There is prevailing narrative amongst the left and on this forum that all of the poor, disabled and ill are unfortunate victims of a broken system. The idea is that there almost an inevitability to it all, it's the system/government's fault and the individual has absolutely no responsibility or accountability. Any arguments to the contrary are shouted down as for some reason they prefer people to believe that they are completely disempowered. We are extremely fortunate to live in a country where there is opportunities available to almost everyone to look after and better themselves. Every child can access an education and we have relatively affordable, healthy food available to us on small budgets. There is so much peoplecando to help themselves and yet our focus is always deliberately pulled to what people can't do. Just to be clear, I fully acknowledge that it's not a level playing field and there are all kinds of structural inequalities in place but I think there is a narrative that the individual doesn't really have to try until things are completely fair (which will be never)
So if there's all kinds of structural inequalities in place, have you ever tried to get a job as a disabled person? What conditions have you lived with on a daily basis and can say, categorically, that every person with that condition will experience it in exactly the same way? You do realise that 'disabled' isn't a homogenous group? That even when 'disabled' puts someone at a disadvantage, everyone with a disability has started from a different point in the first place? That some will be educated, with the disability occurring later in life once a career has bene built, some pension built up in a scheme that gives a generous some for medical retirement.....or others will have had the disability from day one, with parents who struggled to manage it, who themselves struggled to navigate the joy that is social care, benefits, and more importantly rights....
I can tell you as the parent of a child with T1D and also a teacher that schools as a collective handle difference and medical need appallingly, engaging in discriminatory and illegal behaviour which you need half a brain, some experience, a bit of gumption and then some actual knowledge to be able to handle effectively. It is no surprise that for some, it is too much, too hard, and too complex. There are not only cracks, but huge gaping holes for both children and adults to just fall through. I personally expect my child to fight - to work hard, to do whatever it is he can to manage his difference and his condition so his future is as secure as it can be. And it is a fight. A huge one. And one he might not win.