How (or even would) people cope?

[OWWO]

I’m a relative newbie, and this post came about after a conversation with my elderly mum because of events at my work. I am interested in other people’s thoughts.

AIBU to think that, if people today had to live through an event like WW2, a lot of them wouldn’t be able to cope with the restrictions, rationing etc.

I work for a charity that helps those who are homeless, escaping domestic violence, or on a low income and, while 99% of the clients are genuinely grateful for what we do; lately we’ve had some who have been a little, how to put this delicately... entitled and grabby, not appreciating being told that something isn’t possible, no matter how many ways they ask or demand. Some even tell us to stuff it and walk out!

Am I wrong to think there there is a definite sense of entitlement (and an unwillingness to try to help one’s self) out there in the world today?

Yes I'd moan and get on with it. And I'm sure people did in ye good old days too, that just wasn't as well publicised as the blitz spirit for obvious reasons

I think people are generally more precious and selfish than they used to be, certainly going on threads on here.

I think the norms and experience of younger generations today are so different to those from the 30s that it's hard to compare. I would argue that "lifehacks" are today's make do and mend.

I think it’s difficult to compare, bit of an apples and oranges situation. Modern life is so different from the 1940s in so many ways, you can’t really measure them side by side.

But the fact is we’d survive because we’d have to. Yes we are used to more luxury and instant gratification than our previous generations, but human beings are strong and the instinct to adapt and survive is innate. If (god forbid) we have a similar situation today, yes we would struggle initially but we’d make it work. Although I suppose if there was a war today it wouldn’t be a case of individual houses bombed..but entire cities wiped out (but let’s not think about that..).

Also i think it’s worth thinking that people look back at ww2 with admiration for the blitz spirit, but at the time it was horrific and a lot of people struggled. There was a lot of difficulty, violence in some places, and not everyone coped. Of course we pulled through but it wasn’t necessarily as stoic as we may think.

Well it depends on the person and their experiences.

I know quite a few people of varied ages who would manage just fine even in quite dire circumstances.

Just look at the prepper threads, they aren't all WWII era ages.

My granda was in a WWI POW camp and ate cat, I'm quite happy to follow his example if necessary 😂

Yes, it was great when people didn’t have baths or toilets or soap

immortalmarble If everyone pongs, no one notices - it becomes the norm.

@sar302 “And perhaps people were supporting others, instead of referring to survivors of homelessness and domestic abuse as "entitled and grabby".”

I apologise if my wording offended you. In my role I do support people, and to see and hear the difference our help can make is wonderful... sadly the 1% won’t accept that we can’t perform miracles, and that if we fulfilled their ‘essential needs’ we wouldn’t be able to help others. I have been told ‘they don’t matter’... ‘I must have’ etc - to me that behaviour is entitled and grabby.

Sorry.

They did have baths, toilets and soap, we're not talking 1850.

We'd all be a lot healthier, that's for sure. Obesity and probably type 2 diabetes would disappear in a couple of years.

Yes, it was great when people didn’t have baths or toilets or soap

People had baths and toilets and soap in the 1940s!

I think people are missing the context. People coped in WW2 not just because they had to, but because there was a threat they all faced, so they had a common enemy to unite them.
We don't have that now.

Well I thought even in wwii the government gave out leaflets telling people how to do stuff like ideas for meals from food that was available and keeping hens etc

Upstart isn't ft hat Donald trump?

Also of course they had bath, loos and soap but water and soap was rationed - so you bathed in a few inches of water (probs taking turns with your family). The oil for soap was priortised for food. Hard to imagine!

OWWO (Speaking as someone who has also worked with such groups) People have varying personalities; everyone isn't just going to become meek and grateful because they have fallen on hard times. It's a bit patronising to expect that everyone should be grateful for what are basically scraps, when they can see that others in society have so much more. (I wouldn't blame a lot more of them for being annoyed.) Bolshiness may also have helped some of these people survive what they have been through, even if it isn't necessarily helpful in an official setting.
Especially given you work for a charity, I hope you are using ways of phrasing things that show, and also understand in yourself, that it's not your/your organisation's fault. In the end it's government policy and there is only so much you are able to do in terms of funding and professional boundaries.

I agree, I think a lot are very entitled and expect everything handed to them on a plate so would really struggle. Those that work hard would transfer those skills I'd imagine and cope better.

@Sparklesocks that was in response to someone saying they didn’t, not a statement that they all had luxurious baths!

Oh I know YeTalkShiteHen - I wasn’t sure if that’s what they meant!

Not everyone had baths, toilets or soap.

Nor did we have a healthcare system everyone could access.

Ah ok, sorry -SparkleSocks

My grandfather proposed to my grannie during the war with silk stockings, nylons and a bunch of bananas as a special treat!

YeTalkShiteHen how romantic!
My great aunt got married in the same wedding dress as all her friends did, only one in the neighbourhood!!

@OWWO

I do sort of get what you mean - I've worked for charities and in public services all my life, and there are always people who want more than we can give. But I think the focus is wrong here.

Wanting more doesn't necessarily make them grabby, it means that we have stretched support services to breaking point and we are failing to provide people who need it, with anything more than very basic support. People can obviously survive on the basics if they have to, but who wants to? Not me! Of course they're miserable. Particularly if they've had a severe drop in standard of living.

I sit here in my house with my nice things and think if it was all taken away tomorrow, I'd love to think I'd be grateful for emergency support, but in reality I would definitely be mourning the loss of my "things". Add in my beloved husband having just punched me in the face / raped me, or my children being taken away because I couldn't provide a decent environment for them any more...

There for the grace of god etc.

Just a thought anyway. Might make me one of the terribly entitled 30 somethings :D but I think in reality people wouldn't survive those situations as well as they might like to think they would!

I love the idea of that, the common bond they all shared!

My grannie wore a brown skirt suit from work, it was awful but there wasn’t anything else at the time! So she poured her heart and soul into making my Mum's when the time came.

She did tell lovely stories of her friends all saving their rations for a child’s birthday in the street so they could make a wee cake for them.

My mum grew up in a council owned back to back house in a northern city which didn't have an indoor toilet put in until 1968. This was very very common. They were considered 'posh' as they had their own family toilet in the toilet yard down the street

My parents (now in their 70s) said that basically everyone washed once a week and everyone smelt as a result of that and not having many clothes and having to re wear them