That is what bothers me when Leave supporters say things like "I can foresee there may be some hardships in the short term but believe it will be better in the long run" (that is not a direct quotation, but Leavers have said very similar things on this site and elsewhere)

It is so abstract isn't it? As if 'hardships' exist in splendid isolation. Had they said "some people may suffer hardship" it is rather less comfortable. "some people, even perhaps my friends and family may suffer hardship" - now it is getting really uncomfortable, but it is still saying the same thing. Let's just say "there may be some hardship" and not think about what that means....