The worst thing since sliced bread
Following the success of our 'best thing since sliced bread' competition, a cautionary note arrived from my Times colleague Joe Joseph:
The best thing since sliced bread? It has got to be unsliced bread, hasn't it? You know, the return of proper, life-enhancing bread which doesn't have the texture of those pillows they hand you in the Economy cabin on long-haul flights, and which doesn't taste like an oven glove.
It's pretty scary that, 80 years on, we still use the invention of sliced bread as any kind of a high water mark for civilisations anyway, isn't it? It's like asking someone: "What's the most stylish outfit you can wear out in public after gold clothing?", or, "What's the most fun you've had since your last visit to a proctologist?"
This sentiment, echoed by several readers, leads us to a follow-up question. Was sliced bread really such a good thing after all?
Time, perhaps, for a 'worst thing since sliced bread' competition as well.
Here we have no doubt that our Aussie rivals can comfortably take the lead. Speedos? Neighbours? And a large chunk of responsibility for the mullet. Definite winners.
But we're sure you'll be able to come up with some British shockers from the past eighty years. Let us know your thoughts today. The fax machine? The bouncing bomb? The Spice Girls?
What is the worst thing since sliced bread?
Instant coffee.
Posted by: Tim Footman | 8 Jul 2008 13:47:10
Canned (or tinned) speeches.
Posted by: Candadai Tirumalai | 8 Jul 2008 14:30:11
The media.
Posted by: Bruce Robertson | 8 Jul 2008 15:05:09
Those sliced,dried apple rings.In which way can that be an improvement to the fruit?Perverse in concept and taste...
Posted by: simona | 8 Jul 2008 15:37:01
Multiculturalism
Posted by: eileen O'Conor | 8 Jul 2008 15:38:48
Oh, I forgot. Lowering educational standards so that everyone can pass.
EO
Posted by: eileen O'Conor | 8 Jul 2008 15:41:26
Political correctness
Posted by: Franziska | 8 Jul 2008 16:21:19
multiculturalism, and its attendent horror, social cohesion.
Posted by: davidc | 8 Jul 2008 16:44:31
Rap music at 200 decibels in cars
Posted by: Narguesse Stevens | 8 Jul 2008 16:44:37
Blairism
Posted by: Robert | 8 Jul 2008 17:15:08
Reality TV!
Posted by: David | 8 Jul 2008 17:19:00
jeans
trainers
women in trousers
women with dyed hair - particularly orange
Corrie
the othersoap in E.London
yellow lines
traffic wardens
yanks
U.S.tv
Bob Monkhouse
Bruce Forsyth
De Gaulle
Sarah Ferguson
the mobile phone
Hughie Greene
Arthur Scargill
P A systems (inaudible)
The Sun (paper)
Rupert Murdoch
Posted by: james allen | 8 Jul 2008 18:11:44
The 1960s
Posted by: Ebenezer Lowclick | 8 Jul 2008 18:38:17
British reality tv
Posted by: Lucas | 8 Jul 2008 20:07:48
The period of ultra commercialism from Halloween to the Boxing Day sales
Posted by: Terry | 8 Jul 2008 21:55:13
Skinny jeans and anything 'emo' :)
Posted by: Charlotte | 8 Jul 2008 21:58:58
Bagels
Posted by: ATK | 8 Jul 2008 23:24:42
Mr. Finklestein, the expression is ironic, dontcha know... It means that something is
Mr.Finklestein, the expression means that something is unremarkable, just like your blog today. Jesus wept!!!
Posted by: elizabeth schumann | 8 Jul 2008 23:43:18
Frubes
Posted by: Yuan Pownde | 9 Jul 2008 00:19:49
The fact that Britain is full of grumpy old farts, judging by the comments so far.
Posted by: Jean | 9 Jul 2008 02:51:42
... and James Allen takes out the inaugural curmudgeon of month award! Tell me James, did you run out of headspace to hate things in the 1980s, or do you have 20 more years of railing against the world still to share with us?
Posted by: David McGregor | 9 Jul 2008 03:58:23
Allo Allo
Posted by: michael sampson | 9 Jul 2008 07:14:37
I sent my sons to a great Grammar School but all they wanted to do was to watch Neighbours. Mind you, the girls are great looking on it.
Posted by: Gene | 9 Jul 2008 07:47:03
Hazel Blears
Posted by: Mary | 9 Jul 2008 08:11:26
health and safety officials
Posted by: Sue | 9 Jul 2008 09:28:49
The Hoodie
Posted by: Chris Campbell | 9 Jul 2008 09:33:32
TV chefs and foodies generally
Posted by: peter kinsley www.peterkinsley.com | 9 Jul 2008 10:12:21
User-generated content.
Posted by: Candice | 9 Jul 2008 11:11:54
Britain.
Posted by: eric campbell | 9 Jul 2008 11:22:59
James Allen: anything more?
Posted by: Dectora | 9 Jul 2008 11:24:17
The use of PRE-, as in pre-order!! How do you pre-order something, you either order it or not!
Posted by: mike | 9 Jul 2008 12:00:32
Americanism
Posted by: Sharpe | 9 Jul 2008 12:52:33
Online polls
Posted by: James Pickard | 9 Jul 2008 12:52:39
The culture of celebrity.
Posted by: Rebecca | 9 Jul 2008 12:53:53
Let's see if I can be grumpier than James Allen -
Political correctness
Multiculturalism
Health and safety megalomania
Reality TV
TV Repeats TV Repeats TV Repeats
Dumbed down news
Football overload (esp. sports news)
Soaps
Bruce Forsyth
Terry Wogan (wants to ban Radio 4!)
Windfarms (where is Blott when you need him?)
McDonalds, KFC
and
the rising inflection in Aussie speech
Posted by: John | 9 Jul 2008 12:59:37
Mike - when you PRE-order something you are being PRO-active!
Posted by: Shirley | 9 Jul 2008 13:17:03
It has to be the recorded information announcements for public transport, particularly delay announcements at train stations. What other country would have a recorded voice of someone saying sorry for an event that happened AFTER they made the recording and many miles from the place they made it? This is a quintessentially British invention.
Posted by: Mark | 9 Jul 2008 13:34:42
The abolition of replays in football.
Posted by: Persemillion | 9 Jul 2008 13:35:00
Sachets of sauce!
Posted by: Tarbo | 9 Jul 2008 13:44:03
The worst ever British invention was Australia.
Posted by: Patrick Pepper | 9 Jul 2008 14:15:57
I think this article is a contender!
I do find it quite interesting that you have a go at the Australians when this article is a blatant rip off of one which appeared on the Australian site news.com.au - last week. Bit slow aren't we?
Also, please note the correct spelling of Neighbours does include the letter "h", which although silent, was missing from your article's headline on your front page...
Posted by: Blondie | 9 Jul 2008 14:20:22
consumerism and the need to have the latest gadget. If it wasn't good enough to do what you wanted it to do when you bought it then why did buy it?
Posted by: ed chandler | 9 Jul 2008 15:49:41
Anything involving, or otherwise tainted by the revolting Piers Morgan.
Posted by: David | 9 Jul 2008 16:21:25
Okra
Posted by: Anne Sobey | 9 Jul 2008 16:24:31
The mistaken belief that scruffy and unkempt clothing looks good...
A bit of effort, people?
Posted by: Christopher Pyman | 9 Jul 2008 17:19:11
How you can kill someone with a car and only get a fine,
How you can kill someone with a bicycle on a pavement and only get a fine,
Youth Justice Board,
tagging offenders,
ASBOs......they don't work,
Radio 1,
Jamie Oliver,
the "special understanding" between the UK and USA,
not making Hadrian's Wall higher,
Bob Geldof's offspring,
the current Speaker of the Commons,
abolishing O'Level exams,
not taxing cyclists for road-use,
a block vote of Victoria Beckham,Paris Hilton,Lily Allen and Ami Winehouse,
political correctness,
judges and barristers not wearing wigs and gowns in court,
not learning from other countries,
abolishing competative sports in schools.
Posted by: Sarsfield's Ghost | 9 Jul 2008 17:40:15