Watching the English

So... I've decided to take a break from all that work documentation to... document a book that I'm currently reading (or rather have been reading for more than a month). This book is really quite interesting despite the length of time that I'm taking. It talks about the various social habits, of who else, the English people... and how a person's dress, behaviour, drinking style, food consumed, almost everything really, can tell which social "class" the person is from. Managed to read a large portion of the book on my plane rides (note the plural), and I've found it generally quite amusing really.

So... an excerpt from the book, this one talking about choice of drink "You are what you drink":

• Working-class and lower-middle-class females have he widest choice of drinks. Almost anything is socially acceptable - cocktails, sweet or creamy liqueurs, all soft-drinks, beers, and so-called 'designer' drinks (pre-mixed drinks in bottles). There is really only one restriction: the size of glass from which lower-class women may drink beer. Drinking 'pints', in many working class and lower middle circles, is regarded as unfeminine and unladylike, so may women in this social group drink 'halves' (half-pints) of beer. Drinking ping glasses of beer would classify you as a 'ladette' - a female 'lad', a woman who imitates the loutish, raucous behaviour of hard-drinking males. Some women are happy with his image, but they are still a minority.
• Next on the freedom of choice scale are middle middle to upper class females. Their choice is more resticted: the more sickly-sweet drinks, and cream based liqueurs and cocktails are regarded as bit vulgar - ordering a Bailey's or a Babycham would certainly cause a few raised eyebrows and sideways looks - but they can drink more or less any wines, spirits, sherries, soft drinks, ciders or beers. Female pint drinking is also more acceptable in this social category, at least among the younger women, particularly students. Among upper middle class female students, I found that many had to give an explanation if they ordered a 'girly' half rather than a pint
• The choices of middle and upper class males are far more restricted than those of their female counterparts. They may drink only beer, spirits (mixers are acceptable), wine (,ust be dry, not sweet) and soft drinks. Anything sweet or creamy is regarded as suspiciously 'feminine' and cocktails are only acceptable at cocktail parties or in a cocktail bar - you woud never order them in a pub or ordinary bar.
• Working class males have virtually no choice at all. They can drink only beer or spirits - everything else is effeminate. Among older working class males, even some mixers may be forbidden: gin and tonic may just be acceptable in some circles, but more obscure combinations are frowned upon. Younger working class males have a bit more freedom: vodka and coke is acceptable, for example, as are the latest novelties and 'designer' bottled drinks, providing they have a high enough alcohol content.

So, nice to know that my choice and size of drink ranks me as a middle-middle or upper-class female... I think in Singapore I would be considered "laddish" due to that same choice of drink. Oh well... speaking of drinking, that little taste of Tsingdao beer was all I got... if not for the oil and salt content in all the dishes here, I could really actually end up returning to Singapore a healthier person. But yeah, miss the drinking sessions with the gang... especially since it's football season.

Incidentally, L appears to be somewhat infatuated again. She has a knack of meeting people whenever I'm out of the country... according to her, it's coz I'm not around for her to have beer sessions with. :)