Cheer up

Former Member

I found this interesting, By any objective measures the UK remains one of the safest, freest and prosperous countries in the world

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2010/10/do_they_mean_us.html

But

Of the 110 countries covered by the survey, Britain ranks a staggering 101st on public confidence in financial institutions, 98th on optimism about job prospects and 93rd on expectations of future economic performance - the kind of ratings usually found in the world's poorest countries

:crying:

So why are the British such gloomy bastards....:D

Former Member

Tabloids and Tories constantly telling us we're doomed. Now that Labour are in opposition they've joined them.

Seriously, it's all relative.

Former Member

crappy housing

Former Member

Its more along the lines that we are so used to being have's rather than have nots.

If a country is not as used to economic prosperity on the whole, or at least the idea that its our god given right to it without working (in some cases), then of course they will have a better out look on life.

Former Member

But other countries are also in recession (and arguably having it a lot worse) without being so pessimistic about the future, the present and the past. All my life the British seem to have been in a state of low level grumbling

British pessimism seems to pre-date the recession - I'd say it comes from the loss of Empire and that from being top-dog we struggled to adjust to not being the greatest. Except that I'm pretty sure this grousing and grumbling and moaning predates even that

I'm not even sure its a bad thing. I don't believe that there is a new Jerusalem around the corner and the British pessimism about great political leaders and movements makes us cynical about the messianic populists who promise us a sunlit dawn if we hang the rich/jews/redheads (delete as applicable).

Former Member

I'm serious when I point the finger at the media. Look at any of them and see if you can find positive stories about the economy and the future.

In fact see how many positive stories on anything much.

Apparently everything we eat/do is gonna kill us, unless "elf and safety" gets there first and bans it (the bastards) plus we all going to pay too much tax, lose income/jobs...

"If it bleeds it leads" has never been truer IMHO

Fucking hell, just listening to headlines on Newsnight and they prove my point!

Former Member

Flashman's Ghost wrote: »

So why are the British such gloomy bastards....:D

The weather.

Former Member

Something quite bad has just happened, and something worse is about to - true.

Former Member

Hey, I'm as cheery as fuck!! And I'm English, not British... It's like calling a Spaniard a European...

Former Member

But I'm cheery as fuck so I can laugh about it, LOL...

Former Member

TJT6768 wrote: »

Hey, I'm as cheery as fuck!! And I'm English, not British... It's like calling a Spaniard a European...

I make a point of putting British when I fill out my nationality on forms. I'd put European if I didn't think I'd look like a cunt.

Former Member

This study put the USA at number one for healthcare. I'd take it with a massive dose of salt. The fact that public perception should have any bearing on "prosperity" is ridiculous in itself.

Former Member

AllAmericanRageJunky wrote: »

The weather.

Amen to that.

Aren't we, as a nation, generally a bit pessimistic and gloomy? I thought that was just our demeanour.

Former Member

Yeah we are. But that means that we tend to knuckle down and get on with things. Stiff upper lip and all that.

Former Member

MoK wrote: »

I'm serious when I point the finger at the media. Look at any of them and see if you can find positive stories about the economy and the future.

In fact see how many positive stories on anything much.

Apparently everything we eat/do is gonna kill us, unless "elf and safety" gets there first and bans it (the bastards) plus we all going to pay too much tax, lose income/jobs...

"If it bleeds it leads" has never been truer IMHO

Fucking hell, just listening to headlines on Newsnight and they prove my point!

Is it? The American media can be just as downbeat, but Americans are much more optimistic...

In fact its a typical negative British trait about how we have such a terrible media

Former Member

Seriously, have you seen the Fox News impact? How many American's still think Obama is a muslim etc?

Former Member

MoK wrote: »

Seriously, have you seen the Fox News impact? How many American's still think Obama is a muslim etc?

Have you read the Guardian? how many Guardianista's think that Tories are a cross between Fagin and Goebbels?

Former Member

Probably because of the constant steam of small irritations we experience in our day to day lives in the modern world.

Former Member

Meh, we're just more cynical. That's not a bad thing imo. I'd rather have a nation of Blackadders than a nation of Barney the Dinosaurs.

Former Member

Flashman's Ghost wrote: »

Have you read the Guardian? how many Guardianista's think that Tories are a cross between Fagin and Goebbels?

That's why it's so entertaining. The scary thing is that so many people (including those churning it out) think it's real.

Former Member

Flashman's Ghost wrote: »

Have you read the Guardian? how many Guardianista's think that Tories are a cross between Fagin and Goebbels?

Hang on. Isn't that my point?

Former Member

MoK wrote: »

Hang on. Isn't that my point?

"What's up with this massive rampaging capitalist pig?"

"Yeah, but what about this stinky, mung bean-muching hippy?"

Classic diversion.

Former Member

MoK wrote: »

Hang on. Isn't that my point?

In that case I misunderstood your point...sorry

Former Member

My point is that the media has a massive, massive impact on public opinion. That's as true in the US (see how Fox reports anything about Obama, how how Clinton was treated by the US outlets) or in the UK where most media outlets are pretty down on anything - look at MMR, the hype of Swine Flu or how they reported on Brown.

Then look at the public perception of each of those aspects.

There isn't anything like good balanced journalism anymore and consequently there isn't much in the ay of balanced opinions either.

Former Member

MoK wrote: »

My point is that the media has a massive, massive impact on public opinion. That's as true in the US (see how Fox reports anything about Obama, how how Clinton was treated by the US outlets) or in the UK where most media outlets are pretty down on anything - look at MMR, the hype of Swine Flu or how they reported on Brown.

Then look at the public perception of each of those aspects.

There isn't anything like good balanced journalism anymore and consequently there isn't much in the ay of balanced opinions either.

But Fox isd watched by 1-2% of the population and doesn't really push the Obama is a Moslem

The Obama is a Moslem is pushed by the internet, which coincidentally also pushes the stroy that Fox News says Obama is a Moslem. The media has fuck all power; the modern equivaleent of a mate down the pub however....

PS - Didn't Clinton predate Fox News?

Former Member

Flashman's Ghost wrote: »

The media has fuck all power; the modern equivaleent of a mate down the pub however....

*snorts all over screen*

Former Member

"We are grateful to The Washington Post, the New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries."

-David Rockefeller, Bilderberg Meeting, Baden-Baden Germany, 1991

Have things changed in the last 19 years ? :chin:

Former Member

Well you're still here spouting bollocks so I guess not.

Former Member

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that both Blair and Cameron felt it important to court Murdoch before their election successes then.

@Flash - yeah sorry, was using Fox as an example. Guess you need to watch Beck, Coulter etc to see the insidious nature of Fox as it's become, but CNN isn't hugely better these days sadly.

Former Member

MoK wrote: »

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that both Blair and Cameron felt it important to court Murdoch before their election successes then.

@Flash - yeah sorry, was using Fox as an example. Guess you need to watch Beck, Coulter etc to see the insidious nature of Fox as it's become, but CNN isn't hugely better these days sadly.

They think having the media on their side is important, or at the very least does no harm. I think its influence is marginal or at best is only one of dozens of influencers...

Former Member

Where do the majority of the population get their information from?

How many times have you heard the expression "PC Gone Mad"? Where did that originate? What about the whole "Winterval" replacing "Christmas" issue?

I think you underestimate the power of the dark side!