To think the UK is in terminal decline

I agree with this. It’s many countries in Africa that will provide the growth. China will provide some of the money and India some of the educated workforce. It’s already happening

Hardly in the East. Youngsters in the likes of Japan & South Korea are so stressed economically that no one wants to have kids.India is still third world while China albeit economically better off is afflicted with issues that makes the West’s problems child’s play comparatively.

I read an interesting article by Ezekiel Emanual about refusing medical interventions post 75 and alot of made sense to me.

Well let's see how you feel about it all at age 75, eh.

A Diary of CEO podcast this week covers this. It's called an emergency debate. It's quite interesting.

I think there are major problems ahead. The children you receive inheritance will be the lucky ones and it is going to be so hard for others.

When I'm older I don't want to be so ill that I need a high level of care. I would rather due earlier from flu or covid. I won't be getting any vaccines after age 75.

No, me neither. Much as they like to flap their lips about quality of life, there's a clear economic benefit to assisted dying. If they were primarily concerned about elder quality of life, they wouldn't be, as a matter of fiscal and societal policy, distinguishing care required for dementia from care required for patients with other diseases.

Although, it's not as though our politicians are doing nothing entirely - witness how many western nations are introducing assisted dying legislation.

I don't think it's a coincidence

I’m always surprised when people say this. The current older generation are the ones known mainly for their unhappiness and bitterness at everyone and everything. They’re the ones protesting when their pension age was increased because they expect tax payer funded retirement, who complain about the nhs delays dominated by their age group because they expect tax payer funded healthcare, and complain when they have to pay council tax the large properties they own (to the point of imprisonment in notorious cases) because they think they shouldn’t have to.

i think boomers are undoubtedly the most entitled generation we have never seen, and ever will see

I agree with this. Simple demographics tells us as much. The average age of a European citizen is over 40. As we move towards having a top heavy elder population, countries with a preponderance of young people are overtaking us - India, for example, already has.

Although, it's not as though our politicians are doing nothing entirely - witness how many western nations are introducing assisted dying legislation.

Of course a cynic would argue that this is the ultimate admission of failure to deal with the entirely predictable challenges posed by an ageing population.

Apologise your quote includes the statement that the population would need to be halved but it’s not clear who it’s from.

I hate littering but fines need to be proportionate to the offence committed. Nobody is going to pay £10,000 for littering, so what would happen then? Custody?

The cut to CS jobs is nothing new. Boris wanted the CS cut to pre Brexit levels which was impossible because many departments have to do a lot of the functions that the EU did.

Well of course things are going to decline when you make headline politics instead of evidence based investments.

Tell me why we are approving plans for fucking loads of 4/5 bed housing estates in the suburbs instead of affordable flats in existing town centres and empty buildings, with the caveat that developments can only be approved with evidence as to how the ongoing infrastructure of nhs dentists and GPs will be funded?

I'm mentally checked out and planning to travel as much as I can when I retire. I'd be seriously depressed if I was planning to be here forever properly.

It's no wonder nobody wants kids anymore. And the government will just keep on importing endless single men from other cultures

I agree there should be massive fines for littering. Everywhere you go all you see is shit that lazy bastards can’t be bothered to dispose of properly. From sweet wrappers and bottles/cans to severe fly-tipping. It’s disgusting.

I loathe the UK right now.

Having no children or solo children isn't the bad thing it's seen to be for society. Quite the opposite.

How does a society progress & thrive without new blood?

And die overnight? Really?!

Did I say halved? Nope.

This is how feel. We have four young adult kids and whilst I'd like to downsize in a few years time I am feeling like this will be increasingly unwise. My eldest ds currently lives with his gf in a rented house but is constantly complaining that he cannot afford all the bills etc. he works in a job with a fixed salary but works 50+ hours a week and it's putting a strain on his relationship. My youngest ds whilst still at Uni, i feel due to his social anxiety etc is going to struggle to find work when he graduates next year. My normally upbeat optimistic student daughter said last night that she does not see much of a future for her and her friends all feel the same. It's sad. I thoroughly expect at least some of the kids to be living with us long term which is fine but not the life we hoped for them.
On the other hand as a poster upthread pointed out we have so much. free healthcare, generous benefit system ( although I appreciate this will change), beautiful countryside. Despite huge social challenges we still have a lot to be grateful for.

This makes no sense in the context of the situation described. If the uk population was halved, what would be the advantages? Because we wouldn’t have enough workers to run the economy, government, education or criminal justice. We wouldn’t be able to meet international obligations or defence. We would simply die overnight. No one would be able to purchase the vacated houses, take up the reduced operating waiting lists or attend their chosen school. The pensioners and disabled population left would starve quickly.

Due to declining fertility rates, the rate of growth of worldwide population is slowing, declining towards the end of the century.

I remember doing a sociology project at college in the 80's and the British population was 52 million. It's now projected to be 70 million by 2030. I don't want it to get to that level. We haven't invested in our public infrastructure to support 70 million, our transport, housing stock, utilities, food production and health systems are not able to support that increase. We are seeing evidence of it now, it's difficult to access any public services - we patch things up rather than invest in new modern infrastructure. I find it laughable that the third runway at Heathrow won't get built until 2030. We just can't seem to built anything ! We are tied up in rules and regulations, consultations and public inquiries. How long and how much does it cost to fix a pot hole?
I agree with a PP who says we will have to start taking responsibility for ourselves more, including our health and our pensions. The NHS has become abused and taken for granted. The country needs huge investment in infrastructure, not sticking plasters. We are relying on Victorian design and construction, not design fit for the 21st century. I look at the debacle of HS2 and despair.

And there's a big big difference between 'culling' the elderly which is a foul thought and not prolonging life in cases where it's just not sensible and quality of life is extremely poor.

Absolutely not but I do think it's important to realise we're massively over populated and think about ways to ensure that we don't continue on an upward trend. That's as a planet and not just as the UK. Having no children or solo children isn't the bad thing it's seen to be for society. Quite the opposite.

Especially for the young