I was born in the 1940s and I've seen our country lose its way: Yorkshire Post Letters

I was fascinated by David Quarrie’s letter ‘Why our country has well and truly lost its way’ which appeared in your newspaper recently (The Yorkshire Post, October 29).

As a fellow 1940s baby, I had for years thought that my problems in trying to grapple with everyday life were my fault; in truth I was just an ‘old fogey’, alone in my belief that our once great country had gone to the dogs.

What a relief to find that I am not and I suspect that, like me, many fellow citizens of all ages will share Mr Quarrie’s concerns.

Perfectly set out in his letter is the seemingly endless list of failing public services and institutions: many of the (largely London-based) central government departments, local authorities, police and the justice system, health, transport, water/pollution, education, defence (against countries who seem determined to head at pace towards World War III, sadly assisted now by the antics of the occupant of the White House – Britain’s no longer ‘forever friend’). The list goes on.

However, as relevant - and disturbing in my opinion - is Mr Quarrie’s inclusion of ‘a lack of common sense and logic’ in so many of today’s failures.

Perhaps rather more use of the human brain and less dependence on computers - which too often say ‘No’ when they should say ‘Yes’ (or vice-versa!) – might reveal the blatantly obvious answers to some of today’s challenges, allowing the correct decision in the interests of the ‘silent majority’ of citizens and not the few to be taken for a change.

It might also help to halt the undermining of the previously ingrained UK traditions of consultation, kindness, tolerance and consideration towards others.

Like Mr Quarrie, I have lived through some difficult periods in UK history.

I was born in a small village just after the Second World War when money was tight, jobs and food were often insecure and expectations amongst the population - particularly with regard to being bailed out by the State – were non-existent.

Family, friends and neighbours were self-reliant; they looked out for each other and shared what little they had.

My childhood was a happy period, despite the hardships.

Today I am thankful to live in a village with a strong community spirit, where people still look out for each other.

Such places are, in my opinion, becoming harder and harder to find.

Rampant selfishness, self-interest and the quest for financial gain sadly seem to dominate much of our world today, inevitably influencing the decisions of those who ‘govern’ or have influence over our lives, aided and abetted in many cases, of course, by the hypnotic addiction of so many to the internet and the mobile phone.

Mr Quarrie sets out why he believes ‘our country has well and truly lost its way’.

The question now is – can we find our way back?