Is popping wearing and remembrance fading with younger generarions?

[mids2019]

At my daughter's school teachers were heavily suggesting that they observe remembrance and it goes in with WA1 and WW2 history.

However it seems at least some think the poppy is outdated or overly political so tend not to wear poppies.

Is remembrance going to diminish with the passing of time and do young people have a point that is has misappropriated by certain factions?

Poppy

I think it will , as it will become a war that happened so long ago , and not within living memory for anyone . That said I think I think the concept of remembrance us important so maybe it should shift a little in its concept to become more about loss in general.

not With the younger people I know.

ds secondary school made it clear it was about those lost in all conflicts not just the world wars.

local parades where as busy as ever.

my view is now we have less and less people who have lived through the world wars it is even more important we remember

This may be controversial, but for me, the passage of time has meant that the emphasis of the Poppy Appeal - indeed the RBL as a whole - has now shifted.

I've always seen it as a way of remembering and practically assisting the veterans of the wars who had no say in the matter and had to go and fight like it or not - obviously with a great many never returning.

Now there are so very few people left alive who fought in WW2, I see it that it's now morphed into a kind of Help the Heroes charity - supporting those who actively choose/chose the military as their career- nothing wrong with that, but it's not what I personally see as the purpose of the poppies and the RBL.

Of course, the brave people who gave their lives in 'the' wars must never be forgotten - but it's pretty much passed into history now, rather than remaining a current issue centring around people who were affected and who are still with us.

It’s harder when they don’t remember anyone who was involved.

DCs school all wear poppies but they are an old and traditional independent school with a strong CCF group.

It absolutely important we remember so that it doesn’t happen again.

None of my grandparents wore a poppy, 3 served in the arm forces (1 front line, 1 abroad but back from the from and 1 in UK) and the fourth did war work and lost her serving husband. They had parents serving in WW1. I do remember poppy’s not being widely worn when I was a child. I don’t wear a poppy because my grandparents didn’t so I don’t feel obliged to

My younger children prefer to wear the slap bands than a poppy. They are taught the meaning of the poppy but the charity sell a variety of items for kids which are more appealing to them.

I think the further away we get, the less it will be remembered by younger generations.
Years ago most people had a parent or grandparent who fought in the war, but now it’s probably a Great great grandparent that they don’t have any real connection to.

Im not so sure - I play in a brass band and there's some huge parades - there's very many active military cadets groups, scouts, guides, brownies, police cadets and many other organisations taking part, including all the veterans and their families - whether they've taken part in a war or not. Hundred of people turned out last Sunday in the small town where I played

It’s already “happening again” though isn’t it in the Middle East and Ukraine 😢. The far right is on the rise in Europe and there is ugly anti semitism on the streets. The “never again” rhetoric is ringing awfully hollow.

It was always important for me to honour my grandparents who fought and had their lives upended by WW2. That generation are now gone and I'm not keen to support military as a career, which I think the wearing of the poppy has moved closer towards in recent years.

I think living in a diverse city it has been put that remembrance can be divisive with many communities having possibly mixed feelings about the armed forces in general.

It's as if the poppy as well as being a symbol of remembrance is also a demonstration of patriotism and pride in the UK.

I see it surviving for at least 2 more generations but maybe people may question some aspects of ceremony for instance the right association with the c of a in an increasingly non religious country.

As with so much that could have been a long term force for good, for some the wearing of the poppy has become performative and a shock to beat people with. All those on the BBC having to wear it is one small example. It feels in some areas as if it’s about compliance and not intent.

I didn’t wear a poppy this year, but I did put money in the tin. And I did remember the fallen and all those who sacrificed so much, but quietly and in my own way at home.

Also, it completely negates the purpose for wearing a poppy when it just automatically becomes 'something that you do' - especially if others will stare and shame you if you don't.

It's a bit like the covid cheering for the NHS - maybe a nice gesture when people freely did it of their own choice, but completely loses any meaning when it's to avoid "Did you see her at number 53 not bothering to bang a saucepan last Thursday? Well let's just hope that she never needs an operation, eh?"

Is it the case that every single person who happens to appear on screen on the BBC - not just the presenters, but also people being interviewed for three minutes - actively decides to wear a poppy; or do they just have a great big box of them backstage and say "Here, you need one of these"?

Is this ironic?

I personally think that the fact that our government allows people to fight and risk their lives and risk life changing injuries but then leaves supporting those who have life changing injuries as a result of serving the government in this way to a charity funded by donations from ordinary people is disgusting, and this is why I don't wear a poppy.

It's that difference between remembrance of sacrifice and active support of miltarism. I think it's definitely the former but there are those that do associate the poppy with our armed forces and geo political stance on general and there are those that feel it verges on the political or a symbolism of establishment Britain.

one in 3 babies are born in the UK from non UK mothers so will poppy wearing be prevalent amongst those whose ancestors didn't fight or were in the UK?

My thoughts both x-posted with others expressing some similar opinions and points.

It was a World War though. So there is a very strong chance that the ancestors of those babies will also have been involved in the war - that said some of the ways the war was experienced in other parts of the world was different.

Single use plastic.

Also, you can remember people without wearing a poppy. You don’t need to signal to others that you’re doing so.

I prefer the white poppy.

I can see what you mean by conoliance. Thomas Tuchel the new England football manger , a German, will obviously wear a poppy at this time of year in future yet surely he may have a nuanced view. I guess some of his ancestors died in the first world war yet the poppy tacitly is for the UK and allied powers war dead (unless I am mistaken).

I'm a Quaker, and we have a complicated relationship with Remembrance Day because of many Quakers having been conscientious objectors and how they were treated. Many wouldn't wear the red poppy historically, but I think over time because the campaign has changed to a more general remembrance of service men and women and veterans of all conflicts, it sits more comfortably. Many of us wear the white poppy, but some wear both and some none at all. The white poppy sadly still excites a lot of upset. One of my neighbours still won't speak to me 5 years on because I wore one to DS's school service. DS1 went to Quaker school, where they didn't ever do Remembrance Day stuff, but DS2 didn't. I wouldn't have pulled him out of it, I felt it was a learning opportunity and a chance to discuss the differences and nuances between what he might learn through Quakers and what the (loosely Church of Scotland affiliated) school teaches.

I've worked with veterans and their families during my career (psychology/family therapy) and despite having a faith that believes in the possibility of a world free from war, and that war is never justified, I also have a deep respect for those who have served, having done that work.

Not wearing a poppy or participating in the events doesn't always = not caring about service people, or thinking armed forces = bad, but there are some people like my neighbour who think it does.

That's correct. The red poppy doesn't commemorate everyone who fought and/or died in the wars, only our allies and only those in the armed forces. My grandfather fought the Russians in the Winter War, my great grandfather was killed by them. My other Grandfather was a German Jew. The white poppy is for every innocent person who has ever died in a war, including civilians.