Are you glad you were born years ago?

[i claudius]

As most of us are now getting on a bit and obviously would like to last quite a bit longer , but i keep thinking that we were the lucky ones ,we were born when there was plenty of work , we did not "have" to have the latest i phone or whatever , we could roam the streets till late at night without social services dragging our parents off to court , we did not have surveilance cameras,PC , and the nanny state watching our every move, you were not scared to drive over 30mph and worried that a copper would fine you because your tyres did not have 7cm of tread .

do you like me think that it was a good time , i dread to think what is to come with overpopulation and more and more terrorism and the influx of middle eastern scroungers that are and will change the west for ever, i know ,thats why most of us live here ,but what of our descendants in the west ?

[nikmar]

Yep. i worry a great deal about the world my son will grow up in. As his dad, the best i can do for him is to adequately prepare him the best i can.

[ghworker2010]

I agree with your post.

I could not go back to live in the nanny state of oz anymore. It used to be a good country 20 to 25 yrs ago. Now the people are strange and all after the money. Bills are extremely high and people are struggling. Id rather be in thailand and not have to worry about speeding in my car and being pulled over

[Blackheart]

I agree with your post.

I could not go back to live in the nanny state of oz anymore. It used to be a good country 20 to 25 yrs ago. Now the people are strange and all after the money. Bills are extremely high and people are struggling. Id rather be in thailand and not have to worry about speeding in my car and being pulled over

So It's Australian's that are after the money, That would never happen in Thailand

Right, no corruption no woman on the take no duel pricing no greed to be seen in Thailand by the ordinary man or by the system.

Thank God for Thailand, the land of opportunity and good will.

[SoiBiker]

People said similar things 50 years ago, or 100, or probably any time before that. The current younger generation will probably say something similar when they get old.

This is less about the state of the world today, and more about the inflexibility that comes with age.

[BritManToo]

Being unemployed and living on benefits isn't all that bad.

I wish I had been able to work less when I were younger.

Embrace the social changes in the world, learn to adapt to the current situation, whatever that is.

I think old people always claim it was better in their day, because they can no longer change, and have forgotten a lot of the bad things.

WW2, Vietnam, The Cold War, constant threat of nuclear death, it wasn't all that great a time.

[BritManToo]

'SNAP' @Soibiker

[SoiBiker]

http://mentalfloss.com/article/52209/15-historical-complaints-about-young-people-ruining-everything

[KittenKong]

I'll say I'm glad to be old. 30-40 years ago I was lucky enough to be visiting places and doing things that are completely impossible now. Not to mention that there are now three times as many people on the planet compared to when I was young (and even back then there were ten times too many).

My nephew and niece are in their teens and I pity them.

[NeverSure]

I grew up in the greatest place, in the greatest country, at the greatest time the world has ever known. I don't think it will ever be that way again.

Cheers.

[SoiBiker]

I grew up in the greatest place, in the greatest country, at the greatest time the world has ever known...

(As long as you were white and male)

[robertthebruce]

I would take my chances again....., I am a born fighter, so hopefully claw my way to a good life...

[slapout]

I have asked myself this question many times, but it always raises another question in my mind, ''Where would the several tens of millions of people be, that lost their lives in WW1 and 2 as well as the population increase they would have produced? ''

How would they have found enough work to support their families much less the food to live on? The house we call earth is becoming too small to provide what is required to support in a comfortable style the growing population as it is. Personal freedoms are probable the least of the problems the upcoming generation will have to solve.

The older generation, myself included, as well as those before us, may be right about those were the good old days.

[Moonsterk]

The world in 50 years will not be a pleasant place except for about 1% of the population.

I think even in 20 years , the middle class of the western nations will suffer a marked decline in living standards- the poor in developing nations will simply become destitute, and the 3rd world nations will sink further into hell hole'lisnness and be unrecognizable as civilazations.

I'm very glad to not be younger, my generation had the best of it all- right at the pinnacle of comforts and ease of life. I feel very lucky to be my age

[Moonsterk]

I'll say I'm glad to be old. 30-40 years ago I was lucky enough to be visiting places and doing things that are completely impossible now. Not to mention that there are now three times as many people on the planet compared to when I was young (and even back then there were ten times too many).

My nephew and niece are in their teens and I pity them.

in the late 90's I visited the Great Pyramid, and was able to go inside and crawl my way up into the sarcophagus room, they don't let tourists do that anymore- not that any tourists go to Cairo these days.

And when the guard left for his lunch I was there, by myself for about 1/2 an hour.

If time has a voice, I heard it that day.

[n210mp]

I agree with the OP

I often think about where the "world" is heading and compared to existence within my lifetime in a rural back water in the UK it look as though it is going tits up in a big way. (For most people of my age that is!)

The manipulation of the world population by that minority of wealthy ++++ who seek to control the world and aim and want a "one country. one government situation exactly described by the "Big Brother film ," where the ending of any real democracy takes place is already on us , having said that, has there ever been real democracy anywhere , if so where is it now?

The present situation is made worse by the the impact of mass middle Eastern immigration into Europe , this has and will will change the demographics to an extent that Europe will be unrecognisable to my generation.

The politicians over the years in the Uk have mainly sold the Country out as have those in Germany France and the netherlands, making voting in my opinion a complete farce and a waste of time.

The covert hypocrisy and corruption of the West makes me think that Thailand is a better place to reside, at least there is no hypocrisy here

Back to the OP and his comments.

In any case at my age I simply have lost the energy to give a "Hoot" about situations, where any action, vote on my part is meaningless.

The population in most countries is led, fed and lied to by the media, the media is controlled by the elite, now with an increasing world population and the nuclear empowerment of Tribal states within the middle east the end seems to be nigh!

So yes I and my peers have had the best of it. I have witnessed what possibly was the best Country in the the world the UK being systematically ravaged by its own leadership.

It may have been a quirk of fate that I have witnessed genuine camaraderie, straight talk and genuine compassion but mainly only within the UK.

It seems it's all gone now, or well on its way and I dont want to even think about going back to a place that has places where an Englishman cannot go or even the police, except in twos, in some towns in the North of the UK

I hope that the OP will find some common ground in my comments on his thread, I read between his lines and thought that like me he is very sad and disillusioned about why we feel the way we do.

At one time and this is a byproduct of old age I would not have had the balls to say what I have just said in an open forum, now, like on many other occasions when asked a question as in the OP I feel that it is OK just to say it as it is! (My opinion that is)

To those who say that it is just like it was in previous generations where the oldies said similar things, Wake up! Those day are long gone and we are now in deep trouble in Europe the only peolle who dont seem to realise this are those who seeming are in Government!

As far as "Feeling sorry for the kids" The kids like their mamas and Papas can maybe find a better place to live, surely that's what we did in moving to another Country.

[RikDao]

I grew up in the greatest place, in the greatest country, at the greatest time the world has ever known. I don't think it will ever be that way again.

Cheers.

Wow. So you're from Gary, Indiana?

Small world.

[GuestHouse]

It's difficult to understand how the west has managed not to collapse when I think about the high quality individuals who have left the 'nanny state' to enjoy life in Thailand. Every where I go in Thailand I meet these guys, highly educated, highly qualified, high achievers, high contributors; the movers and shakers the west so desperately needs and must be hurting on account of their absence.

Even though not in the west, and perhaps not been in the west for a number of years, they have their finger on the pulse, they understand the problems, they have all the answers - they know precisely who to blame. They are a sad loss to their home countries.

But then they do at least quietly sneak home to 'nanny' when they need her.

[BritManToo]

How would they have found enough work to support their families much less the food to live on? The house we call earth is becoming too small to provide what is required to support in a comfortable style the growing population as it is. Personal freedoms are probable the least of the problems the upcoming generation will have to solve.

The world has mountains of excess food produced every year, always has since the start of the industrial age.

Staving people is caused by poverty, not lack of world resources.

Farmers grow food to earn money, if you can't pay for it, they won't give it to you.

All through my life I've read about, milk mountains, butter mountains, rice mountains, wheat mountains.

Food that's just left to rot, because nobody who needs it, has the money to pay for it.

You need a better understanding of basic economics, before you write nonsense about too many people in the world.

When what you really mean is too many poor and useless people in the backward countries of the world.

[Gsxrnz]

The world (well, the western world really) is following in the footsteps of every successful society before it. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans to name but a few. Essentially our success leads to the ultimate failure and downfall. Some would call it decadence, which can take many forms and has changed over the ages in relation to societies and their ultimate downfall.

There is no doubt that our western society is at or near its peak. There is therefore only one way to go.

Society is subject to the laws of nature and science. Something is either growing or dieing, expanding or contracting, exploding or imploding. Continual growth is impossible - eventually the corner is turned and the decline commences - some would say our decline has already commenced. We'll be in the dark ages in 50 years and may need another 200 to claw our way out so we can start the declining process again.

[sirineou]

"

Are you glad you were born years ago?"

No not at all, sure there are challenges now, but there are opportunities also never before available.

One of them is The availability and access of .information.

We are poised for the next step in Human evolution and I want to be there for it.,

Consider a Google search, right now you have to do it manually, and it is still a wonderful thing , Scientists are working on brain inter-phase devises right . consider the implications of connecting your brain to a computer seamlessly , having access to all information automatically ..

Longevity.

Big data ,is beginning to bring information together in ways it had never before, and is beginning to provide insights like it never had before

the results of it will IMO, change the paradigm in many industries , and revolutionize health care.

I wish I was born 20 years ago , if I was I would be in the middle of it right now

also my wife is twenty years younger than me, I wish I was twenty years younger so that we can grow old together, ]

What a lovely girl, I love her so much. It makes me ill to think that one day she will have to deal with my death, and I will leave her along.

Edited March 24, 2016 by sirineou

[RikDao]

It's difficult to understand how the west has managed not to collapse when I think about the high quality individuals who have left the 'nanny state' to enjoy life in Thailand. Every where I go in Thailand I meet these guys, highly educated, highly qualified, high achievers, high contributors; the movers and shakers the west so desperately needs and must be hurting on account of their absence.

Even though not in the west, and perhaps not been in the west for a number of years, they have their finger on the pulse, they understand the problems, they have all the answers - they know precisely who to blame. They are a sad loss to their home countries.

But then they do at least quietly sneak home to 'nanny' when they need her.

LOL. At first I was "Whaaa?" But after a few words, I realized...

Vicious, but fair.

(That's the name of an LP by the Streetwalkers, whose singer was the GREAT Roger Chapman, of Family fame. One of the best singers that England ever offered the world, I'm not sure he ever made a decent dollar).

[SoiBiker]

It's both funny and tragic to read comments bemoaning the fate of Europe from those who've clearly somehow forgotten the darker times in it's recent history. Do you really think things were better when millions were slaughtered during two great wars, and fascism threatened to take over the whole continent?

[RikDao]

How would they have found enough work to support their families much less the food to live on? The house we call earth is becoming too small to provide what is required to support in a comfortable style the growing population as it is. Personal freedoms are probable the least of the problems the upcoming generation will have to solve.

The world has mountains of excess food produced every year, always has since the start of the industrial age.

Staving people is caused by poverty, not lack of world resources.

Farmers grow food to earn money, if you can't pay for it, they won't give it to you.

All through my life I've read about, milk mountains, butter mountains, rice mountains, wheat mountains.

Food that's just left to rot, because nobody who needs it, has the money to pay for it.

You need a better understanding of basic economics, before you write nonsense about too many people in the world.

When what you really mean is too many poor and useless people in the backward countries of the world.

My understanding of "basic economics" tells me it ain't the farmer, but the vast array of middlemen who are the problem.

And hey, hat's off to the "poor and useless people" out there in the "backward countries of the world," indeed.

[sirineou]

It's both funny and tragic to read comments bemoaning the fate of Europe from those who've clearly somehow forgotten the darker times in it's recent history. Do you really think things were better when millions were slaughtered during two great wars, and fascism threatened to take over the whole continent?

People have such short memories

Of course te good old days seemed so good to people , they were twenty years old then,

[steven100]

I know it was much easier to get a job 50 yrs ago ....... now it is very difficult for any teenager or middle aged to get any job !!

It's alot harder to survive now ..............

[BritManToo]

My understanding of "basic economics" tells me it ain't the farmer, but the vast array of middlemen who are the problem.

I don't think you'll find much interest among British farmers in trucking a few lorries of their grain out to a Somali market in the hopes of making a sale.

'Middlemen' have always been what drives international commerce.

Anyway,

The world's a great place for me, international flight has never been cheaper, Europe is open to me.

I have a bigger choice of places to live, and a better lifestyle than my parents ever had.

My older children seem to be able to travel all over the world easily.

In the last couple of years they've been in Nepal, Australia, Kilimanjaro, India.

And they're in their early 20's.

Too much doom and gloom from the old guys.

The worlds a great place to be in.

And nobody can predict the future.

Edited March 24, 2016 by BritManToo

[smokie36]

I wonder how long it shall be before the west sees the light and follows the true path of military dictatorship?

[lovelomsak]

I feel my generation was the luckiest of all. we were the war children. We benefitted from the rebuilding. Jobs were easy to get the money was good. Houses were cheap.Cars were cheap and fast.Life was simple no libbers,no political correctness,no credit cards or atm cards.Gas was so cheap.Towns cities were smaller people were more community minded.No drugs in most communities.Families took care of themselves did not need government intervention,what family court? We had it all.The only draw back was sex was taken more seriously did not have birth control. Now the sex is so easy for the young.

[smokie36]

I know it was much easier to get a job 50 yrs ago ....... now it is very difficult for any teenager or middle aged to get any job !!

It's alot harder to survive now ..............

Really?

I'm not seeing evidence of it being any harder now than 20 years ago....in fact services to help those in need are far better than they used to be.

Of course if you are a lazy good for nothing cheating scumbag then things are quite rightly tough now as they were back when we were all in short pants!

Kids now have far more opportunities in further education of all types....if they fail to make use of them and gain skills which are billable anywhere in the world then more fool them.

The world is much smaller now and yes they must adapt...but that brings with it better rewards.

Some would prefer us to be working in mills and down the coal mines but we all know each others names...whoopee....let's all live in grinding poverty together.