To ask how you think the UK will survive these?

[wheresmymojo]

Linked to another thread but I don't want to take that one off on to too much of a tangent.

Things don't feel brilliant in the UK right now, it's not the first time we've had 'bad times' though.

However I feel it's different this time because we have four massive looming global changes coming...usually when you're in 'bad times' there aren't four much, much bigger problems already on their way.

I'm interested in how people think the UK will fair, I spend a lot time trying to understand / imagine what the world will look like after some of these things but haven't remotely wrapped my head around what all four combined would look like?

The four things I see on the horizon are...

• The impact of climate change (personally I think 1.5c+ change is pretty inevitable now)

• The aging population / huge decrease in working age population

• The potential for AI to become more intelligent than humans

• The decline of the West and rise of the East

Lots of talk of looking after our old people.
I'm not sure that 'looking after them' ie sticking them in a care home to sit and watch tv (or stare at the wall) all day for months/years is that great.
Perhaps leave them to live at home and have a few falls, not eat properly and die earlier isn't as bad as it sounds.

Do you not think climate change will impact them?

In terms of how habitable their countries are

Not everyone, but many

And the west needs a lot of these younger people anyway

As we become more crowded and poorer there won't be the jobs or standard of living to attract immigrants once we reach a certain level.
We should probably look at reducing state pension for a start as it moves with inflation and the numbers are increasing.

@BartholemewHolmes I think you are misunderstanding. Where have I said climate change won't impact them? It already is. 33m were displaced by the floods in Pakistan but we've not been "invaded" have we?

Don't forget the accompanying migration crisis from climate change. The mass movement of people and the fight for limited resources (water and food) that will ensue.

Although I suspect this will take many more years to materialise and be felt as the redistribution of people will not just soley be to the UK.

As we become more crowded and poorer there won't be the jobs or standard of living to attract immigrants once we reach a certain level.

Yes this is the interesting point. The west will be desperate for migrants & competing with each other. Will the UK be attractive enough?

We should probably look at reducing state pension for a start as it moves with inflation and the numbers are increasing.

People won't vote for it but it's ridiculous to have triple lock & then pushing pension ages for younger people further out.

Africa is being developed thanks to investment by China and also the Middle East.
Now much of the money remains in Africa I don't know. But certainly the minerals extracted will be shipped to China for industries there.

@Caradonna

We need to wake up and wake up now about so called care homes.

We need to get dignified death into place as well for those with terminal conditioner who's don't want to suffer on in pain. Let's give humans the same peace and dignity we give animals who suffer.

Op each generations faces news challenges m

We've had an unprecedented global pandemic in the modern world swiftly followed by putins hideous attack on an innocent country which had affect us all.

We would be well on the way to recovery if it wasn't for him!

From Pakistan no. But have you noticed the increased number of boats crossing the Med. Do you think it will increase as people find it more uninhabitable where they are?

AI technology is scary. Especially voice AI which is being developed at an alarming rate. I've heard a few phone ins about it on lbc etc and that won't be used for the greater good overall.
I Agree that the future seems pretty bleak all round.

AI will transform healthcare. It will cure cancer and heart disease. Diagnostics will be sped up and a million times more efficient. People will work less and live more.
There are some areas in which we excel as a nation including science and culture both of which will become increasingly important in a changing world.
We don't really know what a Labour government will do but it's got to be better than these self serving shifty losers.
Climate change is terrifying but there are things we can do to help and to mitigate the effects. It's going to be harder to damage the environment - people are calling it out. Look at the outrage in Plymouth when they cut down those trees.
I think British people are tough and hard working. We survived covid and got on with the blooming awful situation we were thrust into.
Locally to me there seem to be more and more small businesses and shops emerging which gives me hope. The parks are full of wild flowers and they have got rid of two golf courses locally and rewilded them. There are plans for more to be converted.
My kids and their friends rely more and more on vinted and charity shops for buying clothes.
I know someone who runs courses on sewing and repurposing clothes for teenagers and young people and she is incredibly busy.
People need to do what they can. Eat less meat or no meat!
I am scared but I also have faith that things are changing. People are more aware of the world around them and are calling for change.

I don't think the East will rise, not with those population pyramids and general attitude to immigration. Gonna be another US century.

Yes this is the interesting point. The west will be desperate for migrants & competing with each other. Will the UK be attractive enough?

I’d say this is very unlikely to be the case

@BartholemewHolmes immigration at the moment isn't really a problem tho is it, it's more a political hot potato.

We had a couple in our street who were found out to be illegal immigrants yet hadn't cost the state a penny, we're working cash in hand and looking after themselves.

We can't and shouldn't have a problem with people arriving here happy to work, what is needed is restrictions on access to benefits for everyone.

Immigrants are happy to live in HMOs until they find their feet that should be the basic standard of housing for everyone not funding it themselves. Yes they often have multiple children to school and support but that helps with our low birth rate.

To be honest I think if we slashed the benefit culture in this country to the bone overnight, we would be in a position where companies would bring back jobs from the east as they wouldn't have to pay as much (why the east is rising they have people willing to work for the minimum not get it off the state) which could go a long way to solving our problems

@BartholemewHolmes But have you noticed the increased number of boats crossing the Med.

those people are generally fleeing from wars though on Afghanstan or Iran or from Albania. What does that have to do with climate change in Africa?

climate change will certainly continue to make some areas inhospitable but I don't see millions of those displaced coming to the UK in small boats..

I’d say this is very unlikely to be the case

@BartholemewHolmes how so?

We have more over 65s than under 15 yr olds already, where's the money coming from in the future? Look at our tight labour market already.

Also more of our young people will emigrate because they can have a better qol somewhere else.

This made me wonder if true so I had a google. From Wired mag

Climate displacement is adding to a massive migration already underway to the world’s cities, and it is becoming a critical issue globally. In 2022, the number of forcibly displaced people exceeded 100 million for the first time, with climate change displacing more people than conflicts.

Models show that for every degree of temperature rise, a billion people will be displaced. Over the coming decade, hundreds of millions of people will have to move—you will either be among them or receiving them.

Don’t give up on current politics OP, we’re still at an absolute crunch point for climate change. We absolutely still have the ability to significantly lessen the impacts, that’s why XR and Just Stop Oil are still active (not saying their methods are right). Labour is actually promising to do stuff - and other parties too - the Tories have said they’re going to act for 13 years and just haven’t really .

And

However, there is a big elephant in the international climate negotiation room that remains undiscussed: For increasing numbers of people, there is no way to adapt; they will have to move.

So I do think it’s unwise and unrealistic to ignore it

It's also positive that Anthony Blenkin went to China.

@BartholemewHolmes and does your article say those people have been displaced within their own countries or all left their countries?
As you say 100m were displaced last year & Ive not seen millions arriving on our shores...