to think we in the UK have a bloody good life and we should stop bloody whinging?

[WriterofDreams]

This is a rant. Feel free to tell me IABU, as I am not going to be moderate in my views.

I know "what about the starving children in [insert poor country here]" is an endlessly annoying response to any complaint but it's been ringing in my head of late. I know people are struggling financially and being uncertain about the future is very worrying. But I do feel at times it would do us all good to stop and appreciate the huge privilege and good luck we have in living in this part of the world.

Something that will always stay with me is something my sister told me when she was working in Namibia. She had a spare notebook and pen so she gave it to a man who was about to study to be a teacher. He broke down in tears and she got a shock until she realised that this man could never have afforded to buy his own notebook and pen. He considered the gift hugely generous and had to be persuaded to accept it. A nun friend of mine also told me about children in Ethiopia who used to have their pens blessed by the priest in the hopes it would make them keep working. They had one pen to last the whole year and if it stopped working they might not be able to do their exams. Contrast this to my kids at school who would lose expensive handwriting pens left right and centre and expect a new one every time. We had to introduce a reward system to get them to look after them.

I wake up every day in a peaceful country in a dry warm house. I have running water, electricity, gas and a council that looks after the roads and collects the bins (as well as a lot of other things). If I need anything there are any number of shops I can go to where the shelves are constantly well stocked. My son will go to a clean well equipped school with highly trained teachers, for free, and get heaps of bloody handwriting pens, books, and photocopied worksheets. If I'm ill I can go to the doctor, for free, and be seen right away, given the correct medicine or sent to a state of the art hospital where I'll get great care, again for free. I don't have to worry that malaria or yellow fever will kill my family, or that war will tear my country apart.

On the whole I am one of the very very lucky ones.

Not people voted for it, people fought for it.

Funnily enough, the strike was a fizzer around these parts

when you live in a country that defines a mobile phone, television and computer as necessities, you know you are on to a good thing

I agree that we should fight to maintain the good things we have, especially the NHS. I come from Ireland and I still feel a tingle when I go to the GP and walk out without having to pay 60 euros. It really is a huge privilege and one that improves everyone's quality of life enormously, perhaps more than they realise. I've gone from ending up with terrible infections as I couldn't afford to go to the GP in Ireland to not actually suffering any more infections because the GP here referred me for tests that cleared up all my issues. I am immensely grateful for that.

Auntie Monica, while I agree that it's terrible that some people struggle with heating, particularly old people, I do feel things like hot water, and replacing lost items are not essentials by any means. I never had hot water growing up, baths had to be filled with the kettle (everyone has access to electricity), and if I lost something that was it, it was gone. I still had a great childhood and I wouldn't change it. Equally, lack of education or healthcare is relatively rare given the existence of the NHS and free schooling - lack of access to these things is more down to poor parenting or lack of social support which is terrible but can happen in the most affluent societies.

I think when we live in a world that considers an annual holiday a reasonable part of living we should feel like we are living in the lap of luxury. Feeling entitled to these things because we live in a first world country only breeds resentment IMO - I think sometimes we have to accept that yes, a lot of people afford holidays, but if you can't it's not the end of the world and you won't really suffer for it. It's a pain but consider yourself lucky that that's all you have to worry about.

We are also lucky the UK has a benefit system for those who fall onto hard times. Very, very, very lucky.

True Cocoflower. I agree with you but I was reluctant to mention it as there seems to be a lot of animosity towards benefits on MN, I'm not sure why.

Oh and please please please don't turn this into a debate about benefits.

op of cpurse YANBU

but there are many people in this country without the ability to access all the services in the op many of us take for granted

this government is slowly and stealthily eroding many services vulnerable people need and its happening before our eyes

yes we are not anywhere like as bad as loads of other countries, but for the vulnerable and needy here their quality of living is going down the tube fast

I dont blame for your being reluctant. I do stand by it though. If something terrible happened to DH my self-employed work would be to little to provide for my family adequately so it is a small comfort to know there would be a 'cushion' in dreadful times if it should be needed and until something else could resolve the problem.

I totally agree Cocoflower. The prospect of ending up completely without money if something goes wrong (as happened to an American friend of mine who became very ill and had no insurance) is terrifying, and I'm glad it's one I don't have to face. My friend clawed her way back from the edge with tonnes of help from friends and family and some sheer determination, and thinks it was the making of her, but I would never ever want to face that. I know that it's very unlikely that I ever will here in the UK.

That said I do agree that we have to be aware of attempts to erode these privileges as they are important and we will suffer if they are taken away.

benefits are essential

also I don't consider an annual holiday essential, think thats really daft and will detract from what the op and others like myself are saying

I also think we are very lucky to live in a time and a place where just one person in an elated postion does not have the absoloute monopoly on power and control. History and examples in other countries show us how horrific this can be.

On one hand the 3rd world may not know where the next meal is coming from. On the other hand they have never had to experience Gareth Gates, Graham Norton, or Jeremy Clarkson. So maybe it cancels out.

MrMan. Although I do like Graham Norton (I have to, he's from my home town).

Can we replace Clarkson with Ricky Gervais?

Of course YANBU when you compare our life here to those of much poorer countries but there are areas here that still suffer oppression.

While we can choose our diet, aim to good health, care for our children etc, our home circumstances are greatly affected by a big landowner who has left us without clean water (sometimes any water), no electricity and a house which is desperate. We have to ask permission to mend or ask if we can diversify (to bring in more income).
We are in a situation where permission was not given; how demeaning is it to have to ask a reasonable request?

It is a catch 22 as the power imbalance inadvertently affects health and income.

YABU
Not everybody is complaining. I have rather a good life
I send DW out to work and I stay home and look after the DC

easy life.

I do think of myself as lucky overall but ATM we are facing homelessness if we cannot find work (DH's business is growing but not as fast as ecpected so he needs PT when he grads in 2012, I am carer but being a carer doesn;t cover enough bills any more so have also to find soemthing PT). If we lose the house the SN boys can;t go into homeless accom so will go to temp care.

Mostly I feel lucky; more often these days I feel petrified. Especially about when I go s the new disability support criteria after he turns 16 basically rules out ASD at his level (HFA but with very severe attention deficits and language impairments that over rule any abilities he has) and ds3 could well be left alone and unsupported, totally unable to claim, fight refusals or get a job. I am not sure he is particularly blessed through being in the UK tbh. He's stuffed wherever.

Oh no JuanShite that's what DH always says about that advert too....

And free education- not for all. DS3 doesn;t ahve a comp he will be able to attend that suits his needs- we have to choose between MS (he already failed in MS, he screams from the number of children) that can cope with his academic levels or a SNU that won;t be wble to teach much as they take kids at level 1 or below generally.

If we lose the hosue he wont; even have a primary as the otehr SNUs are full and the one he attends needs a car if out of tiny catchment (obviously the car we use for his needs will have to go before we stop paying rent; need DH's or we can;t access his work but no bus to SNU as it is in a village)

Life varies

Sorry CoCo, Clarkson is the one person in the universe that makes me rethink my opposition to firearms.

The better life gets the more we want or expect
Luxuries are now becoming necessities

people complain over the smallest things.thats human nature for you

Ah, finally, a thread title that says exactly what I think several times a day, every day when I hear people complaining around me, see pointless whingy threads on here, or watch tv! I hold my tongue or rarely post for fear of becoming a grouchy broken record but maaaaaan do I think that every day!!

As it happens, I have lived in countries where I have had to struggle to get by, even for food, but it shoudn't take personal experience for people to stop and broaden their mind and realise how damn good we have it in the UK. Should it?

The UK is not perfect. The family law is a personal gripe of mine. The 'squeezed' middle is hard place to be. Things are far too expensive. The housing market is a mess.

And who doesnt feel like leaving in those long, dark months of January and February?!

However relatively speaking we are so very, very lucky and fortunate.

Most people on here are as lucky as you describe, and probably shouldn't complain.

However there is real poverty in the UK as well. It isn't a competition. Plenty of people don't have a warm dry house and all the other benefits of living here you describe.