to be fed up of hearing 'I've worked hard for my money'

[newbluesofa]

Lots of chat on MN recently about taxes on high earners. So heard lots of 'we have this money because we work bloody hard for it' and honestly I'm sick of it and think the people who say it are selfish.

Nurses work incredibly hard, long shifts, difficult job. Carers provide absolutely essential service, again shift work, difficult hours, difficult job. Teachers provide essential work, I know multiple teachers and they all devote evenings, weekends, school holidays to the detriment of their own families. All of these jobs also have huge emotional tolls. So 'I've worked hard for my money' means nothing to me, because a lot of people work a lot harder for a lot less.

Depends on the level of disability.

I would argue that anyone who can verbalise their thoughts and feelings is advantaged. I’m sure a quadriplegic would argue that I’m advantaged for having arms and legs.

You can outrun a disadvantaged background, with the right determination and crucially, the actual ability to do so, you can’t outrun a disability.

My son lost sleep last year over a project he was the lead analyst on. Was so worried about messing stuff up and getting told off.Thankfully that project went well and the client loved the output.

This year he's had to work till 1am a few times because work was getting a lot. Stuff needed to be done and not delivering was not an option. Even took his laptop with him on holiday to Leeds because some projects would have slipped with him being on AL.

There are arguments for both sides.
If you are not prepared to invest (hard work, international moves, unpleasant work environment, work that isn’t fun), don’t complain. My work pays very well, but it is - work. It is not a calling, it isn’t fun. It’s ok though, not terrible.
Some jobs aren’t well paid. I avoided them, although some i would love to do (academia). I chose not to, for economic reasons.
The challenge is that some jobs should be paid much better than they are (nurses, carers), and need to be done.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that high earning careers are usually earned. When i look at potential interns, its usually very obvious who will have a career, and who won’t. Preparation, drive, experience outside school/university, initiative are all free - and make a ton of difference.

51% of the population is female, do you reject the idea of male privilege in the work place?

You see I think this accusation that anyone is privileged who is not disabled is a red herring. Most people are not disabled, and personally, I am happy to provide financial support via my tax bill to those who are physically or intellectually incapable of doing a job. My sympathy dries up completely when a person wants UC on specious grounds, like being ADHD. To the young woman sitting in the charity shop doorway begging, yesterday, I say you have two arms and two legs. You don't need to pass an exam, you only need to turn up, be willing to do whatever task is set you, and come back again tomorrow for your next shift. You are now welcome back to the world of us who work.

Oh for heaven’s sake how daft are you. Yes of course not having a disability is a privilege. There are lots of ways you can be privileged; for me it’s things like having parents that loved and supported me, the fact I escaped childhood without trauma, the fact I have a baseline of intelligence and was able to utilise my education. That’s just the beginning, none of those things are a dead cert. The fact is we do not start life as equals, so much of our life is determined by things that are set before we even take our first breath.

Bloody hell 😐

I don't really want to engage with this as I think they must be trolling. No one can genuinely think that a homeless person just needs to get a job. What address would they put on the contract? Not to mention the amount of people on here who post about how difficult their darling teens are finding it to get a first job because of the market at the moment - how much harder would it be for a homeless person! They can't be serious

Thank you so much. I can never blame a disabled person for being disabled. But I don't feel "privileged" for the mere fact my body works. I am grateful.

Turn up to what? A job? How do you get a job if you are homeless? Also all the issues that often accompany it like substance abuse.
Someone begging needs a lot more intervention and support before they can think about work.

I'm calling it, I think the thread is officially dead when there are just a few people left debating with people who think being able-bodied is not a privilege and that homeless people just need to turn up to work

@PrawnsForDinner & @Papyrophile

You really are both a special breed.

The reason you have what you have is because you’re privileged. You may have overcome something to achieve that, but you’re again, privileged, to have been able to.

Having two arms and legs doesn’t make a worker. You cannot walk into employment off the streets and reliably make that work. That’s not “work ready” means.

I don’t quite understand why someone would go on holiday to Leeds. Particularly someone allegedly wealthy. But taking a laptop with you is representative of a poor work life balance. Enjoy that burn out when it arrives. Maybe encourage your son to get some rest.

Where I live there are crops unpicked that could be in your supermarket for sale if people picked them for sale. Most such jobs will have dormitory accommodation too. Uncomfortable? Yes, very uncomfortable. And cold wet inhospitable conditions. But my DS is doing this work as an apprentice, as a preparation for better paid work once qualified. Digging ditches last week!

Is this thread going to end any time soon? Enough of the Dickensian stuff.

What is your definition of privilege exactly if you feel grateful but don’t recognise it as a privilege?

This has to be satire.
You don't need an apprenticeship to pick veg, just like all the other bullshit apprenticeships I have seen such as barista work, bar work, and making tea. One year of full time work on well less than NMW, a nonsense "qualifications", and no job at the end of it. Rinse and Repeat. It is just an excuse for employers to pay next to nothing and get cheap labour. Those jobs should be paying proper wage with proper conditions. Those are the sorts of jobs that take a few weeks of shadowing and training to do.

By that extent am I privileged to not be blind? I am fortunate and grateful to have been born in good health. Those with disabilities need help.

By that extent are we all privileged to be living in the United Kingdom versus lets say Nigeria or Sudan? I wasn't even born here and I moved. Things are better in the UK than in most of the developed world.

An advantage you get that most of the population don't have. Like going to an Eton level school.

I probably will continue to bang on that only people who are ready to work will do well. The rest of them, good luck chums. Not on my tax receipts if I have any say in the outcome.

@UserFront242 it's an NVQ in Commercial Crop Propagation. Comes with certification in operating most agricultural machinery, and will probably move into an Agronomy degree.

That would be all very well and good if there were actually enough jobs to go round, so that poor young woman could actually stand a chance of getting one. 🙄 Seriously, give your head a wobble. Where are a) your common sense, and b) your heart?

Where are you getting that definition from? Do you not believe in the concept of white privilege?

Why? I have tons of common sense. I graduated in 1977 which was a shit year for most people. And possibly I don't have a heart because I don't feel sorry for people who are unwilling to stand up and look after themselves and their families. It is not my doing that they are too wet to cope without a social worker holding them up.

And my school wasn't Eton or even close!

In 1977 when the state paid the tuition fees?

I have more admiration for someone on benefits who is compassionate and empathic than I do for someone who's "made it" at the cost of humane feeling.