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?

I think it's prudent, when you consider the transition to full no deal Brexit will happen in January, and Covid will be at its height again, to be a bit prepared for some kind of upset and to have the means if you can to be able to stay at home for a few weeks.

It's not that long ago we had a three day week, rubbish left on the streets and our electricity shut off for hours. Maybe it's because I was around in the 70s that I think a bit of planning 'just in case' is wise.

yeah they are hard bastards to be fair, the stuff hes been through and hes turned out normal. The British did actually once do revolutions though. Why did we stop?

I suppose it depends what you mean by 'social collapse'.

Some angry protests and a lot of people complaining on Twitter? - probably.

28 Days Later? - no.

Nah, I think you'll be fine.

I suspect some people will start disobeying the constantly changing complex new rules. As we are pouring tax payer's money into furlough etc though I doubt there will be massive unrest.

I do remember when nuclear war during the cold war was a real concern and getting the Protect and Survive booklet from the stat about what to do and IRA terrorism on British soil and the 1970s 3 day week, 60% inflation over 3 years, I still have the oil lamps we had to buy at home from power cuts. unemplyoment in 2020 even with our massively higher population is still below the 1982 3m level.

A lot of posters on this site are more interested in coming over as clever and snarky than they are in considering someone might have a point.

Yes. Borne of an inability to cope with the prospect that things might not always be nice and comfortable in daily life.

This kind of denial and scoffing is a fairly primitive defence mechanism, a sort of firewall to try to deal with anxiety.

It'd be marvellous to be a man - especially a white man. For everyone else, particularly women and children, more particularly if not of independent means, it would be spectacularly shite. Specifically? Loads of forced labour, rape and "disappearances".

Independent means would be irrelevant without an infrastructure in which to spend them, as would the structural, societal racism that places the white man at an advantage. Money and privilege would become worthless.

@speakout

What does "social collapse" mean?

Will we have to eat our children?
Read Hello magazine?

I have two hulking brutes fed a free-range, organic diet with excellent muscle to fat ratio. Sadly, being vegan, I can’t eat them. Possibly I could trade joints and chops for avocados and gin.

@user1471565182

yeah they are hard bastards to be fair, the stuff hes been through and hes turned out normal. The British did actually once do revolutions though. Why did we stop?

We exploited other continents and got too comfy to revolt. Anyone who wasnt comfy enough and got a bit bolshy was dealt with via passage to the new world. Done.

I think unrest is a strong possibility. I think it would take us a he'll of a lot longer to get to anything resembling collapse. America isn't even there yet.

@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.

Totally agree. My intuition tells me - not in 6 wks, but the good times arent coming back in my lifetime.

If we cant manage to take the persinal hit for the common good when the threat is so immanent abd obvious, what hope have we got in taking the measures to avoid climate change.

All the young climate activists.... I dont see many of them trying to rally their peers to stop socialising and stay home.

Very disheartened by it all. Its like it is happening in slow motion....

[quote frumpety]@MissConductUS what a lovely offer , I do very much like cats, but can't unfortunately offer gold or bitcoin, would a kidney do ?[/quote]
You sound like a kind person @frumpety, I'm sure we could work something out.

*Hell, obvs. My autocorrect is possessed by the spirit of Mary Whitehouse.

@Xenia "Protect and Survive" was never produced and distributed en masse to UK households - this would only have happened if the Government believed it was 1/2 weeks before a nuclear war. It was available to purchase for 50p from 1980!

@UnholyStramash

Are mince pies in the supermarkets yet? The answer might influence my answer.

Haha at this post

@Pelleas

It'd be marvellous to be a man - especially a white man. For everyone else, particularly women and children, more particularly if not of independent means, it would be spectacularly shite. Specifically? Loads of forced labour, rape and "disappearances".

Independent means would be irrelevant without an infrastructure in which to spend them, as would the structural, societal racism that places the white man at an advantage. Money and privilege would become worthless.

Infrastructure or no, there's one which will never change - people can be bought and there's always a currency. Security was a thing 1000 years ago and even women could buy it.

Sadly many more women would be bought than buying.

It's a no from me.

@wherethewildthingis

I agree with you. As soon as China went into lock down I told my husband and my kids that we were in for a rough year. I always have a well stocked pantry anyway but I made double sure that by the end of January my freezers and cupboards were full. My car was full of petrol too and yes I had toilet rolls loooong before people were taking it seriously. My supplies have been consistently topped up. Not panic buying or anything silly, just enough to know we don't have to leave the house for 4/6 weeks if needed. I have a compromised immune system so that's just sensible.

I do think we will see riots. I am very worried about what's happening in America too. Trump saying the only result he will accept is him re-elected as president is terrifying- especially as he has the army etc at his disposal. It wouldn't take much . We've already seen how the BLM movement ( rightly) sit across the world. All it would take is enough anger in this country over restrictions/lack of supplies/job losses etc and then for civil unrest to kick off in America. Angry unhappy people in this country are a petrol soaked rag and the tension will be very high.... trump/no deal Brexit could well be the spark that sets it all off.

People think it takes thousands of people to cause a riot..... it doesn't. It only needs maybe 6 really angry people and if tensions are high enough then a hive mentality takes over and even the most respectable of people can find themselves swept up in it and joining in. Social contagion via disappointment in their government.

I don’t think so no. There will be negative repercussions but there needs to be a prompt rather than slow decline and suppression. A prompt such as no food etc

I suppose I could attempt to get a shotgun license ...
Get a bunker in the garden and start prepping - my some Americans spend most of their free time prepping ready for the zombie apocalypse thing - but seriously they will be laughing (on their own) when one day things go bang....
I mean so far people have drink up by 10 cannot mix in more than a group of 6 and in some areas a bit more restrictive but this isn't North Korea or China yet so still fairly free to shop/eat at restaurants/ watch Netflix, walk, cycle, education etc so quite a bit is still ok

I think you may be a tad dramatic?

There are 14 million people classed as living in poverty, 8.3 working age adults, so crime, deprivation, abuse and that was in 2019.

We joke about it all whilst sipping SB and Gin (one in each hand) dreaming of a euro holiday or 3 but there is a large underclass in this country and perhaps CV and Brexit will be enough for them to do something about it?

Last lockdown I noticed the cheap air guns and crossbows sold out. People do feel close to the edge.

@Xenia

I suspect some people will start disobeying the constantly changing complex new rules. As we are pouring tax payer's money into furlough etc though I doubt there will be massive unrest.

I do remember when nuclear war during the cold war was a real concern and getting the Protect and Survive booklet from the stat about what to do and IRA terrorism on British soil and the 1970s 3 day week, 60% inflation over 3 years, I still have the oil lamps we had to buy at home from power cuts. unemplyoment in 2020 even with our massively higher population is still below the 1982 3m level.

I respect your journey @Xenia

I was there too. How are you going to use your knowledge here today? What you posted is just facts.

I don't hear your roar though. I love your miaow. But I am missing your roar.

Best get some extra loo rolls, pasta and sauce in then.

Well, this isn't a hysterical thread at all.