who else is disgusted by young peoples attitude to the referendum?

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The onus was on young people to turn out to vote: people complaining about the result who didn't vote have no leg to stand on.

Nonetheless, people have every right to be angry at the result; if we'd voted to remain, the Brexiteers would have reacted in the same way, if not in a much worse way.

Original post by Abstract_Prism

Actually, given that surveys have demonstrated that the British public have hilariously false beliefs about the EU (all reflecting negatively on the EU, of course), and that they overestimate levels of immigration, levels of benefits fraud and levels of foreign aid, that meme is ridiculous.

We also know that people who voted Remain tended to be much more educated than people who voted Leave. Leave voters, to a large degree, had false and ignorant beliefs about the EU, so the idea that we should defer to the authority of elderly Leavers, many of whom knew nothing about the EU, is bizarre.

Of course, it's becoming increasingly clear that they've been hoodwinked by politicians anyway.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 21

emi.hopkins

I understand it's democracy, and I understand leave won, and i'm not going to cry over that i'm just going to have to move on and make the best of this situation. I'm 16, and I know plenty about the political world. I've watched the news daily since I was young, my parent's never hid any of the real world from me. I talk about politics with my teacher's, parent's, friend's, we learn about it at school and I read up about it online! I know just as much as the average 30 year old as we've all been told the same things by the the leave and remain parties, It's not like the older you get the more insider information you get let in on??

I feel like although the older generation won't have to live with the consequences of leaving for a long time, they still have the right to vote, but then again, considering there are plenty of us 16 and 17 year olds out there who are just as clued up as an 18 year old a few months or a year older than us, we should also have the right to vote, as this will impact our lives significantly.

It's different with a general election, there's one every few years so if I don't get to vote this time, I will at the next election, however the EU refurendum is a once in a lifetime thing, and there are plenty 16 year olds more clued up than older people, and the only thing I'm mad about is that we weren't given a voice, and it will affect us a LOT.

Reply 22

Abstract_Prism

Original post by viddy9

Nonetheless, people have every right to be angry at the result; if we'd voted to remain, the Brexiteers would have reacted in the same way, if not in a much worse way.

I really don't think we would have.

Reply 23

viddy9

Original post by Abstract_Prism

I really don't think we would have.

Nigel Farage explicitly stated that a "52-48 result would not be the end". He was referring, of course, to a 52-48 result in favour of Remain.

It's quite obvious that Brexiteers were even more passionate than Bremainers, so if they'd lost, the situation would have been even worse. One good thing about the result is that it's shut up them up for now (until they slowly realise that they've been made fools of by Leave politicians).

Reply 24

Abstract_Prism

Original post by emi.hopkins

I'm 17 now, and I realise that when I was 16 I was a total idiot when it came to politics, yet at the time I thought the same as you do now.

But hey, at least you're not crying about how democracy doesn't suit your personal preferences.

Reply 25

hellodave5

Original post by Abstract_Prism

You might also say that they are brainwashed by government-enforced lessons on all the benefits of being in the EU, along with European virtues.

I say we should stop nitpicking over the demographics and just accept the British populace as a whole. What's the solution otherwise? Forbid everyone over 65 from voting? How will you feel when you're forbidden to vote and told that despite your decades of experience, you no longer understand the world as much the new generation does?

I suppose so.
But I think this vote along with others in the past have very well highlighted what a joke democracy can be - when such a vast proportion of the population don't come to their own conclusion but rather do as they're told to by the media - and most disgustingly, by lying politicians.
It's that and not the outcome that makes me very unhappy.

But either way, as a quote from that gritty cop show I have yet to watch, we 'get the world that we deserve'. Hoping the outcome happens to be generally positive rather than negative regardless, of course - but appears that economically this will most likely (but not certainly) not be the case.

Reply 26

emi.hopkins

Original post by Abstract_Prism

hahaha well maybe I'm different to you, and I'm not a total idiot?

I wish people would stop generalising a generation, we're all just individual people, with individual thoughts and opinions.

Reply 27

Sephiroth

I'm disgusted at the people saying pensioners shouldn't have the right to vote in such a referendum. You could say 18-25 year olds shouldn't have the right to vote because they're (mostly) unexperienced with the world and haven't had to live with the effects of the EU long enough to know what's best for them. I pay more attention to how 30-50 year olds voted for the best assessment.

Reply 28

emi.hopkins

Original post by Abstract_Prism

I really don't think we would have.

How would you know lol, Not all brexiters are like you, just as not all 16 year olds are like you were when you were 16.

Reply 29

username2705335

Original post by Abstract_Prism

Spoiler

Reply 30

Underscore__

Original post by Abstract_Prism

I'd argue being more intelligent makes you harder to be brainwashed. Most university courses teach students the importance of research, so in my view it's much more likely that university educated people will have researched the pros and cons to a greater extent.

I'd also be interested to see a poll on what leave voters main motivation was.

Original post by shawn_o1

They're the ones who were born when the whole world was a mess, and they developed the right attitudes to deliver prosperity to the countries they live in. It's no surprise to see a generation pampered by the EU all this time ***** and whine and moan when it doesn't go their way. Like anyone owed them anything. I'm happy that the reset button has been pressed on this country, let the natives prove they are worthy of a slice of the wealth that comes from elsewhere.

*when Europe was a mess. I think you're giving old people too much credit, yes they helped to rebuild the country but I'd argue they simply did it by going about their ordinary lives. It's also not as though they haven't reaped the rewards of that. However you try and put it most people alive today did not 'fight for freedom' they were born to the generation who did.

How many generations do you have to be able to trace back in the UK to be native?

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Reply 31

Abstract_Prism

Original post by emi.hopkins

hahaha well maybe I'm different to you, and I'm not a total idiot?

Reply 32

Abstract_Prism

Original post by saraxh

Spoiler

I thought the same when I was 16, I thought the same.

Then, like everyone else who grows up, I realised that my 16-year-old view of politics was distorted.

16 year olds should not be able to vote.

Reply 33

Abstract_Prism

Original post by Sephiroth

This.

Reply 34

username2705335

Original post by Abstract_Prism

I thought the same when I was 16, I thought the same.

Then, like everyone else who grows up, I realised that my 16-year-old view of politics was distorted.

16 year olds should not be able to vote.

How was it distorted?

Reply 35

username1539513

Original post by Ladymusiclover

Tbh there were so many young people who didn't vote. I was pretty surprised how so many young people reacted. My fb timeline is just people whining and describing leave voters as all racist.

Pretty much all I heard parroted from Remainers tbh. What? So all the jewish and sikh people who voted Leave are racist now? Give me a break :laugh:

Reply 36

Abstract_Prism

Original post by emi.hopkins

How would you know lol, Not all brexiters are like you, just as not all 16 year olds are like you were when you were 16.

The other day I was on a very opinionated forum.

There was a guy saying that he was a vote counter, and he asked whether he should rig the votes.

Despite everyone being strongly pro-Brexit, as well as very racist and homophobic, all their responses were words to the effect of 'No, respect the democratic process.'

I realise that this is not the same as asking every Brexiter, but if the strongest Brexit supporters in the world would be willing to lose the referendum by democratic means than to cheat, it makes you think.

Brexiters respect democracy.

Reply 37

SaucissonSecCy

Original post by Razamataz666

after seeing all the calls for a new referendum and the outcry against the DEMOCRATICALLY decided election, especially, if not exclusively, from vocal young people i cant help but be disgusted at my generations lack of common sense and decency.

Saying that because we will deal with consequences longest only we should vote makes me sick. Saying that those who fought for the freedom to have this decision 70 years ago shouldn't have the RIGHT to VOTE is disgusted and highlights two things about our generation. We are ungrateful and cant take a hit. so anyone who actually believes in this nonsense of a statement i ask you one question, should you have the right to deny democracy to those who fought for that very thing? and if so why?

Incuriosity, entitlement, narcisissm and indoctrination. Tribalism and identity politics, and a media driven, totally shallow debate on everything. Many of them seem to have no appreciation of nuance or complexity whatsoever, as though cynicism could never exist on the part of those who want remain. They believe in a false dichotomy, a good vs evil narrative. An intelligent person realizes that both cynical and good motives exist on either side of the debate and then makes their decision on their own thoughts and research. Too many young people are totally naive and idealistic, and need to look past the surface at these things.

Reply 38

interact

Ye, move on big deal we're only getting out of the eu

Reply 39

Razamataz666

Original post by Abstract_Prism

While i agree brexiters wouldn't winge as much, your statement was total anecdotal evidence so i wouldn't count it. just down to the sheer numbers that voted to remain of young people, the primary audience for social media, means there would be a lot more bremainers being celebratory, as we know older people voted out, so would your dad do on Facebook saying its not democracy? no. probably not thus proving, to me, that our generation is far too pampered and quite frankly needs a kick up the backside.