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I'm not sure if this is Hacker News, but the linked author isn't talking about the study's findings at all. He just uses it as a springboard to rant about a few

by neilk 18y ago

I'm not sure if this is Hacker News, but the linked author isn't talking about the study's findings at all. He just uses it as a springboard to rant about a few mothers so bad they got sensational tabloid headlines. Then he works in a few predictable jabs at the welfare state for producing parasitical monsters. This may be the study that the author is discussing, although it was released in 2007. http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf Hopefully, anyone on this board isn't afraid of real data. The picture seems kind of mixed and even the authors find it difficult to pin down the exact sources of well-being.

sh1mmer 18y ago
I couldn't agree more. I'd be interested in seeing an indepth examination of why Britain is failing so badly, particularly with their relative GDP. This story isn't that. It's a diatribe about anecdotes combed from the media.
- wyclif 18y ago
  Perhaps it is a diatribe. But Dalrymple's point is that the numbers don't lie in this case. Birthrates in the UK--as they are in all of the West-- are on a steep decline. We are witnessing the Graying of Europe.
  - qwph 18y ago
    We are witnessing the Graying of Europe. You mean - people are moving around? EDIT: I just foung the phrase "Graying of Europe" to be a bit Enoch Powell, perhaps it's just me. Apologies...
- Prrometheus 18y ago
  Why do you think Britain is failing? It seems to be one of the better countries to live in the world, certainly in the top 20%.
- bobdobbs 18y ago
  The basic reason is that all the services are being slowly privatised so the money is filtered up to the top. NHS has to use private services. Rail is split up into Track maintenance, and Train rental companies.. schools are being sold off with the Academies system. Basically the conservatives started selling everything off, and labour has carried on taking it to another level; getting away with selling bits even the tories wouldn't dare to.

by neilk 18y ago

sh1mmer 18y ago

I couldn't agree more. I'd be interested in seeing an indepth examination of why Britain is failing so badly, particularly with their relative GDP. This story isn't that. It's a diatribe about anecdotes combed from the media.

wyclif 18y ago
Perhaps it is a diatribe. But Dalrymple's point is that the numbers don't lie in this case. Birthrates in the UK--as they are in all of the West-- are on a steep decline. We are witnessing the Graying of Europe.
- qwph 18y ago
  We are witnessing the Graying of Europe. You mean - people are moving around? EDIT: I just foung the phrase "Graying of Europe" to be a bit Enoch Powell, perhaps it's just me. Apologies...
Prrometheus 18y ago
Why do you think Britain is failing? It seems to be one of the better countries to live in the world, certainly in the top 20%.
bobdobbs 18y ago
The basic reason is that all the services are being slowly privatised so the money is filtered up to the top. NHS has to use private services. Rail is split up into Track maintenance, and Train rental companies.. schools are being sold off with the Academies system. Basically the conservatives started selling everything off, and labour has carried on taking it to another level; getting away with selling bits even the tories wouldn't dare to.