AIBU to Think MNHQ needs to tackle the ageism on this site?

[LastGoldenDaysOfSummer]

The venom and hate aimed at older people on some of the Covid threads is disgusting. If the same was aimed at disabled, TW or BAME people then the posts would be deleted immediately, and rightly so.

But because it's the elderly it's left to stand, even after being reported. This isn't new, MNHQ has always been a hotbed of ageism but it's usually dealt with when reported.

But not any more. Should they be doing more?

You haven't given any.

This reminds me of viewing a family sized house to rent which said “no children or pensioners”. I asked the estate agent if it was ageism - and he shouted “it’s not like we’re listing it as No BAME, is it?”

I was uncomfortable with his response. Feels like ageism is just a “thing” in the workplace.

I think mostly we all get on. I hope I learn from younger people and if they learn from older people too so much the better. Pitting people against others tends not to allow either group to move forward. I certainly support things like removing the triple lock and abolishing heating allowance etc for pensioners and merging tax and NI (which higher rate would then go on pension income for those pensioners rich enough to pay tax) and perhaps cutting back on pension credit for pensioners.

If we allowed parents who give money to student children for fees or rent or give money to children for housing to set all that against their tax bill that might help the middle class.

@CaptainMyCaptain - pensioners don’t pay Ni. That’s why they pay less tax.

I don't claim sick pay or maternity benefit. NI isn't a tax as such it's Insurance, it's in the name.

I certainly support things like removing the triple lock and abolishing heating allowance etc for pensioners
I don’t. Decent levels of state pension and a chance to keep warm in winter were hard won and should not be easily surrendered.

I remember my own Grandmother’s freezing house because she was terrified to heat it. I am convinced she’d have lived longer if she could have kept warm.

This:

www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jun/26/a-million-pensioners-in-poverty-because-of-unclaimed-benefits

@Jellycatspyjamas

I don’t think it’s ageist to point out that having a baby in your 40s carries more risks than having one younger. It’s just biological fact.

When that information comes laden with value judgements (it’s selfish, you’ll be an older parent and embarrass your kids at the school gate, you won’t have the energy to keep up), it becomes ageist.

Exactly, the posts are saying “oh there’s an increased risk of miscarriage in your 40s”.

It’s commenters saying they were so ashamed of their mum at the school gate, because she was 40 and the other mums were 20. Which really say more about their weird hang ups than older mothers.

And posters saying that if you have a child at 40, they will almost certainly be orphaned by the time they reach secondary school, because 40 is so incredibly ancient. Either that, or your poor child will have to wheel you around in your bath chair once you hit 50. I’m not even exaggerating, there are posters on here who seem to think anyone over 45 is a pensioner with a Zimmer frame.

Those will be the same ones saying posters are mean for not wanting to put up with being bullied by their MIL, and implying the MIL is frail and helpless and should be pandered to, when it turns out the MIL in question is in their 40s-50s, working, with no health problems, and just not a very nice person.

perhaps cutting back on pension credit for pensioners.

If we allowed parents who give money to student children for fees or rent or give money to children for housing to set all that against their tax bill that might help the middle class.

Really? So pensioners on minimum income are less deserving than middle class families, presumably with the necessary means, supporting the children they chose to have? Exactly why do we want to help the middle class? (of which I am one btw)

Morning, all.

We just wanted to pop by to reassure you that ageism is something we take seriously and is included in our talk guidelines and we will delete posts that are reported to us that are ageist in nature. We often don't see posts they are reported to us, so do always hit the report button to let us know.

OP - it sounds like you're referring to some posts you did report here so that's a little different. We'd be happy to discuss those off the boards with you (discussing specifics here is likely to turn it into a thread about a thread but do drop us a line). We're always happy to take a second look and, if nothing else, we should be able to tell you why they weren't deleted.

Thanks, everyone.

perhaps cutting back on pension credit for pensioners.

Pension credit is means tested for the poorest pensioners only. Do you really want to cut that?

Yes, I was just going to say that too @DynamoKev . Why do people want to punish the poorest in society?

@Xenia

I think mostly we all get on. I hope I learn from younger people and if they learn from older people too so much the better. Pitting people against others tends not to allow either group to move forward. I certainly support things like removing the triple lock and abolishing heating allowance etc for pensioners and merging tax and NI (which higher rate would then go on pension income for those pensioners rich enough to pay tax) and perhaps cutting back on pension credit for pensioners.

If we allowed parents who give money to student children for fees or rent or give money to children for housing to set all that against their tax bill that might help the middle class.

Christ, you've got a steel plunger where a heart should be you, haven't you? Jesus

@DynamoKev - tax changes did make final salary pensions more expensive. Increased regulation did too (a bit). But by far the most important factor was increased life expectancy. That’s just a fact. It’s not “blaming”anyone. It’s great people are living longer. But final salary pensions are extremely expensive and have in part led to a lower budget for current employees, bankruptcy of businesses and so on.

It would be nice if everyone “promised a pension” would be guaranteed to get it. But how would that be paid for? And by whom?

@CaptainMyCaptain NI Is just a tax these days, it’s certainly not insurance. It should be merged into one higher rate of income tax imo.

It is a bit of a stretch to say that post of mine that we do and should all get on and learn from each other means I have a steel plunger for a heart!

@MrsFezziwig - not every generation pays for the one before it. There is a particular issue with the early boomers who got early pensions which will be paid for a long time, cheap property, workplace final salary pensions and so on. Gen x and to a greater extent millennials will pay for that but not get it. Seems really unfair to me.

I don’t understand why you seem to think this reflects disfunctional families. I will give dds everything I can, yes. But that doesn’t mean I can’t see how hard it is for their generation and how difficult it is for kids whose parents can’t afford to help them out. With student fees, huge house prices, likely no state pensions young people will find it impossible to get by if they don’t have family help and I think that’s wrong.

Can anyone remember the post about the Government being able to take money directly from our bank accounts? I'm trying to track it down, I'm sure it was on a 'cost of Covid' thread!

I'm 55 so probably one of the seniors here but I cant go over the road because its too tame for me on Gransden . I like the effing and jeffing and sex talk so I'm staying here.

[quote CaptainMyCaptain]**@CaptainMyCaptain - pensioners don’t pay Ni. That’s why they pay less tax.

I don't claim sick pay or maternity benefit. NI isn't a tax as such it's Insurance, it's in the name.[/quote]
Exactly this but this thread is deluged with posts that don’t allow the facts to get in the way of a good prejudice.

Gransnet I meant!

@DynamoKev

I certainly support things like removing the triple lock and abolishing heating allowance etc for pensioners I don’t. Decent levels of state pension and a chance to keep warm in winter were hard won and should not be easily surrendered.

I remember my own Grandmother’s freezing house because she was terrified to heat it. I am convinced she’d have lived longer if she could have kept warm.

So don't vote Tory, then.

Fixed.

Christ, you've got a steel plunger where a heart should be you, haven't you? Jesus

To be fair though, as Xenia reminds us on just about every thread no matter how irrelevant, she and she alone is footing the entire tax bill for the UK. That would make anyone a bit steely.

I don't like these bullying anti Xenia posts. It isn't pleasant. Get over yourselves.

not every generation pays for the one before it

Of course they do. Pensions have always been funded by those still working. I worked for 45 years to fund older generations’ pensions. I also worked until 2006 to repay the debt from WW2 which ended eight years before I was born.

In those 45 years I worked to educate other people’s kids and pay for other people’s operations. It’s how society works. It’s not a bloody piggy bank.

@DynamoKev

I am 58 and I'm amazed at some of the havocc I have apparently wreaked, not just ruined everything for younger people due to being (slightly) more at risk from the virus, but I have personally destroyed any chances of young people ever having a house, a job or a pension, and I am sitting in my paid-for mansion laughing at them (not true btw just in case anyone needs it spelling out). According to quite a few posters it is now time for me, as a scummy boomer to have my assets and my future plundered as I have been selfishly keeping the young down.

I don't actually want MN to delete this stuff, I want to challenge it for the nasty pointless divisive hatred it is.

THIS, thank you.