It seems there are constant complaints about anything that could benefit the productivity country (new housing, infrastructure, any kind of investment, etc). The prevalent but perhaps unspoken consensus appears to be that we should milk what we can out of the country and give as little back as possible. Do we not realise that eventually there will be nothing left to milk?
I’ve tried to stop reading the news lately because it’s all very depressing to me, but here are some examples:
1. [Scrapping parts of HS2](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/02/hs2-rishi-sunak-scrapping-manchester-leg) (which was already over budget because of pandering to the homeowners in the way)
2. [No new offshore windfarms](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/08/biggest-clean-energy-disaster-in-years-uk-auction-secures-no-offshore-windfarms)
3. [Scrapping housing targets](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/uk-housing-supply-crisis-home-building-england-2023-v0wjkwl0j)
4. [Underpaying important govt employees](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/junior-doctors-consultants-strikes-september-084246608.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANqGAExJZWRvMfWkKV9XSAGohW6hCEoAt5Tz0i6sfYwash_Ofo2bGETZTA-PmO5J7FXQy2KYVMc4DpazJBjwJJgJiPGNX3VeuxKsDlfJCvjCXjykJ_wlkOvY-FB1LO1T3mUXxVBuHSWb-XfXL1RRJBiahRAPdhK98QbJTULW6CWl) like doctors
However on the non-productive side, great news abounds:
1. [Pensioners keep triple lock](https://news.sky.com/story/winter-fuel-allowance-could-be-removed-for-most-pensioners-to-pay-for-triple-lock-12972246) and winter fuel payments (non means tested, who cares if you’re a millionaire)
2. [Inheritance tax cuts](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/millionaires-jeremy-hunts-area-save-31081847) in pipeline (good news if you’re born into a rich family!)
3. [More adults than every paying higher rate income tax](https://ifs.org.uk/publications/deepening-freeze-more-adults-ever-are-paying-higher-rate-tax) (the productive workers can pay more to support the born wealthy!)
The only way to do well it seems is to own a pension and a mouldy 50 year old house, and watch yourself get richer and richer doing nothing while the productive part of the country pays you for the privilege. The weirdest thing is that a lot of people seem to support this.
It just looks to me like we’re damaging the young, the aspirational, and the productive parts of the country in order to benefit the ones who are already doing well. I care about the UK and really want to see it do well, but it seems like either everyone knows some secret that makes alll this ok or they’re just not bothered. No wonder we’re getting poorer.
Maybe I’m missing something big but I don’t really see any significant difference between any of the mainstream parties for this, it seems pretty universal that the unproductive are valued over the productive.
What do you think? Am I just being crazy and foolish, and actually all this is much more nuanced than this?
by Classic-Database1686
15 comments
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. The incentive structures of this country are completely wrong.
Work doesn’t pay. Labour is taxed far higher than capital.
The government makes decisions not for the long term interest of the country, but for a minority of citizens whose votes it needs to stay in power.
Tell me you work as a software developer without telling me you work as a software developer
>actually all this is much more nuanced than this
You make some very valid points but it’s good to remember that apathy is worse than anything if you want to succeed in life. There will always be factors massively out of your control and massive inequality that is depressing but you can make your own luck and still succeed even when it feels like everything around you is working against you. Apathy also benefits political parties like the Tories who rely on it to be allowed free roam to do what they want.
I went through my early 20s feeling exactly what you’ve written here and during my late 20s decided to stick a rocket up my ass and be ruthless in terms of making it clear what my objectives are, job hopping to get 10-20% pay rises yearly and my pay demands. No one would have said yes if i was apathetic and lacking productivity.
UK has almost always been like this.
Empire Strikes Back style the rich are coming for their wealth that the unwashed masses managed to get a hold of briefly between 1950-1970s.
Back to feudalism
I’m getting loads more done these days working from home. Doing well in Starfield and the new fifa.
Yes it’s hard when you’re a socially minded person who feels that nearly everyone is working happily for the good of society as well as their pay to find that the system is not enabling that, people are willing to step on each other to survive and unable to see the bigger picture.
I think you need to find some level of community, whether that is family, your peers or a special interest group to be involved with and support through various contributions. It’s unreasonable to ask social people to just be more selfish.
The tax structure of the country deincentivises people to go further and further.
I personally stopped chasing promotions and pay rises because the extra required work became less and less worth it thanks to the amount of tax that was to be paid.
You are right OP, let’s see who agrees after the next general election, let’s see WHO can actually be bothered to vote, let alone get the Tories out.
I guess reality/life is just for the boomers. The rest of us plebs can rot.
It’s why I won’t vote Tory this time. Not sure who I will vote for yet until I see all options and what their policies will be
Yeah its all backwards.
I tried to be a ‘good citizen’ and got a job in care. I thought that’s a job I can take and feel some pride from.
What did I get?
Constant wage theft as the boss tried every trick in the book to not pay his staff.
Common theme being this is what happens when a conservative government has been in power for 13 years and everything has inevitably gone to shit.
Very well said OP – I am starting to think what is the point! We all work so hard for what?
When will the US and Indian vassal state realise that it is in fact a vassal and is having its wealth extracted? No one can seem to answer this question or see the political situation for what it is, this is the 2nd great loot. The politicians at the top with their non-dom status will run away when this country collapses after being sucked dry of its money.
It is why young people are checking out of the system and no longer chasing the same sort of lives as their grandparents: they simply cannot afford to do so. I’m 31, worked hard, went to university, got a respectable job; you know? All the things my generation were told to do if we wanted to do well in life. I still cannot afford my own place and rent would eat up half of my pay if I want to not live in a house-share. I am saving for a retirement that is unlikely to happen, especially thanks to climate change, it makes you wonder why I should not just spend it all now and enjoy myself while I can. I think a lot of young people feel the same are content with not chasing dreams they will never achieve.