Britain is portrayed as a psychologically fragile society whereby millions of people are unhappy, lonely and unable to cope with profound changes in the workplace, relationships and family life, according to a major study. While wealth has increased and quality of life has improved this has been accompanied by added stress.
Many people are more vulnerable to life shocks such as bereavement, unemployment and relationship breakdown, it says, because traditional social networks from the church to the family have declined.
%26quot;A more overtly meritocratic society has encouraged people to be more ambitious for themselves, but also made them more vulnerable to failures 鈥?and more likely to blame themselves (rather than fate or the class system) if things go wrong%26quot;,
%26quot;Some of the shock absorbers 鈥?from faith to family 鈥?that helped us cope in the past have atrophied. The risks that matter most include mental ill-health and relationship breakdown as well as unemployment and poverty in old age,%26quot; the report says.
What do you think?
Is Britain a psychologically fragile society?
We used to have hospitals and sanatoriums for the mentally ill, but Mrs Thatcher sold them all off to build luxury homes. We were told they would receive care in the community, but in reality they were often left to fend for themselves. Things today are no different
Is Britain a psychologically fragile society?
I think that the breakdown of families has contributed to people's unhappiness and the fragility of our society but I doubt if faith comes into it. I think that people are less able to cope because they have never had to. My parents lived through two world wars and expected nothing. They took things in their stride and just got on with it. Today's Britain is cosseted and expects 'the government' to take care of all their problems. We live in a culture with far too many rights and no acknowledgement of responsibilities. The only right anyone has is the air that they breath. The rest has been set up by society.
I'm ok, I blame fate for everything that has gone wrong to me.
No, we are a really tough, resilient society.
The news always portrays a warped view of things.
Usually on these reports England comes about average in world happiness.
Costa Rica came out as the happy place to live in one report I read.
I wonder if all Costa Ricans would agree with that view?
I think not.....
You have to remember reports are based on statistics and these are interpreted in many different fashions.
Also you should always look at who funded the research and what their political / economic
targets are likely to be.
Meh im not bothered really
Britain will Recover
It Has too
We just navel-gaze too much. It's never been perfect and it never will be.
Yes, I agree.
I think there's been a huge shift in just my lifetime - (is that 40 I hear calling....)
Perhaps that's the price we pay for a more developed society (economically speaking). My brother lives in Columbia where although they are very poor - they are seldom down and miserable. The family and the church do provide a framework of support, and it has to be said - they live their lives free from the intrusion of the press and paranoia
We're no more fragile than we ever were but this ridiculous 'nanny' state insists on wrapping us all up in cotton wool and then calling an ambulance if we so much as sneeze.
Sadly there is an element of society who like to see the blue light flashing. Any excuse for a crisis.
I find it all a bit pathetic.
this is a world wide problem which you have described very accurately.
l believe that britain with it's national pridewith the scots irish and welsh
will overcome this present position,britain has faced far worse problems
in the past.
Aa ever the devil is in the detail!
Professor Louis Appleby, the government's mental health tsar, said: %26quot;We need to be better at preventing depression, better at treating it and better at reducing the impact of depression.%26quot;
A previous tsar, Proffesor Nutt, was sacked by Alan Johnson the health minister.
Alan Johnson will announce that it against government policy for people to be depressed (his argument will be along the lines of 'how can they possibly be when they've got such a dynamic government running the country') and sack or at the very least discredit Proffesor Appleby.
People have always suffered from depression.Nowadays it is easier to get help.It is also diagnosed by over stretched doctors not all of these patients are depressed but it is easy to dole out pills.The I'm alright jack attitude of the 80s has not helped.Unemployment adds to the stress when the economy picks up so will the mental health of many.
I think modern society has become less caring over the years. Whereas many people would live close to families and areas they grew up in, they would have a network of help to support them. Today many people are isolated, may live on the other side of the country to family.
I also think there is a callousness today that was not about many years ago, relationships are regarded as transient, and people 'move on' whenever they feel unhappy with no thought to the hurt and heartache they cause.
i think my familyis as close as always has been, i dont feel streeesed at all and im not rich, i think the social state has helped people to cope with stress, with dole, council houses etc.. whichis a good thing. our country is no different form any other country, if oyu want to see a streesed population go to south afirka
The reason is-- Britain is Brittle society
it is living in colonial past
Aristocracy has contributed to misery
Britain must get down to street to do all type of work and not selectively which are no longer paying
I blame the Muslims....
