Was our country ever content?

JasonLVC

bitemebankers wrote: »

So the solution to lying, cheating scumbag MPs and business leaders is to look the other way?

I didn't infer that the older generation looked the other way, I was suggesting they didn't know in the first place.

I wasn't suggesting we look the other way today, just in relation to the OP first post where they talked about how much happier the 'old days' were, I guess our thirst for knowledge today inevitably means we'll never be quite as happy as our fore-fathers on the basis they just didn't know what was going on. We do know what's going on and we cannot unthink that knowledge....so we'll always be more miserable than the last generation as we know the score.

bitemebankers

Thanks for clarifying, Jason.

I don't think "knowing the score" necessarily means we should be miserable though. For one thing, a quick examination of the facts still shows that, compared to the rest of the planet's population, we're still extremely fortunate.

mrsmoneypenny9

Does anyone remember when the mortage rate hit something like 13%, and the miners strike which caused power cuts which led to 3 day weeks, i remember when my kids were babies aprox 20 years ago listening to the budget year after year and getting nothing to help me as a stay at home mum struggling to make ends meet, you got nothing, maternity pay was for 12 weeks max, and the only other benefit you got was child allowance, now families get all kinds of help, new mums can get maternity pay for up to 33 weeks, even fathers get paternity pay, the baby gets a lump some to be invested for him/her to start them off saving, we have childcare and nursery places paid for for all under 4's, we have had years of boom times with housing prices going up and up, and everyone was happy but as soon as things started to down hill everyone started whinging and whineing well now we are having a few lean years, we have had it a lot worse than this, this is nothing for gods sake, as far as I'm concerned the best thing that has happened to this country in the last twenty years was Tony Blair and the Labour Party, the conservatives drove us to our knees and i would never ever want to see them back in power because they dont give a hoot about the normal working family.

Generali

mrsmoneypenny9 wrote: »

Does anyone remember when the mortage rate hit something like 13%, and the miners strike which caused power cuts which led to 3 day weeks, i remember when my kids were babies aprox 20 years ago listening to the budget year after year and getting nothing to help me as a stay at home mum struggling to make ends meet, you got nothing, maternity pay was for 12 weeks max, and the only other benefit you got was child allowance, now families get all kinds of help, new mums can get maternity pay for up to 33 weeks, even fathers get paternity pay, the baby gets a lump some to be invested for him/her to start them off saving, we have childcare and nursery places paid for for all under 4's, we have had years of boom times with housing prices going up and up, and everyone was happy but as soon as things started to down hill everyone started whinging and whineing well now we are having a few lean years, we have had it a lot worse than this, this is nothing for gods sake, as far as I'm concerned the best thing that has happened to this country in the last twenty years was Tony Blair and the Labour Party, the conservatives drove us to our knees and i would never ever want to see them back in power because they dont give a hoot about the normal working family.

It's great if you're a recipient of the money, the trouble is that it has to come from somewhere.

As Mrs Thatcher said, "The trouble with Socialism is that you run out of other people's money'.

Gangstabird

mrsmoneypenny9 wrote: »

Does anyone remember when the mortage rate hit something like 13%, and the miners strike which caused power cuts which led to 3 day weeks, i remember when my kids were babies aprox 20 years ago listening to the budget year after year and getting nothing to help me as a stay at home mum struggling to make ends meet, you got nothing, maternity pay was for 12 weeks max, and the only other benefit you got was child allowance, now families get all kinds of help, new mums can get maternity pay for up to 33 weeks, even fathers get paternity pay, the baby gets a lump some to be invested for him/her to start them off saving, we have childcare and nursery places paid for for all under 4's, we have had years of boom times with housing prices going up and up, and everyone was happy but as soon as things started to down hill everyone started whinging and whineing well now we are having a few lean years, we have had it a lot worse than this, this is nothing for gods sake, as far as I'm concerned the best thing that has happened to this country in the last twenty years was Tony Blair and the Labour Party, the conservatives drove us to our knees and i would never ever want to see them back in power because they dont give a hoot about the normal working family.[/QUO

thriftybabe

I have to say I am pretty contented right now. Business is down, less money but more free time. I watch those around me who are still stressed, running about and not enjoying life. We are living a simple life but I believe my husband and I have never been happier. We are spending more quality time as a family and the children are definitely benefiting. We are having to watch what we are spending but I think we have adjusted pretty well. This recession has definitely taught me a lesson about the simple things making us happy.

StevieJ

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Yes, but when I voted labour in 97, I was told things could only get better.

Bunch of lying crooks took advantage of my voting virginity and sweet sweet innocence.

Looks like the other lot will be doing that this time

StevieJ

bitemebankers wrote: »

Most people have an instinct to hark back and imagine that the past was so much better. This usually corresponds to the time someone was in their 20s.

Depends what you mean by better, I am pretty sure people in the 50's, 60's and 70's had more optimistic futures, e.g. defined pensions and an increase in owner occupation along with view that future technology could only bring benefits e.g shorter working week.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

dandy-candy wrote: »

Reading so many posts lately full of anger - we're wasting our money on benefit scroungers and public sector workers, the bankers are stuffing their wallets and laughing at us, the goverment is screwing our future up...and on and on it goes.
I'm 36 and tbh I didn't taking any notice of the news or politics before Labour got in, though I vaguely remember people slagging off Maggie and being glad when she went. I'm wondering now if this country ever DID feel right or was everyone still feeling this angry 20, 30, 50 years ago?

I remember my parents and grandparents and everyone else come to think of it moaning about the government from being tiny and ever since,so we're talking about the past 50 years in my case.
There's no size fits all I'm afraid where politics are concerned and if there's one thing I've learned it's that none of the politicians whatever party are miracle workers and can never change that much.
One thing I have noticed though is they hardly ever carry out their election campaign promises,no matter what they say.
And no I don't think the country was ever happy to be honest.

Mr.Brown_4

After todays fantastic news about the end of recession I am well content. No doubt there are some (3 million unemployed whingers) who will still be moaning, but at least I can now look forward to future of fast rising house prices. And with a bit of luck, and hopefully another twenty years of Labour, they will rise fast enough to outweigh VAT, taxes, spending cuts, fuel bills, etc.