Am I the only one?

[thrumylookingglass]

I have been reading with interest all the threads on this board. Am I the only who cannot believe the tone, content and the sheer catastrophe thinking about this issue? Reading threads about stockpiling and falling out with family and friends over this strikes me as strange. Historically, there a many, many more events that have had a humanitarian impact on the world ... Brexit is not one of these! There may, or may not, be an economic impact of Brexit, but will people die? Get killed? Be oppressed? There needs to be some perspective here.

[Peregrina]

Surely this is better?
You only say that now, having been called out on it:

Am I the only who cannot believe the tone, content and the sheer catastrophe thinking about this issue?

[RiddleMeThis2018]

The point about the EEC, and then the EU, being created precisely because it would shore up peace in Europe, deserves repeating. This fact has been drilled into school children in mainland Europe for generations, but it’s been completely lost in the UK.

In the absence of this stabilising union of nations, history shows that your Pollyanna faith in “sanity, calm, common sense, blah blah ridiculous blah” is entirely misplaced. Learn more, OP.

[newstart1337]

The more you can catastrophize about Brexit the greater the chance of stopping it.
If you can make people believe that leaving the EU will result in millions of people starving to death/not having health care/WW3 etc then everyone is more likely to oppose it happening. Its spin 101.

If Brexit had happened immediately after the vote then this would have been avoided but we have dragged it out over several years...

[Peregrina]

Switzerland is in Schengen and has an agreement to allow EU Freedom of Movement.

[thrumylookingglass]

@RiddleMeThis2018 i don’t care if you think my Pollyanna thinking is utopian or not! I’ve lost family and loved ones in other (European) conflicts. What i’ve learn’t from that is that common sense, co-operation and humanity are key! Without that .., what are we?

[RiddleMeThis2018]

@thrumylookingglass yes, and wouldn’t that be lovely? But as I said, history (and our current leaders) show us that a spirit of cooperation and all that good stuff is not where we’re heading. The Brexit vote itself shows us that: it’s the very antithesis of cooperation. So while I’m sure no-one would disagree with you that it would be GREAT if we could all just get along and help each other out, that’s probably not going to happen.

(And to answer your question, what are we? We’re animals. Global conflicts (WWII, Rwanda, Yugoslavia etc) show us that our veneer of civilisation is very thin indeed.)

[SistemaAddict]

I didn't know much about NI and the politics of the troubles either OP but I took it upon myself to learn because it's important to know the history of the UK. The UK that is at risk if we no deal. The UK that BJ and his cronies don't care about. Start googling and come back when you've learnt something. Even a read of Brexit news stories would give you an idea and then work from there. If you care to do so of course. There's no excuse for ignorance.

[thrumylookingglass]

@Bercows agree with you about ignorance. But it goes all ways.

[RiddleMeThis2018]

What goes which ways?

[thrumylookingglass]

@riddlemethis2018 it goes beyond NI. I’m not, for one second, saying that it’s not important but it’s not the only issue

[Whoseagooddoggiethen]

NI is currently thebiggest issue. Educate yourself on history then look up humanitarian in the dictionary. It wont be too far from the term hypocrisy which you also need to look up.

[redredrobins]

I am old enough to remember "the troubles" (stupid name for it), also was in the unenviable position of being a declared a legitimate target of the IRA (as a wife of a member of the British armed forces).
I can not understand why having a proper border between the Republic and Northern Island should have to cause them to start killing each other again!
The only people who have any control over this are the citizens from both sides of the border.

[Whoseagooddoggiethen]

Similarly we dont see the need to have a british border back on our island to begin with. The citizens of either country on this island didnt vote for brexit so please leave the people living over here out if it.

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

@ChardonnaysPrettySister is humanity stupididity?

No, but your statement is.

[thrumylookingglass]

@flouncyfanny of course I’m aware of the predictions and theories about the impact of the various scenarios, however, only time will tell if any of these were valid

[bellinisurge]

Two things, op:

1:NI - how will that be fiiiiiiiine if we No Deal?

1. There were people on here a couple of weeks ago whining about the fact that supermarkets didn't have enough ice lollies in the heatwave.

How does the above indicate that people are ready for the impact of Brexit and it will be minimal?

I certainly don't think we are heading for Armageddon- and it is a bit of a trick to argue that everyone who disagrees with the fiiiiiiine argument is saying Armageddon- but , at best things will be in patchy supply for a while and more expensive when we get them. Because capitalism works like that. And we live (thank goodness) in a democratic capitalist country. But there is a price to pay for that and plenty of people are not well placed to pay it.

[Oranginna]

You are not the only one OP.

[bellinisurge]

Op , you are falling into the trap of saying that anyone who thinks it'll be trick, for whatever short or long length of time, is predicting DISASTER and CHAOS. And so you can stick your fingers in your ears and sing 🎵 la la la la.
You can't. Grown ups don't do that. They accept likely problems and either prevent them or find sensible practical ways to deal with them. Singing has its place. But it can't be the only strategy.

[Yogagirl123]

I agree with you OP.

I have had many financial crashes in the UK over the years, boom & bust seem to go in cycles, nothing at all to do with Brexit.

Brexit is the new millennium bug, as far as I can see it, and also a great way to divide the people.

So much propaganda from both sides of the argument, fuelling people’s fears.

People voted, that’s at the heart of democracy, so it needs to be done.

[bellinisurge]

Some bingo opportunities here @TheElementsSong

[thrumylookingglass]

@bellinisurge grown ups should not be whipping up hatred and panic. This will be the most damaging impact if we’re not careful.

[Helmetbymidnight]

people bring up climate change?

ffs, brexit is hugely damaging to research and science collaboration, i mean, you must know that by now, its hugely damaging to our efforts to control climate change- and thats why all environmental groups are against it.

[twofingerstoEverything]

Every so often, someone starts a thread on MN saying there isn't any real poverty in the UK because people in other parts of the world have worse poverty. This goady thread is just like those, ie Brexit might cause unemployment, might ruin some people's lives, might make us all poorer, but a tsunami/earthquake/war is worse and therefore we should STFU about Brexit. I have no intention of STFU about this act of national self-harm. Why should I?

[twofingerstoEverything]

Bingo! Milennium bug got mentioned!