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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this the way the world is going?

171 replies

Thiscantgoonlikethis · 05/08/2026 10:01

Lack of jobs. 70% unemployment after AI. 2/3 of people currently calling themselves ‘content creators’. No one has money to buy actual stuff anymore, apart from the basics. Lots of people unemployed, no money, constant scrolling on SM watching ‘content’. All trying to make it as ‘content creators’ as views and engagement is the only income viable. It’s a highly precarious income, constantly trying to out do and ‘max’ ourselves for viewing numbers and subscribers. No one has any real purpose, all children, pets, experiences are used for content. Education becomes devalued, no need for school as childcare anymore, whole families can sit and scroll together. School attendance gets in the way of ‘experiences’ anyway. No one works menial jobs as they are all too anxious, depressed, distracted and of course thats nothing to do with social media, it’s a lack of reasonable adjustments and shouldn’t their employers know that they can’t serve customers in their customer service job as it’s too triggering/ anxiety provoking. All pets have to match furniture. There’s no social care. We all die with our hands in claw like positions with very tired thumbs.

OP posts:
Mingou · 07/08/2026 12:21

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 12:12

Assisted Dying could become legal.

I very much hope so.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 07/08/2026 12:23

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 12:12

Assisted Dying could become legal.

Oh, that's a can of worms of such monumental proportions it actually terrifies me. While I'm not opposed at a basic level to people having the choice to end their suffering from illness etc, I cannot see how the state, once involved, and under certain corporate and economic pressures and influence will resist mission creep.

Throw in some nice pragmatic AI tools and the idea that willing sacrifice is a noble endeavour and we have the stuff of nightmares.

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 12:27

Mingou · 07/08/2026 12:21

I very much hope so.

Same, but I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime.

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 12:31

MistressoftheDarkSide · 07/08/2026 12:23

Oh, that's a can of worms of such monumental proportions it actually terrifies me. While I'm not opposed at a basic level to people having the choice to end their suffering from illness etc, I cannot see how the state, once involved, and under certain corporate and economic pressures and influence will resist mission creep.

Throw in some nice pragmatic AI tools and the idea that willing sacrifice is a noble endeavour and we have the stuff of nightmares.

I want it to be available for any reason. If someone has had enough of living, they should be able to make the choice to die by Assisted Dying. People who oppose it shouldn’t stop other people from wanting it.

shhblackbag · 07/08/2026 13:01

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 12:31

I want it to be available for any reason. If someone has had enough of living, they should be able to make the choice to die by Assisted Dying. People who oppose it shouldn’t stop other people from wanting it.

Agree. It won’t be legal in my lifetime. I'll have to find another way when the chronic pain becomes too unbearable. I'd never ask anyone for help and get them in trouble.

Enigma54 · 07/08/2026 13:05

Nope, I disagree, based on who I know and what they are currently doing in life.

TillieAndPosey · 07/08/2026 13:08

Redpaisley · 07/08/2026 11:31

This is a technological revolution that we will adapt to. We will learn how to use it to benefit us, not to control us.

Sorry to say benefits will be minuscule compared to the harm. You and I will not get to control it. It’s in the hands of very ambitious tech bros and wannabe tech bros. They are all competing with each other to be at top and roll on more shit, not caring about ethics or harmful side of it. In lower income countries, poor workers who are making your clothes are already forced to wear cameras to teach AI how to replace them in future.
We are already seeing decline in customer service in western world thanks to AI. I had to fly out on Monday and I was trying to book flight on Friday evening, I needed to speak to a staff because website was having issues but real humans are replaced by stupid chat boxes and AI, and the few they have can work in a limited time window. That’s one example. i have many more.

We should all be recycling clothes, anyway.

I have read your post but I disagree that it's all doom and gloom. We will continue to learn and enjoy the things that really matter to us as humans.

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:14

TillieAndPosey · 07/08/2026 13:08

We should all be recycling clothes, anyway.

I have read your post but I disagree that it's all doom and gloom. We will continue to learn and enjoy the things that really matter to us as humans.

Quality of life has dropped compared to previous generations. Healthy life expectancy has declined too.

ThatSunnyCrow · 07/08/2026 13:20

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 12:31

I want it to be available for any reason. If someone has had enough of living, they should be able to make the choice to die by Assisted Dying. People who oppose it shouldn’t stop other people from wanting it.

What about someone on their 18th birthday? No illness just doesn’t want to be around anymore?

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:23

ThatSunnyCrow · 07/08/2026 13:20

What about someone on their 18th birthday? No illness just doesn’t want to be around anymore?

Yes. If someone is legally an adult, they should get to decide when to die.

ThatSunnyCrow · 07/08/2026 13:26

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:14

Quality of life has dropped compared to previous generations. Healthy life expectancy has declined too.

Healthy life expectancy has dipped but saying there is worse quality of life today isn’t true. We live longer, survive diseases which were killers previously. Obesity is a big problem with healthy life and that’s largely controllable.

ThatSunnyCrow · 07/08/2026 13:26

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:23

Yes. If someone is legally an adult, they should get to decide when to die.

Someone’s been added to the crazy pile….

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:32

ThatSunnyCrow · 07/08/2026 13:26

Someone’s been added to the crazy pile….

Why should an adult not have the choice to die by AD?

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:37

@ThatSunnyCrow Not everyone wants to live until old age. “Tiredness of life” is a growing phenomenon in the Western World.

frozendaisy · 07/08/2026 13:38

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:32

Why should an adult not have the choice to die by AD?

Because once we start thinking of a life as worthless, dispensable, society will unravel.

Medics would never agree
you would have death doctors
that system would be open to abuse of legalised murder

LadyJ129 · 07/08/2026 13:45

I don’t agree that “content creation” will become the only viable income stream, that is easily done with AI and is already being made by AI.

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 14:13

frozendaisy · 07/08/2026 13:38

Because once we start thinking of a life as worthless, dispensable, society will unravel.

Medics would never agree
you would have death doctors
that system would be open to abuse of legalised murder

There is no meaning to life. There is no rhyme or reason, no purpose. We are just here by chance. Nothing actually matters.

TillieAndPosey · 07/08/2026 14:24

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 13:14

Quality of life has dropped compared to previous generations. Healthy life expectancy has declined too.

Hmmm. Tell that to my great grandmother who lose 2 of her children to diseases we now vaccinate against.

Society and community have declined, yes. But you can decide to engage rather than sit at home looking at screens. There are plenty of opportunities out there.

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 14:42

TillieAndPosey · 07/08/2026 14:24

Hmmm. Tell that to my great grandmother who lose 2 of her children to diseases we now vaccinate against.

Society and community have declined, yes. But you can decide to engage rather than sit at home looking at screens. There are plenty of opportunities out there.

Some people don’t want the opportunities and that’s their choice.

frozendaisy · 07/08/2026 16:40

6ate9 · 07/08/2026 14:13

There is no meaning to life. There is no rhyme or reason, no purpose. We are just here by chance. Nothing actually matters.

Some people interpret that chance as the reason to make the most of the unique life they are given.

Elected assisted dying isn’t going to happen.

bestcatlife · 07/08/2026 18:59

UBI is the only answer at this point.

we don’t need Ai. We don’t need data centres

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