UK, mention of depression
I think I’ve put my finger on what coming back to the UK feels like. If an actual nation state could be suffering from clinical depression, this is what it would look like: Everything is slowly going to shit; the country seems to see no future for itself; it’s making decision after decision that is self neglect bordering on self harm; quite possibly the most unpopular government to be removed by democratic vote rather than bloodshed is about to lose an election by a cataclysmic margin, and when the opposition, who are set to clean up, are asked what they’re going to do differently, the answer is a shrug followed by, “nothing”.
And people here more or less accept it, because boiling frogs and suchlike, but then you go elsewhere (no, America, not you, sit back down), and it’s like the colour returns to the world and you didn’t even realise it was missing.
UK, mention of depression
@goatsarah Kinda sounds like the UK of the 80s, from everything I understand as an american.
UK, mention of depression
@stirlock [dragonscave.space] It's worse. I grew up in the UK of the 80s. It was shit for a lot of people, but if you were in the yuppie set at least it felt like there was something dynamic going on, even if it excluded most from the rewards.
But now there's nothing.
UK, mention of depression
@goatsarah Oof. I'm so sorry! Not that it's any better anywhere else. It's all broken of different kinds.
UK, mention of depression
@stirlock [dragonscave.space] It categorically is better in other places. I know, because I emmigrated.
Other places have problems, yes, but certainly my new country, Portugal, doesn't have this all encompassing feeling that the whole of society is engaged in some sort of agreement to die from self neglect.
UK, mention of depression
@goatsarah I'm glad there are places that are better than others. The US certainly does not feel like one right now.
UK, mention of depression