Ingratitude
Posted by Christie Malry on February 28, 2011 at 9:29 am
There's a classic fairy tale about an old woman who lives in a vinegar bottle. She complains about her lot and is overheard by a kind fairy. The fairy decides to grant her wish to live in a nice little cottage instead of the vinegar bottle. But eventually she grows to complain about the cottage too, about how it's too poky and cramped and how she'd rather be living in a larger house. Because she's so kind, the fairy helps her again. And so on and so on. Eventually the fairy gets exasperated with her constant complaining and wishes her back into the vinegar bottle. Because she clearly won't be happy anywhere, she may as well be unhappy there.
The moral of the story is that there are some people who will always be unsatisfied with their lot, no matter how good you try and make it.
In the UK, we can see plenty of people who may as well live in vinegar bottles.
For example, while there are people who genuinely need benefits, it is viewed by others as an entitlement rather than a safety net. In most other countries of the world, not working would be a route to a swift death. We hear stories of people who clean out other people's shit with their bare hands or who pick through rubbish tips for things to sell. It's really only in very rich countries that people expect to be kept in comfort by complete strangers by the tax system. But our extraordinary generosity isn't matched with gratitude. It's met with the same grumbling complaints as the old woman in the vinegar bottle.
In this context, asking these people to forego some of their future expectations in the interests of the UK's economy is a really very sensible course of action. Compared to many others in the world, they're not living in vinegar bottles, they're living in palaces. They should start behaving like they appreciate their good fortune.
"In this context, asking these people to forego some of their future expectations in the interests of the UK's economy is a really very sensible course of action."
Can we assume that this was written with bankers' bonuses in mind - or was it about attacking tax avoidance and reversing the reduction in the corporation tax rate from 28% to 24%. Or was about those wingeing about things like cuts in incapacity benefits, housing (they should count themselves lucky living in a vinegar bottle - me I had to live in a hole in the road and they weren't as big or numerous in my day either), libraries and such things. Can I presume that you support the maintenance of the 50% tax band for the forseeable future
The poorest man in the UK would be one of the richest in most others in the world. I'm not going to shed a single tear for them while others in the world face real hardship and when so much has already been done to help them, but they wilfully refuse to help themselves.
Even as a leftie I agree with this. I think Labour also realise it hence there is general cross party support for IDS welfare reforms (subject to v. specific points for debate) and Miliband is talking about the 'squeezed middle' rather than the absolute poor.
"I'm not going to shed a single tear for them while others in the world face real hardship"
How convenient - I wasn't aware that it was an either or choice. If you don't think that real hardship exists in the Uk (and no I don't want to indulge in a game of hardship Top Trumps) then you need to get out more - or even listen to some of what Cameron is saying about the Big Society. Homeless shelters are always looking for volunteers - I defy you to go and help one for just one night and then repeat such a crass statement.
I won't be taking your bait and switch, thank you very much. But nice try at justifying our bloated welfare benefits edifice on the back of a handful of people that the welfare state doesn't even reach. Nice ad for the Big Society, though.
"Homeless shelters are always looking for volunteers - I defy you to go and help one for just one night and then repeat such a crass statement."
The welfare system clearly worked there, then. Keeping feckless people in an indolent lifestyle and failing others: an excellent system, just like socialism in general.