Anyone feeling the country is dividing?

[Maz2444466]

I voted to Leave because I think the EU is anti-democratic and bureaucratic. I have absolutely no problem with immigration. I do believe though that integration is key for community cohesion.

I live in London and ALL my friends voted to remain. My best friend voted to Remain, I told her I voted to Remain as she thinks everyone who voted to Leave is racist and evil.

I feel like this referendum has created divides that were never there.

Is this just human nature? For people to follow the pack? I looked for a Facebook Leavers group tonight and everyone in it said how they love Nigel Farage. I don't.

I feel I can't relate to either side. I know this is a first world problem and I probably need to just get over myself but does anyone else feel like this?

I wish the government had made this decision for us!

[Maursh]

Have heart that you fit within the silent majority.
I think that many people who voted to remain did so on the same grounds as yourself and for the return of parliamentary sovereignty. For this silent majority these principals were worth the economic hit they knew they would take. Like you, they are also staying quiet for now, owing to the vitriol of a few remainers who, for whatever reasons, feel they are wronged.
Life will go on, the racists will not inherit the earth and over time this referendum will become a forgotten blip. I wonder if what the social fallout of the last referendum was?

[Maz2444466]

Really Maursh, thank you so much for your wise words. I feel relieved to read your response. I didn't vote in the last referendum, but I'm wondering now if referendums often produce social fall-out, I guess by their nature they are divisive...

[youtubeguff]

I'm with you. Feel like I just have to keep quiet at the minute. Agree that Farage is an utter twat and don't get me started on the coward that is Boris!

[RosesareSublime]

I am the same op. I would be feeling very flat miserable and deflated had we lost but I would never go head to head with friends or family who had chosen to remain...
I think figures in the media are giving them license too.
Like Giles Cohren encouraging people not to give up seats to the elderly and so on.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

I voted Remain but in your position I would not admit to voting Leave.

I'm still in a bit of a state of shock about the whole thing. I'm probably going to lose my job at the end of the year. My BIL has already frozen recruitment and expects to make redundancies soon.

If I'm honest the most vocal leave supporters I know are somewhat short of thinking and a bit racist. So the main leave opinions I hear IRL aren't the most enlightened. I'm guessing the decent ones are keeping their mouths shut.

[Scribblegirl]

I know what you mean. I'm a staunch remainer. I'm not going to gripe at you about the ways that I believe the Leave vote has harmed our country, because that's not what you asked.

But I too feel the division very strongly and I'm really disliking it. I always thought (naively) that the majority of people I knew were on the same page as me and its sobering at nearly 30 to have a dawning realisation that that's not the case.

[ProfessorPreciseaBug]

I have just had a very unpleasant experience with a neighbour. She is telling me I should be grateful she is till speaking to me after I voted a different way to her.

I can accept her opinion, she is telling me I was lead by a pack of lies. Actually, I decided on my vote without listening to anything said by any of the lying politicos, it was the result of my own experience.

[LurcioAgain]

Maz, I could have written your first paragraph (barring the bit about being half Iranian). I love Europe, I love my European friends, I feel happy and privileged to have European colleagues. My quarrel was always with the political set up of the EU, not with Europe itself. But the atmosphere in the country is utterly poisonous at the moment - and however uncomfortable it is for me, it is a thousand times worse for the people on the receiving end of racist abuse from the knuckle-draggers.

[Notsogrimupnorth]

How refreshing to read a thread without nasty posts in it I voted remain but don't want to see anymore hate directed at either side. People should save their negative comments for the politicians who let them down on either side. It's time for us to start treating each other with compassion, tolerance and respect.

[BMW6]

Empty vessels make the most noise.

The vast majority of people whichever way they voted are decent, tolerant and kind. They are the silent majority. They DO speak out against injustice and all the evils that humans are capable of, but their voice is often drowned out by a louder one.

In time this will calm down. At the moment feeling and tempers are running very high.

Thank God this Summer has not been another 1976 (so far)!

Keep calm and carry on

[roundaboutthetown]

Yes, I do think the country is dividing. Whilst I respect people's intellectual opinions on democracy, I still can't believe a referendum was called at a time when racism and xenophobia are on the rise throughout Europe and people are still angry and looking for someone to blame for an economic recession and austerity. I am still a bit flabbergasted that some voters really didn't take this into account and ask themselves whether now was the time to vote against the status quo and encourage the extremist element which always, historically, rises at times of instability and austerity just like this. It just seems so idiotic to me, but then as I think the EU is a good thing, I wouldn't have had to vote through fear, unlike those who in their hearts wanted to leave and didn't like being told to be afraid. Still very silly not to have realised it would cause instability, however.

[Winterbiscuit]

The vast majority of people whichever way they voted are decent, tolerant and kind.

Hear hear

[FarAwayHills]

I agree OP, feelings are running very high at the moment and there is a general sense of unease which I hope will get better in time.

This is situation hasn't been helped by the selfish behaviour of our politians who have shown more interest in saving their own careers while the country goes down the pan. The fact that they put us into this referendum situation with NO PLAN of how things might work if we were to leave. It has become painfully clear this was all a game to them and it is at them our anger must be directed.

[BMW6]

Goodness - thanks for the flowers winterbiscuit

May I pay it forward and give to anyone who is worried, frightened, sad or angry

[roundaboutthetown]

Hey, I can't be that angry - my own dh voted out. I feel very sad, though and despite all the arguments for leaving, some of which are perfectly logical, wish the electorate had been asked the question at a more stable time in world history and not when we have far more important things to worry about.

[Just5minswithDacre]

I looked for a Facebook Leavers group tonight and everyone in it said how they love Nigel Farage. I don't

I did the exact same thing. Out voters are two clear camps.

[BMW6]

Oh blimey - the flowers were for everyone not just me weren't they

[Just5minswithDacre]

(Posted too soon)

I feel I can't relate to either side. I know this is a first world problem and I probably need to just get over myself but does anyone else feel like this?

YES!

[GColdtimer]

Everyone should be angry though. The referendum was divisive, poorly planned, was a campaign based on spin and lies. and was driven by political gamesmanship. The scots had two years to study their referendum pros and cons. We had 10 weeks. I am absolutely fuming, but my anger is mostly aimed at those who have destabilised the country for their political gain.

[GlassBrexiteer]

things are far more acrimonious on mumsnet than they are anywhere in my offline world

[roundaboutthetown]

I agree twofalls - we were all just pawns in a nasty political game.

[roundaboutthetown]

In the offline world, most people aren't talking about it, as per the OP - safer not to!

[SilverHawk]

The sense of unease is very true on both sides. We, the electorate, have just been puppets to the politicians.
I do think that there is great trouble in the EU.
It's nothing that the politicians have mentioned to us. Deutsche Bank has been slammed by the IMF and the Feds.
Now if DB goes down it's much more serious than Lehmans X5, or Morgan Stanley in the US. In 2013 they had $72.8 trillion in derivatives. It is now $76 trillion.
How convenient to put the blame on Brexit....

[SilverHawk]

Claig?

[SugarPlumTree]

It's all that is being talked about in my offline world. Yes there is a huge divide and I don't think it is going anywhere soon, well not down here at least.