To think the mood of the country is low level depression?

[AllThePogs]

I know individuals may feel optimistic at the moment or severely depressed, but I think the atmosphere in the country is of low-level depression.
I think countries often have an overall "feel" to them. I have lived through times that have felt optimistic that things are going to improve, and times that have felt happy and prosperous.
But at the moment the atmosphere just seems like low-level depression.
AIBU?

@FriendshipsAreHardForMe

I agree. I think it predates Covid and Boris.

Personally I think the age of social responsibility has hit and it's taking its toll. Constant news on climate change, environmental disasters, humanitarian disasters, political craziness, animal welfare.

We are more aware than ever about our collective and individual impact on the world. We are feeling guilty, confused, conflicted.

Social media plays a massive part too. God even Mumsnet. Most posts are snippy and rude.

It's not a good age. I would rather live in the 90s and 00s where things just seemed lighter.

Absolutely - I remember the 90s as a largely very optimistic decade, especially the mid-90s onwards; and the 00s had its problems but there wasn’t the same grinding depressed feeling. We’ve had austerity and Tories and the aftermath of the financial crisis and everything getting shitter gradually since 2010 and yet there still seems no bright prospects ahead, just more of the same - inflation, money issues, crumbling infrastructure, more and more homeless, more climate crisis, less and less affordable housing, grimmer employment conditions, crappier towns. Of course it’s fucking depressing.

@FriendshipsAreHardForMe

I agree. I think it predates Covid and Boris.

Personally I think the age of social responsibility has hit and it's taking its toll. Constant news on climate change, environmental disasters, humanitarian disasters, political craziness, animal welfare.

We are more aware than ever about our collective and individual impact on the world. We are feeling guilty, confused, conflicted.

Social media plays a massive part too. God even Mumsnet. Most posts are snippy and rude.

It's not a good age. I would rather live in the 90s and 00s where things just seemed lighter.

Yes, doom and gloom and making us feel bad about things constantly

It's either the environment, Covid or the refugees coming to Kent.

All serious issues but gets too much

Yes, a very depressing zeitgeist.

I’m worried we’re falling into a state of learned helplessness.
But with climate change the way it is, we have never been in greater need of action.

And rising fuel prices

The VAT on it in the first place is unfair, it's a necessity

I remember rolling my eyes at my parents when they would yarn on about what a golden age the 60s were.

But I'm the same now about the 90s with my dc. I can't imagine them, or anyone really, being fondly nostalgic about this decade if they ever have kids.

They were supposed to have a better world than we did .

Maybe you're right. I have said to my husband recently that everyone at work seems depressed. There is a real can't be bothered attitude which is getting worse.
Perhaps it's not work though, perhaps it's everything else.

I keep thinking this. There seems to be very little light and bright at the moment. The energy of everyone and everything is very low level and negative. It seems to be seeping into everything. Customer service is generally very poor, people can't be bothered and people are being rude and mean to each other.

I have received very good service from Waitrose and Whistlefish in the last couple of days though. A walk around the village generally generates plenty of friendly hellos too. I am very much trying to limit contact with places and people where I might receive poor service/bad behaviour.

Well this is a depressing thread.

But on a brighter note it's very affirming. I've been feeling as though something's wrong with me for a while now, like I can't just be happy. But it's nice to know it's not just me. Misery loves company.

The 90s were very optimistic & exciting though or maybe that's just what i felt.

We’ve had austerity and Tories and the aftermath of the financial crisis and everything getting shitter gradually since 2010 and yet there still seems no bright prospects ahead, just more of the same - inflation, money issues, crumbling infrastructure, more and more homeless, more climate crisis, less and less affordable housing, grimmer employment conditions, crappier towns. Of course it’s fucking depressing.

Exactly, how can it actually get better?

@HumunaHey In a strange way, this thread has cheered me up slightly.

@dafey the '90s were very optimistic. I might watch the Olympic opening ceremony again. That, in particular, seemed such a high point. Not only was the country doing well economically, but we were winning lots of Gold medals and we had an amazing opening ceremony. There had been a lot of British cynicism about our opening ceremony because the previous Olympics, can't remember where had a ceremony with amazing fireworks that must have cost an absolute fortune. Everyone knew Britain could not afford that kind of money, but I think ours ended up being amazing. It was art.

@dafey It felt that way in the areas devastated by Thatcher in the 80s, but things did improve. They will again. It is just shit in the meantime.

Somewhere between cranky and apathetic.

@Tealightsandd

I expect that Silent But Deadly Twelve Homes Sunak is in a fairly good mood.

Yeah, I think he will be in a good mood. Silent but deadly... love it 😀. Mr twelve homes plus a swimming pool lol

Well, look on the bright side. The asteroid that's due next week might actually hit us and then we won't have to worry about any of it.

I think the issue is that SM and forums like this have people who are determined to have a race to the bottom, instead of standing up and agreeing that things just aren't right. We fight over things we shouldn't do, try to force our views on people without understanding their circumstances and spend so much time arguing amongst ourselves that we let corrupt people living the life of Riley get away with it. There is a lack of progression in everything because of this. Our wealth is diminishing due to the cost of living and inequalities, but we blame each other for this.

Everything has ground to a halt because of the greediness of a very wealthy minority. We need to wipe the slate clean and start again I think.

@AllThePogs I hope so but honestly how? The gap between the 1% and the rest of us is too wide. Wages aren't going to increase significantly, it took 10 years to see green shoots after 08. We need more taxes to find the ageing population & everything will keep getting expensive. The NHS is struggling now what will be like in 5 years?

The Olympics was great, I don't watch much sport but battled to get tickets for 3 events just to experience the fun. It was fun!

@dafey Economic booms always happen eventually. Although I do think for young adults it is worth considering immigrating.

I work with the public as a retail manager

At the moment people are ok, but we did go through the mill at the height of covid....the rudeness was off the scale by customers towards staff

It seems calmer now. I'm not sure why after reading this thread as yes, life is very bleak.

I think it's natural for people to be depressed to an extent after a trying time. It's just it's happened to a lot of people in sync.

Yeah the undercurrent of Covid just makes all plans seem pointless, daren't book a holiday in advance so don't have that to look forward to. Hate the cold dreary weather and always the after Christmas deflation of being back to the grind.

We also had a death in the family which made everything so much worse.

Waiting for the ticking timebomb of energy prices skyrocketing after my fixed deal expires, house prices make a move to a house that would be big enough for us (now I've had a child) unattainable now, the rungs are just too far apart on the housing ladder. (Although I thank my lucky stars I'm at least ON the housing ladder, just a shame my next door neighbour is a batshit, intimidating, arsehole)

And the turd cherry on the shite cake is just this disgusting selfish government with our horrible leader and even if he does resign its like chopping the head off a Hydra and someone worse will just take his place. I am so angry at anyone who voted Tory, just why. And now the Labour party are basically a damp squib with a spineless leader. At least Corbyn bloody stood for something, don't see any other ex Labour leaders volunteering at homeless shelters on Christmas day.

@CallmeHendricks

I just feel depressed and resigned that no one in the public eye ever seems to get any sort of just desserts for their actions. Boris Johnson. Donald Trump. Prince Andrew. Novak Djokovic. And at the lowest level of the "celebrity scale, someone like Katie Price.

They are all just laughing at the law and at us.

Totally agree

@AllThePogs I'm encouraging my dc to emigrate & they are fortunate enough to have European passports. I would encourage young people to look elsewhere for opportunities however that's not going to make things better here.

Fingers x for that boom.

I also feel really depressed. My anxiety is getting worse again I can tell. If we don't go back to the office soon I'll get ill. And I never thought I'd be asking to go back in
Every day is the same with no end. Like a hamster wheel.