Does the UK suck?

[123LiveLaughLove123]

So I have been watching Channel 4 New Life in the Sun.

And it has really been an eye opener.

It made me think...does the UK actually suck? And we are too institutionalised/subject to propaganda to realise?

Here are the reasons the UK sucks:

1. Weather sucks and the country looks dark and grey all the time


2. Roads are narrow, unpleasant to use, and crowded everywhere


3. Houses are small and full of mould everywhere you look. There is nothing romantic about the Cotswolds: it's ancient peasant housing that should be knocked down


4. People look pale and miserable


5. NHS only useful when you reach 65+


6. Rate of tax is astronomically high (I am two years into a graduate job pays marginal tax is 60%)


7. There is crime and general decrepitude everywhere you look


8. Idiots in charge of the country with no critical thinking ability


9. National caste system as a derivative of Norman invaders


10. Opportunities for young people suck because they can't earn enough to buy houses to offers stable family life


11. Low-level drug dealing in every city/town/village if you know what to look out for


12. Private school now astronomically expensive


13. Every business transaction is in some way a scam in the UK. Low-level scamming each other is the basis of the British economy


14. Legacy of colonialism, sexism, institutional racism, caste system derived from royals. It's basically just awful.

What do you think?

Just let us know how we can help you go. 🙂

No we don't. Grammar schools are filled with people that can afford tutors. We just need a good comprehensive system.

We've got a lovely shiny new government which has hit the ground running in the week since they won the election.

Some of our 'similar' problems vanished overnight.

The main problems in the UK are widespread but ignored poverty, pollution which is causing endemic issues like respiratory conditions and brain defects in babies before they're born (especially when their mother lives near a main road) among other conditions but they're all ignored because we're so oil dependent and could never sue the companies, and apparent but realistically no social mobility. Most people here genuinely believe that if onky you work hard you an have a good life, but increasingly that is not the case which is basically a failed society..

I think it's unreasonable to throw the weather in (unless it's a dig at climate change)
But everything else yes. We live in a classist society where white middle/upper class men hold most of the power and use it to better themselves. We are conditioned to compare ourselves to America (not setting that bar very high) because other countries (Scandinavia etc) treat their citizens with much more respect and tolerance and comparatively we are lacking.

For balance I will add that it's an extremely safe country and a tolerant society on the whole. The education and health services are OK. The legal system is often overlooked but is among the best in the world and forms the template of many other countries' legal systems.

I really believe that if as a society our mindset shifted away from being so obsessed with how we're perceived by others (social class etc) and we stopped having excessive respect for authority as we do we'd do much better. Although these issues are exacerbated by the poverty mentioned above..

I have never lived abroad but I speak to several people from various different countries.

No one seems particularly happy to be living where they are now.

There are huge problems globally.

I thought the weather of UK is wet
However when I have lived here
The number of sunny days are much more than I thought

@EngTech
If people hate the UK that much, then they should vote with their feet and move to another country, which is better for them, they are not forced to stay here and endure the hardships you mention

Unfortunately, Brexit has made that all but impossible unless you are wealthy and judging by the numbers booking multiple over seas holidays, it appears the OP may have a point, its not as if millions of EU citizens want to come here for their Hols or live/work here anymore is it?

Always seems to the cry of Brexitiers "Move if you don't like it" ignoring the fact they never moved whilst the UK was under the yolk of the EU nazi state or under successive uk pro EU governments......

Noooo it's great. You realise that when you live in other countries.

What an absolute crock of shite. How about you move to:

Nigeria
Mexico
Brazil
Nepal
Baghdad

At least the weather will be nice!

I've just googled to top 10 worst places to live and the UK doesn't appear. I think maybe you should count your blessings

I've lived abroad in a couple of other countries. I think the UK, like anywhere, has both strengths and weaknesses. On balance, I'm happy to live here and I value being close to my family. There are lots of things that I miss about living overseas though.

My DH has also lived in several countries. He is not from the UK originally, so doesn't have family ties here. He also sees strengths and weaknesses, but on balance, he would prefer to live in the country where we met (not his home country). I can totally see why.

I'm in Scotland and would say the weather has been brilliant this spring. Ok some rainy days, but the garden is growing like a jungle. Gorgeous wild flowers, leaves on the trees are bright green, everything looks great.
I have lived in hot countries (Middle East, California) - you get a bit of greenery in May but by June everything is brown. You can't have permanent hot sun and greenery.

We do have a reputation of being 'whingeing poms' and it's true imv.
And people saying you can't move elsewhere because of brexit - do what other nations do (phillipines, India) and train to be a nurse or doctor - you can move then.
Typical to say boohoo I trained to be a bus driver and can't get a job abroad. Whingeing pom.

I don't understand the 'move if you don't like it' comments. Obviously, we can't change the weather but other things we can try to change. We can only bring about change if we notice what is wrong and what can be improved.

No it doesn’t. But as someone who moved here it is my choice.

I like the climate btw for the most part, disagree with your list but as a small addition agree with pp re legal system having just witnessed it I found it interesting and well done

You do need a positive attitude (and skills that are wanted) to move to a new country and do well if that’s what you really want

I lived in Spain for five years. It's baking hot in the summer, lots of run down places and graffiti due to long-term economic issues, cockroaches and mosquitoes, unemployment is high and wages are low.

However there is also wonderful affordable food and entertainment, you can live outside most of the year, kids are welcome almost anywhere and at any time of day, the healthcare service is excellent (like the NHS but better), and the roads are usually in a better state of repair.

The UK is an amazing country compared with many places globally but IMO this government has eroded some of the qualities that we should be most proud of (tolerance, fair play, freedom of speech, social care) and mismanaged bigger issues so that ordinary people are suffering way more than they should be. It only sucks in comparison with what it could be.

Always seems to the cry of Brexitiers "Move if you don't like it" ignoring the fact they never moved whilst the UK was under the yolk of the EU nazi state or under successive uk pro EU governments......

But there are other countries than the EU - surely.
I lived in about 5 foreign countries over the years none in the EU.
Ok, it's harder now as there are more highly qualified people to compete with for jobs but still......

NHS still useless after 65!

We’re in the process of relocating (slightly reluctantly) from abroad.
things I think are a bit shit about the UK:

• brexit was a mistake - and ironically one of the reasons we now have to come home as visas and contracts harder to get, whereas before we just had the right to be where we are. Also export from uk have fallen - it might be a small thing but prior to brexit I could buy uk goods quite easily where I was living (big export market for Tesco and Waitrose branded products for example). Now everything has flopped over to French or Italian brands.

• cost of housing is silly expensive, supply seems to be small.

• weather is cold but we will get used to it.
• utilities cost is super high!
• education and language learning - we don’t seem to prize learning foreign languages, even 5 year olds have some basic usable English where I have been living and by adulthood most are fluent in English as well as their own language, with a working knowledge of at least one other language (sometimes slightly odd choices like Russian or Bulgarian)
• food prices - I know these have gone up but compared to where we have been things are cheap.
• choice - big Tesco’s is a joy and a revelation. Where I live supermarkets are small and only sell food. Going to tescos for food, toiletries, a toaster and a new garden chair is a joy!
• transport - public transport is great. It basically doesn’t exist where we live (there are limited busses in the big towns but none that are useful to us). Park and ride has just blown my dds mind.
• Education - for the most part most schools seem to be ok - where we have been living there are lots of (relatively cheap) private schools available but the state system is terrible. In the uk most people get a decent enough state education without exposure to violence (guns).
• driving standards. Yes the roads are busy and a bit narrow but standards are good - where I live tou regularly here of terrible road crashes and deaths, it’s not uncommon to find someone driving on your side of the road (and coming at you fast!) and doing crazy shit like parking on roundabouts, parking on the dual carriageway, not using seat belts, going 20-40 kph over the limit and talking on your phone (all at the same time). Several
• ex pat friends have been involved in bad crashes and I count it as simple good luck that we haven’t had this issue yet.

we are in the uk at the moment prepping for our move back, and while I will miss our host national hugely, it won’t be as big a wrench as I thought - there is lots to love about the uk.

Fuggin 'ell ! You really have made the OP's point there haven't you?

Comparing the UK to some of the worlds least developed and crime ridden hot spots! :(

Though tbh, someone i knew many years ago, retired to Mexico and loves it, its not Sicario....not my cup of tea though.

At least we’re not America. You sound young enough to be able to emigrate or work in another country, have you thought about Australia or New Zealand? Unfortunately because of geography there’s not a thing we can do about our dreary weather which I think contributes a lot to the negative feelings we can get living here. Personally I think the Cotswolds are gorgeous, especially Bourton on the Water. I think a lot of the things you’ve listed are world wide problems unfortunately.

I second this. OP, you made chuckle. I'd read your newspaper column if you had one.

Yawn

If you hate it, OP why are you still here?

I defo agree with point one and idiots running the country. But all in all, you're not right about the rest.