As many British readers are probably aware, the mining industry in this country collapsed in the early 1980s.
As a direct result, large parts of the Midlands and south Yorkshire were bereaved of their primary industry - and the vast majority of my family suddenly found themselves out of work. Given that unemployment had risen to nearly 50%, poverty was approaching Third World levels, and most of them had never had any other jobs, they were destined to be in that state for a long time.

So given the history of mental illness and criminality in my family, it's inevitable that at least a few of them turned to alcoholism and later heroin addiction. The latter was the cause behind two of my uncles dying of cardiovascular failure before the age of 35, and the motivation behind some of my less reputable cousins' crime sprees, which led to misery for their families when they were inevitably jailed.

Although I am a prolific drinker, I am by no means an alcoholic. Having seen the results of real, severe, sometimes crippling substance addiction, sometimes first-hand, I know where the edge of the cliff is, and I stay well away from it. It also makes all the "rofl I'm addicted to gravy and Star Wars figures!!!!11!onehundredandeleven" posts on here seem just a little bit hollow in comparison.
(WANKERTRON you say "prick", I say "wanker", Mon 22 Dec 2008, 22:15, 20 replies)

did it collapse
or was it pushed?
(apeloverage committed the vile act of onanism on, Mon 22 Dec 2008, 22:54, closed)

It didn't collapse
It was murdered.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Mon 22 Dec 2008, 23:06, closed)

Errrr
Yes because keeping a load of unprofitable coal mines open would have been such a great idea...

Thousands are losing their jobs now and many more will in the next couple of years. Shame they don't all have a union to go and cry to...
(jackhiggs no longer a v!rgin as of..., Mon 22 Dec 2008, 23:40, closed)

It's called Thatcherism
It screwed anyone who didn't have a white collar job in the 1980s.

It's screwing everyone now.

As much as I detest New Labour, I detest Thatcherism just as much.

Anyone who understands politics will know why.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Mon 22 Dec 2008, 23:52, closed)

But, y'know, it was a brilliant thing, seeing as it didn't affect anyone rich enough to be regarded as important.
And anyone who complains is just bitter and a pleb.

Note for readers who are less quick on the uptake: I am being sarcastic.
(WANKERTRON you say "prick", I say "wanker", Tue 23 Dec 2008, 1:40, closed)

Please stop it
Please stop complaining about Margaret Thatcher (I've seen your posts in this regard before and they smack of dogma. A one sided opinion ony any subject is no opinion at all).

The coal mining industry and other state run enterprises, not to mention the entire British economy were in a state of dissolution long before Margaret Thatcher began economic reforms.

The UKs economic woes (before Margaret Thatcher came to power) are well documented, and were, to summarise, a combination of a heavily state controlled economy, and too much political power in the hands of trade unions with poor economic judgement (there is an absolute litany of evidence to support this, and economic problems the world over have been caused by exactly the same problems).

Since nationalisation of many of the major industries by Prime Minister Clement Atlee (just after WW2), the industrial output of the UK has fallen steadily, year by year (I think most left wing dogma would have you believe this was purely the result of Margaret Thatcher).

Union dogma and state bureacracy meant that state run industries were never able to adapt and change as market conditions changed, and as time progressed, they became less and less profitable until the tax payer was called upon to make up for the losses in the balance sheets. Our industries were slowly dying, and such was the political and economic situation, there was nothing that could be done.

Even elements of the Labour party were aware of this problem, and Barbara Castle authored the White Paper "In Place of Strife" in 1969 (which was opposed and defeated by Jim Callaghan).

As I understand it, by the time of Margaret Thatcher's economic reforms, the UK tax payer was funding the UK steel industry alone (not taking in to consideration other state run industries) to the tune of £100 per household (at late 70s prices), per year! (Of important note, the UK output of steel has steadily increased since the late 1970s)

If you want to blame anyone for the mining industry collapsing, blame the mining unions, who always seem to escape any sort of reproach when this subject is discussed. If the unions had allowed slow change and progress within the industry, jobs may well have been lost, but, the shock of sudden collapse could well have been avoided (when the government cut the purse strings), with job losses being buffered as the economy slowly changed.

I've gone on long enough for now, but there is so much that can be said on this subject, that frankly, completely refutes left wing populist dogma.
(dunkindogdo, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 20:53, closed)

I'm sorry, but I've got to take you up on this statement
"A one sided opinion ony any subject is no opinion at all"

Are you insane? Thats *exactly* what an opinion is! It is one persons view on a topic, which by definition can only be one sided as it's only coming from one person.

As for the rest of your argument, carry on.
( LemonEntryMyDearWatson This time, Moriarty, the hand is on the other foot, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 22:27, closed)

Re:
That's a typo on my part, it should have read "An opinion based on one sided argument....".

As for carrying on, no way, I haven't the time, it's too big a subject. Do some reading, look at ALL of the political and economic theories, recent history, facts and figures, etc....then comment on Margaret Thatcher.
(dunkindogdo, Wed 24 Dec 2008, 0:05, closed)

She did not
have the traits or charisma that a modern leader requires. She was so cut off from the majority of the population - even Gordon Brown seems human by comparison.

However, anyone in power during those years would have had a rough time - and I agree with all your arguments. At the end of the day these industries were on their knees long before Maggie.
(jackhiggs no longer a v!rgin as of..., Wed 24 Dec 2008, 11:23, closed)

I may be addicted to gravy
But I didn't really want to say in a post that three of my cousins are smackheads, one had their child taken away from her after the child said 'mummy had a foil', another one is in jail after biting a chunk from somebody's neck in an alcoholic rage and my sister drinks a litre of vodka a day.

Pardon me for making the QOTW about MYSELF and not my fucked up family.
( Methylene Blue - electrohead, Mon 22 Dec 2008, 23:54, closed)

I'm not having a go at you specifically.
The remark was aimed more the comfortably middle-class folk who whinge and whine about every trivial non-issue that they could easily solve themselves if they were so inclined. "Eaouwh, I'm seaouwh addicted to lattes it's unbelievable!", "I'm seaouwh addicted to impulsively buying Jimmy Choo footwear!" and so on. Yours just happened to be near the top of the page when I typed out the original post.
(WANKERTRON you say "prick", I say "wanker", Tue 23 Dec 2008, 1:45, closed)

Dude
Try not to come over too bitter - it doesn't breed sympathy.

There are lots of ex-miners and their families out there who didn't turn to substance abuse, and many who have retrained and found other careers. I think you do the mining community a disservice when you generalise. Whilst it obviously didn't help your family one bit, the collapse of the mining industry can't have been the root cause of your families problems?

I'm not trying to diminish in any way the problems you've had to deal with. I've been on hard drugs myself and can only imagine what it's like for you.

Most entries to QOTW are light hearted banter, and I don't think it's fair to rant at them.
(jackhiggs no longer a v!rgin as of..., Tue 23 Dec 2008, 2:17, closed)

book =/= cover
Why so judgemental? Sounds like you have enough problems of your own about without belittling others' issues, whether they sound trivial or not.
( LemonEntryMyDearWatson This time, Moriarty, the hand is on the other foot, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 8:01, closed)

Yet you just did.
Shut UP Sammi you utter fucking idiot.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Tue 23 Dec 2008, 1:57, closed)

I don't know if you quite realise
But that isn't a front-page post
( Methylene Blue - electrohead, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 3:26, closed)

"poverty was approaching Third World levels"
Having grown up near Denaby, and subsequently having visited the third world, all I can say is: No it wasn't.
(davywavy, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 9:38, closed)

So you blame their weakness in becoming junkie scumbags on someone else?
Fantastic stuff.
Plenty of people have hard times in their lives, only the weak and feeble minded tend to gravitate towards Heroin.


Next you'll be blethering on about thatcherism being worse than the Nazis etc.
( Mykeyboy A massive, salty filing cabinet, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 10:32, closed)

god, you really are a wanker aren't you.

( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Wed 24 Dec 2008, 1:39, closed)

relax
This is QOTW - funny anecdotes, light heatred ramblings, banter, the odd rant and the odd emotional outpouring...this is the whole point of it.
Just because your family have had bad times, regardless of the circumstances, doesnt give you the right to belittle others for keeping within the spirit of QOTW.
(dave likes cheese, Tue 23 Dec 2008, 12:55, closed)

Being from......
... A mining village in South Yorkshire myself, I have to disagree with some aspects of this post - the entire male side of my father's family (including my father) and most of my mother's family worked “down the pit” - the first generation of my family that didn't is mine.

When things went tits up, the family didn't all become hooked on drugs, my father and uncles all went out and got jobs elsewhere. This resulted in me having a comfortable upbringing and getting the chance to go to University, something that I feel I am privileged to have had.

I understand that this wasn't the case for all families but in my experience most people went out and did the best they could rather than give up and blame "The Government" for all of their problems/failings.

On another note, the QOTW asks "What's your addiction?" - Someone answering "Smack" is no different to someone answering "Spam" - both responses answer the questions asked.

(It is not my intent with this post to start arguments or have a go at people - I merely wanted to give my personal point of view - apologies for any offence that may have been caused!)

Cheers
(Cow_Tipping_Samurai, Wed 24 Dec 2008, 14:26, closed)