If you're under 30, bad luck. You're screwed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11231796/If-youre-under-30-bad-luck.-Youre-screwed.html

Just came across this after a facebook friend posted the link on their facebook. Basically about how young people should be voting in much greater numbers if they want to change things, otherwise political parties will continue to largely ignore issues that affect the young.

I note this part at the end:

"Finally, if really you think you can’t change anything by voting, you’re very, very wrong. Had you turned out at the same level as your parents in the last election, you could have changed the result.

It’s unlikely you’d have won it for Labour (even though you skew heavily left) but you might have made it impossible for Cameron to form the coalition that’s done so many things you hate. If you really think that’s nothing, then you deserve to be robbed blind by your parents."

What do you think?

Reply 1

tisdave

4

We're not screwed, really... but yeah I agree that we need a larger say.
We're the future - but does it come down to laziness, or is it down to the view that voting is not something we should do - more our parents?

I personally vote, but I know at least 1/2 of my friends do not. It could end up being a whole different story if everyone that could, actually did vote.

Reply 2

Rakas21

21

Perhaps they may have but it would have made little difference. The three primary issues of low private sector wage growth, rich individuals avoiding tax and excessive government intervention in the household credit market are all things that the four parties either agree with or have no strategy to counteract.

I also don't agree that we are screwed. There's no reason i can't earn a comfortable salary, here in West Yorkshire there's no reason i can't afford property and while i will be lucky to get a state pension, their is at least a private pension scheme.

Things are difficult, they are not a disaster.

Reply 3

BitWindy

12

Although I count as a young person, considering the leftward slant of so many young people, I'd rather most not vote.

Reply 4

Quady

20

Huzzah!!!! I turned 30 a month ago :biggrin:

Bad luck suckers!!! :biggrin:

Reply 5

miwlover87

5

Given that the most popular parties are UKIP in adults and Green for our generation - then yes

Reply 6

Rakas21

21

Original post by miwlover87

Given that the most popular parties are UKIP in adults and Green for our generation - then yes

Where'd you get the idea that Ukip is the most popular adult party?

Reply 7

Alfissti

20

Original post by Quady

Huzzah!!!! I turned 30 a month ago :biggrin:

Bad luck suckers!!! :biggrin:

You shouldn't be corking the champagne just yet :smile:

Reply 8

Captain Jack

20

This article from The Telegraph has tonnes of interesting points I think everyone under 30 should be interested in
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11231796/If-youre-under-30-bad-luck.-Youre-screwed.html

the big question: how on earth can we get everyone under 30 voting next year?! TSR has a huge reach but we need to do something big to get those votes

Reply 9

Safiya122

15

I agree, especially since a lot of young people like myself choose not to vote. So yeah, I guess like politicians are trying to reach out to young people to vote but dk how that will go

Reply 10

datpiff

13

This article is awful, though it does have a point.

I wouldn't say all Baby Boomers are on gold plated pensions and are taking exotic holidays. I can argue though that there is a huge crisis coming which will see healthcare services stretched and in huge demand due to the poor health of the Baby Boomer generation. They are probably the unhealthiest generation.

I think this generation are less connected with politics than ever. Before in my area a lot of people would have identified themselves as Labour, but now a lot of young people don't care about politics or voting.

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 11

Unkempt_One

13

I think this bastard is just encouraging ageism in young people to his own ends, the tone of the article is condescending and manipulative.

Reply 12

Greenlaner

11

I am neither politically apathetic or indifferent. But I will still not be voting.

Reply 13

Rakas21

21

Original post by Captain Jack

This article from The Telegraph has tonnes of interesting points I think everyone under 30 should be interested in
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11231796/If-youre-under-30-bad-luck.-Youre-screwed.html

the big question: how on earth can we get everyone under 30 voting next year?! TSR has a huge reach but we need to do something big to get those votes

Already a thread in the politics section.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2979321

So i simply copy and paste my reply..

Perhaps they may have but it would have made little difference. The three primary issues of low private sector wage growth, rich individuals avoiding tax and excessive government intervention in the household credit market are all things that the four parties either agree with or have no strategy to counteract.

I also don't agree that we are screwed. There's no reason i can't earn a comfortable salary, here in West Yorkshire there's no reason i can't afford property and while i will be lucky to get a state pension, their is at least a private pension scheme.

Things are difficult, they are not a disaster.

Reply 14

Arkasia

19

The fact is that, for the most part, it is correct. The generations coming through university these days are screwed, and it's got little to do with the older generations, and a lot to do with our social and economic systems. The government are trying to push more and more people through university, believing everyone should have a degree, and this mindset is destroying us. Too many people are getting mickey mouse qualifications and then end up job-seeking for years, or in zero-hours contracts, or scraping by on minimum wage, because of the sudden influx of newly qualified 20-somethings all trying to get the same jobs.

This also has the knock-on effect of watering down university degrees by too many students and too little funding, and this is just compounded by the fact that the tuition fee system, whilst it might have originally had the right idea on some levels, is losing the government money, and forcing millions of young people into debts, many of whom will never pay them off.

Further, the push to get everyone a university degree means fewer are going into vocational courses, and this is something that needs urgent change. Other countries such as Germany show the importance of having a healthy balance in the vocational and academic qualifications for the populous, and we need to emulate them in that regard.

The only areas that the older generations are having a negative effect on us (financially, yet arguably not ethically) are in healthcare and in jobseeking. There is a larger strain on both the individual and the state that comes from an ever-growing group of those over 65+, and this, combined with falling birth rates in much of the country, is causing a top-heavy pyramid situation which could lead to worse situations in the coming decades. The older generations are also working until later, retiring well into their 60s (and sometimes 70s) because of government schemes, social stigma and more, but you can hardly blame them with the pitiful pensions offered to the large majority in the civil services.

Things will need to change, laws will need to be rewritten, and fingers will need to be pointed. As much as I am loathe to agree with the little balls of scum that are Owen Jones and Russell Brand, a good place to start is completely eradicating tax avoidance within multinational organisations and millionaires, and have a look at where our money actually goes. We should NOT, however, turn this into an 'us vs them' situation with the young and the old facing off.

Reply 15

SnoochToTheBooch

17

I'll vote when there's something actually worth voting for. As things stand it's just **** from every direction and I'm not gonna bother to get off my arse and cast a vote for any of the bull**** options currently on offer.

Reply 16

Crb822

3

This is just an excuse for Labour to try and get more votes.

Reply 17

6Jesus6Christ6

Original post by SnoochToTheBooch

I'll vote when there's something actually worth voting for. As things stand it's just **** from every direction and I'm not gonna bother to get off my arse and cast a vote for any of the bull**** options currently on offer.

Hear Hear

Those who vote are those who are duped into the biggest scam of human history.

Reply 18

KingBradly

1

I won't vote because apathetic, or at least indifferent to whether its the tories or labour in power. I'd vote to stop the green party or UKIP getting in though, if they had a chance.

Reply 19

Gwilym101

17

The main issue is the big three just don't give a **** about under 25s.

The Tories raised uni tuition fees and removed or want to remove housing benefits for under 25s (stabbed us in the front).

The lib dems pledged to stop the rising tuition fees and then u turned on it (stabbed us in the back).

Then labour made also sort of pledges but never says anything concrete.

As a result that age group doesn't have anyone in its corner and thus little incentive to vote.

There is talk of lowering the voting age to 16 as virtually every party other than the english tories are in favour of it (the welsh and scottish tories are in favour) as the scottish referrendum had massive (approximately 85%) which showed that if an issue comes up that people actually care about, they'll vote on it. Things like the EU by and large under 25s don't care about, the biggest concern for under 25s at the moment is employment but none of the parties are saying anything to suggest they'll actually help us find employment.

I vote simply because if I don't then I don't feel I have the right to complain that the government is screwing me over.

Of the other two main parties, UKIP are just morons with little to no redeeming features (althought that could serve to get more people voting to keep them out) and the Greens never get any press coverage (in spite of out competing UKIP and the Lib Dems on numerous occassions).

If you're under 30, bad luck. You're screwed.

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