... to hate the phrase "I've worked hard all my life..."

[woollyideas]

Why do people say it? I don't like it and think people who say it should have an immediate custodial sentence.

I mean, what IS their point?

Most people have "worked hard" all their lives according to their abilities. The number of genuine "scroungers" is small. It tends to be used as a catch-all phrase to defend slide-style that either makes them feel guilty, or other people might criticise. Inequality tends to make people more unhappy than mere poverty- so I guess having worked hard is supposed to make it ok to live in luxury whilst someone next door struggles to keep their kids in shoes. y

It's almost as if the phrase "I've worked hard all my life" is the justification for their opinion being valid/listened to.
In reality the fact that you've worked hard doesn't make your opinion more important than anyone else's.
However, I do think it's sad when people die in harness and never reap the benefit of any of the contributions they paid in so to speak.
However, that's another thread I suppose.