Keeping up with Joneses. Weren't not alone. Problems around the world.

1. 72

   tsmogposted 3 weeks ago

   Sometimes, not always, we get stuck looking at the weeds in our yard. Yet, many times our neighbors have weeds too and they are the same ones.
   
   What Worries the World – July 2025 presented by Ipsos (July 2025)
   Conducted monthly in 30 countries among around 20,000 adults for over a decade, the Ipsos What Worries the World study offers an exceptional snapshot of world opinion on pressing global issues.
   https://www.ipsos.com/en/what-worries-world
   
   Take a peek just for the hell of it. There are graphics, of which some are interactive.
   
   For instance . . .
   
   
   
   Concern about crime & violence (32% across 30 countries) has nudged just ahead of inflation (31%) as the top worry right now.
   
   Key findings:
   
   ** Mentions for crime & violence across 30 countries rose slightly (+2 percentage points compared to last July) to just under a third (32%), while mentions of inflation dipped a bit (-2pp year-over-year) to 31%.
   
   ** Following the election of President Lee Jae Myung in June, South Korea has seen the largest rise in the proportion of people saying their “country is heading in the right direction” month-over-month rising 39 points to 59%.
      
   ** Although falling four points from last month, Peru’s level of concern about crime & violence is seven points higher than last July’s level, with 64% worried. Likewise, Chile is highly worried, increasing slightly (+5pp year-over-year) to 62%.
      
   ** Concern about inflation has dropped dramatically since July 2024 in Argentina (-17pp to 31%), Colombia (-15pp to 16%) and the U.S. (-15pp to 35%), while cost-of-living concern is up 15 points in Singapore to 63%.
      
   ** Since Prime Minister Keir Starmer was elected last July, Great Britain has seen concern about immigration control rise 10 points year-over-year to 39% mentioning it. Alongside Brits, people in Ireland (45%) and Germany (37%) also now see immigration as the No. 1 issue in their countries.
   
   Thoughts, accolades, criticism, and/or commentary?

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   1. 83

      Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Strictly my view
      
      It doesn’t surprise me at all that crime and violence have edged out inflation as the top global concern. When governments neglect law and order, ordinary citizens pay the price. In the U.S., we’ve seen the same thing, illegal immigration has brought in criminal elements, gangs, and a spike in violent activity in certain cities. Inflation hurts, but crime tears at the very fabric of society because it makes people feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods.
      
      I also notice how much depends on leadership. South Korea’s optimism after their election shows what happens when people believe their leaders are serious about security and progress. Contrast that with countries like Peru and Chile, where citizens are growing more fearful. That tells me strong, decisive leadership makes all the difference.
      
      Here in America, I think we need to take the lesson: people want safety, stability, and accountability from their governments. Without those basics, everything else, whether it’s inflation, jobs, or foreign policy, becomes harder to solve.

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2. 72

   Ken Burgessposted 3 weeks ago

   Reminds me of that discussion we were having in another thread about how painful some nations are going to have it in the years to come... like Sweden and France and Germany.
   
   The West didn't just throw open the doors... they put them up in free housing, gave them government allowance, etc.
   
   For places like Sweden, where 'non-natives' now number over 25% of the population (20% migrated and 6% born to immigrant parents since arriving) the pain has only begun... I suspect that many of the more affluent will be moving to places like Poland or Switzerland or wherever they can feel 'safe' in their homes and on the streets.

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   1. 83

      Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      You make a good point about what’s happening in Europe, and you’re right. Some countries have actually gone so far as to pay migrants to leave. For example, Germany’s “Starthilfe Plus” program offered up to €3,000 per family to encourage voluntary return, and France had a program in the 2000s that gave families up to €6,000 to go back home. Other countries like Denmark, Sweden, and Norway have also tried similar approaches.
      
      Even here in the U.S., there have been moves in that direction. The Trump administration rolled out a federal program offering $1,000 stipends plus travel costs for migrants who voluntarily leave through the CBP Home app. And New York City recently set up a pilot program that provided up to $4,000 per family, managed through nonprofits, to help migrants relocate out of city shelters.
      
      So yes, it’s not just speculation; this idea of paying people to leave has been tested in both Europe and the U.S. The big question is whether it really works long-term, since many migrants have established lives where they are, making small payments less of an incentive.

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