50inch wall mounted TV and american style fridge freezer both from Brighthouse. I know someone who has these but only ever worked 6 months in their whole life.
Bedroom tax
- Thread starter Danthus
- Start date
50inch wall mounted TV and american style fridge freezer both from Brighthouse. I know someone who has these but only ever worked 6 months in their whole life.
It's better not to base world views from anecdotal experiences which may not be representative of the wider population.
But I'm sure you already knew that......
If you don't really care about the welfare of others, I can see how it would be so trivial to you.
Soldato
- Joined
- 8 Mar 2007
- Posts
- 10,938
I think what he's saying is that the increase in food bank usage is more linked to people's tendency to take something for nothing that more people having nothing forcing the need for them.
Look at it this way, if Dixons decided to start giving away free 30" HD TVs you'd expect the number of 30" TV owners to increase, but that wouldn't mean that societies' ability to buy 40" TVs is decreased, just that more people are willing to take something for free than pay something to get the extra quality.
Yes, of course people queue up for morsels of food next to the homeless because of the entitlement "something for nothing" culture.
Never mind keeping up with the Joneses, slumming it with the undesirables is now in vogue huh?
There have always been food banks and similar charities, that they are now struggling to keep up with demand says what?
a) People are struggling and are in need of charitable assistance
b) People are selfishly taking charity services that they do not need
Hmmm. Not convinced.
Do you really class a TV as a luxury? Do you think people should be living in concrete rooms with nothing to be truly poor in a first world country?
should probably be prioritising food ahead of TV, alcohol, cigarettes etc.. tbh....
Well, yes, but how do we know it's even an issue?
Just how ubiquitous are 32" + TV's, alcohol and cigarettes amongst those visiting food banks?
You seem surprised.
By your reasoning people who don't need to beg wouldn't beg yes?
Or claim benefits they didn't need to?
Or fake injuries?
Everybody is entirely honorable all the time.
I prefer my starting point than yours?
I wouldn't say everyone acts responsibly, but I won't assume that everyone pretty much doesn't.
And no I'm not surprised, I've spent a long time arguing against ingrained prejudice and right wing rhetoric here. For my sins. I'll just keep pointing it out all the same.
At risk of being accused of being a right wing demagogue, very few people visiting food banks are homeless, only around 4%. The food banks themselves also put down some of the increase to the larger number of food banks and an increase in awareness of them. Basically the health and social care professionals are more aware of food banks and are now more likely to refer someone to them.
The largest % of those going to food banks are for late benefit payments rather than cut benefit payments.
Well TV's are not an ongoing expenditure, one could purchase a TV, then 3 years later be in dire straights.
Also as predominantly well off people are early adopters and high valued customers, their perception of how much things cost later down the line is very off.
People have addictions to cigarettes and dependencies on alcohol, (I know I would if I had to live the life of someone on benefits) treatment isn't easily available.
They quite often get services that come to them, but the numbers of those that are homeless is quite irrelevant in a satire, isn't it?
The truth of the matter is that all manner of people are finding themselves in difficult situations and that extends outside of the lower class, and across most other demographics.
I don't sit gnawing at my fist thinking about why they haven't sold their TV yet or given up the booze and fags. I don't know anything about them. I don't need assistance, I'm comfortable. I don't own a TV.
Generalisations?
They are ****.
I doubt all the satellite dishes on the average chav estate are for freesat
as for cigarette addictions - people can quit - I'd imagine (supposedly) not being able to afford food would be incentive enough... then again if people are enabling you to get food for free and save your cash for cigarettes then...
poverty is relative in the UK - its not real poverty its just people who are bad at managing their lives
You seem to think that posting a snappy infograph is a 'case closed' kind of gesture. But that infograph proves nothing. It says right at the top, 'If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back and a roof over your head...' but we've already pointed out that that is not the case for at least several hundreds of thousand in this country.
And if you're going to insist that large scale food bank usage is simply a consequence of people wanting 'something for nothing', then the onus is on you to account for the spike in usage since, you know... the largest financial and economic crash for 70 years. And you will have to do better than, 'they are getting used more because there's more awareness'. I'm honestly surprised anyone's brain could allow such an obviously ridiculous thought to pass the filter.
And if you're going to insist that large scale food bank usage is simply a consequence of people wanting 'something for nothing', then the onus is on you to account for the spike in usage since, you know... the largest financial and economic crash for 70 years. And you will have to do better than, 'they are getting used more because there's more awareness'. I'm honestly surprised anyone's brain could allow such an obviously ridiculous thought to pass the filter.
Whats ridiculous about the fact that poverty in the UK is essentially only relative poverty?
yes food bank usage has rocketed... large financial crisis... not exactly a surprise that more people having less money will result in more people turning to handouts....
yes food bank usage has rocketed... large financial crisis... not exactly a surprise that more people having less money will result in more people turning to handouts....
I doubt all the satellite dishes on the average chav estate are for freesat
as for cigarette addictions - people can quit - I'd imagine (supposedly) not being able to afford food would be incentive enough... then again if people are enabling you to get food for free and save your cash for cigarettes then...
poverty is relative in the UK - its not real poverty its just people who are bad at managing their lives
Why exacty would the fact this kind of poverty is only reative matter?, the social consequences of it are real & signficant.
Two further points, why exactly would the situation in Africa make poverty here a minor problem?, I mean murder is worse than GBH but we still have to deal with both crimes.
Absolute poverty is indeed worse than relative poverty but it stil matters.
On the other point, I've noticed a trend that the same people who complain about helping the poor in the UK (under the guise of the situation being worse in Africa) are the same people who make the excuse that we shouldn't be sending money abroad while we still have poor people here.
If you just don't give a **** about your fellow human the just say so - stop pretending to have moral integrity.
(Not aimed at you specifically)
Last edited:
No what you assume is someone is either for you or against you.
You seemingly have no concept of there being any other positions than right or left wing, which in your head = hating the poor or not hating the poor.
When in actual fact a good few people who debate with you on this subject have been poorer than the people who use these food banks have ever been.
How do you know the exact financial position of the people who use the food banks?.
Please give me the exact source you are using for this.