In this month's HARPER'S magazine, there's an essay by Theodore Dalrymple that argues that British culture has changed radically over the decades from centering on modesty, irony, and the like to involving loud binge drinking, drug abuse, and mayhem. So he suggests the existence of other causes, his emphasis is on blaming the changes on laws regulating drinking.
I have two questions: 1) has there really been this kind of change? 2) if it has happened, isn't it possible that Thatcher's social revolution, emphasizing the unleashing of individualism, encouraged this cultural change? Also, Thatcherian individualism tells people that if they fail, it's their fault. Doesn't that -- and the generally hopeless socioeconomic situation faced by the majority -- encourage binge drinking and the like? BTW, it this explanation works, it's something that Dalrymple would avoid saying, since he's associated with the "libertarian" Manhattan Institute. -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
