To think people should chill with the hysterical doomsday threads

[elzober]

Before the pile on about minimising the difficulties people are having, I'm not saying there aren't serious challenges going on at the moment from climate to the cost of living. There's no denying any of that and I hope this crappy government will redeem themselves and take steps to help people.

But talk of apocalypse and the collapse of society is pretty OTT and I keep seeing the tin hat brigade commenting about their various conspiracy theories too.

It's a bit hysterical when you think there are people from from developing countries with hyperinflation, war on their doorstep and armed militias who had to flee to places like the UK for safety.

There's no denying this is going to be very hard for a lot of people but I have seen some posts on here that I think are absolutely on purpose trying to whip up panic and scare people. Some people are just like that.

@HellaFitzgerald agree and the media is just as bad with the fear mongering headlines. People seem to relish creating panic and hysteria

It’s all relative though isn’t it? You can’t really compare us to those who stay in worn torn countries as we have never experienced it.

Tbh it could be much much worse and for all I know very well might get there. People who dismiss things as conspiracy theories though are just blind arseholes. They don't even have to hide things, people will not see what is fucking staring them in the face. I have given up caring.

Times are changing and it's scary particularly for those that have not really seen it before

Old birds like me Remember the old days.

My top tips for those in the squeezed middle. Sadly the ones with less money I pray will get more help from useless govt.

Stop using tumble dryers
Stop using dishwashers
You won't die from a cold house but it could create health and mould issues so try keep heating at at least 16 for a few hours a day in winter.
Then wear warm clothes. A thermal vest and leggings makes a huge difference.
Get dressed in bed
Top Blankets and fleece duvet covers
Turn boiler down on water a few degrees. If you want really hot water for something then boil a kettle
Or saucepan.

Train kids to not leave lights on.

But it is scary for many and morally wrong that we can't afford the basics.

Food shelter and warmth shouldn't be out of reach

It's difficult for a lot of people but phrases like apocalypse and collapse of society are OTT and not helpful to finding viable solutions

@whenwillthemadnessend some great tips, much better to see helpful advice than 'we're all f*cked' type posts

I haven't noticed shortages in the shops or short opening times? I've noticed service in restaurants has nose dived and I had to buy a different brand of deodorant. Hardly the apocalypse. We've decided we're only going to heat the living room this winter so will have to keep the door shut where we wouldn't normally bother. And we have a short list of small jobs we're going to do and items to buy to ensure the whole family stays warm indoors.

I'm in my 60s and not since the 70s have I felt so concerned about so much. I'm not a pessimistic person or a worrier but somehow things feel different from the usual shit. There's such a growing gap between rich and poor and no imminent hope of a government even vaguely able to get started on addressing all the pressures on services, the economy and the rapid changes taking place. When I heard Liz truss whanging on about the Tory party needing to shake things up its as if she's forgotten whose been in leadership for the last 12 years. When I see the obvious decline in health service, public transport, lack of policing, robberies and drug deals going on around me it's hard not to wonder how this is going to be improved or if it can be.

Is this applicable to this specific situation? Not saying you're wrong, just saying that I haven't seen or read anything from anyone that says "the rising costs are just conspiracy theories." I mean, how would anyone even defend that position when its factual lol.

People should not stop talking about it. We are not in a position to be denying climate change and environmental degradation, more people need to care.

Having said that, the apocalyptic folk are annoying. The ones who talk about our children having by no future, that's honestly just depressing and giving up doesn't benefit anyone.

Overall, no, we shouldn't just pretend everything's great. We're should be proactive about charging our lifestyles.

Truss is going to be bloody useless. I have no faith in her at all.

I'd rather rishi at a teeny push but honest I'd rather an emergency coalition be formed to deal with all the problems we have.

With social media, every situation gets magnified, amplified, analysed, talked about endlessly - I think that's what's happening now with current difficulties. They are bad but also seem so much worse when it's continuously on news feeds, comments, 24 hrs news.

On the bright side hopefully Tories will be out next time as no one will vote for her...I hang on to this hope

I think people should be allowed to express fear and sadness about whatever they like even while there's objectively bigger problems in the world, I can't stand those "my granny got evacuated in WW2 so get some resilience and stop whingeing" posters, but at the same time I don't think you have to have personally lived through a war or genuine famine to realise it would be so much worse than the electric bills going up. And using hyperbolic language about the apocalypse etc does sort of imply that we in this country have thinga worse now than anyone in history has ever experienced before, which is both quite insensitive and factually incorrect IMO.

Using hyperbolic language about the apocalypse etc does sort of imply that we in this country have thinga worse now than anyone in history has ever experienced before, which is both quite insensitive and factually incorrect IMO.

@psychomath Spot on

The constant availability of info definitely makes it more difficult to get some perspective. I’m sure if I’d have had access to 24 hour rolling news, twitter, YouTube etc in the 70s I’d have felt terrified. We could only hear about the Cuban Missile Crisis when the news was on tv or radio and no updates to the morning papers for the rest of the day. I remember it feeling very frightening even as a teenager but access to info was a blessing as you couldn’t feed the fear 24/7.

I think people should be allowed to express fear and sadness about whatever they like even while there's objectively bigger problems in the world, I can't stand those "my granny got evacuated in WW2 so get some resilience and stop whingeing" posters

I totally agree. Mine is an immigrant family who escaped for their lives, lived through the war, worked in sweatshops etc etc. That was utterly shit. Life for many people now is also utterly shit. One doesn’t negate the other imo. It can give a sense of perspective though, and I do often feel grateful for what I do have.

YANBU

I think MN need to do as they did with COVID and create an inflation or cost of living crisis topic

They can all bugger off there and compete in their poverty olympics

I fully agree. There are still tens of millions of people doing perfectly well, the country continues to function well, we’ve got very low unemployment and we’re having a wonderful summer.

The thing is, people saying 'I'm old and I remember the old days' is bullshit. In the old days you weren't staring down the barrel of climate change. Financial meltdown plus imminent destruction of the planet is new! Someone on another thread is looking to move to Brighton. In 50 years there'll probably be no Brighton. Wake the fuck up.

YABU I enjoy reading about the current bleak state of affairs. Makes me realise how bloody lucky I am to have a positive mindset. Baffles me as to how negative people are, and before anyone pipes up I’m definitely not financially privileged.

@Horoscopegubbins knowledge of climate change is not new. I studied it in school over 20 years ago. 50 years is a long time and there is still time to find solutions. Who knows what inventions or initiatives people may come up with. Mass hysteria will help no one.

I agree, I saw a particularly foolish one today, saying it was like the apocalypse. Couldn’t roll my eyes far enough.