To think there’s dignity in work, no matter the job?

Oh, boy, there's so much wrong with that. Quite apart from anything else, we spend an absolute fortune and employ thousands of people to administer a ridiculously complex and unfair benefits system. It would actually be cheaper just to give everyone a fixed amount of money every year. There you go, there's a job that doesn't need to exist - benefit assessor.

And yeah, I'm quite lazy, but it doesn't affect you. I've never claimed any benefits, besides Child Benefit when my kids were younger.

Universal basic income is the way forward for lazy people who are happy to do nothing whilst sponging off people who do something.

Capitalism is massively flawed. Loads of jobs exist that are humiliating, miserable and dangerous, and shouldn't exist.

I'm all for doing nothing, and would give up work instantly if I could. I deliberately keep my life as simple and cheap as possible, so I don't have to work particularly hard.

Universal Basic Income is the way forward.

"Dignity in work" is just ridiculous, it's what right-wing Tories spout when they want the plebs to enrich them further.

Whether people like their jobs or not is extremely relevant. There's nothing "dignified" about waking up every day filled with dread and misery at the prospect of going to work.

In a capitalist world, why on earth would a business employ someone if they are not contributing something?

Whether people like their jobs or not is irrelevant. They are still doing something considerably more useful than doing nothing at all.

I struggle to respect politicians, especially since the expenses scandal, and then Boris Johnson and his yes-men brought politics in general into total disrepute; they seem to have a lot of privileges, and massive pay rises, face no consequences for wrongdoing, and when they do commit serious offences (which less privileged people might go to prison for), they seem to get richer and richer off the back of them. They are supposed to represent people far less well off than them, yet many politicians have little or no experience of how such people live, with their privileged backgrounds.

If working in a minimum wage, customer-facing job at some point in their lives was a pre-requisite to enter Parliament, I would respect them more.

I don't, it's nonsense.

Vast tiers of management in most industries. Loads of office-based jobs are pure torture and contribute absolutely nothing to society, simply propping up the absolute worst forms of consumer capitalism.

Loads of businesses are completely immoral in terms of what they produce and promote, and no job with any of them has any "dignity". The overwhelming majority of people hate their jobs and do them because they have to, not because they want to.

There's a saying in French 'Il y a pas de sot métier'... there's no such thing as a silly job. Basically means all work has value, I like that sentiment

It was pretty disappointing that Covid didn’t change things permanently especially around the importance of care work and food supply work. But it’s a classist hell scape here tbh.

A damn sight more dignity in it than being an ‘influencer’ or you tuber.

All of the jobs that couldn’t be furloughed during covid as they were essential workers.

low to mid range salaries for most

Whereas countries in the Midfle East, China, the Far East etc reeaallly value manual, unskilled labour...All that H&S, fair wages and fair working conditions.

Name one...

You're so clueless. Loads of jobs are a complete waste of time.

The people I really respect are the ones who contributes something to society. Nurses, binmen, teachers, engineers, supermarket shelf stackers, etc, all do vital, useful work (assuming they do their job well, of course). A skilled craftsman who builds, say, air-conditioning units, or water purifiers, Iphones, and then exports them, is contributing to the economy. I especially admire those who take pride in their work and produce something beautiful. Someone who makes really elegant suits for Saville Row, for example, or beautiful handmade shoes. Academics are often impressive people. They have a passion for their subject and a vast knowledge. I often listen to Melvyn Bragg’s In Our Time on Radio 4, and it’s amazing to hear these academics talking on everything from solar eclipses to Greek philosophy. In particular, I admire those who conduct scientific research. The people who work in the labs and study cancer or nuclear fusion or carbon emissions or whatever it may be are pushing the boundaries of knowledge and advancing our civilisation. So yeah, people who do useful work, who build and produce beautiful things, or who extend the limits of human knowledge - those are the people I most respect.

I have far less respect for estate agents and solicitors. I suppose they are necessary, but they are overpaid in comparison to a farm labourer or a lorry driver. And I often wonder just how necessary they really are. I also have a very low opinion of many self-made businessmen. I know a guy who made his money selling bathroom fittings. He made a profit because the stuff he sold was cheap and nasty and fell apart after six months or so (by which time he’d folded up the business). I know another man who made money selling hearing aids. Again, cheap, nasty rubbish. Both made a small fortune. Both have very high opinions of themselves, and consider themselves ‘winners’. To me they are grubby little cheats who’ve contributed nothing to society.

Only if you have a dignified manager.

If you have a bullly who treats you like shit, then there’s no dignity.

Look at Birmingham. We all rely on each other it’s not just about how much money you have.

I don't look down on anyone who does any kind of work, but some jobs will take every scrap of your energy and self esteem and leave you an exhausted husk. There's no "dignity" in doing anything that's repetitive and soul destroying where you have no agency and you are mistreated- that's the language of Tory MPs who just want the peasants to know their place.

(Spoken as someone who has done a lot of minimum wage jobs).

society does not need footballers

On the whole I would agree, as long as a job isn't immoral in the sense that it harms somebody. Lets face it Binmen and Cleaners are needed just as much as Doctors and Solicitors.

people seem to hate bankers and the investment side of banking etc and those investments help keep the economy turning

I can think of a few jobs I struggle to support. Sex work, pornographer, immigrant deportation, debt enforcer for parking companies, tobacco marketing, gambling marketing.

The key is "earning a good living" and given outrageous numbers of jobs on poverty level wages, the dignity in work idea has limited foothold.

Yes, work is about more than getting paid but if getting paid doesn't make ends meet, it's all bullshoot.

Yes I respect any job as long as it harms no-one/society

I believe in the innate dignity of the human soul, which is a slightly different idea I guess.

But I agree, I wouldn't be looking down on anyone earning an honest living.