I think it's a bit simplistic to think that everybody's predicament is entirely of their own making.
Perhaps the people who think this way have had more privileged upbringings than others, or simply not experienced the same problems.
I don't even like the phrase "privileged" but it's hard to encapsulate this idea any other way. For example, if you've never experienced depression, it might be tempting to think people can just "pull themselves together and get over it". Etc, etc, for many other types of problems that some may have been fortunate enough never to have experienced.
Even for some that have genuinely been at the bottom, they may have had a lucky break and then start to think that everybody can do the same.
I just don't think you can blame individuals entirely and 100% for every problem they experience. And saying things like, "Only you can fix your own problems" does have that implication.
e: What I'm saying is that there are limits to personal responsibility, and some things that can only realistically be fixed by changes to society.
To give a poor example (admittedly), go to a country without an NHS. Find a person who needs an urgent operation costing more than his annual salary. Tell him his situation is hit situation, and only he can do something about it.
Also all very valid points.
To put the rest of this post in context, the first 20 or so years of my life I was a whiner. I tore peoples belief in me to shreds through my early 20s due to my attitude primarily in always finding something/someone to blame for everything that had gone wrong in my life.
The problem is what does whining about things do to solve any of those problems? No one truly listens. Mags is right in that you have to do something, anything, to try and sort your situation out. Even if it doesn't work out. Just. Keep. Trying. Stay in the game for as long as possible, life is unpredictable in so many ways. In no way are they blaming individuals for the problems they face (presumption here, but based on past postings), but more saying "control what you can, ignore what you can't" and that if you aren't happy, strive however hard you want/capable of before you accept the way things are or get to a point where you could reach some level of contentment. On the subject of the thread, that may very well be a re-location if you don't like your current location. Standing still and stamping feet about how it's "not my fault" is very valid, but ultimately not productive in any way.
Your NHS example is a great example of the privilege people in this country have though. It's something that we completely take for granted and abuse (smoking, drinking, over eating...). In the given scenario, luck plays it's part and when there are billions of people on a rock that is still developing then bad luck as well as good luck will occur. Life can and always will be bloody horrible, but the worst of life in the UK today is multiple times better than the worst of life elsewhere in many places across the world and history. I remember being told at school and growing up that "life isn't fair". It's true and I don't think it will ever change. (I rambled on about this and nihilism for about 2 paragraphs, deleted to spare you all. edit: it's seems as though dan understands with his ants comment above
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Not everyone will survive. Not everyone will enjoy life. That's just the unfairness of it all. Focusing on the suffering of others is very noble, but in that "person who needs an urgent operation costing more than his annual salary" situation, what would YOU do about it? I don't know what I would do until it became a reality, but there would be three clear options 1) try everything you could think of to get the money or treatment; loan, sell, lie, cheat, steal, anything to maintain health/survive if that was the desire. 2) whinge, moan and question at how life could be so cruel before you succumb to whatever fate has in store 3) accept that it is what it is, and enjoy what you have and take whatever happens as your experience of 'life'. All 3 are understandable reactions, and luck could strike in any one, but most likely if 1) was chosen.
To bring it back to Mags post once again, my interpretation was: if you want the things this country (or the one you reside in) offers and it meets your ideals then carry on. If it doesn't, then find one that does and do whatever you can to make it happen, or don't. Whining about this is easier than doing something about it. It cannot be expected that anyone else can do that thought process and action for you, it belongs to you no matter how unfair life can be.
Worth noting, as I announced earlier in the thread, I'm biased towards living in the UK as I truly believe it's the best place for ME to live in the entire world based on my experience, needs and ideals so far. I can't/don't want to live in lots of different places to find out if they are better, but I am content and as a result unable to truly put myself in the mindset of someone that doesn't want to live here. Until that changes, I'll choose to do nothing but when/if it does I'll have to act to make it possible.
Having said everything I have above though doesn't discount that people can help you out, society has the capacity to be nicer and understanding, and personal responsibility isn't the holy grail that it's sometimes made out to be. However, personal responsibility is the starting point, it's the point where a decision is made to take control of what you can. For many that's enough to make it through life, and what I class as the beginning of adulthood.
We are all different (physically, mentally, morally, politically, religiously, etc etc), and that's what this all boils down to. That's what drives anyone's response to "The UK isn't what it's made out to be".
