Conscription

[Sunbeam Alpine]

It's all due to the loss of certainty within our and other western societies. The "rules based order" and "end of history" that we gleefully revelled in post-cold war is eroded enough for such thoughts of all out war to be entertained.

We're no longer the absolutely dominant force in the world and we've got to resort to old fashioned warfare (everyone conveniently forgetting about the existence of nukes) to reassert our fading power.

The difference is that people aren't as easily to fool now as they were in 1914-18.

way more easy to fool these days

1914...newpaper and the wireless

today....the controlled and paid for media

Ways to fool
Yes I guess you are an expert

How do you think the "MSM " was ever paid for? It got Trump into the WH, God help us.

How do you think the media you prefer is funded? In some cases, by far more sinister sources, but in the main by writing "news" for idiots which generates clicks and revenue.

The naivety is breath taking.

[The Ghost of Alex Higgins]

It sure is

[Sunbeam Alpine]

Of course

I live to do it.

A suggestion. Anyone who might think of joining this forum could be misled by the title "Debate and Discussion". No it isn't in the main.

[birdie]

It's all due to the loss of certainty within our and other western societies. The "rules based order" and "end of history" that we gleefully revelled in post-cold war is eroded enough for such thoughts of all out war to be entertained.

We're no longer the absolutely dominant force in the world and we've got to resort to old fashioned warfare (everyone conveniently forgetting about the existence of nukes) to reassert our fading power.

The difference is that people aren't as easily to fool now as they were in 1914-18.

way more easy to fool these days

1914...newpaper and the wireless

today....the controlled and paid for media

Sorry to be pedantic, but as far as I can find the first wireless broadcast in Britain was, depending on which answer you get, 1920 or 1922.
Wasn't WWI over by then?

[antdad]

I hear the army are willing to do wheelchair trak conversions for the over 65's, what do you say Birdie?

[birdie]

I hear the army are willing to do wheelchair trak conversions for the over 65's, what do you say Birdie?

I take it you'll be refurbishing your wheels?

[lambrini]

It's all due to the loss of certainty within our and other western societies. The "rules based order" and "end of history" that we gleefully revelled in post-cold war is eroded enough for such thoughts of all out war to be entertained.

We're no longer the absolutely dominant force in the world and we've got to resort to old fashioned warfare (everyone conveniently forgetting about the existence of nukes) to reassert our fading power.

The difference is that people aren't as easily to fool now as they were in 1914-18.

And what caused that, I wonder? Aside from disillusionment with our political leaders and the current economic and social challenges, I mean. Yes, the nihilist rot set in after World War Two, but in recent years, rather suddenly, we've been brainwashed to despise British patriotism and Western values in general. At least two generations, my own (Millenials) and Gen Z, have been reared on a junk diet of anti-Western rhetoric, identity politics, and narcissism, which have, in addition to Brexit and the pandemic, ultimately fragmented the country. Cohesion is fundamental to a strong and healthy society, especially in wartime.
Social media has made us lazy and docile. Young people rarely read books or pay attention to current affairs beyond TikTok soundbites, as indicated by a recent report from the National Literacy Agency.*
Genuine sacrifice and stoicism cease to exist after our institutions disguised selfishness as 'stunning and brave' and gifted it to us wrapped in sparkly rainbow packaging, which we happily accepted without question.

Sadly, all these issues are a recipe for gradual decline and ultimately a fall, which could take several decades or several hundred years.

———

*There has been a 26% decrease in the number of children and young people aged 8 to 18 who read daily in their free time since 2005 (decreasing from 38.1% to 28.0%) 4 Sept 2023.

[kancutlawns]

What a condescending and blanket description of modern youngsters. It really isn’t that binary. There are good and bad in all generations and “boomers” don’t get a pass on that. A lot of parents don’t bring their children up on a diet of junk food. I honestly don’t know where you get that from and your experience isn’t a large enough sample size.

People aren’t really as selfish as you profess them to be. I know loads of people who donate to and work for food banks, put their money where their mouths are rather than moaning because they’re fed this anger by the tabloid press. Learn to show more humility to people who need care rather than sounding off as being scum.

[The Tick]

It's all due to the loss of certainty within our and other western societies. The "rules based order" and "end of history" that we gleefully revelled in post-cold war is eroded enough for such thoughts of all out war to be entertained.

We're no longer the absolutely dominant force in the world and we've got to resort to old fashioned warfare (everyone conveniently forgetting about the existence of nukes) to reassert our fading power.

The difference is that people aren't as easily to fool now as they were in 1914-18.

And what caused that, I wonder?

The rise of powerful nations outwith the western world, and the west's own military folly in places it shouldn't have ventured into among other things.

[kancutlawns]

It's all due to the loss of certainty within our and other western societies. The "rules based order" and "end of history" that we gleefully revelled in post-cold war is eroded enough for such thoughts of all out war to be entertained.

We're no longer the absolutely dominant force in the world and we've got to resort to old fashioned warfare (everyone conveniently forgetting about the existence of nukes) to reassert our fading power.

The difference is that people aren't as easily to fool now as they were in 1914-18.

And what caused that, I wonder?

The rise of powerful nations outwith the western world, and the west's own military folly in places it shouldn't have ventured into among other things.

Added to that the entitlement of society to have a more comfortable, technology driven consumer lifestyle. Would those who complain about Gen-Z using social media be willing to forgo their Netflix, e-books and Amazon if it meant having a more sedate 1950s life replete with rationing?

[lambrini]

What a condescending and blanket description of modern youngsters. It really isn’t that binary. There are good and bad in all generations and “boomers” don’t get a pass on that. A lot of parents don’t bring their children up on a diet of junk food. I honestly don’t know where you get that from and your experience isn’t a large enough sample size.

People aren’t really as selfish as you profess them to be. I know loads of people who donate to and work for food banks, put their money where their mouths are rather than moaning because they’re fed this anger by the tabloid press. Learn to show more humility to people who need care rather than sounding off as being scum.

I'm not being condescending or angry at all. It's called facts and data and understanding the connections between the past and the present.

Show me where I called young people scum, Lawns. I can't recall saying that. I'm not suggesting that boomers were better, considering I'm relatively young myself. I'm simply pointing out the country's ongoing decline won't help us in the long run let alone in a war situation.

[lambrini]

It's all due to the loss of certainty within our and other western societies. The "rules based order" and "end of history" that we gleefully revelled in post-cold war is eroded enough for such thoughts of all out war to be entertained.

We're no longer the absolutely dominant force in the world and we've got to resort to old fashioned warfare (everyone conveniently forgetting about the existence of nukes) to reassert our fading power.

The difference is that people aren't as easily to fool now as they were in 1914-18.

And what caused that, I wonder?

The rise of powerful nations outwith the western world, and the west's own military folly in places it shouldn't have ventured into among other things.

Added to that the entitlement of society to have a more comfortable, technology driven consumer lifestyle. Would those who complain about Gen-Z using social media be willing to forgo their Netflix, e-books and Amazon if it meant having a more sedate 1950s life replete with rationing?

You're completely missing my point, as usual.

[kancutlawns]

I don’t know why you proceed to compare two very different generations and different times with each other. Do you really want to go back to living in wartime Britain? I know that people from those horrible times talk about wartime spirit but life must have been genuinely shit camping out with hundreds of others in tube stations during the blitz.

I don’t think that people today as as grotesque as you repeatedly allude to. Everyone’s just trying to get by with political uncertainty, financial troubles, increasing mental health issues. I just think people on the whole in our society are very lonely and know if they give up, they’ll get swept away with no one really to give a toss about them.

You haven’t given a data or facts at all, just anecdotal opinions that are personal to you.

[kancutlawns]

It's all due to the loss of certainty within our and other western societies. The "rules based order" and "end of history" that we gleefully revelled in post-cold war is eroded enough for such thoughts of all out war to be entertained.

We're no longer the absolutely dominant force in the world and we've got to resort to old fashioned warfare (everyone conveniently forgetting about the existence of nukes) to reassert our fading power.

The difference is that people aren't as easily to fool now as they were in 1914-18.

And what caused that, I wonder?

The rise of powerful nations outwith the western world, and the west's own military folly in places it shouldn't have ventured into among other things.

Added to that the entitlement of society to have a more comfortable, technology driven consumer lifestyle. Would those who complain about Gen-Z using social media be willing to forgo their Netflix, e-books and Amazon if it meant having a more sedate 1950s life replete with rationing?

You're completely missing my point, as usual.

Don’t get personal just because my view is diametrically opposed to mine. I’ll debate with you but don’t dismiss what I say without arguing my points rationally.

[antdad]

I hear the army are willing to do wheelchair trak conversions for the over 65's, what do you say Birdie?

I take it you'll be refurbishing your wheels?

If I had them, the thought of being truely all terrain would be quite appealling.