How has England changed? by Will Self

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/17/how-has-england-changed-will-self

The end finishes with what I always think about - food! Isn't English-ness, nay, humanness, the nature to adopt and adapt and what better way to do it that through the stomach.
 
'Englishness is at once a praxis: a way of going about things; and a way of transforming what is not English – shish kebabs, onion bhajis, ackee and salt fish – into what is. The problem for Englishness is that it tends to eat too much, and too indiscriminately – and that's not healthy for the ageing national character. Of course fish and chips (an inspired example of English praxis: Belgian fried potato mixed with Ashkenazi fried fish) was traditionally served in newspaper; but it isn't my partisan status as a journalist that leads me to believe that the English would have done well to hang on to the wrapping and discard the food. At least, I would've wished them to have done this if their great and passionate belief in the freedom and independence of their press wasn't – like so much that's English to the core – something of a myth.'

I think since I first lived here England has become a land of wall-to-wall automobiles and wheelie bins.

Wow holy big words article batman. Almost needed a dictionary to get through that. 

Good Evening Will. “ I would like to tell you a Story” in the words of  Max bygraves.  I have been doing a lot of reading lately. Is food all you Americans can talk about I have been reading a lot about you lately and I have not been favoured with a good impression and I am wondering if it is because you have all emigrated. From a country were I have many friends from Canada to Texas.
And I talk to them every day and have done since 2007 we have a nice little friendship thread that I open every day for the simple reason that I do not have to get up early to do so.
I emigrated to France because I could stand what was happening to England and the look after your self first attitude of the political situation. But that is another story.
As you say you are a “Reporter” So O.K.  you find me some Americans that are living in England and are interested in Gardening, Wildlife, The area where they now live and anything else like this that they would like to tell my friends about through me to start with.
If you think that there is a 100%  freedom of the Press Then you are somewhat off line. There are only 2 or 3 papers that are free of politicks. I look forward to your reply.  Stewart.

Boston Diner. That is one reason I left. I now have a freedom I could only dream of and I cannot speak French. But they are great about it. Perhaps it is my age. Lol.       Stewart.