Fat, violent, ignorant: the stats are not looking good for the UK. How can we change this for the better?

Answer 1

Move the fat, violent and ignorant English people to Switzerland.

Answer 2

I'm not sure I agree that we're all fat, violent and/or ignorant - but still, there's no doubt that there are some unhappy people in the UK, some of whom just aren't making the most of what life has to offer.

My solution to all these issues is education - with better education, we get better kids, then better parents in the future. This long-term solution will mean that kids and parents know how to eat, know how important exercise is and make sure they work out and eat right.

Improved education would also mean that people have more focus and more opportunities so there'll be less boredom and less violence as a consequence - plus, a lot of violence is born of a breakdown in communication, a situation which would definitely improve if people were able to put across their points of view in a more clear and simple fashion, rather than resorting to frustrated fights.

Finally - of course, improved education would help solve the alleged ignorance problem we have here.

So - if it really is, as I believe, the cure-all, why hasn't it happened yet? Sure, the Labour government has poured money into schools - but the way it's spent is still haywire, and there are far too many time-consuming new initiatives that take up teachers' time and prevent standards from rising.

Class sizes need to come down - and this can only happen if there are a) more schools and b) more cash injections to fund them.

And teachers need to be paid more. I know it sounds like I'm a teacher - I'm not. I very nearly became one but the salary is just not attractive for the amount of work and emotional commitment that is expected. I am a graduate with a Master's degree and the kind of salary I would get for doing this most important of jobs is simply not good enough.

The government needs to attract the country's top graduates into the teaching profession - along with the health service, education is the single most important profession, and should be rewarded as such. For as long as graduates will get paid two or three times more to go into finance or law, we're just not going to get the really star-quality teachers that are so desperately needed to turn this country around.

Answer 3

I believe we are already making the first steps already. People are more aware of the damage food can do (via programmes/media like "You are what you eat", Jamie Oliver etc) and are realising the consequences of doing nothing. Violence has a long way to go, I think we need much harsher sentencing and as others who have already answered suggest, more prisons, or may be army boot camp would do the trick? I think lack of respect is the biggest problem facing the UK today and when more parents instill discipline and take responsibility for their offspring's behaviour we might get some where (instead of thinking it's teachers' responsibility to sort out their poor parenting and upbringing skills). I guess a linked problem is children bringing up children which doesn't help, which is where out welfare system needs a serious overhaul (as it enables this to happen by financially supporting it!) but I could talk for ever on these things. Finally ignorance, our education does need a serious rethink, however there are many bright sparks who want to make the UK a better place and I do believe (and hope) we will go full circle with discipline, punishment, respect and education being the priorities to restore national pride.

Answer 4

I suspect a step in the right direction would be to stop blaming America for UK woes. Don't forget, British imperialism founded America, so don't slap your child because you bore it badly.

Ignorance is a voluntary condition. Choose to not be stupid and happy about, and change it.

Fat, sadly is a result of the lifestyle some people choose, others have foisted upon them. If our job requires long hours, you have less time to exercise. Also you may not have the money for a fitness program. And before people start to scream, when you're really poor, the cheapest food to buy is usually what's worst for you to eat. You can feed a family a lot longer on starches that fruit and veg. Americans are deep in the clutches of a system that makes of a lot of poor people, and poor people tend to be heavier, who don't eat that much, they just eat very badly and are afraid to get out and get some exercise because of dangerous neighbourhoods.

Which brings us to the topic of violence. Historically, it isn't the landed gentry that become violent, unless it's in the form of war and "helping" lesser nations. People with few resources, few opportunities (whether those conditions are real or perceived) and little hope of doing better tend to sit at home, watch Jade Goody, get frustrated and want to be "Famous".

Fixing any of these problems, preferably all, will take more than government intervention or actions of individuals. It seems an entire cultural shift is needed.

Answer 5

For starters, like I just said in answer to a question 'have to tried to live without tv for a week?' Tv is the cause of a lot of violence, and too many people sit and do nothing else but watch it. Computer games are violent and dont get you active. its hard to say at 19 years old without being judged as a 'snob' which I assure you i'm not, but the music today is about sex, violence, how pretty women, are all the wrong things. The celebs give out all the wrong images and this world is fast becoming unbearable. Teenage girls and young women are under so much pressure to be perfect.
thats my 2 pence worth anyway.

Answer 6

hav,nt you not learnt anything yet .The TV news the newspapers blow everything out of context because most of the time they have no important news .So they have to split hairs on everything to make there living by filling an hours news with really 10 Min's at most .Look in the passed the bird flu even now Pandemics terrorist the go on and on about things .The papers are the same I do not buy them they lost there use when stopped wrapping fish and chips in them.I wish we knew what the situation was you will not get it From the media.they are bringing a new TV news program out and a daily paper called Rumours abound. The political correct clan will not let us change anything.Certainly not for the better

Answer 7

If all you fools actually took this question a little bit more seriously, then we could do something about it. After reading some of these pathetic answers, I realise that the fat, violent and the ignorant can also use a keyboard and mouse and such narrow mindedness like "scrap the welfare" or "kill the chavs" is the reason why this rat infested sh!t hole of a country will get any better. All this loathsome population gives a flying fu*k about is what they have and how they can use it to show off to other people. fu!k the UK and the inbread **** of a queen.

Answer 8

Mongrel people seldom have the capacity to change. The Brits are a gutless lazy lot. Forget emigrating ! Who wants all UK's garbage and the pro creation of further fat ,violent , ignorant mongrels ? Either clean up your people and country or wallow in your own waste. The latter was predicted by the Chief of a Sioux Indian tribe in around 1854 in a letter to the USA president.
I quote ; " continue to contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste ". UK deserves everything bad that it has and has coming to it. It is karma. Get on with it !

Answer 9

There is an old biblical saying "The love of money is the root of all evil".
We have a society where increasingly greedy corporate industry has made slaves of people. They work very long hours and some "lucky" ones actually get paid quite well. They have trained people to be greedy and materialistic therefore no-one cares about the old fashioned values.
Get rid of corporate industry before Tony Blair makes it a treasonable offence and we might stand a chance.
By the way I am not religious but reading my own comments I guess I might be becoming part of the "older generation".

Answer 10

Fat/Nutrition: A huge programme of healthy school dinners + free cooking courses & recipe emails to parents + vary VAT on all foods from 0% to 40% depending on how good for you things are

Violent/social: we need more ethical dicussion in classes & public humiliation for bullies - we also need more evening activities for kids & teens - state funded and located in or near schools, things they will be interested in & can benefit from; we already have the disincentives system in place - now we must add things that will make violent tendencies in te playground & after school less likely

& ignorance: we need to teach kids better geography & maths & english at all ages + we need to have schools in all areas for kids who were not good students & are therefore relegated to a lesser & more enforcement-rich school for a year, of which 60% per year may qualify for re-promotion; those who are bad at attendance need counselling & rewards for meeting attendance targets