Lonely Planet **** us off

Tunney · 23 May 2007 at 12:21

cleanbluesky said:
I don't know the specific levels of each group (or how to find them, or even how to measure them) but I can say that if we were to choose a single one and suggest that it is exclusively representative is a charicture without valid reasoning. You have to ask what agenda someone would have in order to examine Britain as nothing more than a negative charicature.

I'd suggest that a tourist would notice the loud lager lout watching the football on the pub TV more than the quiet wine-sipper in the corner reading a newspaper. It's hard to define a nation in a couple of paragraphs, but I'm sure that certain things stand out more than others to visiting tourists.

And their agenda? Probably selling travel guides.

D.P. · 23 May 2007 at 12:49

Chrisp7 said:
Pretty fair commentary by the LP if you ask me.

agreed, I really couldn't disagree with what it said in those quotes.

V4NT0M · 23 May 2007 at 13:02

I'd pretty much agree with everything in that article.

cleanbluesky · 23 May 2007 at 13:12

To those who are agreeing with the article snippets, you are taking a very narrow view - to say that such things are any more typical than any other aspect of British culture is selective indeed.

Some have suggested that a tourist would experience these aspects most, but if they are seeking the worst parts of Britain they aren't particularly good journalists.

Christo · 23 May 2007 at 13:15

cleanbluesky said:
To those who are agreeing with the article snippets, you are taking a very narrow view - to say that such things are any more typical than any other aspect of British culture is selective indeed.

Some have suggested that a tourist would experience these aspects most, but if they are seeking the worst parts of Britain they aren't particularly good journalists.

Of course its a narrow view! Its a 'summary'

and unfortunately its a view of Britain people have.

cleanbluesky · 23 May 2007 at 13:21

Chrisp7 said:
Of course its a narrow view! Its a 'summary' and unfortunately its a view of Britain people have.

Which people? It seems to be a popular view amongst people here, although I can only mark this up in part to self-loathing.

platypus · 23 May 2007 at 13:29

kkthxbye said:
harsh, every country has bad points, could read something like that about almost all G8 countrys not just ours.

Exactly. What a crock of ****.

Rich_L · 23 May 2007 at 13:30

Thought it was quite amusing, pretty much in line with the self-deprecating British sense of humour

Besides, anything that lowers expectations of tourist girls is a good thing, makes them easier to impress

Tunney · 23 May 2007 at 13:31

cleanbluesky said:
Which people? It seems to be a popular view amongst people here, although I can only mark this up in part to self-loathing.

"Vandalism and nuisance behaviour caused by binge drinking remain serious problems,"

That's the biggest problem in the area that I live in. It's not self-loathing, it's fact. I love living in London but I don't deny it's got some major problems.

The article actually mentions one of the reasons I love living in London - the varied cuisine and music on offer.

Christo · 23 May 2007 at 13:33

cleanbluesky said:
Which people? It seems to be a popular view amongst people here, although I can only mark this up in part to self-loathing.

Visitors! And with my own eyes - I see the good bits of Britain but I also see the streets of the UK on a Saturday night.

Mr.Clark · 23 May 2007 at 13:43

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.

Good points there. It's disappointing, actually, that so many people are that shallow.

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.

True again. Visit any major city or town on a Friday night and you'll see it.

On the food front, the guide asserted that Britons eat more junk food and ready meals than all other European countries put together.

I don't know about that... I suppose it could be true...

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.

Again, probably true

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.

I think this is a good thing as well...

They could have put a few more positive things in as well. The scenery, the history, the people that aren't categorised above...

Kell_ee001 · 23 May 2007 at 14:01

This has just been on our local news as apparently Newcastle got a pretty good reveiw in the latest books although online I can only find this excerpt.

Northern soul at its loudest, burgeoning, cultural best.

Forget coal slags, Get Carter and the bleak days of yore. Newcastle has tidied itself up, put on its best glad rags and invited the rest of the world round for drinks. Geordies know how to party, and they do so with an irrepressible energy that borders on the irresponsible.

Van_Dammesque · 23 May 2007 at 14:10

Kell_ee001 said:
This has just been on our local news as apparently Newcastle got a pretty good reveiw in the latest books although online I can only find this excerpt.

Quite contradicting becasue they were slagging off the UK for being binge drinkers - and now prasing the drinking culture in newcastle! And living in the city centre everynight is binge drinking night!!!

manoz · 23 May 2007 at 14:12

Skyfall said:
I'd pretty much agree with everything in that article.

Yeah more now then ever.

Kell_ee001 · 23 May 2007 at 14:14

Van_Dammesque said:
Quite contradicting becasue they were slagging off the UK for being binge drinkers - and now prasing the drinking culture in newcastle!

You're correct on that particular excerpt being contradicting, although I believe the full passage focuses more on actual cultural improvement than the drinking culture, or so the news was saying anyway.

Beren · 23 May 2007 at 14:25

If they were judge and jury I'd probably have to say 'Fair cop Guv'

I live in a nice country town in Suffolk, on Monday night I had cooked a nice meal and was sitting and having a glass of wine indoors where a journalist couldn't see me... and a bunch of chavs came past drunk at just gone 11pm ripped up the to let sign from next door and used it to smash up the nearest phone box! Which of these can anyone see?

If I was visiting and saw that it would probably stick more in my head than the architecture and history of the town, or the good food!

Volcs · 23 May 2007 at 14:34

cleanbluesky said:
To those who are agreeing with the article snippets, you are taking a very narrow view - to say that such things are any more typical than any other aspect of British culture is selective indeed.

Some have suggested that a tourist would experience these aspects most, but if they are seeking the worst parts of Britain they aren't particularly good journalists.

What if they added "They also do other stuff" to the end of the article?

Once again we come back to this ridiculous concept of defining an entire culture, especially one as diverse as we have. This is just one person's view, I'm sure if you wrote for the LP we'd get a different opinion, as you would if I did.

If they do ham up the bad points that can only serve to make people wary which can never me bad thing as far as tourists are concerned. e.g. if you walk around the streets of Hanoi, people will try to scam you and you'll probably pay more for transport than locals. I didn't read this and decide I wouldn't go in case I got scammed - it just makes you think twice.

Beren · 23 May 2007 at 15:05

Who wrote the article? What point were they trying to prove?

I'd want to read the whole guide before passing judgement especially with the Newcastle bit!

Posty · 23 May 2007 at 15:21

Kind of depressing if its true that more people vote on TV polls than in the elections

manoz · 23 May 2007 at 15:23

Posty said:
Kind of depressing if its true that more people vote on TV polls than in the elections

Big Brother doesn't help, they really need to kill that POS.