Originally posted by Mistral75
Then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an
über-civilised country

.
Originally posted by wigelII
wasn't it Always?
Phtt!
The more "civilized" we become, the more we regress from where we came. Take a walk around the lesser regions of any modern city, anywhere on the planet, and you will see the very worst that man has to offer in terms of civility.
Drunken bums passed out in abandoned doorways, dressed in filthy clothes that have not been washed since they were put on, and soaked in urine and smelling of feces.
Hookers and their pimps cruising the alleys looking for johns eager for sexual release.
Dealers on hiding in the shadows awaiting the approach of those desperate for another fix.
Corrupt cops looking the other way.
Poor souls dying in the gutter and no one seems to care.
Derelict buildings crumbling, and the fringe people clinging to their last bit of hope, struggling to exist.
Disease and illness slowly gnawing away at the bodies and minds of those who will never be relieved of their sad existence, until death finally sets them free.
The thing is, no matter what we do as a society, when there are large groups of people congregated closely, in the urban environment, there will be those who either cannot, or will not, work towards improving their lot in life.
Me?
I'll continue to live in the country, where the population density is low, and the destitute are far away.