ChaoticMusings

Date: Mar 14 7:18 PM, 2025

RE: Is Britain broken?

Barksdale · Getting Gobby

No government in the UK has a real incentive to tackle illegal immigration becaue it is de minimis problem to them economically. It costs about 0.25% of GDP or thereabouts so throwing a lot of resources at it wouldn't be in their interests. In addition, most politicians don't feel the direct impacts of illegal immigration as they don't live in affected communities.

They will do just enough to keep people from rioting and leave it at that.

As for legal immigration? Forget it as business / wealthy people want it and politicians care more about their opinons than the rest of society.

Date: Mar 15 6:50 PM, 2025

We rely on immigrants in the NHS more than ever from qualified surgeons to cleaners. Born and bred british youngsters ( boys in particular) can't be bothered to apply for low paid jobs that match their skill set. There has been a surge in depression and mental health issues amongst Gen Z boys who feel life is pointless. Many pour scorn on this notion and Claim they are merely bone idle and that must be true for some but the general malaise and listlessness amongst the youth is occuring in too many countries to be dismissed as laziness. South korea has a label for their apathetic youth who refuse to date aswell as work. The high cost of living must seem like a mountain to climb at 18, especially the inability to conceive ever being able to afford living in their own place. Isolation caused by social media and idolising creeps like Andrew Tate have certainly dented a significant amount of young mens psyche's. Hopefully it hasn't broken them.

Digger · Admin

Anonymous wrote:
We rely on immigrants in the NHS more than ever from qualified surgeons to cleaners. Born and bred british youngsters ( boys in particular) can't be bothered to apply for low paid jobs that match their skill set. There has been a surge in depression and mental health issues amongst Gen Z boys who feel life is pointless. Many pour scorn on this notion and Claim they are merely bone idle and that must be true for some but the general malaise and listlessness amongst the youth is occuring in too many countries to be dismissed as laziness. South korea has a label for their apathetic youth who refuse to date aswell as work. The high cost of living must seem like a mountain to climb at 18, especially the inability to conceive ever being able to afford living in their own place. Isolation caused by social media and idolising creeps like Andrew Tate have certainly dented a significant amount of young mens psyche's. Hopefully it hasn't broken them.

You talk as though there's never been hardship and poverty. The cost of living is all relative. I'll tell you what the problem is with a lot of young people today. Pandering to the victim mentality. Social media that celebrates ego where you're nothing without likes and adoration, and apps that obliterate every flaw on your face and body so you can live in a world created by your mobile that's totally unreal and out of touch with reality. High expectations and low morals. No discipline at home or in school. We've lost apprenticeships, where skills can be learned in the workplace. There is all our lost industry. You could always get a factory job when all else failed. Not any more. Gone are the days where you could lose a job on Friday and walk into a new one on a Monday. The University mentality has done it's damage too, in my opinion, leading youngsters to believe they're nothing without a degree, when the reality is most degrees are worth jack shit, and lo and behold, you can get yourself into debt for thousands for the privilege.

As for the NHS, there was a time when anyone could become a nurse. Like all apprenticeships you learned on the job, you took exams, and you had the chance to better yourself without worrying about having a degree. A lot of youngsters are just not academics so being pressured into getting A levels and degrees is bound to stress them out and cause depression.

The infantilization of our young adults, the silly woke virtue signalling and insane trends that have no footing in reality is what fucks up young minds. It creates instability and unattainable goals.

I predict this will all turn around and burn itself out. But at what price?

Maddog · Go Outside

Anonymous wrote:
Maddog I posted about the tariffs costing the American taxpayer money. That's a fact. His deranged insistance that Canada should be the 51st state has cost you millions in trade and tourism as Canada is boycotting you. Ditto a fact. However why would u care about facts , you defend a compulsive liar with no qualms. When Trump accused Zelenskyy of being a "dictator" even Farage admitted he was "not being truthful" . But you think he is "brutually effective" ..( at what is anyone's guess, self tanning perhaps) so it's all good .

I think he's full of shit, but can be brutally effective too..

I know what tariffs are and do..That's why I oppose them.

Vam · Getting Gobby

Digger wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
We rely on immigrants in the NHS more than ever from qualified surgeons to cleaners. Born and bred british youngsters ( boys in particular) can't be bothered to apply for low paid jobs that match their skill set. There has been a surge in depression and mental health issues amongst Gen Z boys who feel life is pointless. Many pour scorn on this notion and Claim they are merely bone idle and that must be true for some but the general malaise and listlessness amongst the youth is occuring in too many countries to be dismissed as laziness. South korea has a label for their apathetic youth who refuse to date aswell as work. The high cost of living must seem like a mountain to climb at 18, especially the inability to conceive ever being able to afford living in their own place. Isolation caused by social media and idolising creeps like Andrew Tate have certainly dented a significant amount of young mens psyche's. Hopefully it hasn't broken them.
You talk as though there's never been hardship and poverty. The cost of living is all relative. I'll tell you what the problem is with a lot of young people today. Pandering to the victim mentality. Social media that celebrates ego where you're nothing without likes and adoration, and apps that obliterate every flaw on your face and body so you can live in a world created by your mobile that's totally unreal and out of touch with reality. High expectations and low morals. No discipline at home or in school. We've lost apprenticeships, where skills can be learned in the workplace. There is all our lost industry. You could always get a factory job when all else failed. Not any more. Gone are the days where you could lose a job on Friday and walk into a new one on a Monday. The University mentality has done it's damage too, in my opinion, leading youngsters to believe they're nothing without a degree, when the reality is most degrees are worth jack shit, and lo and behold, you can get yourself into debt for thousands for the privilege.
As for the NHS, there was a time when anyone could become a nurse. Like all apprenticeships you learned on the job, you took exams, and you had the chance to better yourself without worrying about having a degree. A lot of youngsters are just not academics so being pressured into getting A levels and degrees is bound to stress them out and cause depression.
The infantilization of our young adults, the silly woke virtue signalling and insane trends that have no footing in reality is what fucks up young minds. It creates instability and unattainable goals.
I predict this will all turn around and burn itself out. But at what price?

One of the best, bang-on posts I’ve seen here. Imagine me applauding … The ‘www’ has been both a blessing AND, sadly, a curse.

Following on from that, a book I’ve read (twice): The Death of Expertise - Tom Nichols.

Vam · Getting Gobby

I’ve never understood why apprenticeships have generally been looked down upon - as something of a ‘lesser’ calibre - for years now

There seems to be a chronic shortage of highly skilled tradesmen and expert artisans these days, and apprenticeships should actively be encouraged while there are still people left who are qualified and can actually train the next generation of tradesmen. Earnings for qualified carpenters/plumbers/electricians, etc, can be incredibly high!

Luckily, the guy I’d love to see be America’s next president, Governor Josh Shapiro, has the necessary forward-thinking skills to implement apprenticeship initiatives in his state of Pennsylvania

https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dli/newsroom/shapiro-administration-announces--5-million-in-grant-funding-ava.html

Barksdale · Getting Gobby

Maddog wrote:
I know what tariffs are and do..That's why I oppose them.

Have you seen this clip from Bill Maher's show?

https://x.com/ThomasSowell/status/1900883126651400246

It's one of the few convincing explanations about Trump's use of tariffs that I have come across.

Vam · Getting Gobby

Barksdale wrote:
Maddog wrote:
I know what tariffs are and do..That's why I oppose them.
Have you seen this clip from Bill Maher's show?
https://x.com/ThomasSowell/status/1900883126651400246
It's one of the few convincing explanations about Trump's use of tariffs that I have come across.

Link’s effed-up, Avon. Kinda gratifying to see I’m not the only one that happens to

If you mean last Friday’s Real Time, I’m still in shock at the level of banal stupidity of that silly giggly bint he had on!

But I could listen to Josh Shapiro and Sam Stein all day long.

-- Edited by Syl on Sunday 16th of March 2025 06:26:06 PM

Maddog · Go Outside

Barksdale wrote:
Maddog wrote:
I know what tariffs are and do..That's why I oppose them.
Have you seen this clip from Bill Maher's show?
https://x.com/ThomasSowell/status/1900883126651400246
It's one of the few convincing explanations about Trump's use of tariffs that I have come across.

It's always been the reason. Unions generally support tariffs for the same reason.

Prior to 1913, tariffs were how we funded our government

I just don't think it works in a global economy but I'm no more concerned with tariffs than any other tax, except they are a bit hidden, like a VAT.

Red Okktober · Getting Gobby

Anonymous wrote:
We rely on immigrants in the NHS more than ever from qualified surgeons to cleaners. Born and bred british youngsters ( boys in particular) can't be bothered to apply for low paid jobs that match their skill set. There has been a surge in depression and mental health issues amongst Gen Z boys who feel life is pointless. Many pour scorn on this notion and Claim they are merely bone idle and that must be true for some but the general malaise and listlessness amongst the youth is occuring in too many countries to be dismissed as laziness. South korea has a label for their apathetic youth who refuse to date aswell as work. The high cost of living must seem like a mountain to climb at 18, especially the inability to conceive ever being able to afford living in their own place. Isolation caused by social media and idolising creeps like Andrew Tate have certainly dented a significant amount of young mens psyche's. Hopefully it hasn't broken them.

I applaud the immigrant doctors and nurses - my belief is that only skilled immigrants and their immediate families (spouse and kids) should be allowed to settle here. No unskilled immigrants and no extended families. It would dramatically improve our financial and infrastructure problems. So yeah, immigrant doctors and nurses are more than welcome

While I have every sympathy for those with physical disabilities that give them a poorer quality of life, I don't have quite as much sympathy for many (by no means all) with mental issues. Of course, mental illness exists and those that genuinely suffer from it require help. But it is a massive grey area in this country with people claiming to be 'too depressed or anxious' to work, and having ADHD has become the new black. It's a terrible mess to untangle the genuine from the ungenuine, which is why I think the upcoming sickness benefits cuts will be more trouble than they are worth.

Being either anxious or depressed is just a human trait and most experience them at some point in their lives. They shouldn't be excuses for dropping out of society and sponging off of others.

Btw, something that rarely gets mentioned when people say how much we rely on immigrant doctors and nurses, is the HUGE number of immigrant patients that need treatment - many of whom have never contributed a bean in taxes - and use up resources like Docs appoinments and hospital beds. 'Immigrants and the NHS' has two sides, and not all of it is positive.

Red Okktober · Getting Gobby

Good post Digger

Red Okktober · Getting Gobby

It'll be interesting to see the extent of the sickness benefit cuts, I think more details are due out tomorrow.

Apparently the government has done a U turn on freezing a part of it, so that will be good news for some.

However, The Guardian has reported that around 620,000 people will lose on average £675 per month!

70% of those cuts will involve families from the poorer half of income distribution.

I wonder how many voted Labour?

Syl · FIRM BUT FAIR.

Been listening to the radio this morning. Topic, 'Is mental illness the new bad back'.

Apparently, according to one person who claimed to work for the DWP, they said that if someone claims to have suicidal thoughts, they are considered to be unfit for work. That'll work in their favour if they don't want to seek out work...PIP pays out double jobseekers allowance, and can also open up many other benefits as it's not means tested.

Magica · Go Outside

Syl wrote:
Been listening to the radio this morning. Topic, 'Is mental illness the new bad back'.

Apparently, according to one person who claimed to work for the DWP, they said that if someone claims to have suicidal thoughts, they are considered to be unfit for work. That'll work in their favour if they don't want to seek out work...PIP pays out double jobseekers allowance, and can also open up many other benefits as it's not means tested.

They will all be saying I want to kill myself. It's bloody ridiculous when these scroungers jump on the bandwagon of seriously depressed people.

Date: Mar 17 4:16 PM, 2025

The planned welfare cuts have caused rebellion with back benchers who claim that is not what the "Labour party is all about ". Personally I think the true essence of left party Labour withered away with Blair's arrival. Starmer's cronies are Tory lite imo. I don't think welfare should be lowered because it's targeting the genuinely disabled and vulnerable whose ailments cannot be denied. And the notion that mental disorders can be faked and fool doctors is far from universally true. Schizophrenia cannot be faked and the truly mentally ill and sucidal try to kill themselves. Fakers do not. It is said you judge a country by how it treats its most vulnerable. Surely taxing the rich slightly more is preferable to giving ppl you KNOW are disabled less.

Syl · FIRM BUT FAIR.

Benefit culture is so deeply embedded in this country now, I don't know how they can sort the genuinely needy from the skivers.

If this government judge it in the same way they judged the pensioner winter fuel allowance, a LOT of genuine claimants will be targeted.

And the ones who are deemed fit to work....where is the work? Since this government came in, many businesses have folded because they simply can't afford to pay for all the increases in staff wages, insurance, rent, rates, energy etc.

Magica · Go Outside

Syl wrote:
Benefit culture is so deeply embedded in this country now, I don't know how they can sort the genuinely needy from the skivers.

If this government judge it in the same way they judged the pensioner winter fuel allowance, a LOT of genuine claimants will be targeted.

And the ones who are deemed fit to work....where is the work? Since this government came in, many businesses have folded because they simply can't afford to pay for all the increases in staff wages, insurance, rent, rates, energy etc.

Fair points Syl.

Thing is they need to stop given money to illegals, they cost us.millions, then look at disability!

Syl · FIRM BUT FAIR.

Magica wrote:
Syl wrote:
Benefit culture is so deeply embedded in this country now, I don't know how they can sort the genuinely needy from the skivers.

If this government judge it in the same way they judged the pensioner winter fuel allowance, a LOT of genuine claimants will be targeted.

And the ones who are deemed fit to work....where is the work? Since this government came in, many businesses have folded because they simply can't afford to pay for all the increases in staff wages, insurance, rent, rates, energy etc.
Fair points Syl.

Thing is they need to stop given money to illegals, they cost us.millions, then look at disability!

Yep, that would solve a lot of the problems.

Barksdale · Getting Gobby

Vam wrote:
Barksdale wrote:
Maddog wrote:
I know what tariffs are and do..That's why I oppose them.
Have you seen this clip from Bill Maher's show?
https://x.com/ThomasSowell/status/1900883126651400246
It's one of the few convincing explanations about Trump's use of tariffs that I have come across.
Link’s effed-up, Avon. Kinda gratifying to see I’m not the only one that happens to
If you mean last Friday’s Real Time, I’m still in shock at the level of banal stupidity of that silly giggly bint he had on!
But I could listen to Josh Shapiro and Sam Stein all day long.

-- Edited by Syl on Sunday 16th of March 2025 06:26:06 PM

Yeah, I don't know what's going on with my links at the moment - they seem to be busted. I tried posting something on the music thread and the same deal. I'm sure I'll remember how to do it again sometimes soon, or maybe not

Yes, I think we are taking about the same lady, Batyar Ungar-Sargon. She is a MAGA leftist apparently (which I kind of get in a funny way.)

PS: looking good by the way in your profile pic!