Fearing the Future

This chapter presents quotes that address the interplay between past, present and future. These quotes have been chosen because they contain elements common throughout the overall sample. As we shall see, interviewees were overwhelmingly willing to acknowledge that the past was not perfect, but they nonetheless believe it to have been better than the present. Similarly, interviewees tended to express the belief that, for people like them, the future is likely to be significantly worse still. Overwhelmingly, the data suggest that many working-class people believe that community sentiments have declined, the world of work has become less satisfying and rewarding, the political class is increasingly corrupt and self-interested, declining living standards have negatively affected most facets of their lives and that future generations will struggle as these trends inevitably continue.