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Is being lazy really a big deal?
One of my friends is unemployed and on JSA, and my other friends were criticising and bitching about him, saying he needs to be less lazy and look for work because 'all my hard earned cash goes towards that person'. First, it goes towards millions of people who are on JSA, not just him. Second, doesn't it count for something like >5% of government spending? Big deal, right? In the scheme of things anyway, and given how hard it is to land work at the moment.
Then I said maybe he has anxiety problems (which he does actually have) which makes life more difficult for him, then they argued back with the classic 'I have loads of shit in my life and I still go to work.' Then I argued that maybe it's a matter of individual differences, people experience life differently and maybe you have better coping skills than him; maybe he's an HSP (highly sensitive person), etc.
Anyway I lost the argument, simply because I didn't want to start an argument. One of my friends said 'who in this country would agree with you'. I felt like saying 'people who don't read the Daily Mail, maybe?' Sometimes it's hard to come up with a counterargument without insulting people...
It just fascinates me that people have attitudes like this towards their fellow socioeconomic peers (we're working/lower middle class - they're ironic Toryphiles, but generally apolitical). Not only is it quite mean and harsh but it's also really uncool to have opinions like that, especially at that age.
Sorry, I just needed a rant. What would you say in a similar situation?