This isn’t the world I want to live in.

Anniebach

I was born during WW2, grew up with racism, homosexuals imprisoned, mother and baby homes, people with mental illness mocked or locked in horrific mental institutions, and much more. No generation lived in a land of milk and honey

👏👏👏👏

petra

Furret

fancy if we are going to talk of the testaments what I’m seeing at the moment is the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding onto the horizon

This thread is getting to the silly stage now 🤦🏼‍♀️

People can express what they wish I think. Utterly pointless sadly as empathy is on the back burner.

You need to get out of the media-driven bubble op, also get away from being tied to eg smartphones. You are being heavily psychologically manipulated, brainwashed.

Those of us, who saw this manipulation coming, have taken measures eg my smartphone is kept in my living room and there it remains day and night, apart from taking it in my car if I am driving any distance

My parents had a much tougher life than we have now, dad from Poland, enforced slavery parents taken to Russia in cattle wagons, he was born there in a slave labour camp, farm was `stolen`.

Back home to Poland then he joined up in 1939 and served in very dangerous missions throughout the whole war. His mother died during this time, his father was shot by kgb

Married mum and could not return home, kgb. Made a good home for me and 6 younger siblings, very poor and worked all hours. Died at 53 because of childhood illness in the slave camp

From hardship come skills and positivity and a bubble that protects us from media and dictatorship ramblings. This brainwashing is to break us down mentally. Be aware and avoid, life today is different, community survived in the old days because it was sink or swim. Community and pulling together is still there, just look for it

Good post karmalady. I’m sorry your father had such a hard and short life. He was clearly an inspiration to you.

glasshalffullagain
Unlike your username I’m a glass full person.
As many on here who know me know that I have empathy when it’s needed. But I won’t waste my energy where it’s pointless and in this situation it is.
If gnawing on your knuckles makes you feel that you’re helping the situation, rock on.

Perhaps there is a halfway house between optimism and looking at flowers and going to bed terrified.

I think the halfway house might be allocating a set part of the day to keeping informed. When the set time is up move on to a second set time, this one is for action. Writing to MPs, joining a protest group, volunteering for a charity or positive local cause. That way you feel like you are doing something, however small, to make the world more positive and perhaps you've spent time with other people doing good, so you don't feel so alone.

Then, when the 'action' section is over, it's time for the 'looking at flowers'. Relaxing, good food, people you love, hobbies, exercise in the outdoors.

This is what works for me anyway. I hate to think of any posters here brought to a standstill by these difficult days. You are all so full of ideas and beans and have so much to contribute.

I agree Karmalady I find community on my doorstep.
I only lock my door at night.
When I had my hip replacement at New Year I had more First Footers than ever before.
I slept in the sitting room and everyday people dropped in, made tea, lit the fire, chatted.

I must do that for others.
I am using my smart phone to write this so I can't agree about that

petra

Furret

fancy if we are going to talk of the testaments what I’m seeing at the moment is the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding onto the horizon

This thread is getting to the silly stage now 🤦🏼‍♀️

Why such a nasty comment?

BlueBelle

Oh come on, I don’t feel this our parents lived through a world war my grand parents through two world wars
I ve lived through many personal problems
My children all have jobs careers and homes
My grandchildren all have had good educations 4 have been to Uni and 3 chose not to but have good careers They are all happy visiting the world, buying houses and cars running marathons and enjoying life All are hard working and getting far more opportunities than I had
The worlds is in a pickle but it’s been in one before many times

There are still far more nice people than nasty I can’t share this despondency snd misery
I smile or say hello ro everyone I meet and 9 times out of 10 they smile back
I ll never give up

I agree Bluebelle with most of your post.. especially about nice, caring people.

I also think that young people will be strong, creative and resilient enough to cope with whatever is to come.. just as our parents did..

OK. I think my mention of disillusionment with human nature is illustrated in some of the posts. I perfectly understand that many prefer to pull up the draw bridge and retreat; to find comfort in family, community and even a god. That is human nature.

But I keep thinking of the millions of Russians who think they can do nothing to stop Putin. The millions of Americans who believe every word Trump spouts. The millions of passive North Koreans. And yes, I understand they are too frightened, ignorant or conditioned to do anything.

But that’s how dictators come to power. And yes, here we are. It is what it is. A handful of men, a mere handful as usual, ripping everything apart while we sit and do, probably can do, nothing.

Therein lies the rub.

That's why I quoted Edmund Burke Furret
It's important for us all to stand up and be counted. Even my rather conservative (small c) DS proposes to protest at Balmoral when Trump comes for his State Visit!

Human nature isn't going to change and I only have to look at the nasty comments made by a few on so many threads on these forums. I don't know why they do it - ie pop on to be nasty and then pop off again - but they do. "If you've got nothing nice to say....." as the phrase goes.

That's the problem at root. I found a book that laid it out very well some while back - ie that Society goes in circles.....it rises...it destroys itself.....a new variant Society arises...it destroys itself. I think this has happened - to our knowledge - 4 or 5 times now over recent centuries.

As I recall - the book is a "A green history of the world" by Clive Pontin. Good book....worthwhile read.....albeit the conclusion is clear (and this was written some years ago now) that the same thing will happen again, ie "....and then they destroyed themselves......".

I do miss the 1960's to some point in the 1990's - ie when life was more "normal" and am only thankful I managed to get myself just about "established" before it all started heading downhill at a steadily increasing rate of knots. I tend to think that "The Worst" started in our country (ie Britain) at about the time Tony Bliar (not a misspelling imo) ignored the 1 million strong march for peace. I had still got some sort of feeling that our Society was advancing - or at least not going backward - until then. But nope...the "dodgy dossier" and all that and we were totally ignored and it went on from there I feel.

There is an element too at a personal level - as there will be for many of us. Back in Normal Times (the 1980s) I landed up (not my doing) in a widespread negative thing that was going on. I fought back to deal with it as best possible - and a friend of mine who was very familiar with it said "The trouble with you is you are a nice person - and because you are a nice person = you think they will deal with you the way you would deal with them. You are wrong!". I went away and gave his comment serious thought - and he was right too. From then onwards I mentally followed a dual path of "What would I do? What should happen?" and then thought "If I were a b*rsteward and in their position - what would I do?". Every single time they did exactly the "b*rsteward" thing next (we're talking about an ex-employer of mine here).

Latterly I've thought that I'm still making this mistake to some extent. I decide what should be done/what I would do personally and I'm having increasingly to take the "If I were a b*rsteward - what would I do next?" position and then I know what is going to happen next. The "barsteward" action and not what I would do personally. I wish I was wrong on that one....

It does feel like there's a battle going on between Good and Evil in the world currently - and that Evil is winning. Very very different from the optimistic take on the world we were taught latterly at school. Very very different from the "1 person in 10 CAN make a difference - for good. So go out and change the world" position I was taught in one of the churches I've been in over the years.

Personally - I'm too disillusioned to start up a new "better world" scheme (something I've done a couple of times in the past) or improve an existing scheme/group. These days - I'm studying (informally) society's history/psychology/etc and trying to make sense of it all - rather than trying to change Society for the better any longer.

Grammaretto

That's why I quoted Edmund Burke Furret
It's important for us all to stand up and be counted. Even my rather conservative (small c) DS proposes to protest at Balmoral when Trump comes for his State Visit!

I remember last time he had a state visit crowds threatened to line the route to Buckingham Palace and simply turn their backs, no placards, no banners, just this silent gesture.
I think it would be marvellous if enough people turned out to do this.

There is a cure for depression - cancel the daily news paper and stop using social media, including GN. We all remember times that were far worse than today, we got through them we are still here, the sun is still shining.

I'm very concerned and sad about the state of the world, and do genuinely fear for my children and grandchildren. The awfulness of Trump etc is beyond all reasonableness.
But, I don't want this to ruin my life, what little time I might have left. This is still a beautiful planet, I take great pleasure in nature around me. And I'm on good terms with my family, they mean everything to me.
I try to be optimistic and to believe that the world will still keep turning and things will get better, in time. Meanwhile all I can do is try to enjoy my own little life and do the best I can.

Babs03

Grammaretto

That's why I quoted Edmund Burke Furret
It's important for us all to stand up and be counted. Even my rather conservative (small c) DS proposes to protest at Balmoral when Trump comes for his State Visit!

I remember last time he had a state visit crowds threatened to line the route to Buckingham Palace and simply turn their backs, no placards, no banners, just this silent gesture.
I think it would be marvellous if enough people turned out to do this.

It would be an incredibly effective and powerful gesture.. but I think this time he will be welcomed by reform supporters

Babs03

Grammaretto

That's why I quoted Edmund Burke Furret
It's important for us all to stand up and be counted. Even my rather conservative (small c) DS proposes to protest at Balmoral when Trump comes for his State Visit!

I remember last time he had a state visit crowds threatened to line the route to Buckingham Palace and simply turn their backs, no placards, no banners, just this silent gesture.
I think it would be marvellous if enough people turned out to do this.

They would just helicopter him into Buckingham Palace or Windsor, in any case it’s water off a ducks back he knows he’s unpopular and doesn’t care.

Well the sun is shining everyday here just now ( have to admit we could do with a bit of rain) , I have a lovely family , we all keep in touch even though there are tons of us now and I am retired so don’t have to slog away with other peoples’ problems ( ex social worker). What’s not to like? Sod the rest of them at my time of life.

I can honestly say I find myself agreeing with so many of bluebelle posts.she is a very positive lady like myself. And a brilliant poster

I think every generation has its challenges. When my children were little Aids was going to kill us all, when I was a child there was the Cuban missile crisis and then regular bomb threats from the IRA. My dad was in World War 2, his dad was badly wounded in World War 1. Family history has shown me that earlier generations lived in abject poverty, women frequently died in childbirth and children succumbed to ailments we consider minor now.
As for tolerance I'd rather live now. I've just read a newspaper report from the 19th century in which a female ancestor is described as a "fornicator" just for having a child out of wedlock

Well there's more than one way to look at it. I can look back on the house where I was born, no bathroom, toilet at the top of the yard, no hot water. two bedrooms with my aunt, uncle, grandmother, my parents me and sibling managing to live there. Do I want to be back there, give up my bathroom, ensuite and downstairs toilet, central heating, car on the drive? No I don't.

I remember the Cuban missile crisis, nuns sent us home from school early and warned us the world could come to an end that afternoon if nuclear bombs started dropping. Got home and granny and mom sitting together, if they were going to die they wanted to die together. I don't want to go back to that either.

I remember my grandmothers, aunts and mother dying of cancer with none of the treatments and possible cures available now. Don't want that.

My father died when I was a child with kidney failure, no donor kidneys back then.

My poor aunt who desperately wanted a baby but couldn't have one, no chance of IVF for her.

Swings and round abouts.

eddiecat78

I think every generation has its challenges. When my children were little Aids was going to kill us all, when I was a child there was the Cuban missile crisis and then regular bomb threats from the IRA. My dad was in World War 2, his dad was badly wounded in World War 1. Family history has shown me that earlier generations lived in abject poverty, women frequently died in childbirth and children succumbed to ailments we consider minor now.
As for tolerance I'd rather live now. I've just read a newspaper report from the 19th century in which a female ancestor is described as a "fornicator" just for having a child out of wedlock

Mad cow disease as well, weren't we all going to die horrible deaths by the turn of the century. I suppose the world would have been populated by vegetarians.

I choose to be optimistic, I don’t fear for the future of my family, I have faith in them to cope, they’ve had to be resilient in the past and I'm sure will be in the future.
I have a happy relationship, good friends, including a local community pub Mt61 where we all look out for each other and have valued companionship.
I think my parents had a tougher life, I know my Mum did, generally we’re far better off in many different ways - I don’t mean financially.
My mobile phone lives in my pocket karmalady but I can always choose to ignore it!
The sun is shining ☀️

eddiecat78 I totally agree with you, every generation has had it hard! My maternal grandparents, Polish/Russian Jews were settled in the U.K. before the Nazi atrocities commenced no relatives survived. I am truly grateful for my life. Let’s enjoy what we have.

I’ve never been that troubled by ‘world’ events. There’s been wars and conflict since the dawn of time, and that, unfortunately, will never change.
I was born in the early 60’s and grew up with the war in Northern Ireland.
Living in London we were always told to look out for suspicious packages on the tube etc, it was just part of life.
But I guess when you’re young you’ve got so much else going on and so much to look forward to you don’t get bogged down by politics/ war.
I think it’s an age thing. People on this site are in their Autumn years with maybe not much to look forward to?
Getting old in itself can be depressing for many, & gazing at a few daffodils just doesn’t mean much anymore.
Let’s face it - getting old can be boring.