[kwazywabbit]

I read the international express. Got to admit can be a very negative paper. Mut mainly read it for the sport lol

[jemima55]

When I was in the UK I remember that very few of my work colleagues watched the news or read a paper or took any interest in politics. They just got on with their own lives!

[sallysimmons]

I think the problem with ignoring the news is that it comes back to bite you. The reason the 1% have been able to snatch everything is because the 99% weren't paying attention.

If you ask yourself 'does this affect me?' and the answer is no, it might be a good idea to ask yourself 'could this affect me 15 years from now?' Often the answer is yes.

Politicians get away with murder because average people are ignorant of what they're up to. As someone who's very active politically, all these posts about walking through life with closed eyes are making me depressed.

[jemima55]

Yes, I wasnt advocating it, just saying thats how a lot of people seem to live happy lives (in my opinion). I`m far too much of a bolshevik not to care, but politicians do seem to turn a lot of people off!

[Brigette]

Originally Posted by sallysimmons I think the problem with ignoring the news is that it comes back to bite you. The reason the 1% have been able to snatch everything is because the 99% weren't paying attention.

KUDOS! This is exactly right!

[Beedubya]

Originally Posted by sallysimmons I think the problem with ignoring the news is that it comes back to bite you. The reason the 1% have been able to snatch everything is because the 99% weren't paying attention. If you ask yourself 'does this affect me?' and the answer is no, it might be a good idea to ask yourself 'could this affect me 15 years from now?' Often the answer is yes. Politicians get away with murder because average people are ignorant of what they're up to. As someone who's very active politically, all these posts about walking through life with closed eyes are making me depressed.

As somebody who has seen more governments and Prime Ministers come and go than I care to remember, at the end of the day IN MY OPINION none of them really make much difference in the end, they all look after numero uno as they retire with their golden nest egg.

I will continue to live in my bubble of happiness with not a jot of political activity and let people who want to get passionate about politics live in their bubble.

I might not even vote...............

[Moggiemiss]

I must confess I don't watch the news on TV. Mostly it isn't news ... it is the same s... differen day ... rehashed and soooo depressing.

I listen to the News Quiz and The Now Show from BBC Radio 4 - keeps me abreast of the news but gives me a laugh at the same time!!

Thank goodness for podcasts!

[Bud the Wiser]

Isn't there an old saying, something like, " Give me the wisdom to change the things I can change and give me the wisdom to ignore the things I can't change, but above all, give me the wisdom to know the difference."

Not sure if that's exactly correct.

I agree with Sallysimmons, but sometimes banging your head against a brickwall only gives you brain damage.

[Homeiswheretheheartis]

I can save you sometime from watching the news, as it always the same:

There will be a recession/boom somewhere. People will be killing in the name of religion, the middle east will be fighting over land. Somewhere there will be an awful natural disaster. A politician will be caught in a scandal. We will be on the verge of discovering a cure for an awful disease. The weather will always be changing. Countries will be on the verge/at war or revolution. Oh and a cute animal/child will do something funny just to finish off with a smile.

I'm sure that’s what the papers said in 1812, 1912 and the TV say in 2012.

[sallysimmons]

Originally Posted by Beedubya As somebody who has seen more governments and Prime Ministers come and go than I care to remember, at the end of the day IN MY OPINION none of them really make much difference in the end, they all look after numero uno as they retire with their golden nest egg.

30 years ago when Mrs Thatcher and Ronald Reagan deregulated the financial industry in the UK and the US, they laid the foundation for what ultimately became the recent financial crash. The labour govt. in the UK and the George Bush govt. in America got the blame because people don't pay attention or realize the long-term implications of the things politicians do. But the real blame lay all those years ago.

Decisions like that are being made every day and that's why it really bugs me when average people don't get involved. These things do come back and affect you and the people you love ... but they take time to have that impact.

Right now, decisions are being made about the NHS that will absolutely affect us all as we get to the end of our lives. If we all close our eyes and pretend those decisions are not being made, we can't complain in 20 years' time when the impact is felt and we're the ones suffering.

Stop voting and you're just handing the country to the people with all the money. That's what they want and I refuse to give it to them.

The stuff I ignore in the papers is the scaremongering about hoodies and binge drinking and immigrants, and the nonsense about celebrities - couldn't care less!

[between two worlds]

Although you will disapprove, Sally, I must admit I'm pretty apolitical because I'd rather use my brain to engage other topics than try and get my head around politics!

BUT I want to put in a word here for the British broadsheet newspapers!
The excellence of the newspapers is one of the things I missed the most when I lived in the US. There is so much good writing, so many interesting articles--I try (ostrich-like I know)to avoid the most depressing stuff--but there is so much else to read--info on culture, books, history, etc etc....

I also love reading them in print--it's just not the same online--and every time I go to UK one of the biggest problems is recycling all those papers!

Tina

[Beedubya]

Originally Posted by sallysimmons 30 years ago when Mrs Thatcher and Ronald Reagan deregulated the financial industry in the UK and the US, they laid the foundation for what ultimately became the recent financial crash. The labour govt. in the UK and the George Bush govt. in America got the blame because people don't pay attention or realize the long-term implications of the things politicians do. But the real blame lay all those years ago. Decisions like that are being made every day and that's why it really bugs me when average people don't get involved. These things do come back and affect you and the people you love ... but they take time to have that impact. Right now, decisions are being made about the NHS that will absolutely affect us all as we get to the end of our lives. If we all close our eyes and pretend those decisions are not being made, we can't complain in 20 years' time when the impact is felt and we're the ones suffering. Stop voting and you're just handing the country to the people with all the money. That's what they want and I refuse to give it to them. The stuff I ignore in the papers is the scaremongering about hoodies and binge drinking and immigrants, and the nonsense about celebrities - couldn't care less!

Well you see Sally I didn't vote for Thatcher, nor did anybody else in my family as far as I know and she still became Prime Minister. No use getting my knickers in a twist over things I have no control of.

I am simply not interested in politics, end of.

Like others I am more interested in different things, for instance yesterday I went to The British Museum and had a really interesting, enlightening, educational afternoon, I know I would not feel the same after a visit to the House of Lords or Commons...........I would be bored out of my skull!!!!

[MDawson]

Not been on here for ages and ages,
Been back in the UK for three years now, my wife is Australian and is being generally accepted and made welcome by the locals here in South Derbyshire.
For some reason the English are very negative about the old UK, they just don't seem to be able to appreciate it the way I do.
I do blame the media a lot for this, it's about time they put a positive spin on Britain.

Australia always looks like an escape to many English people, most things you see on TV are positive about OZ, perfect life living by the beach....
Wish they would show the reality for a working class bloke living in OZ.

I just didn't enjoy having Australianism pushed at me, they seem to want you to be a flag waving Aussie overnight and anything English is just the lowest of the low.

So I prefer my life in the UK, just wish many other Brits would appreciate just what they have here in old England...

[mickok]

Originally Posted by sallysimmons 30 years ago when Mrs Thatcher and Ronald Reagan deregulated the financial industry in the UK and the US, they laid the foundation for what ultimately became the recent financial crash. The labour govt. in the UK and the George Bush govt. in America got the blame because people don't pay attention or realize the long-term implications of the things politicians do. But the real blame lay all those years ago. Decisions like that are being made every day and that's why it really bugs me when average people don't get involved. These things do come back and affect you and the people you love ... but they take time to have that impact. Right now, decisions are being made about the NHS that will absolutely affect us all as we get to the end of our lives. If we all close our eyes and pretend those decisions are not being made, we can't complain in 20 years' time when the impact is felt and we're the ones suffering. Stop voting and you're just handing the country to the people with all the money. That's what they want and I refuse to give it to them. The stuff I ignore in the papers is the scaremongering about hoodies and binge drinking and immigrants, and the nonsense about celebrities - couldn't care less!

My own experience is that there is a very fine walk to walk between paying attention to what's going on (and there sure is a lot going on right now) in order to stand up and be counted, and at the same time avoiding being poisoned by the continuous "news" stream of dirty water (fear-mongering, gossip, and the awful over-focus on the rich and famous). Even news that is slanted towards my own views often seems distorting and overly agenda-driven, very targeted. It's hard to find balance anywhere, I miss the truly local newspaper which seems to have disappeared, or was that ever there, just a dream I had?

In the end I'm on the picket line with Sally, there is something very scary about our English tendency to say - "yes well the rich and powerful always win" and there's nothing we can do about it so let's ignore it. I think that this the darker side of the wonderful English stoicism, this acceptance that goes from poor plumbing to the abuses of class and power. And we're certainly in a time of escalated power grabs, the handing over of the NHS included. As so many people point out, democracy is yearned for by those who don't have it, and taken for granted by those who do, until it is lost. One of my questions coming back home after over 30 years in the US will be, how do I find ways to become effectively engaged politically, and at the same time try to achieve some of the peace I hope for in my later years. Seems as if everyone in this thread is looking for their own balance..

[mikelincs]

Originally Posted by Leither Funnily enough it is the most read online paper by expats.

Possibly because it is easy to access, and totally free, many of the other online papers are partly free access, but to get hold of everything you have to pay.