Zadie Smith tells Dua Lipa inequality has made culture clashes feel ‘existential’

Award-winning novelist Zadie Smith warns that the collapse of Britain’s welfare system and housing crises have intensified societal divisions, making cultural clashes feel more profound than ever. Speaking at the Southbank Centre’s London literature festival, she links the erosion of social safety nets to growing resentment and distrust between different groups. Smith describes the shift as so stark that people now question the identity of those around them, framing inequality as a defining—and destabilizing—force in modern life. Her remarks highlight how economic struggles are reshaping the fabric of British society.

Novelist says demise of Britain’s ‘incredible’ welfare system and housing struggles have led to deeper divisionsThe novelist Zadie Smith has said that inequality has made culture clashes feel “existential”, adding that it has become “natural to look to your left and think ‘who the fuck are you?’”In an interview with Dua Lipa as part of the Southbank Centre’s London literature festival, Smith argued that the demise of Britain’s “incredible, historic” welfare system has led to greater divisions. Continue reading...