That's guff Saxo, it's proto-facist. Why even have law if it is some sort of Darwinistic struggle, just give all power to the strongest, the gangsters, a morality of strength, let the brutes rule.

If houses are more expensive because the state has set interests rates low and is creating a bubble, how is that anything to do with a 'perception of reality'? One might not be able to do anything about it as an individual but the problem is still a political or structural one not the 'fault' of the individual.

 

Bank of England.,for some time now

 

I agree with 90% of that. What you forgot to add was, have rich and connected parents. Look at the growth in unpaid internships, only those with rich parents can work for free.

 

This ALWAYS has been, and probably always will be the case, no change there (though IMO nepotism isn't quite as rife as it once was).

I'm still lost about this thread!

 

Tony, you think you are unlucky because you exist in a time where is difficult to get on the property market?

That you go there sort of proves my point about British society today...

When it comes to 'luck' I was the worlds worst, I honestly could write a book on why I think I'm the unluckiest b@stard on the planet. However, self-defeating "I'm so unlucky" thoughts were getting me nowhere; I wasn't getting happier and my 'luck' wasn't improving.

As I write I am still in rented accommodation. The money I did have in property is now locked in a oily showing a paper loss of around £13k (a lot of money to me). A million things had to conspire to lead to where my life got to at its lowest point and I'd focus on them every day and curse my 'luck'

But do you know what...that won't get me anywhere. These days I'm grateful every day for what I do have. I pick the most silly of things, but I focus on everything I like about my life and the world I live in nearly every day. I've even seen myself standing in the shower grateful for the clean, refreshing and powerful water that blasts out of it or showing genuine appreciation for things we take for granted (internet, mobile communication, sat nav, car ownership, etc)

Blame luck or this crisis or that crisis all you like. The bottom line is you can choose what yardstick to measure your life by and you can choose to be happy and to grow. Most people however just expect someone else to fix all their problems - if you need any proof, (re)watch that Skint programme.

 

I pointed this out in a post three odd years ago

https://www.scoobynet.com/showpost.p...5&postcount=47

the wealth gap is widening, inevitable, and we have some way to go too

if you are poor you will get poorer, you children poorer still - social mobility has collapsed

sorry, that is the long tall and short of it

 

keep fighting the fight comrade! "Power to the People"

 

I wish we'd decide what this thread is... are we going for a good old 'immigrants are the root of all evil' style thread or a 'the government are sh1te' type of thread.... it seems to be meandering right now... sort it out FFS

As for poverty I am in Indonesia right now where the true meaning of poverty can be seen daily yet also they have a work ethic way in advance of anything the average native UK workshy scum would recognise as such!!

 

A work ethic is to value work for for its own sake, not to be desperate and hungry.

 

Since the beginning of time we've had to work to eat

 

Which isn't work ethnic. A work ethnic continues even if one has plenty. It values the work itself.

 

If doesnt mean anything at all, just some fabrication

 

I think the majority of people in the UK think they deserve more than what they have. They see celebrities, some of which are celebrities purely on the basis of their poor behaviour, that have a cushy lifestyle and they want it too - for little or no effort. Much like many of our celebrities.

You see some folk today in there flash cars and nice clothes and the vast majority have their noses in the air like they are the most important folk in the world. I think that breeds jealousy and more "I want that but don't want to make any effort to get it" and more than you'd think is just inherited money blown on sh1te rather than held on to with tooth and nail.

I think we would really benefit from some kind of national service but its aid rather than warfare. Go to some of the poorest countries round the world for a year and then come home and feel like you've been hard done by.

From recent personal experience, the benefit system is easily conned but when its used for the right reasons its a big help (wife terminally ill, DLA provided so she has some spendo and motobility car. About the only new things she's ever really going to have) NHS service has been 99% fantastic with front line staff doing an amazing job - running the NHS like a business and having lots of middle management is a huge HUGE mistake and really hampers the care provided. Its just so obviously wrong to everyone except those with a vested interest.

Education isn't perfect but my 11 year old can read write and has pretty much all the basics required for secondary school. The schools have been great with regards to our home situation and made sure she is put with a close friend in case her mum passes during summer holiday. I asked for her to be moved away from this little **** of a kid who would not leave her alone and it was done. They really make an effort with each child even if on occasion the child won't let them.

As for benefit cheats well just look at it on the basis that if they weren't getting those benefits they'd be robbing your house so look at it as protection money

Frankly things could be alot worse and I think rather than moaning about how **** the government is or how its some migrant workers fault the country is a mess, I think we should at least stop for a moment and realise there are far worse places to live in the world. We really are quite privileged compared to some.

 

Different people have different views.

 

It has always been survival of the fittest, it is nothing new.

Life will probably be easier if your parents are wealthy or well connected, shock horror, hold the front page.

Life is not easy if you are badly educated, disabled etc. Why is this such a shock?

However social mobility is not dead in this country, most people just aren't prepared to make the sacrifices needed.

People need to stop moaning, if you really want to see societies without any safety nets and minimal levels of social mobility look at India, Africa etc

 

Yes, you just keep telling everyone that things will be ok and their lives will improve, just trust in the free market and its self-correcting invisible hand, and work like the Chinese / Indonesians

Meanwhile in the real world, people can see an inevitable erosion of their living standards

 

It's an excellent state of affairs! It means inadequates like you pay me huge rents to pay off my mortgages and leave me with a fantastic pension pot.

 

social mobility is not dead -- but has been in steady decline in the last 30 years

this is a simple fact

a person chance of escaping poverty (whatever you define that as) is declining with every generation

 

These so called 'living standards' were a fallacy and unrealistic, we are just talking about an inevitable correction back to reality

 

What's your problem? At last pslewis is amusing, you are just a vampire.

 

There was alot of truth in what Hodgy said, I'll show you.

1) £100k a year salary equates to about £5500 per month after tax (rough calc)

2) Two kids at private school = £2500 per month.

3) Let's say a mortgage of £400k to live somewhere half decent = £2200 per month

That leaves you £800/ month to pay for council tax, food, clothes, car etc.

So you can be on £100k a year in London and be broke by the end of the month

 

This hits the nail on the head, and I suspect is what the root of this thread is about.

And this. The world does not 'owe' anyone a good standard of living, you have to get it for yourself. It's easier for some than others, but that is not an excuse to not try and achieve it.

 

I don't have a problem

 

A lot of people come on here and boast about their job/wealth/car etc, but that isn't enough for you, you need to sink your teeth into people who you know aren't as 'successful' as you, and actively suck out their self-esteem leaving them worse than you found them.

 

You on the other hand are a saint? Never a bad word to say about other people, religions, ethnic minorities etc?

Learn to take it if you want to dish it out.

 

BAFTA award.

 

Semi-related to this thread...

For me the main thing I think has changed in our society over say 10-20 years ago, is the complete lack of correleation between remuneration, and performance/accountability.

These days executives are getting paid 6 figure sums and very generous pensions arrangements for leaving after doing a bad job, or for keeping their mouths shut, or being paid huge bonuses when the company does well, but still being paid the same bonuses when doing badly.

This does go some way to perpetuating the divide between those in high places, staying there regardless of ability.

I don't remember this in the 80's and 90's, if you were bad you were let go.

 

heads they win

tails you loose

 

 

Is there a lesson there somwhere Paul?

Les