Dithering rich prat in a 4x4 causes car crash and almost kills a baby

That's a very dumb point of view.
Well we could always follow your point of view and start a campaign to raise taxes and force the top 26 to just give away their money. Let me know how that works out.
 
What I'm saying is that its highly improbable that one generation is going to able to change the societal structure. If everyone simply concentrated on their own problems and worked towards making their own life better, then society as a whole will slowly get better. So worry about your own issues and let the rest take care of itself, rather than trying to bring about widespread societal change to change the way the world runs.

I respectfully disagree with this. From this post I get a very insular point of view. Why should we concentrate solely on our own problems, and work to make only our own life better. One could be perfectly content with their own life financially but still recognise how unbalanced the wealth distribution is and work against that. You say that it’s improbable one generation could change society’s structure, but that’s not a reason to not bother, just because I might not personally profit doesn’t mean that my efforts won’t go towards making things better for future generations.

The idea that 26 people can own as much wealth as 50% of the global population is horrifying imo. I think people should strive to change that.
 
I respectfully disagree with this. From this post I get a very insular point of view. Why should we concentrate solely on our own problems, and work to make only our own life better. One could be perfectly content with their own life financially but still recognise how unbalanced the wealth distribution is and work against that. You say that it’s improbable one generation could change society’s structure, but that’s not a reason to not bother, just because I might not personally profit doesn’t mean that my efforts won’t go towards making things better for future generations.

The idea that 26 people can own as much wealth as 50% of the global population is horrifying imo. I think people should strive to change that.
It is an insular point of view. But why is it bad? I mean why is looking inward and putting the blame of my troubles on my shoulders bad? I find it is better to do that as you're more likely to find a solution if you concentrate on what you can do to make things better.

I get the point you are making about inequitable distribution of money but I'm sorry I don't believe the solution to that is to take a negative view of the rich and try to make them pay for being rich.
 
Well put.

I find people flocking to see them or celebrating their weddings like they were their own equally sad. They couldn't give a rat's arse about the public, not sure why they make such a massive fuss over them.

What’s worse is people who argue the fact it brings in billions through tourism. There is literally no way to calculate how much is generated from tourism specifically regarding the Royal Family.

It’s the fact the likes of Princess Eugenie has a lavish wedding, all celebrities invited, no expense spared. This wouldn’t have been paid out of the family pot. This country is paying for that, for what exactly? She is probably 10th in line for the thrown and done nothing her entire life but live of tax payers money. It’s ridiculous.
 
It is an insular point of view. But why is it bad? I mean why is looking inward and putting the blame of my troubles on my shoulders bad? I find it is better to do that as you're more likely to find a solution if you concentrate on what you can do to make things better.

I get the point you are making about inequitable distribution of money but I'm sorry I don't believe the solution to that is to take a negative view of the rich and try to make them pay for being rich.

Because the blame would be misdirected. You have people working flat out solely to survive and your view is that they should blame themselves for their predicament, why? You said earlier that people shouldn’t bother trying to change societal structure, when it’s an inherently flawed system.

I don’t think saying that 26 individuals shouldn’t have more wealth than 50% of the entire global population is me taking a negative view of the rich, it’s just common sense. Do you think that disparity is right? People absolutely should change society’s structure when it leads to such staggering wealth disparity. I’m enjoying this but I think we’re in the wrong thread, we should probably stick to the wealth distribution one
 
So... How about that accident, eh folks?
 
Also the thing that has most stretched the resources on our planet is the population and since you are also from India you would know as well as I do that despite repeated attempts at educating them to the contrary, it is the poor who cannot afford them that are more likely to have a larger number of kids than an average middle class person. Who's fault is that then?

Edit- Also regarding this mythical "they" who want people to believe stuff that you mention. There is no "they" or New World Order or Illuminati or some conspiracy to keep the average man down. Yes the rich protect their assets and its fair enough but no one is stopping you from becoming rich. Many a people with humble backgrounds go on to become millionaires and billionaires through sheer hard work and grit. But I concur its much easier to forget all this and blame "they" for all your troubles and frustrations.
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The richest 10% (~700 million) contribute to 50% of emissions, as much as the ~ 6.3 billion people. So i population the main issue, or lifestyle?

2. The rural poor in India historically have had more kids because their kids die and their kids work on farms, so they need the labour. They have more kids because of poverty.
Also the Indian fertility rate is now 2.2 (replacement rate is 2.1). Further, historically, the state with the lowest fertility is Kerala which has never been the richest state, but had the highest literacy rate and better healthcare than most other states.
So your poverty-fertility correlation needs a little more work.

3. The rich have power over society, by virtue of being rich they can influence politicians, etc. There are studies showing how laws that are passed reflect the desires of the rich rather than the population as a whole.
The "they" is the superstructure of the state, the media, both of which are directly or indirectly owned by the rich and so often reflect their interests.
 
1.
GzpquEx.png
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The richest 10% (~700 million) contribute to 50% of emissions, as much as the ~ 6.3 billion people. So i population the main issue, or lifestyle?

2. The rural poor in India historically have had more kids because their kids die and their kids work on farms, so they need the labour. They have more kids because of poverty.
Also the Indian fertility rate is now 2.2 (replacement rate is 2.1). Further, historically, the state with the lowest fertility is Kerala which has never been the richest state, but had the highest literacy rate and better healthcare than most other states.
So your poverty-fertility correlation needs a little more work.

3. The rich have power over society, by virtue of being rich they can influence politicians, etc. There are studies showing how laws that are passed reflect the desires of the rich rather than the population as a whole.
The "they" is the superstructure of the state, the media, both of which are directly or indirectly owned by the rich and so often reflect their interests.
I'll reply to you and @Cascarino in the thread he mentioned, but don't have time right now, probably tomorrow.
 
It's a remarkable stretch to blame the monarchy for Brexit and you haven't managed it. Nostalgia for empire as some sort of precursor to Brexit is highly debatable not least because Brexit is, more than anything, a form of retreat and withdrawal from the world. The UK shrinking back into itself and closing it's borders. There's a counter argument that the opposite is in fact true and that the myth that the UK can remain a global player on the world stage and lead from within the EU has far more empirical associations than leaving.

Nostalgia for our colonial past that allows people to pretend that we are far more important and influential than we are is a huge part of many leave voters motivations. I have friends who think this way and it isn't rare. They are always Tory monarchists btw. So blame specifically as a direct and only cause? No. A contribution to the mindset that allowed such silliness to happen? Yes.

This current manifestation of this monarchy perpetuate no such "bollocks". These days you'll only find the purveyors of nostalgia for Empire in the political class who are happy to sell it to a demographic looking for a better life.

Who then voted to leave the EU.

What are these other "things like Brexit"?
You brought up Brexit. So in the context of that conversation these things would be anything the Royals influence directly or indirectly.

And what on earth has Swing Low Sweet Chariot got to do with empire? It's a song sung at Rugby matches only since the late 80s.

Land of Hope and Glory or White Cliffs of Dover or whatever nationalistic song you feel appropriate. Anything as long as you can sing it loudly without thinking.
 
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Interesting. What drives this thought?

All of the people I know who voted leave love the Monarchy, are suspicious of Europeans and seem to think leaving the EU will be a roaring success as we did just fine previously when we had an empire. Drunken mentions of winning WW2 single handed are also not unknown. You hear it all the time on talk back radio although people tend to say Commonwealth rather than cite colonialism directly.
 
You have very little physical and emotional stress as everything is done for you and you're immune to criticism, the finest doctors are available on call, children's blood is available on tap as well apparently. Ok maybe the last one isn't true.
:lol:
 
What I'm saying is that its highly improbable that one generation is going to able to change the societal structure. If everyone simply concentrated on their own problems and worked towards making their own life better, then society as a whole will slowly get better. So worry about your own issues and let the rest take care of itself, rather than trying to bring about widespread societal change to change the way the world runs.
The thing is, there are millions of people who dont have a snowballs chance in hell to take care of their own issues, because their parents cant provide them with food, housing or clothes while we are busy taking care of the issue of deciding which smartphone to buy.
 
Nostalgia for our colonial past that allows people to pretend that we are far more important and influential than we are is a huge part of many leave voters motivations. I have friends who think this way and it isn't rare. They are always Tory monarchists btw. So blame specifically as a direct and only cause? No. A contribution to the mindset that allowed such silliness to happen? Yes.

Anecdotal evidence and generalisation. Time to change your friends perhaps? Find some that voted for Brexit for fear of their community.

Who then voted to leave the EU.

Yes. But they're not the monarchy, who you blame (partly or largely) for Brexit, are they? For all we know Liz and the gang are pro EU. Don't bother with conjecture, gossip, conspiracy theory or more anecdotal evidence here a la The Dismissal. The Queen does not take political side.

Land of Hope and Glory or White Cliffs of Dover or whatever nationalistic song you feel appropriate. Anything as long as you can sing it loudly without thinking.

Oh dear. White Cliffs of Dover is a song composed and set to lyrics by Americans (clue here...Bluebirds) that sings of the hope for peace at the height of the air war over Britain in WW2. A harmless ditty from an existential war that was meant to ease the worries of airmen and a public in fear of their lives is a nationalist song sung without thinking?

You've got a bit if a scattergun approach to UK nationalism Wibble. An oddly binary and caricatured view of "Tory monarchists" based on some people that you know. How long have you been away?
 
All of the people I know who voted leave love the Monarchy, are suspicious of Europeans and seem to think leaving the EU will be a roaring success as we did just fine previously when we had an empire. Drunken mentions of winning WW2 single handed are also not unknown. You hear it all the time on talk back radio although people tend to say Commonwealth rather than cite colonialism directly.

That's uber weird, but hey opinions and people! Winning WW2 single handedly, wow!
 
That's uber weird, but hey opinions and people! Winning WW2 single handedly, wow!

Winning the World Cup in 1966 also often gets a mention. It isn't very coherent but many Brits have a weird view of our place in the world. The delusion and arrogance with which we have conducted Brexit negotiations speaks to this.
 
Anecdotal evidence and generalisation. Time to change your friends perhaps? Find some that voted for Brexit for fear of their community.



Yes. But they're not the monarchy, who you blame (partly or largely) for Brexit, are they? For all we know Liz and the gang are pro EU. Don't bother with conjecture, gossip, conspiracy theory or more anecdotal evidence here a la The Dismissal. The Queen does not take political side.



Oh dear. White Cliffs of Dover is a song composed and set to lyrics by Americans (clue here...Bluebirds) that sings of the hope for peace at the height of the air war over Britain in WW2. A harmless ditty from an existential war that was meant to ease the worries of airmen and a public in fear of their lives is a nationalist song sung without thinking?

You've got a bit if a scattergun approach to UK nationalism Wibble. An oddly binary and caricatured view of "Tory monarchists" based on some people that you know. How long have you been away?

If we were only friends with people who agreed us life would be very boring. As a rather smart poster on here used to say "Reasonable minds may differ".

I am not talking about the Queen's personal view. I'm talking about the whole being ruled by elites be that Monarchy or appointed hereditary peers or even voting in posh buffoons like Boris and seemingly loving it. Brits are weird like that.

Away? I'm talking about conversations I've had in person, in Manchester, since we voted to leave.

Yes. I was critiquing the songs origins and lyrics :rolleyes:

It is now synonymous with a time when Britain was great and we gave the hun a damn good pasting.

And the Royals feed into the weird and delusional view that many leavers have of our place in the world rather than being directly responsible. Many things influence individuals' and groups' mindsets and it doesn't have to be one thing or another. A feeling of disenfranchisement for some, self interest for some, racism for others and lots of other things like "taking back control". A nostalgia for the past feeds into some of these things.
 
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Winning the World Cup in 1966 also often gets a mention. It isn't very coherent but many Brits have a weird view of our place in the world. The delusion and arrogance with which we have conducted Brexit negotiations speaks to this.

'66 WC :lol:

If you look at it, colonialism has lots in common with unified Europe as you have variety of nations following a single lead. It's not as autocractic and Britain is not in driving seat ofcourse, but fundamentally both have not been "Britain" alone.
 
What I'm saying is that its highly improbable that one generation is going to able to change the societal structure. If everyone simply concentrated on their own problems and worked towards making their own life better, then society as a whole will slowly get better. So worry about your own issues and let the rest take care of itself, rather than trying to bring about widespread societal change to change the way the world runs.

Can't win, don't try. Got it.

The principles that got women the vote, abolished slavery and introduced a social safety net.

Oh wait ......
 
'66 WC :lol:

If you look at it, colonialism has lots in common with unified Europe as you have variety of nations following a single lead. It's not as autocractic and Britain is not in driving seat ofcourse, but fundamentally both have not been "Britain" alone.

I can't hear you as I'm singing Land of Hope and Glory so loudly ;)
 
Try any thread about racism or LGBTI issues, the Trump thread, Brexit thread, PC gone mad thread and the Gillette thread and they are widespread in some amd maybe all of them.

Is this a serious post? You think the brexit and trump threads are full of conservative posters?

How is anybody supposed to take discussion on this forum seriously if you really believe that? It’s beyond laughable.
 
Is this a serious post? You think the brexit and trump threads are full of conservative posters?

How is anybody supposed to take discussion on this forum seriously if you really believe that? It’s beyond laughable.

Who said full? The vast majority of poster are centre of the middle. A few further left and a few further right.
 
Prince Philip is a very old man who most likely won't be with us for more than the next five years. You can't really look at anything he does and make assumptions about anything else pertaining to the Royals. He's of the past, with values that reflect those of his generation and aristocratic background.

I have fairly neutral views about the Royal family but I think the Queen has done the job of being Queen very well, for a very long time. Whether or not we should actually have someone doing that job is a much bigger issue.
 
Prince Philip is a very old man who most likely won't be with us for more than the next five years. You can't really look at anything he does and make assumptions about anything else pertaining to the Royals. He's of the past, with values that reflect those of his generation and aristocratic background.

I have fairly neutral views about the Royal family but I think the Queen has done the job of being Queen very well, for a very long time. Whether or not we should actually have someone doing that job is a much bigger issue.
See, I don't quite understand how to interpret her work. What does she exactly do so well that it's praiseworthy? She has probably dozens of consultants and advisors telling her how to behave and speak in public, and they likely accompany her at international trips.
 
See, I don't quite understand how to interpret her work. What does she exactly do so well that it's praiseworthy? She has probably dozens of consultants and advisors telling her how to behave and speak in public, and they likely accompany her at international trips.
There are certain formal and ceremonial duties attached to the role of monarch. She also has been patron of a large number of charitable organisations.

I doubt if she needs any advisers at all, quite honestly - she's been doing the job without incident or embarrassment for well over 66 years. She was the daughter of a king, it's all she's ever known. She knows exactly how to behave and speak in public!

Edit - she actually does even more than I thought she did - just have a read of this.
https://www.thecrownchronicles.co.u...a-day-in-the-life-of-the-queen-daily-routine/
 
Prince Philip is a very old man who most likely won't be with us for more than the next five years. You can't really look at anything he does and make assumptions about anything else pertaining to the Royals. He's of the past, with values that reflect those of his generation and aristocratic background.

I have fairly neutral views about the Royal family but I think the Queen has done the job of being Queen very well, for a very long time. Whether or not we should actually have someone doing that job is a much bigger issue.

But because of the undemocratic succession principle that goes with the crown, we'll never know if there's someone else out there who could do a better job. My views on the Royal family are a far way off neutral. I don't believe people should be born to be automatically subservient to another group of people. It's wrong on so many levels. They have it written in the constitution that the military & police force put them before anyone else. So if London came under a massive terrorist attack, the safety of the 2 old fogies that are Liz & Phil would be put before the real vulnerable people out there on the streets. How people can have any affection for Royalty just staggers me.
 
But because of the undemocratic succession principle that goes with the crown, we'll never know if there's someone else out there who could do a better job. My views on the Royal family are a far way off neutral. I don't believe people should be born to be automatically subservient to another group of people. It's wrong on so many levels. They have it written in the constitution that the military & police force put them before anyone else. So if London came under a massive terrorist attack, the safety of the 2 old fogies that are Liz & Phil would be put before the real vulnerable people out there on the streets. How people can have any affection for Royalty just staggers me.

Completely agree.
 
But because of the undemocratic succession principle that goes with the crown, we'll never know if there's someone else out there who could do a better job. My views on the Royal family are a far way off neutral. I don't believe people should be born to be automatically subservient to another group of people. It's wrong on so many levels. They have it written in the constitution that the military & police force put them before anyone else. So if London came under a massive terrorist attack, the safety of the 2 old fogies that are Liz & Phil would be put before the real vulnerable people out there on the streets. How people can have any affection for Royalty just staggers me.
Well, I think the people who have real affection for them nowadays probably see them as representing something that's gone, or possibly never really existed. The Queen is a one-off, really. Many of the others in the Royal family seem to fill pointless roles and live lives of luxury for no meaningful contribution.

We all know nowadays that they have feet of clay. In years past, the public never heard anything negative about them, of course.
 
Is this a serious post? You think the brexit and trump threads are full of conservative posters?

How is anybody supposed to take discussion on this forum seriously if you really believe that? It’s beyond laughable.

Today's population as a whole tends to overwhelmingly lean left though if I'm not misremembering statistics - unfortunately that isn't reflected in voting patterns as the younger generation don't get out to vote, so it's no surprise that online forums reflect that. If people leaning right are salty about being a minority then they should change some of their principles so that more people in the population identify with them. Or get your great grandparents to sign up to the Caf.
 
Given up his license apparently.

Woop de fecking doooo. He shouldn't be allowed to have it at his age anyway and definitely not after the crash and certainly not after being caught without a seatbelt a week later.

I don't care who he is, there should be a cut off age for driving. Everyone gets a free bus pass at retirement age anyway so it would also help with congestion and help the environment too.
 
Driving at 97 is barmy. Ridiculous that the law allows it.