To think life in the UK feels meaner, sadder and more dangerous than it did two or three years ago?

[DervlaGlass]

Out on Friday night and it felt grim - chaotic, angry kids and huge groups of men just hanging around with nothing to do and nowhere to go

I know that's just one night but the sentiment just feels wretched day to day. Angry customer services staff getting abused by nasty customers and on and on it all goes. Job market dead, getting a GP appointment a pipe dream, statistically high earners can't afford a one bed flat on many cities.

When are things going to pick up? Or am I perceiving irrationally?

I disagree. Im not young but it definitely wasn't as aggressive and nasty as it is now. Im not saying bad things didn't used to happen. Of course they did. But it's more pervasive now..

YANBU - this is free market capitalism eating itself. Public services being starved, relative pay down, costs up. And this is what you get.

But I think those reasons were there already, you just hadn't noticed them.

And while it definitely brought things to a head, at that moment, it would have happened anyway, sooner or later.

I get the nostalgia for Boris.

The man is a charlatan, obviously, but he had this aura of positivity/ invincibility.

There was always this sense that the country would bounce back once we got over whatever period of challenge was currently thwarting us. Obviously that was completely baseless, but he sold the feeling.

Labour was supposed to be the 'grown ups back in charge' and that's not inaccurate, but it turns out the grownups are hopelessly out of their depth and drowning in negativity and that feeling is very grim in comparison

We don't even have the floppy blond hair to laugh at any more.

🤣🤣🤣

I get the nostalgia for Boris

It's probably more nostalgia for the low interest rates! The can was kicked down the road and unfortunately we have run out of road.

Fair point

Yep at least there was positivity. Authoritarian and hammering the economy feels worse now.

Yanbu. It has been a lowering of quality of life for the past few years and the current government seem intent on making it worse.

It's hard enough with rising prices, add in never ending freezing of tax bands and now likely more tax rises, people have had enough.

Jesus are you fucking kidding?

He was a selfish fucking idiot who wasn't remotely "funny" - wasn't it just hilarious how he constantly lied and gaslighted us all??

Starmer is this, re gaslighting. But just a meaner version.

I agree too. One of the younger people at my work recently celebrated his birthday by getting together with his friends online.

Yes! And that's definitely not something I ever wanted to say.

I have been around long enough to know these things come in waves. There was a high when the Blair government came in (with the theme of “things can only get better” and Cool Britannia). Then a low when the global financial crash hit. Then a high with the London Olympics and economic recovery. Now we are in another low.

I do feel that Brexit was a trigger point. It gave certain people confidence to say the quiet stuff out loud. And led to Reform’s popularity today. It was obviously followed by Covid which brought a huge economic burden and a lot of nastiness - neighbour snitching on neighbour, etc.

The UK doesn’t feel like a great place to be now, but I keep telling myself “this too shall pass”.

@eurochick when did the economy recover from the crash?! That's the point we never recover from it

Boris?

He created this shit-show. Life now was ruined by him and his party. Bet he isn't having a miserable time though.

I agree with posters who have mentioned cocaine use. It’s everywhere and it makes people really unpleasant to be around. The use of drugs is likely both a symptom and a cause though.

It’s hard to meet anyone who doesn’t feel like the country is in a bad place. The rising open racism is really scary.

Give it 5-10 years, after a society has collapsed into a Mad Max-style anarchy, and you’ll be sitting in the deserted wasteland you call home, reminiscing about these times with nostalgic affection, while the rat you captured earlier
slowly roasts over the brazier.

Football hooligans, poll tax riots, Toxteth & London riots etc miners strike. There’s always been division.

I don’t agree - the Brexit debate opened a Pandora’s box of vitriol.

Think this might be a bit specific to where you are-I got a gp appointment in 4 days ( and not that urgent) and my father in law only last week in 3 days ( not urgent either) - and mines in a small city and father in laws in mid sized town - I do think though that yes some places are much much better than others ( even if not 100% perfect) and it’s quite divided

@HerewardtheSleepy Boris?? the Tory’s caused this shit show over a good number of years by a combination of austerity that was all about posturing , (‘ look how fiscally prudent we are whilst bunging our backers and supporters humongous contracts’ ) -then an utterly pointless Brexit promising unicorns for all - please don’t vote on the premise that someone is more of a laugh - you end up with the idea that people think Farage likes a laugh and a beer ( he’s a wine drinker by the way) and the only laugh is the fact he’s making good money by fleecing the UK taxpayer and claiming his EU pension

But it didnt come from nowhere.

Just because you weren't aware of it before Brexit doesn't mean it didnt exist.

There are groups of young poc on bikes on our High street nowadays, terrorising pedestrians, wearing all black with hoods up. They also ride on the pavements. Last week they were doing it sainsburys. It’s truly obnoxious. There’s not a policeman in sight. Rows of older men that don’t speak English sitting on the benches in the park, is very unnerving, it used to be kids playing, but they’ve gone. I’ve noticed girls wear incredibly baggy clothing and no make up.
To me it seems like Bladerunner or something.

Definitely wish for Boris over current choices, any day.