Are we now a nation of miserable so-and-so's?

[DodgyGeezer]

I hope the title is plain enough - I was going to say whinging bds, but I suspect that the mods wouldn't appreciate that.


As posted in a different thread must admit I'm getting to think most people would be happier living under a dictatorship with their ban this, that the other and anything else mentality.

Ban:
Fireworks
Modded cars
The ability to speed
Noisy cars/bikes
SUVs
Dogs
Cats
Meat
Dairy
Sugar
Fatty foods
Hurtful words
Opinions which disagree with their own
People (especially old ones) owning houses that "are too big for their needs"

And on and on...


Is this a recent thing? I suspect that elements of this let's
knobble those who have different interests/views/levels of income have always been there (labour's "tax the rich 'til the pips squeak attitude" etc) but is it getting more prevalent in the MSM?

[Oilchange]

Insidious isn't it.

[cmvtec]

Yes.

We are.

[Catatafish]

No. It is completely about your perceptions, and where you focus your attention, which echo chambers you frequent.

I mean come on. If someone I knew said "I perceive sweeping statement XYZ applies to ca. 60million people" I would take all of the sharp things off them and hand them the crayons to play with.

[anonymous-user]

I don't think so, the nature of the internet is that you get to hear everyone's opinion, thats all. We have always moaned about things we don't like, difference being in the past it would be with our mates who would be far more likely to agree with us, and it would be a quick moment in a conversation rather than a long drawn out arguement/debate/st show

[PBDirector]

Yes. Go to work, come home, take your kid to a place they’re allowed to be so they can experience the world outside their own home but in an OSHA approved way, take your dog to a place where they’re allowed to be so they can experience the world off the leash but in an OSHA approved way, take yourself to the gym so you can physically use your body to stave off the results of sitting at a desk all day in a place you’re allowed to do it but in an OSHA approved way. And pay for all of those experiences.

[Seesure]

It feels like to me that social media has given the bellends a voice that historically they wouldn't have had...

This countered with " D List Celebrity" endorsement to help garner "likes" means that we are awash with people wishing to remove fun and freedom...

[Evoluzione]

Yes.
I think it's quite a dull world to live in and young people are boring because of it.

[PBDirector]

Seesure said:

It feels like to me that social media has given the bellends a voice that historically they wouldn't have had...
This countered with " D List Celebrity" endorsement to help garner "likes" means that we are awash with people wishing to remove fun and freedom...

Hmmm yes - Similarly I’ve been thinking about the fact that in a small group/ community and face to face, you intuitively know (to some degree, it’s not perfect of course) that all opinions aren’t equal. That social media both gives everyone an equal voice / removes context AND skews the people present to contribute their opinion tools screws the pooch of it all.

Varoufakis is correct - these platforms aren’t public squares, they’re fiefdoms. They’re a public square where “one man/ institution” dictates who can be there, what shops can be there, what they can sell, how much they can sell, what you can see, what you can say. And when the news media then report on those conversations as if they’re fair balanced, open and representative views of the population, well then you’ve got yourselves a fustercluck.

[anonymous-user]

Catatafish said:

No. It is completely about your perceptions, and where you focus your attention, which echo chambers you frequent.

I mean come on. If someone I knew said "I perceive sweeping statement XYZ applies to ca. 60million people" I would take all of the sharp things off them and hand them the crayons to play with.

Indeed.

I think the OP is massively exaggerating the appetite for banning the various items he lists, with the possible exception of fireworks.

Looking specifically at fireworks first: Will they be banned? Maybe, maybe not, it has been a topic for years and nothing has happened. But if you ask the general public and 9/10 if them feel their lives will be improved by the ban on fireworks being on sale to the public, then why not ban them if it benefits the vast majority of ordinary people? Clearly the majority of the public feel their lives are absolutely blighted by the use, and misuse, of fireworks and would like something done about it.

As for the rest of the points listed, I would suggest that only a very small minority want those things banned or restricted, and certainly I would be very surprised if our government and lawmakers actually gave the ideas any time at all.

I certainly don't see either the majority of the public, or the majority of government demanding bans on loads of different things. A few vocal people will want meat banned, for example, but I can't see it happening.

Look rationally at which activities or products have actually been banned over the years. For starters there will be surprisingly few items, and what was banned was likely because it was killing or injuring people, or because the public wanted it banned.

The stuff about 'bans' making young people boring is nonsese as well. What exactly can't they do now that they could 30 years ago? They can still play on railway lines, climb trees, smoke, take drugs, watch TV, fight, go underage drinking, ride bicycles anywhere they choose at any time, stay out all night, be in a gang, jump off cliffs into the sea, or pretty much anything else they fancy, just like they could 30 or 40 years ago, their list of 'banned and not banned' activities hasn't really changed.

But they just choose to spend their lives at home on their phones and playing on an Xbox instead. Their choice. It is clearly what they want.

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 8th November 13:24

[deckster]

DodgyGeezer said:

I hope the title is plain enough - I was going to say whinging bds, but I suspect that the mods wouldn't appreciate that.

Definitely. And as prima facie evidence, I give you this forum, and indeed this thread.

This place without question has a significant minority of miserable gits who like nothing more than a good moan about (take your pick) young people, poor people, Labour voters, cyclists, electric vehicles, and pretty much everything else.

I don't really mind, as it gives the rest of us something to giggle about, but I do wish that such thread participants could take a good long look in the mirror before wading in.

[DodgyGeezer]

Lord Marylebone said:

I think the OP is massively exaggerating the appetite for banning the various items he lists, with the possible exception of fireworks.

Oh for sure I'm indulging somewhat in hyperbole - but it does strike that I'm noticing more "down with that sort of thing" being reported in the press. 40 years ago we all laughed at 'disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' these days we're giving them more attention than they deserve.

[Panamax]

Bizarre things IMO include,

Women make up 50% of the population and live longer than men yet claim to be an oppressed minority.

It seems middle-aged, white heterosexuals are now bottom of every priority list.

[DodgyGeezer]

Panamax said:

It seems middle-aged, white heterosexuals are now bottom of every priority list.

If you're talking about mental health you might have a point - but even then that's men in general

[Countdown]

deckster said:

DodgyGeezer said:

I hope the title is plain enough - I was going to say whinging bds, but I suspect that the mods wouldn't appreciate that.

Definitely. And as prima facie evidence, I give you this forum, and indeed this thread.

This place without question has a significant minority of miserable gits who like nothing more than a good moan about (take your pick) young people, poor people, Labour voters, cyclists, electric vehicles, and pretty much everything else.

I don't really mind, as it gives the rest of us something to giggle about, but I do wish that such thread participants could take a good long look in the mirror before wading in.

The "miserable so-and-sos" must have pretty depressing lives to make them so negative.

[Gargamel]

Certainly live and let live as general concept seems to be very out of fashion in the UK.

Everyone seems so judgy all the time

[anonymous-user]

DodgyGeezer said:

Lord Marylebone said:

I think the OP is massively exaggerating the appetite for banning the various items he lists, with the possible exception of fireworks.

Oh for sure I'm indulging somewhat in hyperbole - but it does strike that I'm noticing more "down with that sort of thing" being reported in the press. 40 years ago we all laughed at 'disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' these days we're giving them more attention than they deserve.

I think we have always had a vocal minority. You only have to look at people like Mary Whitehouse who spent 35 years wanting pretty much everything in TV, Cinema, magazines and Theatre banned, and yet our media is more liberal than ever.

I honestly don't think there is more "down with this sort of thing" these days. I think there is if you choose to immerse yourself in it, or read/watch the types of media that specialise in it.

The 'school conkers' episode was an absolute classic. If you had listened to the newspapers at the time, you would have thought that the government or the Health and Safety Executive had formally banned the playing of conkers in school, and many people do actually still believe it. The truth is that one head teacher asked pupils to wear safety googles. That was it. Kids don't play with conkers anymore purely because Snapchat is more interesting.

I think we have become a slightly more irritable and fractured society, but that is more to do with politics and economics than banning or complaining about banning stuff.

All in my opinion of course

[Hoofy]

DodgyGeezer said:

As posted in a different thread must admit I'm getting to think most people would be happier living under a dictatorship with their ban this, that the other and anything else mentality.

Ban:
Fireworks
Modded cars
The ability to speed
Noisy cars/bikes
SUVs
Dogs
Cats
Meat
Dairy
Sugar
Fatty foods
Hurtful words
Opinions which disagree with their own
People (especially old ones) owning houses that "are too big for their needs"

And on and on...

There's a massive assumption that it's the same group of people wanting the above banned? Of course, there may be a handful of people who want it all banned (I believe they call themselves the Taliban) but someone is always going to be opposed to something.

[Whats on Second]

What is it with fireworks that enrages people to want to see them banned ?
they are effectively banned for 11 months of the year.

Did Vagina Woolfe say "A life without loud bangs is a poorer life " [ or was it Freddie Starr ? ]

[DodgyGeezer]

Whats on Second said:

What is it with fireworks that enrages people to want to see them banned ?
they are effectively banned for 11 months of the year.

Did Vagina Woolfe say "A life without loud bangs is a poorer life " [ or was it Freddie Starr ? ]

Who doesn't love a good bang?