robin1234

It takes some getting used to.. but I recollect that it was much worse in the 1970s when many Americans thought it was OK to casually fund international terrorists who were murdering & maiming Irish and British people in the so called Irish Troubles. And, I recall that some Americans felt comfortable about taunting & abusing British people about the murder & mayhem... Many Americans at that time thought the US was immune from the consequences of the violence they sowed overseas, but it turns out some of it came home to bite them on the butt.

Moggiemiss

I do agree!

I am one of the fortunate ones to have had a grammar school education and I came from a poor working class background - parents had left school at 14 with no qualifications and always did low paid low skill jobs until they both became unemployed in their 40s and never worked again. I had a wonderful time at school, loved every minute of it and grateful for the doors that my education opened for me.

sallysimmons

I don't think this is fair. The 11+ was long gone in my area when I went to school and I am far from coming from a privileged background. But I have been able to do well and so have many of my school mates. In fact the kid from the farm down the road from me is now one of the top analysts on Wall Street and another one runs a well-known software firm in Europe.

We were lucky to have good teachers and to be raised in a relatively crime-free area, but none of us had money.

As for "the good old days," I left England 22 years ago and things were far from rosy back then. I just think people forget. I grew up during 3 day weeks and rubbish piling up in the streets and football violence was way worse back in those days. Not to mention the food sucked! My dad used to reminisce about the good old days back then.

Mummy in the foothills

Well I hope today is better.
I have been to exercise, I wish this place had opened in our litle town many years ago. My 7 year old came with me and decided to tell everyone we are moving So I had to explain it all to all my exercise buddies not a single negative word from one, I am impressed.

TheEmperorIsNaked

OK. I'll try quick reply-I keep losing text!

I don't forget. I don't see 'good old days'. What I do see was an era when people were more neighbourly;-were simply a little kinder than they are today.
I don't believe for an instant that this malaise is particular to the UK/Australia/USA or any other first world country-its happening all over. I even believe it is almost evolutionary. Females have become even more aggressive in many cases than males!

What I see of those good old days is as I first said. Today is utterly cut throat. People are actively encouraged to compete with one another to such a degree that it has come down to the survival of the fittest.

There is no improvement in a society whereby the increasing divide between rich and poor is continually justified, and those who speak against it, or demonstrate against it-are vilified as lazy trouble makers.

The failures of systems implemented by brain dead bureaucrats are legend;-they are ageless; people have and always will suffer from them if they are on a middle or low income.

But people - society has changed for the worse. Bullying comes from the top (or bottom for purpose of definition!).

I don't know what's happening in your neck of the woods, but in Oz politicians are constantly backstabbing and plotting against one another. Our current PM took the job from the former PM in a late night coup. As I write this-he is about to challenge to get the job back.

What example does this set? Dominance/might is right. This example of behaviour has set a benchmark in my opinion. 'Dominance' has permeated society-the workplace-our schools. Bullying is rife-'if they can do it;-so can we'. Bullying has always existed of course-but today it's an art form.
______________________

EtU: we do all bag other countries; without question. BUT: Australians in the UK are liked;-they are. 'Poms' in Australia are not liked, they are tolerated, and only liked if they will join in the condemnation of all things english. (And it is England that cops the brunt of it).

(Hmmmm? I've had to 'copy' all the way through to put text back as it disappeared-even on QR. I'll post before it goes again).

AllyS

It's the same in Corporate Canada.

Tel8

And corporate America. Sad innit? Doesn't really matter where you go, people are jerks.

AllyS

Sad it is.

With less and less job security (the world over), people are watching their backs even more.

Some however, take it too far, and are prepared to tar and feather others to make themselves look good.