To think people are getting dumber and more perverted by the day?

[YourJadeLion]

Every time I go online lately, I’m either cringing or disturbed. People seem to be getting more openly shameless, more obsessed with sex and less capable of holding a deep or intelligent thought.

It’s not just influencers or extreme corners of the internet, it feels like the baseline has shifted. Conversations are dumber, jokes are cruder and softcore porn is basically normalised on platforms meant for everyone. You see adults behaving like teenagers and teenagers behaving like… I don’t even know what.

I know the internet plays a big role but I genuinely worry about what this means long term. Are we just desensitised now? Is it really funny that people can’t string a sentence together as long as they’re “hot?”

AIBU to think we’re on a slippery slope and most people don’t even notice?

Whoa, you have a nasty view of humanity! Do you really think the risk of losing a job is all that stops people stealing? That's at least as bad as those who, equally wrongly, believe atheists have no reason to act morally.

I dread to imagine what this says about you and them. If you weren't planning to travel, would you really go on a crime spree?

I said it jokingly but yes I believe that the benefit reliant society in the UK who never intend to work have nothing to lose and this is why stealing is on the increase.

I don’t believe in God.

I have worked in a professional role helping society all my working life as has my husband.

I am happy with who I am.

Have you seen what is going on in the World? Humanity is getting nastier and nastier. You can’t be ignorant to this fact.

I hope my children don’t have children. I’ve seen first hand just how nasty and horrible human beings can be. I’ve dealt with the broken minds and bodies of human beings who have been exploited and abused.

I'm very sorry you're so jaded. I still think you're wrong. I think beliefs like yours contribute to deterioration of the social contract.

I'm a state pensioner. By your lights, it would seem I'm a fool not to be robbing everyone I can.

Humanity is getting nastier

Uh-uh. I copied this from Google and it's actually understated. The world's a LOT better now than it's ever been. Still has a long way to go, self-evidently, but humanity has reasons for optimism. Don't believe the anger-mongers.

Health:
Global life expectancy has more than doubled since 1800, and the number of children dying before age five has dropped significantly. Vaccines have saved millions of children's lives annually.

Poverty:
Over one billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty since 1990. Real income has risen, and the percentage of people living in extreme poverty has drastically reduced.

Peace and Safety:
Wars between major powers have become less common, and many countries are more democratic than in the past. Homicide rates have fallen in many places, and the number of people in extreme poverty and nuclear weapons has decreased.

Education and Information:
Global literacy rates have increased dramatically, especially among younger generations. People are also more connected and have access to more information.

Environment:
While climate change is a major threat, some positive trends are emerging, such as growth in renewable energy and cities becoming more wildlife-friendly.

@GarlicHound I believe it is becoming more normalized in society to steal especially if you’ve never had or intend to have a job. If you know your benefits will always keep being paid and prisons are so crowded you’ll never be inarcerated what have you got to lose? It’s not just my view. The statistics show this as fact. Stealing is on the increase. Blatant stealing too. Entire families reliant on benefits that have never worked or intend to work start their children off stealing young. This is their way of life.

@GarlicHound but health isn’t improving in the UK & isn’t there a record number of dc now in poverty?

I feel the urge to re-write a very old joke about a Daily Mail reader, a banker and a refugee:

A Mumsnetter, a middle class financial fraudster and a shifty looking benefits receiver were sitting at a table on which was a plate of ten biscuits. The middle class financial fraudster lent over and scooped nine biscuits into his briefcase and then turned to the Mumsnetter and said, ‘keep an eye on that benefits person, they’re going to steal your biscuit’.

@YouOKHun you’ve just epitomized the entire point of this thread and proven OP’s point succinctly with that one joke. The best part is you probably didn’t intend to!

@BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice I didn’t notice the OP focussing on people who receive benefits and making it the entire point of the thread. I’m glad you enjoyed my post as it was very much aimed at you.

Absolutely this. Every second thread is about how you mustnt shame, mustnt blame, mustnt judge

and this is why society is in the shitter

Humans are social animals and like any animal that has a pack or social network there are ranges of behaviour that are ok and some that are not. But now we must tolerate everything that is not ok

Because people want to be 'their true self'

I came on to say this. It's a cracking film though!

Yes. I think we have jettisoned shame as a powerful social deterrent at our peril. I've been thinking about environmental issues primarily, and behaviours which negatively impact the climate, but it applies across the board. Not sure how to fix it.

100% agree. My son and some of the teens I teach think being a content creator (by which I mean nonsense "reaction" videos, not informed podcasts) is a sure fire and viable career plan. The comments on FB articles about SEN or school fines or a new housing estate in the area are full of illiterate, one dimensional knee jerk assumptions and there definitely seems to be a suspicion and active dislike of "experts".

Most news programmes now feature comments from random public on complex fiscal policy..I don't care, I want to know what the experts think, especially if there's more than one view.

I also agree with pp who said there is great stuff out there but finding the time to read it all is harder and harder. This year I've made a very conscious effort to keep track of my reading, widen my substack list and encourage all the kids I am in contact with to do the same. It's an uphill battle 😕

Never see any of this stuff so it must be easy to avoid. Humans have always been thick and crude. At certain times they have hidden it better than at others.The Victorians liked freak shows and all sorts of seedy stuff.

Allegations only but over 30 years ago so probably unverifiable.

That's not what @BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice is saying.

And it's not a belief, it's a fact.
Don't mean this rudely but you need to wake up a bit!
And I'm a pensioner too.

Glad that I'm in the later part of my life and not early, unlike our unfortunate children.
We're also glad that it's most unlikely our chidren will have children. One long term illness and the other autistic in a supported living home.

Humanity and the world is now so bad, I would be fearful to have grandchildren.
Sad but true...

Going to go against the grain here and say i worked in customer service roles for 15 years, and have been of drinking/going to the pub age all of that time too, and I dont really think much has changed other than everyone can now see what everyone else is like at the touch of a button. Your access to the world is 10000x what it was 20 years ago. We probably have an increase in people doing things online for attention, but it seems bigger than it is simply because you are aware of it whereas you wouldnt be 20 years ago.

I have an uneasy feeling that that is exactly what most men are thinking about most of the time though 😱🤢🤮

I was thinking the same. I don't see any of this stuff. But I don't go looking for it.

Maybe, as MN tracks us, that will now change the next time I go on social media!