leicsmac

There are a lot of good people over there - I know that from when I spent time there myself. It's just unfortunate that the not so good people are controlling the mostly heard narrative at pretty much all levels beyond direct interpersonal experiences right now. On topic though, I do wonder if this triumph will free Rory up to win a few more now.

It's certainly a really loaded debate, especially since it concerns a matter that is emotionally important to a great many people and also IMO there's no good moral answer to it. It's about choosing the best bad option.

I've already said that my language in the OP was likely harsh, I'm damn sure it's an unpopular opinion, and I've explained (to a degree of satisfaction, I hope) why. And again as per above, never before have I hoped so much that I am mistaken about the future, so that those people who do have kids today will enable them to have an easier life than those who came before them - as progress should be all about.

To say nothing of the viewpoint that, over the last few months, the US has done pretty much everything it can to earn the rather parochial reputation it has among a fair few observers. But that's a discussion more for elsewhere.

Yeah, you're absolutely right on pretty much all of that, particularly the part about not understanding the consequences. History shows that birth rates tend to lower themselves organically as a country develops anyway, which is another good reason for developing nations to be given as much help to assist that development as is possible. The above all being said, I do fear that the problems facing any kid brought into the world in 2025 during their lives may be rather bigger than any us lot may have had to face.

Sometimes, there's a piece of sporting drama that transcends barriers and brings all sporting fans in, even ones with little or no interest in the sport. The Cricket World Cup final in 2019 was one such occasion, this is another. Well done Rory, hard fought and well earned.

The whole of Amen Corner makes for a fascinating spectacle on the final day, I think.

Just another ugly American. Sadly there appear to be rather a few right now. Hopefully Rose and McIlroy can continue to humble them some.

Considering the first couple of holes, proper cojones from Rory, yes. But there's still a long way to go.

Hold it together Rory...

Come on Rory. Please don't give the home boys reason to be any more arrogantly insufferable than they are already.

Bring that Ryder Cup energy, Rory.

I don't think it's nihilist to think that consistent population growth will inevitably result in exactly the kind of outcome that nihilists would enjoy (to say nothing of the challenges to quality of life that lie ahead for children born today), but at the same time, yeah, each to their own, I was probably too harsh yesterday and as long as we get to a place where some kind of equilibrium is reached (which does seem to mostly happen organically in developed nations) then everything may well be fine. Hopefully.

Agreed.

Massive resource scarcity issues driven by a multitude of factors, among them increased consumption at various social levels and lowered biodiversity caused by that overconsumption and other human activity. Increased inequality driven by the above and other factors which will mean a lot of people born at this time will not be able to enjoy the same quality of life as those who came before them. Increased incidents of warfare, disease and the other members of the Four Horsemen as people choose the path of least resistance and go ever more tribal. Increased age disparity and resultant issues there as population growth slows and there's no good way to solve that issue. That's off the top of my head and not an exhaustive list. I really hope we can avoid the above, and I think we can, but personally I wouldn't want to add another human to the highly likely potential shitshow they may have to face. Tbf I had read one too many "go forth and multiply" screeds around the time the second Brighton penalty was awarded, so perhaps my language was a bit harsh. See above, but the usual "I really really hope I'm wrong" disclaimer applies. And given human desires, I know it's a pretty damn unpopular opinion.

Unless you really know what you're doing, bringing a child into the world that our species is heading into in the next few decades, in the UK or anywhere else, is an act of near-criminal irresponsibility. They will have it harder in their lifetimes than any generation in the last century, and possibly harder than before that.

Watched a little bit of the debate on British Steel nationalisation, Iain Duncan Smith really does have a bee in his bonnet regarding the Chinese and gas drilling in the UK. I wonder if someone could calmly explain to him that resorting to Paleolithic forms of energy generation won't lead anywhere good (and why), and that while he might disagree strongly with the Chinese form of government, cooperation with them on at least some matters is a thing of necessity for the continuity of human civilisation.

https://phys.org/news/2025-04-industrial-carbon-contribute-significantly-sea.html https://phys.org/news/2025-04-climate-events-high-mountain-asia.html https://phys.org/news/2025-04-year-storm-tides-bangladesh-decade.html

My deepest sympathies. Rory or Justin please, would be nice to show up the Americans in their own back yard.

That's another possibility.

I think that's about 50/50 tbh.

In the current system that we have, absolutely.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c78je27x2v9o A US judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore the Associated Press's access to presidential events after the White House blocked the news agency in a dispute over the term "Gulf of America". District Judge Trevor McFadden on Tuesday said the administration's restriction on AP journalists was "contrary to the First Amendment", which guarantees freedom of speech. A little bit of better news regarding checks and balances.

Isn't that every day on LinkedIn?

Yeah, but the money is but a tool for the overall objective of power over people.