UK has 'worst quality of life in Europe'

martinthebandit

atush wrote: »

You have an even bigger load. Yes, it was awful in the old days before the NHS and Pensons.

but I am talking about social breakdown, the chipping away at marriage by sucessive govts, the lack of social cohesion, the lack of respect, the lack of fathers in children's lives, and the lack of any sort of work ethic. The total lack of ambition among many.

If you think that is worse now than it was 50 years ago, then you need to do a bit more reading, you will find that the further back you go the worse it all was.

The only golden age is the one we are living in now, yes things could be better, but to suggest they are worse now than they was at some time in the past is very naive.

kabayiri

I kind of think the Quality of Life factors have become a bit skewed. It feels like strange times.

Today, many people can afford (by some means or other) to buy a large screen plasma which only 2 decades ago would have been available in a form only to the extremely wealthy. This large cinematic viewing experience coupled with dozens of channels covering all sorts of viewing preferences sounds like a life enhancing situation.

But, there is a but.

If you fret about the cost of the electricity to run the plasma telly though, how does that diminish the quality of life?

olly300

atush wrote: »

You have an even bigger load. Yes, it was awful in the old days before the NHS and Pensons.

but I am talking about social breakdown,

"There is no such thing as society. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate."

In many of the countries that feature higher on the living standards list the government intervenes a lot more in people's lives and people are expected to follow the rules to the letter.

MacMickster

kabayiri wrote: »

I kind of think the Quality of Life factors have become a bit skewed. It feels like strange times.

Today, many people can afford (by some means or other) to buy a large screen plasma which only 2 decades ago would have been available in a form only to the extremely wealthy. This large cinematic viewing experience coupled with dozens of channels covering all sorts of viewing preferences sounds like a life enhancing situation.

But, there is a but.

If you fret about the cost of the electricity to run the plasma telly though, how does that diminish the quality of life?

As we are all individuals, surely the factors that we most value in determining our quality of life are individual to each of us. For some it may include access to the opera and art galleries, others may look for sunshine and watersports whilst for others it may be a garden that is not overlooked by others.

I would not put too much store in a ratings system devised by a small group of academics.

Am I happy with the quality of my life? Absolutely yes!
Would anyone else in my circumstances to be happy with the quality of their lives? Well that depends on what they personally value.

The_Palmist

load of rubbish. UK has probably the best conditions than anywhere. Italy and other European countries could boast better conditions but there is a very small percentage [wealthy ones] who enjoy those conditions.
In UK everyone is someone.

Country side and green belts are another bonus.

I love walking with rain on my face.

In UK you don't need to have money to be heard.

The_Palmist

oohh and forgot to add...where else could you get so much compensation for almost everything trip and fall [pun intended]

pqrdef

Sapphire wrote: »

just personally don't want them in my face and prefer to live in the main part with people who I can understand and communicate with.

That you can get on better with "your own kind" is merely your prejudiced assumption. If you knew them, you'd find that many of those "diverse" people have attitudes and outlooks much like your own, whereas many natives do not.

Me, for instance. There'd be no meeting of minds between you and me if we looked like two peas in a pod.

lostinrates

I love Britain. I love living here, and actively have made the choice to live here at repeated opportunities.

Today I had Pimms in a beautiful traditional English garden, by the end of next week it might well be mulled wine or cider by a roaring fire that is more appropriate. I love having four seasons in the year, and living in a tolerant country where I can get titbits of other cultures in the arts and on my plate.


I DO think we pay a price to live here though and that some enhanced patriotism...not xenophobia but pride in our heritage and potential could make it even better.

Pimperne1

If you were born in the United Kingdom you have won the lottery of life.

nearlyrich

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

I'm about 20 miles from Manchester too, but in a small town, rather than a village. It's lovely. When I first saw the town I thought it was terrible, full of dull little terraced houses which looked depressing, cramped and miserable. But this town isn't that. It's surrounded by canals, a fine river running through the town, country parks, and within a short drive to the Peak district and Staffordshire moorlands. The houses are well-kept, and the town - with an aging profile - has little crime and lovely friendly people (I love being called 'duck', 'sweetheart', 'darling' etc by strangers/shop assistants etc).

What I do have, though, is a wonderful neighbour on my joined side, and a new neighbour moving in on the other. So will my little world be upset by this neighbour. Who knows how this will turn out? You never can tell, can you?

Sounds like you are the other side of Manchester from me, we have terraced houses too but no canal sadly and the nearest town has a big Asda and very few other shops. WE can get to the Lakes, the Yorkshire dales or the Peak District in about 90 mins although we have moors of our own;)