Social collapse imminent?

[AdultHumanFemale]

DP and I have just been listening to R4 PM, and the unfolding conflict surrounding tiered regional restrictions. DP reckons we are potentially 6 weeks away from some degree of escalating social collapse in the UK, and should take precautions to insulate ourselves from the impact.
Prudent or unnecessary?
What measures might those of you who may be thinking along the same lines be taking?

Emmapeeler were your parents affected in anyway by the disturbances during the miners strike or the race riots in 1985? People do have a limit, we just don't know exactly where it is until we get there.

Yep agree!

I agree ancientgran, those were among examples I was thinking of, of some very difficult times for people in the recent past. I would call that civil unrest not societal collapse though!

14:53romeolovedjulliet

Did u visualise the state of the country now last year at all? If u did you have the ability to see in the future. If u did not then know this things can change rapidly and get out of hand rapidly. All depending on what happens after January first may well be that final straw. Who knows? No one does. Never assume anything cos assume makes an ass out of u and me. I never underestimate others and it will be wise for others not to do so too imo

And never underestimate me in particular! I'm a hard nut whose had a very hard life. And anyone tells me to do something I dont want to is in for a nasty shock!

@Sostenueto

14:53romeolovedjulliet

Did u visualise the state of the country now last year at all? If u did you have the ability to see in the future. If u did not then know this things can change rapidly and get out of hand rapidly. All depending on what happens after January first may well be that final straw. Who knows? No one does. Never assume anything cos assume makes an ass out of u and me. I never underestimate others and it will be wise for others not to do so too imo

noone knew what would happen this year how could they ? nothing 'got out of hand' here even at the worst of the virus, there are areas near here where there is poverty, but crime rates haven't increased and the food bank seems to jog along as normal [ i volunteer], the general vibe hasn't changed and i still subscribe to the ideal that society will collaspe as total bollocks, it may change but not collaspe.

The mere fact u mention food banks and how they are :jogging along just fine' is an abhorrence in itself. We are ( were) the fifth richest nation in the world. The fact we even have foodbanks tells me that this country was and is in a complete mess before Covid hit and that difference between those in poverty and those that have sufficient grows wider by the day. And there is where the breaking point will come unless it's addressed. It will not be by this Government though.

I agree ancientgran, those were among examples I was thinking of, of some very difficult times for people in the recent past. I would call that civil unrest not societal collapse though! I suppose it depends on how you look at it, I'm pretty sure Mrs Blakelock and her children felt like society was collapsing, not to mention civilisation, when they read how he was murdered by a baying mob, his mistake was tripping up and lying helpless on the ground as machetes reined down on him and a knife was buried in his neck.

Sostenueto It will not be by this Government though. Ain't that the truth. If we manage to jog through the next 4 years I hope people remember what this gang of idiots have done and make sure they don't get another chance.

@Sostenueto

The mere fact u mention food banks and how they are :jogging along just fine' is an abhorrence in itself. We are ( were) the fifth richest nation in the world. The fact we even have foodbanks tells me that this country was and is in a complete mess before Covid hit and that difference between those in poverty and those that have sufficient grows wider by the day. And there is where the breaking point will come unless it's addressed. It will not be by this Government though.

okay 'jogging along' was clumsy hold hands up to that being off but what i was meaning to say the number of users haven't increased since covid and obviously it would be far better if we did't need them in the first place. the previous government left a huge pile of shite behind them, this one has just added to it although they can't be blamed for a worldwide pandemic.

@romeolovedjulliet eh? Food bank usage has increased massively.

I am agreeing with you ancientgran. Times have been really awful for many people in the recent past. Threads like this imply social unrest is a recent thing. But however people felt, society in the UK hasn't literally collapsed in recent times. I am not disagreeing it is possible, and have posted a link by an academic with researched opinion on this, but societal collapse is different to civil unrest.

We used to listen a lot to PM on radio 4 - but it has all the way through the pandemic managed to convey the idea that social collapse is imminent - that and all the covid poetry and number of wannabe Samuel Pepys and the middle class surprise that a nice holiday in UK is possible – all mean we tend to listen to more BBC podcasts now.

Longer term Brexit chaos, climate changes possible new emergent diseases and food shortages all look dicey.

I've started watching Sky news lately, I quite like the way Kay Burley alternates with being quite flirty and friendly with politicians and then putting the knife in. They all seem to fall for it.

Well the men do.

[quote ColonSemiColon]@romeolovedjulliet eh? Food bank usage has increased massively.[/quote]
not where i am it hasn't, and i should know as i volunteer there, as i said there are some poorer sreas that use it but numbers haven't increased as much as one would expect.

@ancientgran

Sostenueto It will not be by this Government though. Ain't that the truth. If we manage to jog through the next 4 years I hope people remember what this gang of idiots have done and make sure they don't get another chance.

That will require a credible opposition of course. There hasn’t been one for nearly 25 years.

15:41romeolovedjulliet

Well for your information my DD minimum wage full time zero contract hours single parent carer on the Frontline, can't get a council house in the town she was born and bred in who has to pay ALL of her rent which is over half her wages without council tax and utilities and food and who does not get universal credit which was took away ( what tiny bit she got) on the day my Dgd supposedly finished her A levels although she didn't start uni till September has been fed by me for the last two years because she could not bear the humiliation of having to use a food bank. And also foodbanks are struggling to cope with the increased demand. What are said food banks going to do if there are food shortages or price of food gets really high? Don't think the Government will help as Gove said 'The Government has no legal duty to feed the nation'

@romeolovedjulliet Maybe you're in a privileged part of the country or maybe it's just lucky but food bank usage is rocketing in general.

Hackney more than doubled since covid started (www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/hackney-foodbank-sees-demand-more-than-double-since-covid-19-lockdown-1-6886420)

East Yorkshire; up over 50% in the first six months of this year Vs the full year last year (so will probably end up at least double) www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/east-yorkshire-residents-food-banks-4610986

Shropshire: some food banks have seen a 10 fold increase in demand: www.shropshirestar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2020/09/21/10-fold-increase-in-demand-at-shropshire-food-banks-amid-pandemic/

Nottinghamshire: up 81% www.chad.co.uk/news/politics/third-food-club-open-mansfield-3002623

Mass unemployment due to furlough ending will lead to an extra 670,000 becoming destitute by Christmas: www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/extreme-poverty-double-UK-christmas-food-bank/

I applaud your volunteering but there is a social disaster unfolding and our government appears to be doing little to address it unless publicly harassed by footballers.

Fippertygibbert, that SO made me LOL!

antonov anything is credible compared to Boris, his brown tongued cabinet and his making money out of Covid Mps and the ERG making money out of no deal Brexit members and co.

Fair enough @Sostenueto

But 'anything' is vague. There has to be a credible alternative and that means something tangible, palpable and believable. Otherwise the red wall will remain blue. I am not arguing with you, just stating a fact.

Absolutely. It will be mad max meets the purge by Nov 😂

@Echobelly

I don't think in the next six weeks, but I think those of us my age (40s) have seen the best years of the world we're going to live in now. Worst of all, our kids have

Between covid, Brexit, political populism and environmental disaster the relatively stable world most of us grew up in in Europe and US is gone and there will be disorder, shifting governments and quite possibly war on the cards.

I'm your age and the same worry has niggled me for a while, I'm struggling to see a way past the current situation

If he means some kind of dystopian nightmare, then he’s being totally paranoid, but a bit of civil unrest, then that’s a real possibility, but nothing to worry to much about, or prepare for. Maybe buy a spare pack of loo roll, some candles and some tinned goods, if it makes him feel better 😁

In March/April there were a lot of posts speculating about how long lockdown would last & if the kids would do their exams etc. I remember one respondent saying that it would be at least 12-18 months before the virus could be under control... oh how she was shot down in flames, accused of scaremongering & being dramatic and worse. I can’t help hearing the same tone in response to this post. If you can’t see that global society isn’t already damaged by the pandemic, or that unless govts. act to stop the economic decline, we will very soon reach a tipping point when collapse is inevitable, you are delusional.