British society and communication impoverished

Institutions have impoverished British society and communication to the point where jumping into a wave of deference to the monarchy is the only outlet for the yearning for a sense of common social feeling and purpose.

The article speaks of "consuming" a "national account of ourselves" (referring to the British, thus not including me). This is not as twisted as the idea of "consuming" books or movies, but I think "absorbing" fits better.