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?

It’s definitely becoming a more scary place to be. Our local supermarkets have had to install security gates and extra measures because of increased crime which the police do nothing about because they are too busy arresting people for sharing “offensive tweets”.
Scum literally going into back gardens and stealing kids scooters and bikes. Shops and pubs closing everywhere and the only things that open are dodgy vape shops, barbers or nail bars with no customers which are clearly a front.
Schools using metal detectors to check for knives, I was so shocked to see that last week.
It’s very depressing.

How do you know they all don't speak english? And lots of girls like baggy clothes, what nonsense

I've honestly felt the opposite recently - admittedly that's in Central London and the naice Home Counties market town near us and the village where we live. But the vibe is very upbeat or calm. I'm constantly amazed how full cafes and restaurants are. Our local market town High Street was dead just before lockdown - lined with homeless mattresses, all the shop windows papered up, only vape shops opening. Now it seems completely regenerated. Went out last night and Dh said to me: Is this town nicer than it used to be? Derelict areas have been rebuilt. Ugly areas have been planted and are now well lit at night. People always seem to have enough money to eat out all the time.

Not saying you are wrong OP, just that it's not true everywhere.

A great deal of this is that if the mainstream press tells you often enough that someone is ‘useless’ then people start believing it - rather than looking at any actual examples of uselessness. The fact is the Tory’s stripped the country of cash - some of it admittedly in circumstances they created , austerity and Brexit , some of it they didn’t actually cause - covid - but then looking at the ITV documentary last week ‘Covid- follow the money’ 80 billion spent on contracts for mates, people with proper experience not even being asked to tender - vast amounts of money given to various businesses without even checking their accounts to see if falsely declaring or in some cases even still in business. the whole thing was completely without checks and balances . All of these things have now come home to roost and without some serious action like 4p on tax etc the gvt have had to tinker at the ages as there is little money spare - they have however put masses into tax evasion/fraud/ benefit fraud etc and it’s actually paying dividends it would seem - of course some people don’t like it - many were benefiting from a completely haphazard Wild West system - few are going to state that though - the press is hugely one sided in the UK - designed to keep right wingers perpetually in charge and protecting their wealth, rather than what’s good for the country overall - people forget the Mail were always ‘hurrah for the blackshirts’ - they love a bit of light facism !

I think most have moved on to the current gov, Labour.

Well @petherbridepray do tell why a few older men ‘sat in a row’ are intidimidating just because they may not speak English?? That’s ridiculous sorry not sorry!!

Brexit allowed certain people such as yourself to say certain racist things that wouldn’t have been acceptable before.

My sister, of mixed background, got told in the town where she was born, to “go back home”.
My friend’s Ukrainian husband got “go home” scrawled over his taxi.
And literally the day after Brexit my cousin’s Nigerian husband got an anonymous note telling him he was no longer welcome to park his car on the road on the estate where they live. (My cousin went ballistic and found the main culprit who quickly backed down but that’s another story.)

I knew I’d get contradicted. It was obvious.

They might speak absolutely beautiful English at home. When they sit lined up on benches they speak LOUDLY , not in English.

Im glad they like baggy clothes, since that’s what they are wearing.

“ what nonsense”? Who are you? Hyacinth Bouquet?

oh yes @Petherbrideand me & my mates wore baggy clothes with no makeup as 90s teens; was it like Bladerunner then huh? Or is it just the poc kids to be specific ‘people of colour’ and men talking foreign that you refer to you most fear? To use a 90s phrase you need to grow up and get a life.

I’m not going to report your nasty comments @Petherbridebecause everyone needs to see what a racist you are

Ok, nonensical then, is that better

Yeah but that was specific incidents.. Now there seems to be a general dissatisfaction all the time with everything from a wide range of people.

There’s been general dissatisfaction since Cameron’s austerity. There was general dissatisfaction throughout the Thatcher years. The only difference now is social media and 24 hour news

Yes definitely. I think it's social media that's tipped it over edge. The fact anyone can get in touch with anyone now has , in my opinion, put far more stress on people, and created outcomes that are potentially far more dangerous. There was dissatisfaction before but it was in pockets and more contained.

The only difference now is social media and 24 hour news

That's definitely not true

From my point of view the whole 21st century has been one giant shit show. Everything is in decline. Everything.