Page 15 | to think the UK has become awful?

ma1formed · 2023-09-13T19:26:22+00:00

I can't pinpoint when, but it feels like everything that was once pretty good is now quite awful So expensive No doctors Uni costs for kids insane Terrible rent / can't buy a house Everyone seems quite unpleasant or racist Is it just me?

derxa · 14/09/2023 06:41

IClaudine · 14/09/2023 06:37

No one would deny covid made things even worse, but it is not the root cause of the mess we are in.

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Are you in a mess?

IClaudine · 14/09/2023 06:45

derxa · 14/09/2023 06:41

Are you in a mess?

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The UK generally is in a mess. Parts of my life are affected by that as are most people's unless they are shielded by wealth.

DownNative · 14/09/2023 06:49

TheThinkingGoblin · 13/09/2023 20:53

Compared to peer countries - US, Canada, Australia..as an example. Similar with EU countries.

The UK (England is driving it) has massively deteriorated, which is seen now by the noticeable reduction in the standard of living of the average person in the UK.

Its very noticeable if you travel abroad a lot. The country looks run down and in dire need of major investment.

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Only two EU countries are ranked above the UK in the latest Best Countries rankings: Sweden & Germany.

Republic of Ireland is 23rd and France is below us as well as is Spain & Italy.

United Kingdom is 9th, so most countries aren't considered to be as good. 🤔

MrsMurphyIWish · 14/09/2023 06:50

LuluBlakey1 · 13/09/2023 21:52

Everything is shit and it's not just the UK. It's greedy people everywhere who want money, possessions and not to pay their way back to society. Big companies who don't give a toss about the world as long as they are raking multi millions of profit in. Governments like ours who think everything should be run privately for profit. People who are lazy and don't want to work and pay their way. People who buy utter tat all the time and chuck it into landfill- people who just want all the times- clothes, plastic toys, cheap clothes that they buy and get rid of, fake grass, new cars every year or two. It's consumerism and the waste from it is appalling. So many ill-mannered, loud, gossipy, vulgar people around shouting about them and what they want and should have with no care for anyone or anything. People seem unintelligent- obsessed with shallow things like celebrities and their lives- it's so empty and pathetic.
I'm sick of trying to make our bit of the world nicer - nobody gives a toss.
We should all work hard, pay our way, do our best to bring our children up properly to be kind, to contribute. Far too many people are wanters and takers - not givers and helpers- they don't put back or look after.

I agree with this.

I teach (secondary so hundreds of pupils and week and have contact with their families too). It’s just so miserable. Taking out the awfulness of education at the moment, what made it bearable were the pupils. There have always been poorly behaved pupils, but even the good kids now tell me to “go fuck yourself” if they’re not interested in learning.

derxa · 14/09/2023 06:55

IClaudine · 14/09/2023 06:45

The UK generally is in a mess. Parts of my life are affected by that as are most people's unless they are shielded by wealth.

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Winter of Discontent type of mess? Surely not.
The OP is from a fairly well paid lawyer who is moaning about living in London. FGS

Stifado · 14/09/2023 07:10

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Seychal · 14/09/2023 07:12

LuluBlakey1 · 13/09/2023 21:52

Everything is shit and it's not just the UK. It's greedy people everywhere who want money, possessions and not to pay their way back to society. Big companies who don't give a toss about the world as long as they are raking multi millions of profit in. Governments like ours who think everything should be run privately for profit. People who are lazy and don't want to work and pay their way. People who buy utter tat all the time and chuck it into landfill- people who just want all the times- clothes, plastic toys, cheap clothes that they buy and get rid of, fake grass, new cars every year or two. It's consumerism and the waste from it is appalling. So many ill-mannered, loud, gossipy, vulgar people around shouting about them and what they want and should have with no care for anyone or anything. People seem unintelligent- obsessed with shallow things like celebrities and their lives- it's so empty and pathetic.
I'm sick of trying to make our bit of the world nicer - nobody gives a toss.
We should all work hard, pay our way, do our best to bring our children up properly to be kind, to contribute. Far too many people are wanters and takers - not givers and helpers- they don't put back or look after.

I missed this post yesterday. It really is spot on. It matters not the colour of ones politics. Whether one is rich or poor. This is how it is.

@LuluBlakey1 you have described the symptoms perfectly. The world is very, very sick at the moment.

Alexandra2001 · 14/09/2023 07:20

DownNative · 14/09/2023 06:49

Only two EU countries are ranked above the UK in the latest Best Countries rankings: Sweden & Germany.

Republic of Ireland is 23rd and France is below us as well as is Spain & Italy.

United Kingdom is 9th, so most countries aren't considered to be as good. 🤔

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Sure dig down into "quality of life" and we are 13th, with 8 european/EU countries above us.... & on "open for business" we are 45th... bottom of the pile...
We score highly because of cultural influence, stability and power...

Apparently we also have very developed health and education systems too..... many people would disagree with both.

Luckypom · 14/09/2023 07:22

It’s not just you - it’s an awful country to live in

ginandtonicwithlimes · 14/09/2023 07:22

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You replied "that is England". How else should I take that than that just England is the racist area of the UK considering OP mentioned racist? I imagine life for black and other ethnic minorities is tough all the UK and I sympathise for anyone suffering that including your son in law who probably get the same treatment in Belfast or Glasgow. Idiots everywhere.

ginandtonicwithlimes · 14/09/2023 07:25

@Stifado I will cherry pick your post because I am sick and tired of seeing only England being seen as racist. Personally I think if I was black I probably wouldn't feel safe anywhere in the UK at the minute.

Feebleexcuses · 14/09/2023 07:26

TorqueWrench There are no driving jobs here (even if I could do them). There are a lot of low paid jobs (care/retail/education) but anything over £30k pa seems to require a specific skill set (engineering/surveyor) etc and even then they few and far between.

And a big yes to the poster who talked about aspiration. My DH and I are the epitome of the squeezed middle. There is very little point is earning any more at present as the majority (I think it works out as 80%) would go to tax. Whilst I have no problem paying tax, what's the point? Why run ourselves ragged for so little? We're already run ragged, having to commute for work and try and give our DC a decent life. I also volunteer in my community but I'm that knackered I think I'm going to have to give it up. I have no more to give but I can't see how our lives are going to improve.

i read a meme the other day which said:
"How old were you when you realised that working hard, being nice and taking on more than should, thinking you would be rewarded for it was actually a shit life plan?" Sadly this pretty much sums it up and this level of apathy is good for noone.

Alexandra2001 · 14/09/2023 07:26

derxa · 14/09/2023 06:55

Winter of Discontent type of mess? Surely not.
The OP is from a fairly well paid lawyer who is moaning about living in London. FGS

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Number of strike days lost over the last 12 months is actually higher than in the Winter of Discontent.

Its ridiculous to suggest wealth doesn't shield you from shit schools, cost of living and health care issues.

5 hospitals given evacuation plans after Govt refused to rebuild them...AFTER being told that they are in danger of collapse (2021) 100 building collapse incidents across these 5 hospitals...

Current Health sec (Barclay) and Sunak both party to these refusals.

But we aren't in a mess lol!

Luckypom · 14/09/2023 07:29

You seem to have a choice OP? Move

Anywhere else? Australia is a good bet with your credentials

Stifado · 14/09/2023 07:30

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SkiingIsHeaven · 14/09/2023 07:32

OP why not emigrate then?

Princessandthepea0 · 14/09/2023 07:32

Feebleexcuses · 14/09/2023 07:26

TorqueWrench There are no driving jobs here (even if I could do them). There are a lot of low paid jobs (care/retail/education) but anything over £30k pa seems to require a specific skill set (engineering/surveyor) etc and even then they few and far between.

And a big yes to the poster who talked about aspiration. My DH and I are the epitome of the squeezed middle. There is very little point is earning any more at present as the majority (I think it works out as 80%) would go to tax. Whilst I have no problem paying tax, what's the point? Why run ourselves ragged for so little? We're already run ragged, having to commute for work and try and give our DC a decent life. I also volunteer in my community but I'm that knackered I think I'm going to have to give it up. I have no more to give but I can't see how our lives are going to improve.

i read a meme the other day which said:
"How old were you when you realised that working hard, being nice and taking on more than should, thinking you would be rewarded for it was actually a shit life plan?" Sadly this pretty much sums it up and this level of apathy is good for noone.

Well this is it. Actively put into pensions now. Seeing the government literally take 70% now is pretty disgusting if I’m honest. No point. If we had young children we’d be actively worse off for working more as we’d lose childcare hours. Marginal rate over 100% for some on PAYE. How people can’t see the long term issues here is mind boggling.

Fuckthatguy · 14/09/2023 07:33

@FirstYouGetTheMoney

Like another PP has pointed out it’s not just about disposable income, many on heat earn in the top 1%. It’s that people are sick and tired of living amongst certain undesirable elements and having to pay for private services which they are taxed on for the very public services they shouldn’t have to pay privately for. Then there’s crime, decaying urban infrastructure and so on.

Yes, the government is to blame because this is the shittest Tory government and many on here as the PP pointed out of ex lifelong Tory voters.

Your standards seem to be extremely low in terms of what an acceptable society should look like so it’s hard to tell much other than you earn more than what you did before you came to the UK so we’ve no idea what you’re comparing the current state of the UK too but as many posters have said the UK had become a cesspit. If you think things are so great in this state , just think how you’d view it without all of the ‘broken Britain’ elements.

Defiantjazz · 14/09/2023 07:36

There was a thread about how awful the UK was just a few weeks ago…did you not notice it OP?

Luckypom · 14/09/2023 07:36

@SkiingIsHeaven

this!? Confused! Just move! England is crap everyone who is not living in the sinking ship knows this

Z1hun · 14/09/2023 07:40

I disagree that brexit is the issue. Look at the EU economy following covid.
Germany and Italy are on their knees with france close behind. Meanwhile our economy is slowly growing and we don't have massive and increasing fees to be in the EU.

Yirk · 14/09/2023 07:40

An oldie here and to me apart from covid the biggest shift in the behaviour and personality of people came about with the internet/ social media.

jgw1 · 14/09/2023 07:42

The trouble is we have a government that is run by asset strippers in the interests of asset strippers. They aren't even business people in the traditional sense of the word. They have no interest in investing for the future, if they do borrow money it is so they can pay themselves and their mates a bigger dividend and slap themselves on the back about how "clever" they are.

Fuckthatguy · 14/09/2023 07:45

what @jgw1 said 👏

Dymaxion · 14/09/2023 07:49

The lower three quintiles pay absolutely nothing (net) in tax, the second-top pays only a little, leaving the top quintile to pay pretty much everything.

Are you just talking about income tax @FirstYouGetTheMoney ? Everyone pays all the other taxes, fuel duty, VAT, etc ?

Why are the lower three quintiles paid so little ? How many of them have their income supplemented by benefits ?