TF Archives

Godless & Sexless Brits Binge Drink Permissively

Author: Jonty Skrufff
Sunday, April 17, 2005
A new guide to modern British culture claims that "sex is a subject of national embarrassment' and "binge drinking a national sport' with the weather something that typical locals generally ignore.

"Young people out at night arrive at nightclubs around midnight half-naked, arms, navels and legs bare, when it's a few degrees above freezing," French author Agnes Catherine Poirer described in her book Les Nouveaux Anglais (The New English), "But they're kept warm by alcohol (see binge drinking above)".

In her binge drinking section she suggested the idea is "to drink, drink and drink until you drop' while on sex, "the British have only learned to laugh at it', she scoffed.

Madame Poirer's sex suggestions flatly contradicted Durex's recent survey of international sexuality which placed Brits at the top of the league for length of time spent on foreplay (22.5 minutes compared to a global average of 19.7 and 11.5 for Thais) though on the upside she also branded Brits "the kings of eccentricity'.

Her otherwise generally damming description also differed from a more favourable image which emerged in another international study published this week comparing national rates of open mindedness.

The World Values Survey polled 175,000 people in 81 countries and found Britain to be "one of the most tolerant nations of the world', in respect to nationality, sexuality and "casual sex, divorce and drug use' (Sunday Times).

"The more religion you have, the less tolerant you are," survey chief Phillip Tulllman told the Times. "It sounds like Britain is a healthy secular society."
Tags