[SirJohnBarleycorn]

Interesting essay. The author attributes the decline of British civil society to various "intellectual and legislative activity" (such as lowering the tax on alcohol), but never mentions the overriding change from a predominantly Christian to a post-Christian culture, perhaps reflecting a personal blind spot in the author.

[cricket]

Well, it gets a mention;

they had a state religion, but came to find religious enthusiasm bad form. . .

. . .but given the litany of evils here; could have given it 'greater mention'.

Certainly is a preview and warning; (if not too late already, 'here'). Never cease to be amazed at the level of degradation that much of our culture continues to descend to. Albeit; we are not 'England' - yet, anyway. And there are many fine young people - as I am sure there still are in England(?)

Does show the effects of Liberalism. Also thrown in here are the early 'inflluences' of 'Jerry Springer' TV and many 'ad nauseum' shows; now we have 'reality shows'. Seems 'trash' is King in tv land. . .for too much of the time and it does rise to the top; and we will pay a price for it.

And of course, Nature does abhor a vacuum. . .and so where Religion becomes scarce; nihilism, if only a big zero; fills the 'o's here.

[Mobile Vulgus]

I agree with the author. Britain is dead. It will never return.

[Winniesboy]

Daniels is a trained psychiatrist, yet commits the basic error of ascribing to entire populations characteristics properly attributable only to individuals. His writing, superficially impressive, elegantly articulated and not without its insights, succumbs all too often to the inductive fallacy: argument from the incisively analysed particular to an always misanthropic general, with nothing but a brief non sequitur to link the two. Hardly surprising, when one's entire professional life has been spent trying to make sense of the minds of the dregs of society, that one's outlook on humanity at large should become a wee bit unbalanced.