Levelling Up

Hindsight

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
the University of Nowhere. Or, better still, entirely subsidise tuition for the students who are studying degrees beneficial to the country - there are about 700,000 of those - and give them a maintenance grant too. (y) :)

Would you example this statement with said Universities and also the Degrees which are beneficial. Thank you.
 

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
Is that setting aside the fact that the people receiving pensions paid in for the whole of their lives... you seem to be having the sort of 'meltdown' that one would normally expect from the entitled brats you mention.

Their futures are not 'wrecked', there is only a temporary problem. Suffering a severe spinal injury, having your spouse die when you've small children, or seeing a close friend blown to mincemeat in front of you could well be described as 'wrecking' one's life. Not the current situation in which everyone is in the same boat, there is an obvious route out of the problem, and we live in a rich democracy in which politicians can be forced to act if there is sufficient public will.

But tell you what, rather than taking money and services away from eighty year olds who have paid for and been promised them for life, why not completely cancel the UK's foreign aid budget? That will 'free-up' £15bns yearly which, by a happy coincidence, would allow a gift of >£10k to all university students not 'studying' for Mickey Mouse degrees from the University of Nowhere. Or, better still, entirely subsidise tuition for the students who are studying degrees beneficial to the country - there are about 700,000 of those - and give them a maintenance grant too. (y) :)


Should that be extrapolated to one's children too?
I am not having a ‘meltdown’ I thought I’d start a discussion on inter generational fairness. As the pubs are closed TFF seemed a good place to start.

Government policy always transfers funds- from rich to poor, from London to the regions, from the working age population to children and the elderly, from urban to rural etc.

Regarding your comment on ‘mickey mouse’ degrees- What’s useful? Who decides?
My history degree would probably be regarded as useless. How about my brother’s pHD on chickpea fungi?
Ironically, psychologists, the butt of many jokes when I was a student for doing a useless degree will probably be in great demand after this pandemic.
 

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
Thank you. Hopefully I get extra TFF points 🤩
I'm 52. In my time I've lived through 2 severe recessions, and countless setbacks, like most others my age, I suspect. Despite this, I managed to put away a few savings. Thanks to the last decade of f**k all % interest rates, my savings are nearly all gone. Another 3-4 years and I will be down sizing property to live off. By the time I'm 70-75, it'll all be gone. If young folks think they're going to live off the wealth of older people, they're in for a shock. Covid I'm afraid, is a financial set back that everyone has to accept and get over. I note these new strains seem to be affecting the younger generation. I wonder how you will feel if it lets rip and kills vast swathes of 15- 30 year olds ?
 

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
I'm 52. In my time I've lived through 2 severe recessions, and countless setbacks, like most others my age, I suspect. Despite this, I managed to put away a few savings. Thanks to the last decade of fudge all % interest rates, my savings are nearly all gone. Another 3-4 years and I will be down sizing property to live off. By the time I'm 70-75, it'll all be gone. If young folks think they're going to live off the wealth of older people, they're in for a shock. Covid I'm afraid, is a financial set back that everyone has to accept and get over. I note these new strains seem to be affecting the younger generation. I wonder how you will feel if it lets rip and kills vast swathes of 15- 30 year olds ?
All valid points and clearly I have no knowledge of your personal circumstances.

Many economists think this is the deepest recession since 1706 though, so on a rather different scale of magnitude.
 

Muck Spreader

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin
Is that setting aside the fact that the people receiving pensions paid in for the whole of their lives... you seem to be having the sort of 'meltdown' that one would normally expect from the entitled brats you mention.

Their futures are not 'wrecked', there is only a temporary problem. Suffering a severe spinal injury, having your spouse die when you've small children, or seeing a close friend blown to mincemeat in front of you could well be described as 'wrecking' one's life. Not the current situation in which everyone is in the same boat, there is an obvious route out of the problem, and we live in a rich democracy in which politicians can be forced to act if there is sufficient public will.

But tell you what, rather than taking money and services away from eighty year olds who have paid for and been promised them for life, why not completely cancel the UK's foreign aid budget? That will 'free-up' £15bns yearly which, by a happy coincidence, would allow a gift of >£10k to all university students not 'studying' for Mickey Mouse degrees from the University of Nowhere. Or, better still, entirely subsidise tuition for the students who are studying degrees beneficial to the country - there are about 700,000 of those - and give them a maintenance grant too. (y) :)


Should that be extrapolated to one's children too?
UK foreign aid Budget has already been cut to £10 billion. Why should it be spent on a few already privileged students (students from underprivileged backgrounds already get funding) rather than some of the poorest people in the world. Most aid to foreign countries is in the form of UK goods and equipment not necessarily cash, therefore good for business. Raising the prospects and prosperity in poor countries is a good way of increasing trading opportunities for the developed world, stabilising political regimes and limiting unskilled migration.
 

Hindsight

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
UK foreign aid Budget has already been cut to £10 billion. Why should it be spent on a few already privileged students (students from underprivileged backgrounds already get funding) rather than some of the poorest people in the world. Most aid to foreign countries is in the form of UK goods and equipment not necessarily cash, therefore good for business. Raising the prospects and prosperity in poor countries is a good way of increasing trading opportunities for the developed world, stabilising political regimes and limiting unskilled migration.

A reasoned explanation. Sorry, that is completely unacceptable.
 

linga

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Probably not much. The point remains though- the young and productive and those still in education have made enormous sacrifices to save the elderly from a virus that barely affects the young.
There should be a financial transfer down the generations to acknowledge this.
The current elderly have made enormous sacrifices rearing the young. There should be a financial transfer to acknowledge this
 

Pasty

Member
Location
Devon
I think....um. I do feel for the youngsters. I guess at nearly 50 I'm not old. Not sure. I've got time to start again. But I'd rather be broke at 20 again rather than steadily wealthy at 50 but I would like to know what I know now back then. If that makes any sense. I'd like another go, whatever the odds.

There is a wall in front of youngsters in terms of property etc. Student debt is stupid and most of them would have been better getting a bar job and finding their own route to success.

I feel there is a need for some of us scarred old barstewards to have a word and tell these youngsters that if they focus, LEARN how it all works and share wisdom then they could be greatly helped because watching crap TV, playing computer games and going on social media all day is not a life and I can say that as I have been there.
 

H200GT

Member
Location
NORTH WALES
If the pension age is raised surely that means even less jobs for the young.
I know plenty of youngsters that waste money like there was no tomorrow. Latest phone every year. New car on the driveway. Think nothing of spending £100 on a night out getting p...ed.
Why should older people subsidise this sort of lifestyle.

100% right. The current young generation have lived on credit, everything has been far to easily afforded you can buy everything on the tick now. And to boot everything has to be brought at this instant, its whats known as the “fear of missing out”, or “keeping up with the jones’s” - gone are the days for saving up for things untill you can actually afford them.

And plastic cards have a lot to answer for as well, its far to easy to flash the card here and there with zero concept of what you are actually spending. When your handing over hard cash, you think a lot harder before buying something.
 

Pasty

Member
Location
Devon
100% right. The current young generation have lived on credit, everything has been far to easily afforded you can buy everything on the tick now. And to boot everything has to be brought at this instant, its whats known as the “fear of missing out”, or “keeping up with the jones’s” - gone are the days for saving up for things untill you can actually afford them.

And plastic cards have a lot to answer for as well, its far to easy to flash the card here and there with zero concept of what you are actually spending. When your handing over hard cash, you think a lot harder before buying something.
I think that's correct BUT is it their fault when the media constantly bombards them with this idea of have it today, pay tomorrow? I've fallen for it in the past. I personally think that credit cards are the work of Satan and should be banned. I have 1 now with a £600 limit, zero balance and I keep it for real emergencies like running out of fuel and my debit card doesn't want to work etc. They truly are the road to ruin and its taken me a lot of pain in my early years to realise how the trap works.
 

Lowland1

Member
Mixed Farmer
We are i
Some comments on here I find absolutely disgusting,I can't believe how little respect some have for there parents/grandparents.I lost my father to covid just before Christmas and it has been tough, weren't aloud with him at the end, couldn't even give him a proper funeral,unless you have lost someone close to you you have no idea,some of you really need to take a look in the mirror!
I am in a similar situation my Dad has dementia and has been in and out of hospital has no idea what is going on and we cannot see him to reassure him all is O.K.
I'm 52. In my time I've lived through 2 severe recessions, and countless setbacks, like most others my age, I suspect. Despite this, I managed to put away a few savings. Thanks to the last decade of fudge all % interest rates, my savings are nearly all gone. Another 3-4 years and I will be down sizing property to live off. By the time I'm 70-75, it'll all be gone. If young folks think they're going to live off the wealth of older people, they're in for a shock. Covid I'm afraid, is a financial set back that everyone has to accept and get over. I note these new strains seem to be affecting the younger generation. I wonder how you will feel if it lets rip and kills vast swathes of 15- 30 year olds ?
Hellfire you are younger than I am yet you seem wise beyond your years. Do you have children?
 

Pasty

Member
Location
Devon
We are i

I am in a similar situation my Dad has dementia and has been in and out of hospital has no idea what is going on and we cannot see him to reassure him all is O.K.

Hellfire you are younger than I am yet you seem wise beyond your years. Do you have children?
I'm sorry to hear that. Dementia is cruel on many levels, took my mum. If you get down in the dumps mate there are plenty here for a chat including me. Sincerely.
 

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
There have been a lot of comments on ‘the young generation’ being a combination of feckless, wasteful, scroungers, druggies, pissheads, living on credit etc etc. All a bit sad if I’m honest. In any case- surely it’s not the kids fault what the parents may be like?

Firstly, alcohol consumption among the young has been consistently declining for the last 15 years.

Secondly what people spend with their own earned money is what keeps the economy going and is to be largely welcomed. Squirrelling large sums away in cash savings doesn’t actually benefit the economy at large.
We should be please at people buying new cars, phones and TVs as long as they can afford them.

Thirdly, people have always had a tendency to go off the rails- in my own family I have had two drug addicts (one died from it), a depressive alcoholic, and someone who had a mental health breakdown, ran off to South America to get a sex change on the cheap leaving his wife and three children in the process. Only one of these people was under 30. Self destructive behaviours are nothing new, in fact they are probably as old as human nature itself.
 

essex man

Member
Location
colchester
I didn’t say that actually, that was Essex man.
In any case the average UK house price is £256,000.
A lot of parents don’t have a decent property. A lot are in council houses, rent privately, or are paying off a mortgage on a damp, mouldy terrace in a decaying seaside town.

In any case it could easily be 50, 60, 70 before the inherit anything- so what can people do in the meantime?
I didn't say that either
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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