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Original poster

Worklessness

56 replies

jen337 · 13/03/2024 23:54

Seen this political term coming up a few times recently in the media and elsewhere and I don’t like it. Worklessness seems suspiciously (deliberately?) close to “worthlessness”. As if it’s implying those who aren’t, or are unable to work are worthless? What’s wrong with “unemployed”.

OP posts:
Alcyoneus · 14/03/2024 06:36

Because unemployment implies there are not jobs. That’s how unemployment has traditionally been reported.

Whereas what have now is record jobs, record migration to fill the jobs. And 10 millions people of working age on out of work benefits. An absolute refusal to work and find every reason under the sun to justify it. It gives ‘the dog ate my homework’ a whole new meaning.

RawBloomers · 14/03/2024 03:12

From a policy perspective there is a big difference between those who are “unemployed” - i.e. actually looking for work - and the total number of people who aren’t working.

But agree the choice of “worklessness” does seem intentionally designed to question their value.

EBearhug · 14/03/2024 02:59

I haven't heard it, but I suspect they want unemployed to be only those who are signing on. I was made redundant last year, but as yet, I've not signed on (nor found a new job.) Though I think I'm economically inactive, bug perhaps workless.

I don't care, but I bet some statistician does.

OP posts:
WhateverMate · 13/03/2024 23:57

I've never heard it either.

Can you put the phrase into context? I'm trying to imagine it being used in a sentence?

Babyroobs · 13/03/2024 23:55

I can honestly say I have never heard that term used.