Autonomy

There is no real connection to these 2, but both, I think should make us think about how lucky we (generally) are...

Nada al-Ahdal is an 11-year-old girl from Yemen, but instead of just playing with her friends after school or focusing on homework like other girls her age might, she says she had no other choice but to run away from home — in order to escape being married to a much older man. Her account and her powerful appeal against child marriage has now been posted on YouTube.

http://mashable.com/2013/07/22/yemen...riage-youtube/

A year ago, a bright, unemployed 24-year old single mother in Southend summarised in a blogpost the fear, humiliation and desperation of living on the breadline. It is one of the most moving and vivid accounts of the reality of modern poverty.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...modern-poverty

Beakersful

We've stepped outside of our country, but or those left behind, who fear change, and the 'other', who aren't qualified or experienced enough, they don't see, don't comprehend, and perhaps don't care about others' poverty. They have their own problems to deal with.

Back home in the UK things do seem to be spiraling down into 'relative' poverty. I'm amazed that a culture deep in consumerism should be condemning anyone who isn't 'rich'. They shouldn't have a television, smoke, drink, own a car, They can't eat out, can't buy anything new. Must be on utilities meters that effectively cost more. Can't own a mobile phone, or a computer (and have access to the internet that goes with it where they can save money by finding cheaper deals) City centres are turning into tourist traps, cafes and bars everywhere. Out of town shopping centres too hard/expensive to get to.

All this for the children they cry! So, parents must give up everything for their children, and their children must live in 'relative' poverty. But don't worry, it's only for 18 years! Your children must do nothing but get educated within a crumbling, results driven, fake education system. When they finish school they will have massive debts that over half of them will never pay off, supposedly not affecting their chance at a mortgage, but already proving so. Look at youth unemployment! Some universities have a 49% unemployment rate 2 years after graduation, and they don't include the half year between putting their pens down and graduation itself. Look at first time housebuyers ages, and the number of youth who have to go back to their parents homes after university.

When do these youth get the time to have a family themselves? Do they wait till they are financially capable of doing so? Because that may be 35+, closing in on the end of fertility. They'll have lived in relative poverty till that time, and then they become parents themselves, and expected to live in relative poverty, and their kids, and so the cycle continues. The 1.8 kids average is a gradual slide for the last decade or more now which was going to leave our society barren if it wasn't for mass immigration. Already we saw schools closing down due to lack of numbers, but now there won't be enough schools.

Can consumerism still survive around them? Why is it in full flow still? If those in relative poverty stop buying things, how will the high street survive? How will any company survive? If those in relative poverty stop trying to be part of the society that they fully believe they are a part of then there can only be riots on the streets. They'll never stop believing in their 'rights' to consumerism though, so crunch time will be a long time coming. The EU will probably collapse first, and politicians will deliver up someone/thing else for the people to blame, other than those who are feeding off the majority.

Do I care enough to want to help people back home? No, because they'll bite the hand that tries to help them, won't be grateful, and we will be unable to make any sizeable dent in things. Anyone who tries regime change normally wants something for themselves. That's why they arm and send mercenaries in to topple governments abroad.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the figure. 1 in 4 children in England and Wales is apparently in relative poverty right now.

Tockalosh

Beaky, there is a post on the UK section of this website entitled something along the lines of
"situation in the UK is it that bad" where your post above would sit very well. I tried something similar but without the poverty thrown in and was surprised by the responses. It seems returning UK expats or those who want to return from the US and Oz become blinkered to whats going on or come back so loaded that they never experience the dirty masses

Please copy and paste this into that thread if its still going. I am sure some readers will be starting to think the streets of Bradford are paved with gold

Beakersful

Ah, that's a losing battle then! Our society has, for a long time, been looking inwrds to their own immediate families. Many have an 'I'm alright, Jack' attitude, even when they're not. Are determined to bring society down with them instead of doing the right thing. Amongst workmates recently we had a conversation regarding the North/South divide. The southerners who'd come out seemed to think it was okay back home, jobs to be had, etc. Those of us from the North, well it all got a bit emotional and turned into ranting and disbelief at the blinkered ones. They were here for their religion, us for vital money and building up our CV.

Meow

The mere fact that the UK has numerous food banks to assist those who are struggling is a massive concern.

There may be a flawed consumer society that skewes values and proprities, but not everyone fully buys into it and if you have children it is very hard to deny them what their friends have.



As for that Yemen story, and the issue of children being forced to get married, I am beyond angry at such occurances. It is so very wrong and I simply do not accept the pathetic argument of 'cultural practices'. An 11 year old is just a child, no matter the responsibilities they are given.

Beakersful

http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynew...5368-33650506/

"The witness, who was waiting in line to see an adviser, said no other residents reacted to the outburst but that staff seemed ‘a little bit shocked’."

I guess they'd all lost the will to live too....

flares

witness from Widnes or was it Runcorn?

Blue Cat

thanks for both of these, makes you think doesn't it, the girl on the bread line was particularly interesting. Did you see the two programmes recently where Nick and Margaret tackle families living on benefits?