--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: England has become a squalid…" description: "\"England has become a squalid, uncomfortable, ugly place ... an intolerant, racist, homophobic, narrow-minded, authoritarian, rat-hole run by vicious, s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/hanif-kureishi-3233_england_england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortab_2244297.jpg" --- # England has become a squalid, uncomfortable, ugly place… ![“England has become a squalid, uncomfortable, ugly place ... an intolerant, racist, homophobic, narrow-minded, authoritarian, rat-hole run by vicious, suburban-minded, materialistic philistines.” quote by Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/hanif-kureishi-3233_england_england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortab_2244297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/hanif-kureishi-3233_england_england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortab_2244297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/hanif-kureishi-3233_england_england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortab_2244297.jpg) > “England has become a squalid, uncomfortable, ugly place ... an intolerant, racist, homophobic, narrow-minded, authoritarian, rat-hole run by vicious, suburban-minded, materialistic philistines.” [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker condemns modern England as morally and aesthetically degraded, driven by narrow, materialistic values. **In simple terms:** England is described as decayed and intolerant. Key Takeaway Recognize societal decay. Themes societal critique culture morality Mood critical somber Type political social When to use this quote - urban life - political discourse - media commentary Key Concepts materialism intolerance authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports or refutes this view? - How can one foster inclusivity? A Different Perspective The description may be hyperbolic and overlook positive aspects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [England Squalid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england-squalid-5101142/) [English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english/) [Holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holes/) [Homophobic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homophobic/) [Insulting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insulting/) [Intolerant Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerant-racist-5101143/) [Materialistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialistic/) [Narrow minded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrow-minded/) [Philistines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philistines/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Racist Homophobic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist-homophobic-1504729/) [Rats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rats/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Vicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vicious/) ## Related quotes > [I thought I better warn you that I am not one of those politically correct comedians, but it turns out that also I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-ince/i-thought-i-better-warn-you-that-i-am-not-one-of-those-politically/) [Robin Ince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-ince/) > [We've got to start making people uncomfortable in themselves and not being comfortable being racist or homophobic or any of that. We've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mitchell/we-ve-got-to-start-making-people-uncomfortable-in-themselves-and-not/) [Jason Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mitchell/) > [We live in a classist, racist, homophobic society into which we are very assimilated, that's all. I'm not really proud about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-luna/we-live-in-a-classist-racist-homophobic-society-into-which-we-are/) [Diego Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-luna/) > [If youre gonna be racist or homophobic then get the fuck out of my life. I do not have time for small minded people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-youre-gonna-be-racist-or-homophobic-then-get-the-fuck-out-of-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ He is racist, he's homophobic, he's xenophobic and he's a sexist. He's the perfect Republican candidate. \[California Democratic Party chairman about Pat Buchanan.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-press/he-is-racist-he-s-homophobic-he-s-xenophobic-and-he-s-a-sexist-he-s/) [Bill Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-press/) > [I don't want to get into an argument at the bar with some old racist homophobic person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lissie/i-don-t-want-to-get-into-an-argument-at-the-bar-with-some-old-racist/) [Lissie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lissie/) > [There is a resentment and rejection of liberal culture. That culture is not available to many people in America. And the liberal coastal elite,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-m-anderson/there-is-a-resentment-and-rejection-of-liberal-culture-that-culture/) [Erika M. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-m-anderson/) > [Over past years we have seen unrelenting pressure from advocates of homosexuality to accept as normal what is not normal, and to characterize those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/over-past-years-we-have-seen-unrelenting-pressure-from-advocates-of/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [Everything about me is a contradiction, and so is everything about everybody else. We are made out of oppositions; we live between two poles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/everything-about-me-is-a-contradiction-and-so-is-everything-about/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [It has been wisely said, "that well may thy guardian angel suffer thee to lose thy locks, when thou darest wilfully to lay thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/it-has-been-wisely-said-that-well-may-thy-guardian-angel-suffer-thee/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [I started to shed the monstrous aesthetic affectation of my youth so as to make room for the monstrous philistine postures of middle age,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-started-to-shed-the-monstrous-aesthetic-affectation-of-my-youth-so/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [When temptation comes your way, name that boastful, deceitful giant “Goliath!” and do with it as David did to the Philistine of Gath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/when-temptation-comes-your-way-name-that-boastful-deceitful-giant/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [The society of the Culture-Philistines makes life a burden to exceptional men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-brandes/the-society-of-the-culture-philistines-makes-life-a-burden-to/) [Georg Brandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-brandes/) > [A great affliction of all Philistines is that idealities afford them no entertainment, but to escape from boredom they are always in need of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/a-great-affliction-of-all-philistines-is-that-idealities-afford-them/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Any test that turns on what is offensive to the community's standards is too loose, too capricious, too destructive of freedom of expression to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/any-test-that-turns-on-what-is-offensive-to-the-community-s-standards/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) ## More by Hanif Kureishi > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [ Harvey \[Weinstein\] didn't want to release \[MY SON THE FANATIC\]; he held it for two years because he wanted a happy ending, although I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/harvey-weinstein-didn-t-want-to-release-my-son-the-fanatic-he-held-it/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Starenje nije za slabice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/starenje-nije-za-slabice/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Ali isto tako sam i shvatio da prestupnistvo samo ucvrscuje pravila koja pokusava da prekrsi. Nista ne osnazuje normu kao odstupanje od nje.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/ali-isto-tako-sam-i-shvatio-da-prestupnistvo-samo-ucvrscuje-pravila/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [One would hope, as well that intimacy would leave more of a mark, that more of it would remain. But it doesn’t. You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/one-would-hope-as-well-that-intimacy-would-leave-more-of-a-mark-that/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“You see people truly when they enjoy the most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/you-see-people-truly-when-they-enjoy-the-most/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [I guess writing is a kind of therapy in the sense that there are things you need to say and you say them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-guess-writing-is-a-kind-of-therapy-in-the-sense-that-there-are/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [What a quality of innocence people have when they don't expect to be harmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/what-a-quality-of-innocence-people-have-when-they-don-t-expect-to-be/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“People who were only ever half right about things drove me mad. I hated the flood of opinion, the certainty, the easy talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/people-who-were-only-ever-half-right-about-things-drove-me-mad-i/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Desire is naughty and doesn't conform to our ideals, which is why we have such a need of them. Desire mocks all human endeavour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/desire-is-naughty-and-doesn-t-conform-to-our-ideals-which-is-why-we/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [I began to enjoy my own generosity; I felt the pleasure of pleasing others, especially as this was accompanied by money-power. I was paying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-began-to-enjoy-my-own-generosity-i-felt-the-pleasure-of-pleasing/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Maybe you never stop feeling like an eight-year-old in front of your parents. You resolve to be your mature self, to react in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/maybe-you-never-stop-feeling-like-an-eight-year-old-in-front-of-your/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I don’t like being left for long struggling with my dangerous self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-don-t-like-being-left-for-long-struggling-with-my-dangerous-self/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Who doesn’t love cock?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/who-doesn-t-love-cock/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) [Explore all 129 Hanif Kureishi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) ## More England quotes > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [If I had been an Italian I am sure that I should have been whole-heartedly with you from the start to finish in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/if-i-had-been-an-italian-i-am-sure-that-i-should-have-been-whole/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > ['Downton Abbey' is my worst nightmare. I just hate that whole 'Upstairs Downstairs' thing, I think it's really lazy and it doesn't represent England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/downton-abbey-is-my-worst-nightmare-i-just-hate-that-whole-upstairs/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/these-fledgling-democracies-in-the-middle-east-they-re-actually/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [“Of France and England, did this king succeed; Whose state so many had the managing. That they lost France and made his England bleed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/of-france-and-england-did-this-king-succeed-whose-state-so-many-had/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In my view, fitness training isn't that important in England, as they all train with such intensity anyway and have a competitive edge when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-ranieri/in-my-view-fitness-training-isn-t-that-important-in-england-as-they/) [Claudio Ranieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-ranieri/) > [England expects every man to do his duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/england-expects-every-man-to-do-his-duty/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) [Browse all 4,190 England quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "England has become a squalid, uncomfortable, ugly place ... an intolerant, racist, homophobic, narrow-minded, authoritarian, rat-hole run by vicious, suburban-minded, materialistic philistines.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hanif Kureishi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortable-ugly-place-an-intolerant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "England" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortable-ugly-place-an-intolerant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/hanif-kureishi-3233_england_england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortab_2244297.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/hanif-kureishi-3233_england_england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortab_2244297.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef9/hanif-kureishi-3233_england_england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortab_2244297.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“England has become a squalid, uncomfortable, ugly place ... an intolerant, racist, homophobic…” — Hanif Kureishi", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hanif Kureishi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "England has become a squalid, uncomfortable,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortable-ugly-place-an-intolerant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/england-has-become-a-squalid-uncomfortable-ugly-place-an-intolerant/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```