Moliere wrote:I've just read that last night, after the polls had closed, the most popular question on Google was "What happens if Britain leaves the EU?"; the second most popular was "What is the EU?"
Words fail me
Moliere
Me too. I was shocked. It's frightening to think that these people were even voting without having a clue for what.
that says also a lot about the politics, maybe education or the lack of watching TV more about reading social media about what a fun time their friends are having.
Did you see on the BBC that when holding reaction interviews at Glastonbury they were told not to spoil the festival!
casasantoestevo wrote:Did you see on the BBC that when holding reaction interviews at Glastonbury they were told not to spoil the festival!
I too have noticed that, after some recent conversations with British youngsters in their twenties. They know all about Glastonbury and football matches, but have not the slightest idea about world events. In their ignorance they are very happy, so I just have to shrug my shoulders.
casasantoestevo wrote:Did you see on the BBC that when holding reaction interviews at Glastonbury they were told not to spoil the festival!
I too have noticed that, after some recent conversations with British youngsters in their twenties. They know all about Glastonbury and football matches, but have not the slightest idea about world events. In their ignorance they are very happy, so I just have to shrug my shoulders.
Trust the BBC to give a balanced view. NOT.
My kids and their Uni friends (19/20 somethings, dotted all over the place, studying/working/sporting) not necessarily at Glastonbury...are shocked and spooked. Some of them voted, some didn't, I think they've learned a lesson, that their vote does MATTER.
e-richard wrote:What scares me most is the fact that our children's future is being decided by the UNINFORMED British public.
Some things I have heard locally and read on expat forums today:
"What's Brexit?"
"I'm travelling to Gatwick next week, will I need a visa" to which someone replied "I've never needed one."
"Will my Euro Millions ticket still be valid."
"It won't affect me, I'm British."
"I haven't really followed it."
"I didn't know I could vote."
"Voted to leave? Oh, was that yesterday?"
"Does anyone know how this will affect us in this part of Spain?"
My gob has been well and truly smacked by the ignorance.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
e-richard wrote:What scares me most is the fact that our children's future is being decided by the UNINFORMED British public.
In spite of the slating that Richard got for this (and I got when I wrote the same thing on an earlier thread), I think what we've seen today rather proves his point, non? People saying that "they didn't really mean it" and that "they didn't know what the EU was" and that "they didn't think their vote would count" and that "if they were voting today they'd vote remain" and all the other similar stuff we've heard over the last few hours leave me, like Mols, speechless.
I worked in South Africa at the time of the transition of power from the white apartheid regime to the ANC. Everybody I met, at all levels of society talked endlessly and obsessively about the forthcoming elections and were desperate to know what I, as a European, thought of the situation and how it would pan put. I struggled to answer much of what I was asked, but the intensity of the questioning and the open-mindedness of the questioners was really inspiring. I learned then that politics truly mattered.
Politics matters too, in the UK, as this referendum has shockingly demonstrated – although it’s been too late for many to discover this fact. But it hasn’t mattered for the last couple of decades because, although the UK has had some of the most appalling governments in that time, the two major parties have connived to form, by rubber-stamping each other’s policies, what is effectively a one-party state. An opposition should oppose, that’s their job. The level of acquiescence at the last election was shocking and, although the election of Jeremy Corbyn to Labour party leader seemed like a breath of fresh thinking, he’s been ruthlessly kettled by both parties and the mainstream media (and yes, I'm talking about you, the Guardian and the BBC, as well as the usual suspects).
So, I would argue that politics really hasn’t mattered in the UK recently because, whoever you voted for, you only got more of the same. Remember the Lib Dems and their ‘binding pledge’ not to increase college tuition fees – then they jumped into bed with the Tories and did just that. Is it any wonder that young people choose to ignore dishonest and self-serving politicians? Sadly, at their peril.
I agree with tavi....my friends with kids at uni/early 20's are commenting that they are shocked and it has made some realise that their vote could have made a diffrence.
One apparently said he thought he could trust the older generation to vote in..and so didn't bother to vote.
But Mousie, everywhere in Europe where there's development, you see giant signs saying €x came from the government, €y came from the province and €z came from the EU, complete with blue starry flag. I have never seen that in the UK.
Mols I think this is because, certainly in my day, money couldn't be drawn down by the UK for infastructure which is quite showy (large bill boards by the side of roadworks/buildings). It was usually less showy; for example supporting new business start ups, SME's, environmental issues. A ton of money came through for farmers in the foot and mouth crisis (I worked on that) but, as you say, few people would be aware of that.
I certainly agree....lack of publicity about the positives has most definitely shot them in the foot.
All that is wrong with the press. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnCvl2T_o5o
Glee that both the major parties are in internal problems when at a time the country needs a Winston!
Caveat.This is not in support of what is said or of the DM. Just an innocent bystander in the shooting ring.
And so the ignorance goes on and we're now seeing it at county level ... here's Cornwall, having voted resoundingly to leave, pleading today to be a 'special case' because they've woken up to the fact that they're going to lose the funding that's been keeping them afloat: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 01311.html
You really couldn't make any of this up, could you? Welcome to Boris Island.
FC I had to laugh at one of the comments under that article. "You Brexit. You own it!" (for the leave voters, that's funny because it's a play on the word break)
