--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we were still English we'd be drinking…" description: "\"“If we were still English we'd be drinking more and driving on the wrong side of the road - pretty much what people do on the Fourth of July anyway.”\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/653/lorrie-moore-870_english_if-we-were-still-english-we-d-be-drinkin_2775897.png" --- # If we were still English we'd be drinking more and driving… ![“If we were still English we'd be drinking more and driving on the wrong side of the road - pretty much what people do on the Fourth of July anyway.” quote by Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/653/lorrie-moore-870_english_if-we-were-still-english-we-d-be-drinkin_2775897.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/653/lorrie-moore-870_english_if-we-were-still-english-we-d-be-drinkin_2775897.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/653/lorrie-moore-870_english_if-we-were-still-english-we-d-be-drinkin_2775897.png) > ““If we were still English we'd be drinking more and driving on the wrong side of the road - pretty much what people do on the Fourth of July anyway.”” [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously suggests that even if English persisted, people would still engage in risky behaviors like drinking and driving, especially on holidays. **In simple terms:** Even with English, risky habits persist, especially on holidays. Key Takeaway Recognize and curb dangerous holiday habits. Themes culture holiday risk behavior Mood concerned reflective informative Type social cultural When to use this quote - public safety campaigns - friend gatherings - personal decisions Key Concepts drinking driving social norms Questions to Reflect On - What drives people to repeat risky holiday behaviors? - How can societies reduce holiday‑related accidents? A Different Perspective Risky traditions continue despite language or law. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drinking Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-driving-318937/) [Driving Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving-wrong-796265/) [English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english/) [English Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-drinking-3274999/) [Fourth July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fourth-july/) [Fourth Of July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fourth-of-july/) [People Fourth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-fourth-3275000/) [Th Of July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/th-of-july/) ## Related quotes > [I know drinking and driving is wrong but those kids need to get to school somehow!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/i-know-drinking-and-driving-is-wrong-but-those-kids-need-to-get-to/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. 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Teach your kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fourth-of-july-isn-t-all-about-barbecues-and-fireworks-it-s-also/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The sunlight that has brought life and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-sunlight-that-has-brought-life-and-healing-to-you-has-brought/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“They were the type who held neighborhood barbecues and ran through wheat fields on the Fourth of July. These were people Andrew wished he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ania-ahlborn/they-were-the-type-who-held-neighborhood-barbecues-and-ran-through/) [Ania Ahlborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ania-ahlborn/) > [The Fourth of July concert is invigorating in so many ways, in terms of what it feels like to be an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/the-fourth-of-july-concert-is-invigorating-in-so-many-ways-in-terms/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [...there was the annual Fourth of July picketing at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. ...I thought it was ridiculous to have to go there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-shelley/there-was-the-annual-fourth-of-july-picketing-at-independence-hall-in/) [Martha Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-shelley/) > [I'd like to go out on top, preferably breaking a new world record on the Fourth of July.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-chestnut/i-d-like-to-go-out-on-top-preferably-breaking-a-new-world-record-on/) [Joey Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-chestnut/) > [“And if we succeed... If we somehow accomplish this thing that seems so impossible, it will be the most glorious victory imaginable. The Fourth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-devlin/and-if-we-succeed-if-we-somehow-accomplish-this-thing-that-seems-so/) [Dean Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-devlin/) > [Bastille Day is just like the Fourth of July except it takes place in France and we don't care about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bastille-day-is-just-like-the-fourth-of-july-except-it-takes-place-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we were the political slaves of King George, and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that "all men are created equal"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/when-we-were-the-political-slaves-of-king-george-and-wanted-to-be/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [A sucker punch came flying from somewhere in the back. As soon as we can see clearly with our big black eye, we're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/a-sucker-punch-came-flying-from-somewhere-in-the-back-as-soon-as-we/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [Our opponents see an America in which every day is April 15, tax day. Well, we see an America in which every day is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/our-opponents-see-an-america-in-which-every-day-is-april-15-tax-day/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Lorrie Moore > [But I believed in starting over. There was finally, I knew, only rupture and hurt and falling short between all persons, but, Shirley, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/but-i-believed-in-starting-over-there-was-finally-i-knew-only-rupture/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [I'm very interested in what people will do for money. Money: it's timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-m-very-interested-in-what-people-will-do-for-money-money-it-s/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“One of the problems with people in Chicago, she remembered, was that they were never lonely at the same time. Their sadness occurred in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/one-of-the-problems-with-people-in-chicago-she-remembered-was-that/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“If you had forgotten, it would quickly come back to you. Aloneness was like riding a bike. At gunpoint. With the gun in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/if-you-had-forgotten-it-would-quickly-come-back-to-you-aloneness-was/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Once love had seemed like magic. Now it seemed like tricks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/once-love-had-seemed-like-magic-now-it-seemed-like-tricks/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Observing others go through them, he used to admire midlife crises, the courage and shamelessness and existential daring of them, but after he'd watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/observing-others-go-through-them-he-used-to-admire-midlife-crises-the/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Start dating someone who is funny, someone who has what in high school you called a "really great sense of humor" and what now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/start-dating-someone-who-is-funny-someone-who-has-what-in-high-school/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [You are unhappy because you believe in such a thing as happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/you-are-unhappy-because-you-believe-in-such-a-thing-as-happy/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Amber was not shy. If she had been shy, not one of us would be at Perkins right now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/amber-was-not-shy-if-she-had-been-shy-not-one-of-us-would-be-at/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [People will do anything, anything, for a really nice laugh,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/people-will-do-anything-anything-for-a-really-nice-laugh/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Farmers aren't rich. They have land but no money." Actually, my father didn't even have that much land. He had once stood on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/farmers-aren-t-rich-they-have-land-but-no-money-actually-my-father/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“My grandmother, who, when I visited, stared at me with the staggering, arrogant stare of the dying, the wise vapidity of the already gone;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/my-grandmother-who-when-i-visited-stared-at-me-with-the-staggering/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [I count too heavily on birthdays, though I know I shouldn't. Inevitably I begin to assess my life by them, figure out how I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-count-too-heavily-on-birthdays-though-i-know-i-shouldn-t-inevitably/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Life is sad. Here is someone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/life-is-sad-here-is-someone/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [I had never feared insomnia before--like prison, wouldn't it just give you more time to read?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-had-never-feared-insomnia-before-like-prison-wouldn-t-it-just-give/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) [Explore all 340 Lorrie Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) ## More English quotes > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Nineteenth-century English literature I know; 19th-century sewage systems, not so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/nineteenth-century-english-literature-i-know-19th-century-sewage/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [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/) > [I'm not very good at standard English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/i-m-not-very-good-at-standard-english/) [James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [I was brought up by the English side of my family, who are very repressed and working class. Absolutely lovely, but very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-was-brought-up-by-the-english-side-of-my-family-who-are-very/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [No, I didn't forget Samoan - I understand it when you talk to me but, you know, to put phrases together I sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-seau/no-i-didn-t-forget-samoan-i-understand-it-when-you-talk-to-me-but-you/) [Junior Seau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-seau/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [“New Englanders could be so brusque.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherise-sinclair/new-englanders-could-be-so-brusque/) [Cherise Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherise-sinclair/) > [Oh, I think country has changed tremendously. 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