Post by Cornwallgirl on May 23, 2007 12:25:40 GMT 1
Britain obsessed with fame, addicted to junk food: Lonely Planet guide
Britons are obsessed with celebrity and addicted to junk food and ready meals, a new travel guide said as it shed a sometimes unflattering light on the country.
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The Lonely Planet guide noted that more people vote in television talent shows than in elections, saying this was "a symptom of Britain's ever-growing obsession with fame and celebrity."
Britons are fascinated with famous people "even though their 'celebrity' status is based on little more than the ability to sing a jolly tune, look good in tight trousers or kick a ball in the right direction," it noted.
Like many foreign observers, the guide noted Britain's particular problem with alcohol. "Vandalism and nuisance behaviour caused by binge drinking remain serious problems," it said.
On the food front, the guide asserted that Britons eat more junk food and ready meals than all other European countries put together.
All was not lost in gastronomic terms, however. "Without doubt you can find great food in Britain. It's just that not all the Brits seem to like eating it," the book said.
And there are some other good points, including Britain's multiculturalism, which has tempered some traditional stereotypes.
"Brits are just as likely to tuck into a chicken madras as a Sunday roast, or to check out the Notting Hill Carnival rather than Trooping the Colour," said co-ordinating author David Else.
"Everyone can find something which suits them," he said, also hailing how Britons' exposure "to different religions, festivals, music and food allows Brits to experience so many other cultures without even leaving the country."
"We need to revel in this diversity as this is the future of Britain," he said.
Source: Yahoo! News
