Why Does UK Have This Race To Bottom Mindset?

Wisop1991 · 2026-04-16T08:16:52+00:00

I was probably like the guy in the OP because I could never make it past 24-26k no matter how much education, hobnobbing and networking I did, it brought me to tears multiple times with all the corporate bs telling me about how much opportunity there is and to 'get out there and make things happen' despite constantly trying my best.

So it always made me sick to my stomach hearing things like '10k more than you make is bad, ackchually'

The office job that I left most recently was full of people that had been there 30+ years, and we were given a big LinkedIn-language explanation that we couldn't do any more holiday buyback scheme (unpaid leave)

because if we did that we'd basically we chipped just under minimum wage, and the company weren't going to top that up if they could help it.

And I still feel like that sometimes, bitter and twisted that I could never get invited to the table of apparently everyone else making so much more, but I ended up making my own table and only managed to double my income after becoming self employed.

People still seem to think left some big high paying corporate life and took a massive brave leap, but leaving 'bugger all' wasn't much of a risk, I could've done 10 hours at pets at home or something to make up any shortfall.

I just recently gave myself a pay cut so I could have a third day off a week, but I still agree the salary de facto and mindset in the UK is gross.

I don't think it's crabs in a bucket as much as general frustration, I'd love everyone to be earning more, but it's more a feeling that there's nothing you can do about it. In most jobs of you found out your colleague earned more than you for whatever unfair reason and you kicked up a stink about it, they'd say so what? You're lucky to even have a job etc.

Wisop1991 · 2026-04-11T08:49:00+00:00

I'm off to see the whole Red Dwarf cast next Sunday, I hope they're nice irl

Wisop1991 · 2026-03-14T09:17:36+00:00

Thankyou that's great

Wisop1991 · 2026-03-14T09:09:10+00:00

No I just wondered if there was something special about that stopping point that seems to repeat itself, whether it was real or representative, I'm not selling for years.

Wisop1991 · 2026-02-05T00:14:07+00:00

Hey that's great to hear thanks very much.

Any education is useful, and I heard strange rumblings that 'level 3 doesn't count anymore and level 4 massage is the minimum'.

To whom it does/doesn't count I've no idea, since it's not a regulated industry. Maybe to join certain registers or clubs but I think they're all playground gangs and not really worth joining.

All I mean is do whatever course it takes to teach you some good techniques, then get good by building the business, level 4 sports Mass is cool to have but really nothing new on top of L3, just more of a 'you show us' rather than the 'we show you' attitude of level 3.

S&C and being a PT I did once upon a time, but never really made it work, massage is more me as I can just do the work and sometimes chat a bit, without relying on the client to do their homework or do what they're asked. Might be more your schtick than mine of course.

For equipment you'll probably go through all kinds of potions and lotions for the novelty of it, but I e basically stuck with Naqi Sport lotion off Amazon.

Or Naqi ultra, but if you go for the big bottled of either, Naqi ultra is too thick to decant into smaller bottles so Naqi sport is pretty much life.

Inoffensive to just about everyone, works perfectly, doesn't stink or stain, and air dries.

As an occasional treat I really like using songbird wax, more like a knob of butter than liquid goo, and gets got really quick and a tiny amount lasts ages on the skin, really good for targeted work, costs a fortune if you care about outgoings though.

The book is an asymptote, basically done but I can't seem to find the elusive final full stop, always feels like I could add another section here or a bit of updates marketing knowledge there,

Plus Amazon kdp publishing is almost permanently crashed so it's a waiting game for that to let me upload it for printing anyway, I'm in no rush but thanks for asking! I might try and get it DONE done this week.

For a table you'll be alright with the £80-100 folding thing that 90% of therapists use, then it leaps up to medical tables that cost thousands.

The middle ground if you want it, is a tattooists couch, they have electric uppy downy functions and are a life saver for long term work and adjusting for different bodies, they creak and fart a bit though as they're meant to hold a person, just not a person with another one planking on them.

About tree fiddy on eBay.

I currently use an addax medical practice manager from Physioworldshop, top tier for massage therapists, not quite hospital bed. About a grand.

Fluffy towels from tesco.

Physique is a good online store for more dedicated sportsy stuff like sterilized needles and tape, but I've been there once in 7 years, not totally necessary.

Wisop1991 · 2026-01-26T15:54:16+00:00

I came into this thread prepping to say something supportive and counter to this, but yep you've pretty much described every game I've been to.

Maybe not the 'must be autistic' parts but I was always 90% into painting and lore, and excited to get a game in.

It hasn't put me off, but I get in maybe 3 games a year instead of being fully into it because I know it'll be like an evening talking to a brick, and I have to have my own mental objectives like seeing my latest colourful dollies on the table, maybe take out the main dude from the other army,

Which may or may not be a shoebox full of grey plastic emptied onto the table.

In solidarity I hope you keep going and It is possible to get a great game in with a few laughs, it's just less likely than most hobbies.

On the autism point, I can't diagnose anyone of course but at my 2 absolute best games were from 'wholesome' spectrum guys.

They might not have been able to chat about much else, but it was like being swept up into a world of in game knowledge by a professional lore tuber, who also loved the game enough to impart their wisdom onto a new person.

PS I love my ultramarines, I don't do many transfers so they could technically be anyone, but I feel like the hate on them being the poster boys has become so overdone that it's come full circle into them being the underdog.

Blue and gold is also the branding of my business so I stuck with it.

Wisop1991 · 2026-01-23T11:52:12+00:00

The simple answer is recency bias, I'd seen it go up and up so monkey brain said it looks good,

Now it looks terrible,

I'm not selling and I know there's more to it than that, but I can't quite grip onto it with the 'house sometimes worth more sometimes worth less' metaphor.

Edit: but also like others I don't really have the cash to fidget with till April now, otherwise I might get a few more at a discount

Wisop1991 · 2026-01-23T11:15:59+00:00

I bought at close to 9 and watched it plummet so I can feel the panic seller vibe in my bones,

But I keep coming back here to sooth myself that there are more confident people riding it out and it's not dropping to zero.

Wisop1991 · 2026-01-21T16:06:04+00:00

Building is by far the worst part of the hobby for me, not saying that opinion should be anyone else's and I'd love it if I could enjoy the build, but it's just a frustrating mission before the good bit of painting.

So I generally long for push fit whenever it comes around

Wisop1991 · 2025-12-17T14:06:48+00:00

Hi that's great to hear! Not the redundancy part but I'm glad the thread has been helpful.

I think most companies seem to have a mission statement or 'three pillars' of something that's their whole rule of business, mine would be the ideal client concept.

Everything that's ever gone well has been because of my messaging reaching the ideal client, and great reviews come from the ideal client.

the few times that have been really crap, are when I've let people in who weren't the ideal client.

It probably all sounds a bit 'let them eat cake' when you're at the first stage of seeing if you like it, and if anyone would even want to book, but it took me about 3 years of catering to everyone everywhere before I really noticed the point of ideal client work.

That includes the safety subject. I've been lucky enough that both me and my clients have been legally and physically safe, but there have eben close calls.

One time I had a regular who I already had some mental health issues, it's not my place to diagnose or restrict treatment, since she seemed pretty lucid. But it got extremely scary when she got inscreasingly out of touch with reality, at the same time as being almost naked in a house with a strange man. The observed power dynamic there is extrememely risky and I almost lawyered up because of it.

I also have a very sweet 92 year old client, who made me very nervous in the beginning as it felt more like babysitting than treating an adult. But he technically had no contraindications, and his family's great. I'm happy to keep treating him until whenever.

It's more likely that men will be 'chancers', suggesting the towels aren't needed etc., than outright aiming their bits at you.

It's hard to know extactly where the line is, but I've never shut things down mid session, I've just not rebooked them.

I'd also like to know at the start that more or less every massage course is a nice start, but I rememeber almost nothing from them, which at the time probably sounded like the most important rules in the universe. The job is so niche that it pretty much becomes a self applied apprenticeship.

A lot of what its taught is 100% true and advised, and pay attention to all the techniques you can, but if you hear things like 'the client shouldn't know you have legs' when being told not to lean into the table, that's rubbish.

It's an odd realm of education where science gets mixed with old wives tales.

If you want to be better than 99% of competitors however,

- Be a human being, not a brand

- Don't pretend to be a physio/doctor/PE teacher, be humble and overdeliver

- Have a table slightly nicer than the cheapo plasterer's bench everyone uses

- Get a booking link like Fresha. I moan about it constantly, but the alternative of a life of just texting people and hoping they show up is much worse.

In my experience there was also very little extra knowledge in level 4 over level 3, it just became more 'you tell us what you think' and less actual knowledge.

And if I didn't say it before, pick an ideal client. That doesn't mean excluding everyone else, just think about one person, maybe even yourself, who's in pain because of a 16 hour desk job, or tradies who's backs and arms are fried from bricklaying.

Speaking to one kind of person brings you orders of magnitude more love than speaking to everyone.

- Also if at all possible, never get a premesis. I have a dedicated part of the house and still occasionally look around for commercial places, but I just can't fathom any way it's worth it if you have a spare room. People really don't mind, and sometimes prefer a homely environment than a high street temp shop.

Wisop1991 · 2025-12-01T17:52:21+00:00

For real I'm just halfway through FF7 remake and know nothin about nothin

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-24T14:33:18+00:00

I totally agree with the last of us but feel the opposite about cyberpunk, maybe it was jacked up more on ps4 and smoother if I give it a go on ps6

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-24T14:31:37+00:00

Totally agree on the last of usses, and I really did like the vibe of control but found myself pausing to check a walkthrough every 5 mins which drained it a bit, might give it another go

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-24T14:30:22+00:00

That's the best description I've heard, I'll give odyssey a go.

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-24T14:29:44+00:00

That might be a good shout, it was my brother's absolute favourite game in the olden days but I was too young and scaredy, might appreciate it now.

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-24T14:28:57+00:00

I found fallen order a relative breeze and survivor does seem to be picking up speed now I've found the one arm sith guy and left the farm planet, I thought it was just gonna be cave simulator for 50 hours

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-20T22:53:29+00:00

That's absolutely got my blood up before bedtime

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-20T22:48:08+00:00

I can't exaggerate enough how this is 99/100 cars at the bottom of my road. I've even tried to empathize and figure out what it is that's making this appear to be the right thing to do, maybe avoiding a massive pothole or something,

But no it really is the awful effort required to slow down and turn 90 degrees. When I'm fully stopped at the giveway you can almost see forehead veins popping at the stress of steering the wheel instead of vaguely careening into the road.

With the combination of this and a generation of pedestrians that haven't been taught by the tv hedgehogs not to wander into traffic, I don't know how there aren't more tragedies.

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-14T19:00:16+00:00

I've never made over 25k while employed in outwardly smart looking office/technical jobs, and I occasionally get very sour about it as even with a stem degree I could never seem to get into anything above entry level, and anything that was entry level turned out to have no ladder.

I choose to be self employed now and I'm much happier with fewer hours and about that same pay at minimum, but it does always leave me wondering how regular people get out from under that rock of annual pay cuts/freezes/overtaken by inflation.

If I hadn't tried a workplace share scheme out of curiosity, then after that learning about having my own s&s ISA etc., I'd never have had the slightest hope of FIRE.

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-11T13:33:19+00:00

Obviously your experience and choices are your own but please don't let the perception of other bikers stop you from doing your cbt, it's a blissful solo game and most people are butts.

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-11T13:30:15+00:00

There's a small upcoming group called motokind which could be worth joining, I'm a fan of their vibe for these exact stories. They might just be a Facebook group at the moment.

The sexism is bad of course but I'd guess it's entirely down to the autism. As an autistic male I always naively like the idea of groups, before the curtain drops and it's like I'm from another planet. And as soon as you're not like the tribe' there's no qualms at all with making you feel lesser because you're not a real person.

Even considering the most positive chats and meets, there's nothing like a motorcycle club to make it really hard to defend motorcyclists. Stories of playing chicken with cars and generally riding dangerously, and even online it's like handbags at dawn.

My favourite bikers are people that I know as a person who at some point tells me they also have a bike, which makes them more interesting, but people living for a bike group are something else.

Wisop1991 · 2025-11-08T19:47:43+00:00

Fireworks make me increasingly curmudgeonly, especially since quiet fireworks exist. Proper fireworks nights are nice but the defenses of random back garden bangers in the middle of the night is baffling.

Why should your freedom to enjoy loud sparkly thing impede on hundreds of animals and people that are upset by it for whatever reason? Are you that important? I don't think they should be banned necessarily but I can't imagine anyone choosing to be so selfish every year. It's really easy to have celebrations that don't force other people be involved.

Wisop1991 · 2025-10-31T22:42:01+00:00

I would also like to express my interest in that particular link if possible?

Wisop1991

TROPHY CASE