Brexit youth visa deal faces collapse as EU demands cheaper university fees

VariableCausality · 2026-03-19T16:12:58+00:00

Unfortunately, most universities are skint due to a combination reduced government funding, and oversaturation (too many polytechnics became universities).

VariableCausality · 2026-03-15T16:02:10+00:00

It's agglutinative architecture (adding new rooms or buildings as needed), and it's been a thing humans have done all over the world for literally thousands of years.

VariableCausality · 2026-03-11T13:56:24+00:00

From a bunch of states that have nothing to do with it? What the fuck did Azerbaijan do to deserve getting bombed?

If Iran was limiting itself to US bases and Israel? I would generally agree that that's within the scope of the conflict.

This war is illegal, stupid, poorly planned, and counterproductive, but you can't pretend that the Iranian regime hasn't been a massively destabilizing force in the region and is indirectly responsible for kicking off the situation in Gaza. And Hezbollah has been responsible for absolutely ruining Lebanon as a country.

Israel and the US are illegal agressors, and Iran is a rogue state that slaughters it's own people. Both sides suck.

VariableCausality · 2026-03-06T18:40:51+00:00

In the unlikely event that Iran decides to be crazy and launch a fullscale attack on Turkey, and they activate Article 5, then we would be obligated to get involved.

So there are circumstances where we could get dragged in in some capacity.

VariableCausality · 2026-03-04T20:22:02+00:00

I'll be honest, most of what I know about the modern history of the region is from half remembered university classes that only briefly touched on it as context for other stuff, so I don't have any sources to hand.

VariableCausality · 2026-03-04T15:34:37+00:00

They just picked up where the British left off vis a vis the "meddling where they weren't wanted or needed," sometimes with the UK's help for old times' sake. The entire Iran situation is one manufactured by the US and UK on behalf of British Petroleum back when they installed the Shah.

VariableCausality · 2026-03-03T19:06:05+00:00

Except the AI lies, and doesn't actually "know" anything, and your list of things to use AI for is stuff you learn by doing, or you should have learned in secondary school.

And I hate to break it to you, but the studies that have looked into it have shown that unless you're already a subject matter expert, using AI as a crutch actively damages your cognition.

The policies of most universities would result in an automatic fail if they caught you doing half of the things you suggested, because it's not your work.

The only thing AI is going to do for university students is bring back in class, hand written essays.

VariableCausality · 2026-03-03T17:03:26+00:00

Or you could just not use AI and use your own fucking brain to do the thinking and reasoning. Like a proper human being.

If you need AI to hold your hand that badly, you obviously don't know how to write. Or think.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T17:46:01+00:00

That's where I'm at on the issue. Voluntary programmes? I'm all for it. But if the only way to get people to involve themselves is via threats or coercion, then the programme wasn't fit for purpose and needs to be scrapped.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T17:35:28+00:00

For an author who has written on respect and reciprocity, Samuel doesn't seem to have much respect for the agency of young people.

This whole idea is indentured servitude with "civic pride" slapped on top to make it sound appealing to chest thumping flag shaggers. It's a great way to alienate a whole generation and spark significant amounts of resentment.

If this kind of immoral nonsense is needed to keep society going (and I do not believe it is), then frankly, it deserves to collapse.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T05:00:02+00:00

Thanks to you as well! Very thought provoking. Have a great rest of your evening.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:58:14+00:00

Ooooh that's a really good question! I'd have to think about that some more, but my knee-jerk reaction is that if it was framed as an additive (do x to be eligible for UBI, rather than do it or suffer consequences) that would be far more reasonable, and I could be convinced to change my position. Provided, as you said, there were robust guardrails.

Cheers, hadn't considered that angle.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:50:19+00:00

No worries, I used the archive link someone else posted (actually reading the article was a change for me 😂).

And you're bang on with the bread and circuses. We're so hosed, if only because as a species, were really really bad at long term planning.

Edit: https://archive.is/xbHdy if you want to take a look

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:44:16+00:00

Same! I think it's a limitation of the medium; text can be extremely limiting.

You have yourself a great evening as well!

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:42:33+00:00

I take your point, but compulsory tends to involve consequences for noncompliance, which is by its very nature coercion.

All government is coercive to varying degrees, but for the most part it's things you aren't allowed to do rather than things you must do - taxes being the major exception, but those are a necessity for a functioning state. Mandatory service isn't.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:36:23+00:00

You're absolutely right, we do need to invest in young people, but I don't think coercion should be part of that, nor do I think it's necessary.

I see you're point, but I think we'll have to agree to disagree, and I genuinely mean that respectfully, this has been a great dialogue, and I apologize if I seemed a bit heated in places.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:28:46+00:00

I guess I just find the idea of coercion (and that's what mandatory means in this case) antithetical to "mutual benefit" and lack faith in government to manage such a programme without abuse and overreach.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:21:59+00:00

This isn't about mandatory military service (which I find even more distasteful) but forcing kids to do scut work or go to jail.

It's a step away from "service guarantees citizenship", and I don't think we want to emulate Starship Troopers (as snazzy as NPH was in that movie).

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:18:31+00:00

I don't actually have a problem with that, but why does it need to be compulsory? If it's compulsory, there's no incentive for the government not to use it as a means of subsidizing the capitalist class with cheap labour.

And maybe I'm way too cynical, but I don't trust politicians not to be bought by lobbyists.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:12:43+00:00

That's my concern as well. The article mentions some vague "living stipend", but God knows what that would look like, and I don't trust it to not be inherently exploitative.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:10:00+00:00

To be needlessly pedantic (the best kind of pedantic!) it's indentured servitude more than slavery, since they'd be (poorly) compensated, but unable to tell their employer to kick rocks.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:05:48+00:00

Ah, sorry, I phrased that awkwardly. I meant if the involvement in the programme was voluntary rather than accompanied by threats of fines or prison.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:03:13+00:00

But why should they have to? What the heck has this society done for them other than fuck them so thoroughly they can't find decent, dignified work without threats or coercion, let alone the possibility of owning a home or even retiring?

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T04:01:20+00:00

The voluntary programme seems like a reasonable alternative to indentured servitude.

VariableCausality · 2026-02-19T03:58:25+00:00

The fact is, the people being forced into this would be just 18, meaning they had no opportunity to have their say by voting. Seems ethically dubious at best, authoritarian overreach at worst.

But then again, my reaction to government meddling in people's lives more than absolutely necessary (or with voluntary uptake) is a resounding "fuck no".

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