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Original poster

To think everything will be unrecognisable in 50 years

331 replies

CurdinHenry · Today 11:38

Just thinking about how different the UK was in the 70s and how change is supercharged now by tech and mass migration and the loss of shared cultural reference points in TV and newspapers and radio.

I live in Glasgow and many parts of it are no longer at all Scottish-seeming apart from the old sandstone tenements. What even is Scottish any more? It's hard to imagine Scottish independence being taken up by the new communities. But what's next?

I think human societies are programmed to self destruct every so often in the absence of external numbers control pressures and I think that's what's starting now across Europe. We have never had it so good in the history of time yet rage flourishes

What can we do as individuals, I'm just not sure

OP posts:
ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 16:27

Also, unifying culture is really really good for people. People need to connect to things beyond their own life circumstances and passing trends, it’s good for the psyche and sense of perspective. I certainly feel calmer and happier when taking in the beauty of an old building, or a local landmark, or when I see native wildlife, and feeling a spiritual connection to it. I don’t care if people laugh and call me a sad NIMBY. I was dropping DD at her Saturday club at a stately home yesterday and was completely awe struck by the beautiful blue sky, the lush green rolling countryside, the birdsong, the sound of the stream. Truly stunning. Reconnects me to England.

If you strip people of heritage and culture and convince them nothing is sacred and only has the meaning you personally ascribe to it, you end up with Frankenstein states like the USA who descend into commercialism and capitalism. Nothing there is sacred, everything has a price, nothing is appreciated for its significance beyond its mere physical presence.

DorsetKnobBiscuit · Today 16:28

SiegfriedSassoon · Today 16:26

There are no benefits of multiculturalism. And it is harmful when it reaches large proportions. Which is not to say that there no benefits of immigration. But studies have consistently found that countries with a dominate monoculture are higher trust and happier societies. But we find ourselves in times now where we are being told that we don't even have a culture, that we never did. And so the problem worsens. Orwellian.

"dominate" is quite the Freudian slip in this context.

Jacopo · Today 16:29

Gwenhwyfar · Today 16:20

Some people like the diversity in cuisines.

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Yep, it’s usually the benefit of the nice cuisines that people mention. They can’t usually come up with anything more substantial.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 16:32

SiegfriedSassoon · Today 15:29

Wrong again, there is a overall traditional Indian culture. The fact that you can then start to separate it into different time periods and regions and compare and contrast the differences makes no difference to the greater truth. That would be like looking a painting by Seurat with a magnifying glass and saying that there is no greater picture. You know this, but you don't want to admit it.

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Well, my Indian husband disagrees with you, but what would he know?

JulietteRoche · Today 16:33

Good job Scottish Independence isn't going to happen. It was an absolutely ludicrous idea.

SmallDFartyCarNRG · Today 16:34

Gwenhwyfar · Today 16:17

Some things are definitely going downhill or have been in recent years.

  • life expectancy is stalling or going down
  • house prices are impossible for many people compared with a couple of decades ago
  • workers battled for centuries for the 8 hour day and now hours are going up again
  • NHS is going downhill, when I was a child you could see a doctor when you wanted and also if you were in a different town or close to your work and you could even get an NHS dentist

I suppose a lot of others things have gone downhill as well, while some things are better, most notably women's rights.

Life expectancy was going down steadily under the Tories, along with service of the NHS under austerity. Both seem to be rallying under Labour, with investment.

Gwenhwyfar · Today 16:35

SmallDFartyCarNRG · Today 16:34

Life expectancy was going down steadily under the Tories, along with service of the NHS under austerity. Both seem to be rallying under Labour, with investment.

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Covid is mainly what did it. Cost of living problems have remained even with a Labour government so let's see.

DorsetKnobBiscuit · Today 16:38

Jacopo · Today 16:29

Yep, it’s usually the benefit of the nice cuisines that people mention. They can’t usually come up with anything more substantial.

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Multiculturalism has made a big difference to the arts and sports in this country.
Hard to imagine modern music without it.

SiegfriedSassoon · Today 16:40

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ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 16:41

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 16:32

Well, my Indian husband disagrees with you, but what would he know?

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He’s your husband, of course he’s going to share your worldview. Your entire worldview is moulded around what will make your family feel the most comfortable and that’s understandable. But it ignores looming issues with your logic.

LoveItaly · Today 16:46

JustWalnut · Today 11:42

Everywhere and everything in Glasgow is Scottish. Because it's in Scotland. Hope that helps.

Well parts of Bradford may be in England, but you definitely don’t feel as though you are. You are being deliberately obtuse.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 16:47

ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 16:41

He’s your husband, of course he’s going to share your worldview. Your entire worldview is moulded around what will make your family feel the most comfortable and that’s understandable. But it ignores looming issues with your logic.

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Define Indian culture then? Since you know so much about it?

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 16:49

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So you can't actually provide quotes to prove your point, and you're going to just keep repeating yourself instead?

ilovesooty · Today 16:51

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What an unpleasant post - noticeably very carefully phrased.

franckky · Today 16:52

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ilovesooty · Today 16:53

LoveItaly · Today 16:46

Well parts of Bradford may be in England, but you definitely don’t feel as though you are. You are being deliberately obtuse.

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All of Bradford was in England when I last looked. I live here.

AlecTrevelyan006 · Today 16:57

DorsetKnobBiscuit · Today 16:38

Multiculturalism has made a big difference to the arts and sports in this country.
Hard to imagine modern music without it.

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is that why modern music is so shit?

ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 16:58

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 16:47

Define Indian culture then? Since you know so much about it?

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Define love since you presumably love your husband and daughter? Or if you can’t define it in a way that everyone agrees with, does that mean it doesn’t exist?

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 16:59

ilovesooty · Today 16:51

What an unpleasant post - noticeably very carefully phrased.

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I guess that poster didn't get the memo about traditional British values of fairness and decency.

ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 17:00

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 16:59

I guess that poster didn't get the memo about traditional British values of fairness and decency.

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Are other countries not fair and decent in your eyes?

SmallDFartyCarNRG · Today 17:00

Tolerance levels from new members on this thread are quite telling.
Not very British at all.

Lifeomars · Today 17:01

Figtreegirl · Today 11:54

A wise friend of mine said that everything seemed better when we were younger because we were younger.

I agree with this, everything is easier to deal with when you are young and healthy.

ilovesooty · Today 17:02

ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 17:00

Are other countries not fair and decent in your eyes?

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She wasn't referring to other countries in that post. Or are you going to tell her what she wanted to say again?

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · Today 17:04

ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 16:58

Define love since you presumably love your husband and daughter? Or if you can’t define it in a way that everyone agrees with, does that mean it doesn’t exist?

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You are actually proving my point.

Love clearly exists. However, different people will inevitably experience and define it in different ways. The fact that they might emphasise or prioritise different aspects of it does not mean that love itself doesn't exist.

And that is exactly what I am saying about British culture. (And indeed every other culture.) Different people will experience and define culture in different ways. The fact that they might emphasise or prioritise different aspects of their culture does not mean that their culture does not exist.

I have not once claimed that there is no such thing as British culture. I have merely questioned those who believe that they have an exclusive right to define it.

Do you think your definition of love is the only correct one?

ExtraHotDoubleShot · Today 17:04

ilovesooty · Today 17:02

She wasn't referring to other countries in that post. Or are you going to tell her what she wanted to say again?

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I take issue with people watering British culture into vague notions of fairness and decency because it implies that somehow we are more decent than others, which I think is an odd thing to assume.

It’s also usually a tactic to manipulate other people into ‘tolerating’ things that do Britain harm.