30 Mar 20
@petewxyz saidSorry if I was giving the impression that Britain was a socio economic nirvana, I’m well aware that it’s not, I was talking about it relative to countries like The US and Brazil which were cited in the title thread.
I agree with a lot of this other than the idea that British society has a small percentage of people living in poverty. British society is more divided into haves and have nots than it has ever been. Child poverty is too easily overlooked because it is hidden in northern towns and cities. Vast numbers in forgotten places. I recently visited the ex-mining communities East of ...[text shortened]... olitics is people don't see enough of the problem to draw the right conclusions about social policy.
There is dire poverty in Britain and it’s been getting steadily worse for decades but I would still argue that I’d rather be unemployed or vulnerable in the UK than the two countries mentioned and I wonder if that might have an impact on the relative severity of social and political discord within different countries.
What say you?
30 Mar 20
@kevcvs57 saidBut you were referencing content from the OP and making a little drama about it trying to link it to the content of my second the post which was talking about something different.
No I didn’t miss it but I wasn’t replying to your first post I was replying to the post I was replying to.
You’ve apologised to me recently for doing this, please would refrain from doing it again. Thanks.
@wolfgang59 saidPerhaps you missed Mexico's late entry into fighting coronavirus.
Why are Right-whingers either in total denial of the devastation
COVID-19 will do or promoting a laissez-faire attitude? I don't get it.
I do not see this schism between right & left in many other
countries apart from US. (Maybe Brazil ...) What gives? Why?
Their president is Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a liberal.
30 Mar 20
@wolfgang59
Tell me your pretensious leftwingestness, did anyone else bother to make any effort at all with your OP other than myself? No.
30 Mar 20
@divegeester saidNo you made it a personalised drama as you often do, obviously it’s all about you, why would anyone waste time talking about anyone or anything else?
But you were referencing content from the OP and making a little drama about it trying to link it to the content of my second the post which was talking about something different.
You’ve apologised to me recently for doing this, please would refrain from doing it again. Thanks.
The title post highlighted / posited an interesting phenomenon and tacitly invited people to attempt to explain it. There isn’t really a wrong answer it’s literally open to debate.
30 Mar 20
@kevcvs57 saidI don't want to get caught up in a minute difference when I am agreeing with pretty much everything you are saying, but since you have asked me I would have to answer that comparing the relative misfortune of people in different dire circumstances is a dangerous game. I don't think it is remotely your intention to write things that could be used to collude with the idea that things are better than they are in the U.K. but there are lives lived by children in some parts of Liverpool that would make it a kindness to offer them a non-abusive family living in poverty in Brazil! It's just a hobby horse of mine that social policy is made by people who delude themselves about the wellbeing of children in the U.K. (unrelated to the thread and not what I think you intended to say anyway)!
Sorry if I was giving the impression that Britain was a socio economic nirvana, I’m well aware that it’s not, I was talking about it relative to countries like The US and Brazil which were cited in the title thread.
There is dire poverty in Britain and it’s been getting steadily worse for decades but I would still argue that I’d rather be unemployed or vulnerable in the UK ...[text shortened]... on the relative severity of social and political discord within different countries.
What say you?
30 Mar 20
@petewxyz saidFair enough I don’t know Liverpool at all, born in Kent and spent the last 35 yrs in Scotland but I’m guessing living in an abusive family setting is about as bad as it gets regardless of geography or socio economic factors.
I don't want to get caught up in a minute difference when I am agreeing with pretty much everything you are saying, but since you have asked me I would have to answer that comparing the relative misfortune of people in different dire circumstances is a dangerous game. I don't think it is remotely your intention to write things that could be used to collude with the idea that ...[text shortened]... g of children in the U.K. (unrelated to the thread and not what I think you intended to say anyway)!
I was thinking more along broad macro factors such as are you guaranteed basic health care and education regardless of income or employment status, that’s not to say the provision of either in the uk is as generous as I would like, or believe it should be.
So do you think that the social safety net in the uk is on a par with those of the US or Brazil, apologies for labouring the point but it is the point I’m focusing on and it is tenuously linked to the title thread post.
If I’m coming across as an Austerity denier or defender then I’m not communicating very well but comparative isn’t the same as complacent.
@wolfgang59 said"Laissez faire attitude" is the defining characteristic of the Right in the US. It's little wonder that some have taken that attitude to the extreme of opposing governmental measures taken to meet an existing public health crisis that have the side effect of hampering some economic activity.
Why are Right-whingers either in total denial of the devastation
COVID-19 will do or promoting a laissez-faire attitude? I don't get it.
I do not see this schism between right & left in many other
countries apart from US. (Maybe Brazil ...) What gives? Why?
30 Mar 20
@whodey saidBecause this thread was intended to be about right-wingers who advocate
Sweden has taken the most laissez-faire attitude toward the virus on the entire planet.
What is more puzzling is, why are you more preoccupied with those on the right than Sweden.
ignoring the best scientific advice in favour of protecting their economy.
The Swedish case has been addressed on other threads.