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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think many years of safety and comfort have left the UK population complacent and smug.

62 replies

Nimbostratus100 · 19/03/2023 16:51

I see it over so many topics.

People who never seem to find it conceivable for a moment that they could be a refugee in someone else's country next year - anyone who lives long enough is as likely to find themselves in a refugee situation as anyone else.

People seem to think it is clever and independent minded to turn down emergency alerts on their phone, because we never have natural disasters here, do we. Yes we do, there is geological evidence of massive tsunamis over the southern UK, of unknown origin, but there are various theories of where they came from, and they could certainly come again. Other natural disasters also possible, especially floods and wild fires, as we saw the start of last summer

Montgomery, we are due to have the biggest ever explosion in peace time Europe at some unknown date in the future.

Terrorism, toxic industrial accidents, gas release, air raid, we are not magically immune

Homelessness, so many people so sure it will never happen to them, cos they don't drink, or gamble, or whatever, these things cause a tiny percentage of rough sleepers

You don't have to look very far on these threads to still see evidence of the indignation that we had to go into lockdown, a little bit, for a short time, a couple of years ago! As if we were somehow more immune than the rest of the world

AIBU to think that the UK population as a whole suffers from the delusion that we are somehow magically protected from the misfortunes of the rest of the world, and that our incredible good fortune in remaining safe and secure for nearly 80 years has blinded us to the fact that we have simply been very lucky, and there is no guarantee that this will extend for another 80 years, and we really need to treat people in bad situations with more compassion, and be more prepared to deal with bad situations ourselves?

OP posts:
GPTec1 · 19/03/2023 19:38

Emotionalstorm · 19/03/2023 19:30

We have more pressing concerns than a nuclear war that will never happen or a tsunami that is very unlikely to happen and will only affect a handful of people on the coast. I prefer to focus on more important problems. I think that we are paying too much tax, women's rights are under threat from the policies of one particular party (I have a daughter), and I think the endless flow of immigrants will be what finishes the UK and make us poorer than Poland.

Agree on nuclear and a flood but with you a 100% on the Tories removing women's rights + their appalling tax record, paying more to get less and on the Govt inviting in 5m HK Chinese, it really is endless... to quote Ms Braverman "billions" of Chinese could come here all pretending they are from HK"

Even more stupid considering the lack of checks and the threat China is to the West.

Its only one party who is making us poorer and its not Labour.

woodhill · 19/03/2023 19:38

Emotionalstorm · 19/03/2023 19:30

We have more pressing concerns than a nuclear war that will never happen or a tsunami that is very unlikely to happen and will only affect a handful of people on the coast. I prefer to focus on more important problems. I think that we are paying too much tax, women's rights are under threat from the policies of one particular party (I have a daughter), and I think the endless flow of immigrants will be what finishes the UK and make us poorer than Poland.

Have to agree

Testino · 19/03/2023 19:42

Nimbostratus100 · 19/03/2023 18:41

Do you think people in other countries haven't worked and fought and died to make their countries great?

Of course they have, just as much as the population of the UK

However we have had better weather - for the time being- and more reliable crops, less disease and fewer natural disasters, for the time being, nothing to do with how hard our grandparents worked and fought and died, and NOT permanent.

We have had a stable government and not been invaded - for the time being, could change next month - nothing to do out grandparents working and fighting and dying, just to do with political geography.

WE have not had a devastating earthquake, or volcano in recent centuries, and an earth quale is unlikely, but a volcanoes isn't, and not is severe flooding, tsunamis or meteor strikes. None of these are related to how hard th uk population has worked or fought or died.

So lets have a little more compassion for people who's forefathers have worked and fought and died just as hard, but come from parts of the world where climate change ( caused by us) has devasted crop growing, where floods and droughts have made food production insecure, and where natural disasters have wrecked the infrastructure.

Next year or next generation or next century, it could be the population of the UK needing support from these countries, to survive

Show quote history

100% with you on this post, OP. Totally.

All that talk on the quoted post about grandparents working hard and stuff was almost on some "Empire" B.S.

It's still a luck of the draw that one's ancestors happened to be here anyway and started raising family, then generations, here. Those ancestors could have ended up somewhere else.

Fairislefandango · 19/03/2023 19:43

no, show compassion to refugees and rough sleepers, and take advantage of early alarm systems when offered.

I wondered if this was about the early alarm system. Most people I've seen commenting negatively about it are people with anxiety who worry it will totally freak them out, not smug unworried people.

I also don't necessarily agree that people showing a lack of compassion towards those in need is due to thinking they could never be in that position themselves.

Quveas · 19/03/2023 19:49

The OP could start by not assuming that the UK is all the same. There are plenty of areas and people that are far from complacent because, for differing reasons, they've lived on an edge for a long time. The fact the OP isn't even aware of this suggests they are part of the problem, not the solution. Time to stop hand-wringing on MN and get out more.

Original poster
Nimbostratus100 · 19/03/2023 19:53

Quveas · 19/03/2023 19:49

The OP could start by not assuming that the UK is all the same. There are plenty of areas and people that are far from complacent because, for differing reasons, they've lived on an edge for a long time. The fact the OP isn't even aware of this suggests they are part of the problem, not the solution. Time to stop hand-wringing on MN and get out more.

I get out an awful lot, thanks, and am caring for refugees and rough sleepers regularly, and yes, I am generalising, not everyone is the same, but my comments are about some of the UK population , in general.

OP posts:
IAmTheWalrus85 · 19/03/2023 19:57

I agree with you. I also think it was this kind of ‘we’ll be ok, we’re always ok’ thinking that led to Brexit.

NotTerfNorCis · 19/03/2023 19:58

I put YANBU, but, there is a point to which people have to get on with their lives and focus on the present. We all die, and the vast majority of us will go through personal bereavement and serious illness. We could all lose our jobs or become victims of crime. But knowing that doesn't mean you have to let it taint the present moment.

whatkatydid2013 · 19/03/2023 20:03

Nimbostratus100 · 19/03/2023 17:50

that is not true, and even of the ones that it is true, this is more commonly a result of being a rough sleeper, not a cause - this is exactly the attitude I am complaining about

Show quote history

Are you sure it’s not true? I know it isn’t of people who become homeless but majority of people who become homeless will be people sofa surfing or those found places in shelters or other temporary accommodation. I don’t know the statistics but having done volunteering with various groups my personal experience has been that the correlation is definitely there for the group typically thought of as homeless who are actually on the street. Those who are rough sleepers for any length of time do commonly have substance abuse and significant mental health issues. It can be incredibly difficult to help get them into accommodation as they can be very resistant to taking a place in the hostels with supported accommodation that are typically available initially. They can find it very hard to cope with having to share space with others.

DomesticShortHair · 19/03/2023 20:14

I am aware of all those things, accept the possibility of them occurring, and within reason, understand the consequences.

I don’t really care. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest. But you put your emergency alerts on your phone and worry about the world around you if you want. That doesn’t bother me in the slightest either.

Charley50 · 19/03/2023 20:47

IAmTheWalrus85 · 19/03/2023 19:57

I agree with you. I also think it was this kind of ‘we’ll be ok, we’re always ok’ thinking that led to Brexit.

That I do agree with.

moveoverye · 19/03/2023 21:05

Definitely agree with your title - yes we are a comfortable smug lot (generally speaking).

Having said that, I don’t think we are going to be having a Tsunami any time soon.

Different parts of the world have different sorts of natural disasters.

But other sorts of problems, political, social and financial- yes.

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