Is it acceptable to choose not to work?

[jinglesticks]

I have a friend who made a decision to never work and live off benefits instead. His father worked all his life, retired and died that year. As a result he became very angry with the work ethic in our society and decided life was too precious to waste working until you die. He now lives on unemployment benefit. He has to live very simply. He doesn't go out much, brews his own beer and plays the guitar all day. All this will presumably change under the new Universal Credits system. What do you think? Should one be able to make this kind of choice, or is it wrong to live off the taxes of others.

Incidentally, I wouldn't change places with him. Not for moral reasons. I'd much rather work in a job I love and feel that I earn the money I spend.

No.

Other people are in effect having to work harder to support his lifestyle choice. He can choose not to work by all means but I can't see why anyone else should be forced to subsidize him.

Its also tragic he thinks all work is waste of time. Much work is of value to both society and to the individual perfoming it.

If you are supported by others willing to support you then yes it is acceptable to choose not to work.

If not, then it is unacceptable.

That said, i think we do all tie ourselves up in knots about "wasters" and the like.

They are harming themselves and their families more than anyone else, so let them reap the reward of lack of ambition, self-esteem etc.

It's only acceptable to chose not to work if you have other means to support yourself and your family (so, rich parents).

He sounds immature. I hope that when he grows up he will see that we get personal satisfaction from contributing to society in some way, not leeching off it.

is he famous?
otherwise why is this news?

If he can finance this choice that's great. If he expects others to finance his choice then that's not so great. Maybe he isn't materialistic or objects to a capitalist society or whatever - his opinions are worthless if he relies on others to finance his lifestyle .

Has he had some sort of breakdown?

No, it's not reasonable, and I am the biggest bleeding heart leftie liberal going, so if I think that, I don't think many others will have sympathy with him.

If people have the means to support themselves then that is up to them but I believe that having things you HAVE to do is physically, mentally and morally good for you whether that is paid work, charity work or raising a family.

I think the system is there for people who can't get a job - not those who just don't fancy it.

The mistake this poor guy has made is to go from one extreme to the other. No, working to the exclusion of all else is a mistake (unless you love your work so much you want to). But that doesn't mean you have to do nothing. Someone do him a favour and explain 'work-life balance' to him.

No, it's not acceptable to sit back, do nothing and expect the results of other people's work to fund your new guitar strings.

It's all very well objecting morally to the work ethic in society, but it's this work ethic that gives him his income. Gotta love the skewed logic there!

Morally I don't think it's right.

But there aren't enough jobs to go round at the moment and better someone who doesn't want to work isn't working than someone who does.

If that makes sense.

I just hope he doesn't chose to have a family as him not working will have a negative impact on them.

Perhaps he could start teaching the guitar for free or something?

'I have a friend.'

It's always thus. 'I know someone who . . . ' 'I have a friend . . . ' but I'm morally better than that person, thus, I start threads on net forums about such ilk.

He could do voluntary work and put something back.

I don't think it's for us to say if it is acceptable or not - we don't really need to respond to an individual, because the way our country is set up is clear enough. All our efforts with children and teenagers are designed to get them into work of one sort or another, using skills to benefit others. Our entire history has been one of people working together in groups.

On a personal note: good lord, is the man not bored?????

Nope its not. Although this chap sounds a bit depressed to be honest.

Endevour is good for the human spirit.

I don't think it's for us to say if it is acceptable or not

I think we do have a right - perhaps even a duty, in a democratic society - to say to what our taxes should fund. We won't always get the outcome we want but we certainly have a right to say what we think should happen.

If you went out for a pizza with 6 people and when the bill came only 3 wanted to pay. The other 3 don't feel like it.

How would you feel?

I don't know. No it isn't right if other people are supporting you, of course not. But I can sort of see his point if he's saying that you only get one life and he doesn't want to use to it to tow the society-approved line. It's a bit radical for me but kind of appealing at the same time :)

Easy not to tow the line but still reap the advantages of that society - healthcare, a roof, food etc.

I think work is over rated and its moral benefits questionable
I do it for the money.

yeah I think he is depressed, and I hope he does change his views soon. Although, I did really only mention him as an example, I was more interested in what people thought about the idea of choosing not to work.

(ha ha - to expat I think I start to many sentences in rl with "I have a friend..." people have started to respond "and is her name jinglesticks?")

Personally I get very fed up with people who seem so anxious that anyone else might possibly be getting away with a better deal than they are. It's really Daily Mail mentality - all this fear of "scroungers" living off the taxes of honest hard working families. But on the other hand... well, there's some truth in it isn't there?

I don't agree with those who suggest its OK to not work because your family have left you lots of money. I think it's even more unfair that someone gets away without having to work because they were lucky enough to be born rich. - but that's a different bunfight

Yes Grimma: we absolutely have the right to say and that's what elections are about, that's what lobbying is about, campaigning etc.

Choosing one individual and discussing his circumstances is sort of pissing in the wind in comparison! What are we meant to say: oooh look, an aberration?

Why doesn't he go off and join some sort of commune? Then he could 'opt out' but not be supported with public money. If it's the work ethic that he objects to he wouldn't accept the funds from other peoples labour.

Ahh, but this is a benefits thread with a beard and a pom pom hat on, glass of homemade beer in one hand and guitar in the other, fighting for the right not to work but to live in peace and harmony with the woodland creatures. Right on, man!

Altogether now, in the musical style of the Aviva ad..."Freee-eee-ee-ee-eeeee-eee"