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Britons have become so mean that many of us think poor people don’t deserve leisure time
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2023
208 points (97.7% liked)
UK Politics
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This is the best summary I could come up with:
Just 39% thought everyone – the wealthiest, average earners, those on the minimum wage, and benefits claimants – should be able to pursue a non-active hobby, with only 27% believing those on any income should have the chance to go out socialising.
The cost of living crisis has seen disposable income inequality in Britain rise, with the poorest fifth of the population enduring the biggest fall as they’re forced to spend more to cover the basics.
A decade of anti-benefits rhetoric and squeezes on living standards has fostered the belief that people on social security and low wages deserve a life of penury and boredom.
It creates a demand for ever more absurd conditions in order for critics to acknowledge hardship; until a mum with multiple sclerosis has to spend her evenings staring at a blank wall eating porridge to deserve disability benefits.
In a country where it’s now normalised for a home, access to basic utilities and regular meals to be out of reach for many, it’s easy to become convinced that hobbies and entertainment are unreasonable requests.
In The Road to Wigan Pier, George Orwell wrote of the working class: “Would it not be better if they spent more money on wholesome things like oranges and … saved on fuel and ate their carrots raw?
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