The “ I’ve got something to say, but it doesn’t warrant its own thread “ thread.

[Bilo]

21 minutes ago, Sampson said:

But the right wing parties, at least in UK and US purged their parties of the reasonable moderates tbf and don’t represent those viewpoints anymore. Labour and the Democrats actually represent more moderate right wing views much more than the Tories, Reform or the Republicans do these days. The latter absolutely do represent the weird, radical, performative cruelty ideals nowadays.
 

That isnt judging heavily cherry picked social media feeds opinion. It’s literally the policy and open ideals of these parties.

Exactly. Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick would have gotten nowhere near the leadership of the Tories 10-15 years ago. Either one would have been seen as the mad right-winger who'd be more at home in UKIP and have struggled to make the final four, before it was eventually won by someone like Tom Tugendhat or James Cleverly.

[jgtuk]

10 minutes ago, Bilo said:

It's what I've witnessed in real life. 

 

I find the chronically online left, in person, to be po-faced, humourless and insufferable.

 

But the right? Nuts. Angry, unencumbered by critical thinking, bitter, hateful and confused. Not online. In person.

Left wing and right wing can’t be compared anymore, I think we have a “new” right wing. 
They’re not strictly right wing either, not necessarily politically minded, almost like a huge confused cult with crossovers everywhere. 
I’ve never seen the sheer number and variety of conspiracy theories in my lifetime, albeit social media and the internet has also come about in my lifetime… 

It seems quite profitable to be an online propagator of the most unbelievable theories. 
I mean, Penelope Keith shooting JFK, who would have believed it 😂

 

[Bilo]

Just now, jgtuk said:

Left wing and right wing can’t be compared anymore, I think we have a “new” right wing. 
They’re not strictly right wing either, not necessarily politically minded, almost like a huge confused cult with crossovers everywhere. 
I’ve never seen the sheer number and variety of conspiracy theories in my lifetime, albeit social media and the internet has also come about in my lifetime… 

It seems quite profitable to be an online propagator of the most unbelievable theories. 
I mean, Penelope Keith shooting JFK, who would have believed it 😂

 

I honestly see this as more of a mental health phenomenon than a political movement. The behaviours involved in it are so toxic, bizarre and destructive that it simply cannot be seen in the context of other political bandwagons or watershed moments over time. 

 

What MAGA will do, for example, once Trump is termed out/diagnosed with dementia/dead is anyone's guess. It's such a personality cult and so wrapped up around him that I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see behaviours similar to those when any other cult falls apart. The same is true here once Reform don't win the next election and/or Farage retires.

 

I don't think it's hyperbolic to suggest that both the US and UK have a ticking mental health timebomb once these cults go bang.

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, Bilo said:

I honestly see this as more of a mental health phenomenon than a political movement. The behaviours involved in it are so toxic, bizarre and destructive that it simply cannot be seen in the context of other political bandwagons or watershed moments over time. 

 

What MAGA will do, for example, once Trump is termed out/diagnosed with dementia/dead is anyone's guess. It's such a personality cult and so wrapped up around him that I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see behaviours similar to those when any other cult falls apart. The same is true here once Reform don't win the next election and/or Farage retires.

 

I don't think it's hyperbolic to suggest that both the US and UK have a ticking mental health timebomb once these cults go bang.

I think that timebomb will only become more acute if (as predicted) resource scarcity really starts to hit a lot of places, because I think a lot of it really just comes back to fear and malice based on self-interest.

[bovril]

I think political discourse on both the left and right in this country has got weirder, more extreme and more prone to conspiracy theories since 2008. That's partially down to social media of course but also I think Brits' own reduced ability for self-criticism and our trust in the superiority of our own country; far easier to blame other groups or nefarious 'systems' for your economic woes than admit you or your countrymen have messed up, or accept that sometimes shit happens. We've also become a much less homogenous and closed society over the last couple of decades so we come into contact with a greater range of viewpoints than we did in the past, which is perhaps harder for a Brit to process than let's say someone from Italy. 

[Bilo]

41 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

I think that timebomb will only become more acute if (as predicted) resource scarcity really starts to hit a lot of places, because I think a lot of it really just comes back to fear and malice based on self-interest.

MAGA, for example, is more of a collective emotional state than a movement with long-term goals. It thrives on resentment, victimhood, and a constant sense of existential crisis. If Trump disappears—whether due to age, legal issues, or health—it’s not clear what happens next. Will his followers transfer their devotion to someone else? Will they fragment into smaller, even more radical groups? Or will they lash out in unpredictable ways, like cult members after a leader’s downfall? The same applies to Reform UK and Farage’s following—if their moment fizzles out, where does all that bottled-up anger go?

 

The mental health angle is important because so many people in these movements are already deep in a state of paranoia, delusion, and emotional instability. When reality inevitably crashes into their belief systems, the psychological fallout could be massive. Some will double down, but others might spiral in ways that could be dangerous to themselves or others. It’s not just a political problem; it’s a societal one, and I don’t think governments are even remotely prepared for it.

 

[bovril]

I don't think you can talk about the change in British politics without talking about the change in Britain itself and its place in the world. In the late 90s we were still a pretty monocultural society in a country with an economy bigger than India and China combined. Neither of those things are remotely true now. Increasingly British voters remind me of those in smaller European countries - more motivated by in-group concerns, more wary of outside influences, more susceptible to scaremongering and conspiracy theories. This is why I think the oft-repeated claim that Britain is a classically liberal country resistant to extremism is no longer relevant. 

[Nalis]

Why do Liverpool fans think they did everything first, or that things belong to them? Literally anything. A random wedding speech came up on my newsfeed from a Newcastle fan where does it as if he's talking about his new wife when he reveals he's talking about Eddie Howe.

 

Now you can spot it a mile off where it's going and it's a fairly obvious wedding joke to do since well before my time, but cue a shitload of Liverpool jumping on it saying 'but you stole the Klopp one our fan did waaah waaah'.

[bovril]

1 hour ago, Nalis said:

Why do Liverpool fans think they did everything first, or that things belong to them? Literally anything. A random wedding speech came up on my newsfeed from a Newcastle fan where does it as if he's talking about his new wife when he reveals he's talking about Eddie Howe.

 

Now you can spot it a mile off where it's going and it's a fairly obvious wedding joke to do since well before my time, but cue a shitload of Liverpool jumping on it saying 'but you stole the Klopp one our fan did waaah waaah'.

Scouse levels of narcissism would make even a Yorkshireman blush 

[RonnieTodger]

AI is the ****ing pits

[Tommy G]

21 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

AI is the ****ing pits

AI certainly has its limitations, and it's far from perfect, but it's also made remarkable advancements. From medical breakthroughs to climate change modeling, AI has shown it can make a positive impact when used responsibly. It's okay to be skeptical—AI is complex and has challenges to overcome. But dismissing it entirely might overlook the potential it has to contribute to solving big problems. AI has its strengths and weaknesses, like any technology. It's incredibly powerful for tasks that involve analyzing large amounts of data, automating repetitive processes, and even tackling complex problems like medical research or climate modeling. For example, AI helps detect diseases earlier, provides language translation, assists in disaster response, and even creates art and music.
That said, AI isn't without its challenges. It relies on the data it's trained on, which can sometimes lead to biases or errors, and it's not yet perfect at understanding human emotions or context in all situations.

 

 

 

 

[RonnieTodger]

36 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

AI certainly has its limitations, and it's far from perfect, but it's also made remarkable advancements. From medical breakthroughs to climate change modeling, AI has shown it can make a positive impact when used responsibly. It's okay to be skeptical—AI is complex and has challenges to overcome. But dismissing it entirely might overlook the potential it has to contribute to solving big problems. AI has its strengths and weaknesses, like any technology. It's incredibly powerful for tasks that involve analyzing large amounts of data, automating repetitive processes, and even tackling complex problems like medical research or climate modeling. For example, AI helps detect diseases earlier, provides language translation, assists in disaster response, and even creates art and music.
That said, AI isn't without its challenges. It relies on the data it's trained on, which can sometimes lead to biases or errors, and it's not yet perfect at understanding human emotions or context in all situations.

 

 

 

 

Bastard

Edited 27 March by RonnieTodger

[bovril]

7 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

AI certainly has its limitations, and it's far from perfect, but it's also made remarkable advancements. From medical breakthroughs to climate change modeling, AI has shown it can make a positive impact when used responsibly. It's okay to be skeptical—AI is complex and has challenges to overcome. But dismissing it entirely might overlook the potential it has to contribute to solving big problems. AI has its strengths and weaknesses, like any technology. It's incredibly powerful for tasks that involve analyzing large amounts of data, automating repetitive processes, and even tackling complex problems like medical research or climate modeling. For example, AI helps detect diseases earlier, provides language translation, assists in disaster response, and even creates art and music.
That said, AI isn't without its challenges. It relies on the data it's trained on, which can sometimes lead to biases or errors, and it's not yet perfect at understanding human emotions or context in all situations.

 

 

 

 

I see what you did there

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

AI certainly has its limitations, and it's far from perfect, but it's also made remarkable advancements. From medical breakthroughs to climate change modeling, AI has shown it can make a positive impact when used responsibly. It's okay to be skeptical—AI is complex and has challenges to overcome. But dismissing it entirely might overlook the potential it has to contribute to solving big problems. AI has its strengths and weaknesses, like any technology. It's incredibly powerful for tasks that involve analyzing large amounts of data, automating repetitive processes, and even tackling complex problems like medical research or climate modeling. For example, AI helps detect diseases earlier, provides language translation, assists in disaster response, and even creates art and music.
That said, AI isn't without its challenges. It relies on the data it's trained on, which can sometimes lead to biases or errors, and it's not yet perfect at understanding human emotions or context in all situations.

 

 

 

 

... you're such a bloody WUM sometimes Tommy

[Tommy G]

26 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

... you're such a bloody WUM sometimes Tommy

[Stadt]

I hate the AI slop but it’s useful in a work context. For ideation, summaries, spell check, condensing word counts etc.

 

AI LinkedIn posts are like 60hz of retinal cancer though 

[Nalis]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

AI certainly has its limitations, and it's far from perfect, but it's also made remarkable advancements. From medical breakthroughs to climate change modeling, AI has shown it can make a positive impact when used responsibly. It's okay to be skeptical—AI is complex and has challenges to overcome. But dismissing it entirely might overlook the potential it has to contribute to solving big problems. AI has its strengths and weaknesses, like any technology. It's incredibly powerful for tasks that involve analyzing large amounts of data, automating repetitive processes, and even tackling complex problems like medical research or climate modeling. For example, AI helps detect diseases earlier, provides language translation, assists in disaster response, and even creates art and music.
That said, AI isn't without its challenges. It relies on the data it's trained on, which can sometimes lead to biases or errors, and it's not yet perfect at understanding human emotions or context in all situations.

 

 

 

 

[Arkie Bennett]

When football crowds clap during the match for someone who died, they are actually clapping in the minute of the age they didn't quite reach. For example, if they clap for someone who died at 20, they start doing it in the 21st minute of the match.

[Parafox]

Seems I can no longer post on the "Dead Relative Questions" topic after I made an admittedly very personal post which has since been removed.

 

But I have no explanation as to why. 

 

Unless a history of being abused by a parent is now taboo?

Edited 27 March by Parafox

[Free Falling Foxes]

1 hour ago, Parafox said:

Seems I can no longer post on the "Dead Relative Questions" topic after I made an admittedly very personal post which has since been removed.

 

But I have no explanation as to why. 

 

Unless a history of being abused by a parent is now taboo?

I saw your post PF, it stopped me in my tracks.

 

What you achieved in your life and the tremendous service you have given to the community since, is quite inspirational really, especially after suffering that as a child.

 

Your profession, adopting a child, voluntary work, all brilliant.

[bovril]

1 hour ago, Arkie Bennett said:

When football crowds clap during the match for someone who died, they are actually clapping in the minute of the age they didn't quite reach. For example, if they clap for someone who died at 20, they start doing it in the 21st minute of the match.

I bet in 2000 you told everyone the new millennium was actually starting the following year. 

[Parafox]

3 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I saw your post PF, it stopped me in my tracks.

 

What you achieved in your life and the tremendous service you have given to the community since, is quite inspirational really, especially after suffering that as a child.

 

Your profession, adopting a child, voluntary work, all brilliant.

Thank you. Sincerely.

 

Maybe my post was considered to be inappropriate by the mods, and it was pretty personal and possibly not suited to this forum tbf, but that doesn't mean that I was wrong, as the topic OP said "get something off your chest" regarding a deceased relative and that's what I did. It happened to me as it has happened to countless others and sadly continues.

It's life, Jim, and it's life as I know it. Not what I expected it to be, but que sera, sera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 28 March by Parafox

[HighPeakFox]

12 hours ago, Parafox said:

Thank you. Sincerely.

 

Maybe my post was considered to be inappropriate by the mods, and it was pretty personal and possibly not suited to this forum tbf, but that doesn't mean that I was wrong, as the topic OP said "get something off your chest" regarding a deceased relative and that's what I did. It happened to me as it has happened to countless others and sadly continues.

It's life, Jim, and it's life as I know it. Not what I expected it to be, but que sera, sera.

I saw it too and it was not easy to read. However, you have all my admiration and support, for what it's worth from a distance. Why it would be removed in such a way is troubling to me. 

[Parafox]

5 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

I saw it too and it was not easy to read. However, you have all my admiration and support, for what it's worth from a distance. Why it would be removed in such a way is troubling to me. 

 

Thanks HPF.

 

I would understand it more if the post had simply been removed but to effectively silence me by preventing me from making any other posts in the topic thread is odd. (I wouldn't have added to that post as there was nothing more to say).

 

15 years I've been posting and contributing on FT and never had as much a a strike against me. 

Edited 28 March by Parafox

[CosbehFox]

Mentioned before I am migraine sufferer - survived one a couple of weeks ago but seen then I have been struggling with headaches, I have been trying to avoid taking tablets to avoid a reliance on them but the last couple of days I have felt an exhuastion I have never had before. It's getting a bit frustrating as I have tried really hard to practice a good sleeping pattern etc and good diet recently but it's not getting any better - this morning I'd got a heavy headache. People are telling me just to be patient but its' getting to the point it's going to affect my running, work and social life. 

Edited 1 April by CosbehFox