that counts :laugh:

[kernatch]

Why don't you.

This post killed me.

[metallithrax]

England to me is full to the brim of racists, bigots, homophobes, xenophobes, layabouts, obese, drunk, drug dependent morons.

And?

Is it surprising when all we see is peopel coming here from abroad, getting houses and benefits before English people. Hell, they even claim child benefit for kids that still live abroad. And i know it isn't their fault, it's the system. But can you blame people for being the way they are?

And with things like this happening

On 18 January Lord Justice Hughes made the order for the recovery of the full costs of the defence of the race-hate charges, estimated in excess of 1 million pounds. This judgement was based on his view that "the story I have been told today (by Abu Hamza) is simply not true" that he had no share in a ?220,000 house in Greenford, west London. Abu Hamza had claimed it belonged to his sister. The court also found that Abu Hamza was contributing ?9000 a year for private education for his children.

And he was on benefits!! His family are still getting crap loads in benefits whilst English people are on and below the poverty line.

The system in this country ****ing sucks, but I am proud to fly my flag.

[ShaneSparky_YYZ]

England to me is full to the brim of racists, bigots, homophobes, xenophobes, layabouts, obese, drunk, drug dependent morons.

A lot of places are like that in the world, not just England if that's the case. Thank the media/politics/religion that makes us like that.

We're all screwed up by different values we're brought up on and end up hating each other and drink a pint or snort something to getaway from the reality of life. It's a shame a lot do it.

[FloatingFatMan]

**** off somewhere else then! :crazy:

Actually, I can understand stezo2k's shame at being British to an extent. When I look at the binge drinking, the chavs, the racial attacks, and most of all, the stupid political correct brigade crapping on people when they even THINK about doing patriotic things like showing the Union Jack, then I too become ashamed of being British. Hell, I know first generation immigrants who are more patriotic to England than a lot of the "natives".

Don't get me wrong, I love my country and I consider myself a patriot, but I really don't like the way we've been heading in the last decade or so... We seem to have lost a lot of the national pride we once had...

[kernatch]

Being British is like being Greek, except your parents ****ed in Britain and not Greece.

[MightyJordan]

I couldnt agree more. I'm ashamed to be english

+1. Labour have really turned this country to crap. The sooner the Tories get in, the better.

[Guest]

That's been Labours way for years. Cons put the country right then Labour come and undo it all. Repeat. Labour have nice ideas sadly you can just keep taxing people to pay for them.