Was in London in November... they have really, really gone overboard for this whole Eminem/hip-hop thing. MTV and videos are still onmipresent over there, and the overall effect is sad. Going back to Elvis, British pop culture has had a warped view of American society as seen through the TV filter, and now with TV monitors (and cameras) EVERYWHERE, they are subjected to our Hollywood trash culture on an unheard-of scale.
The graffiti is now much worse than New York's, and much of the youth are little foul-mouthed Eminem clones lashing out and rebelling at perceived slights where none exist. This "chav" thing is their most ridiculous manifestation of America's "gangsta" look.
Every single thing I enjoyed about my trip had to do with Britain's past; there was absolutely nothing charming about their present-day culture.
This is what they do. The pendulum swings wilder in all non-US Western countries. Once upon a time it is considered Britain, with the public school and Oxbridge gentleman culture, is a farmore subdued one than the States. It's now the other way round. Contemporary British singers and bandslike the Oasis, the Verve, etc actually make their American counterparts appear more moderate relatively.
I have a Sri Lankan friend who remarked that the youth scene in the real US, outside Hollywood and Hip-hop scene, is still remarkably civil. In contrast, he says, youths in New Zealand and the UK seem to match more the Hollywood movie stereotype - vulgar, etc.
The sad thing about the UK is the way they've almost lost their own kultur and ape the worst of American culture -- with skateboarding, graffiti, McDonalds -- why, every main street in every town I've been to over here looks the same -- a Debenhams, an M&S, a McDonalds, a Burger King etc. Lewes though is still pretty traditional and so is Stratford on Avon.
The sad thing about the UK is the way they've almost lost their own kultur and ape the worst of American culture -- with skateboarding, graffiti, McDonalds -- why, nearly every main street in every town I've been to over here looks the same -- a Debenhams, an M&S, a McDonalds, a Burger King etc. Lewes though is still pretty traditional and so is Stratford on Avon.