Taking the micky

TrickyWicky

earthbound_misfit wrote: »

Research has shown that the quality of work matters more than having work or not. The mental health of unemployed peopled entering low-paid, low-interest work actually gets worse than when they were unemployed.
http://healthland.time.com/2011/03/15/study-having-a-bad-job-is-worse-than-no-job-for-mental-health/ (original report I read in BMJ but you need to pay to access it)

...

[Random anecdote: I used to work in a cafe, it was a minimum wage, busy/hard work job. But I had a brilliant lass to work with and we were given a lot of freedom by the manager (a lot of responsibility for min. wage too, but it made it much more interesting). Also chatting to customers was pleasant, so even though it was technically a rubbish job, the psychosocial quality wasn't too bad. So it's not just about money]

I agree with that 100%. If you have a job you enjoy, being on NMW isn't as bad as it is working a job you don't enjoy on NMW.

I've done some seriously carp jobs on reasonable money and I've also done carp jobs on carp money. Then I did taxi driving for a while on even carper money than all my previous jobs but I really genuinely enjoyed it. I got to talk to a lot of customers, hear their life stories and takes of woe, tell them mine, have a laugh and a joke etc and if they liked you they would often tip you (not much but enough for a can of coke or a chocolate bar at the end of the day ). The pay was actually worse than the NMW and some days I didn't even earn my petrol to work but there was very little pressure, customers were usually a good laugh and I got to drive up and down a lot of millionaires very posh driveways in my scruffy company cab . The only reason I left was because of an ongoing health problem that made me suffer in sheer agony and when that causes problems with the boss then there is no point staying. They did ask me to return but it wasn't worth living in pain 24/5 and making my health worse. If I could have my health problems resolved permanently with it being guaranteed not to come back I'd probably go back to be honest even though the wages were carp.

TrickyWicky

earthbound_misfit wrote: »

But that sort of thinking just encourages a race to the bottom. No one, according to you, is allowed to argue for better conditions unless they are the poorest of the poor. So, do we wait for everyone's standard of living to slip down to starvation level before we start questioning wealth distribution?

A very fair point. We shouldn't be working to diminish ourselves, we should be working to build a life for ourselves. This government would have us work for nothing for free at Tesco claiming it to be a good thing because they care so much.

It's seriously shocking how those at the top have become so morally judgemental that we should sacrifice ourselves and our lives so that they can make a few extra quid while claiming its for our own good.

Something is very wrong with this country.

sniggings

Dangermac wrote: »

There are some seriously 'interesting' people on this thread, that's for sure

To be honest, sniggings, I can see that you feel that world owes you a living. I reckon that you dont have the ability to get the job that you are posting about anyway, purely because of your attitude.

When I was 16, I was earning around £2 per hour (probably the equivalent of around £5 per hour now), but I worked hard and got myself noticed. 20 years later in am still in the same industry, but have my own company and a pretty decent standard of living.

The point is that you have to start somewhere. If you dont, you will never get anywhere, and be cursing that life has dealt you some s@@tty cards.

Grow up. Realise that the world does not owe you a living, and if you ever want to have a comfortable lifestyle, it generally involves hard work, and often means starting at the bottom.

DM

not sure how you got that from me not wanting to lie to get a job, and see a min wage job for what it is, this is the first I have been unemployed and it is only because of an injury, I will have a job soon again but will not fool myself into it will make me feel better about myself.

Daedalus

earthbound_misfit wrote: »

But that sort of thinking just encourages a race to the bottom. No one, according to you, is allowed to argue for better conditions unless they are the poorest of the poor. So, do we wait for everyone's standard of living to slip down to starvation level before we start questioning wealth distribution?

There is a difference between wanting a better standard of living and demanding a better standard of living whilst choosing to live on someone elses dime. You are effectively stealing standard of living from those who work and pay tax by choosing to remain on benefits.

j.e.j.

Dangermac wrote: »

When I was 16, I was earning around £2 per hour (probably the equivalent of around £5 per hour now), but I worked hard and got myself noticed.

congratulations :cool:

People who 'succeed' (depending on how you define success) are not those who slave away feathering someone else's nest if there's nothing in it for them. To get on requires, yes, hard work, but also being in the right place at the right time, being savvy, being self-confident and having shall we say 'people skills'. It's a combination of these things, I think, not just blindly working your n-ts off for nothing in a job that realistically offers no prospects.

Dangermac

j.e.j. wrote: »

congratulations :cool:

People who 'succeed' (depending on how you define success) are not those who slave away feathering someone else's nest if there's nothing in it for them. To get on requires, yes, hard work, but also being in the right place at the right time, being savvy, being self-confident and having shall we say 'people skills'. It's a combination of these things, I think, not just blindly working your n-ts off for nothing in a job that realistically offers no prospects.

Agreed. You have to work hard, often working for less than you would like, but knowing that your reward will come either now, or a little later on, because you are building your 'circle of influence', expanding your knowledge and gaining in confidence.

DM

Dangermac

sniggings wrote: »

not sure how you got that from me not wanting to lie to get a job, and see a min wage job for what it is, this is the first I have been unemployed and it is only because of an injury, I will have a job soon again but will not fool myself into it will make me feel better about myself.

I dont think you read my post, or if you did, you should re-read.

There's nothing wrong with working for the NMW but use the time and experience to build your knowledge and confidence, and then move to a better paid role/position when the 'balance of power' has changed.

Life is all about 'balance of power' and 'supply and demand'

DM

sniggings

Dangermac wrote: »

Agreed. You have to work hard, often working for less than you would like, but knowing that your reward will come either now, or a little later on, because you are building your 'circle of influence', expanding your knowledge and gaining in confidence.

DM

or like most, it never comes and we are starting to see that, if we all could "make it" the economy would collapse.

Dangermac

sniggings wrote: »

or like most, it never comes and we are starting to see that, if we all could "make it" the economy would collapse.

With that attititude, you'll never get anywhere, and keep believing that the world is against you.

I'm not saying everyone can reach the top (I wont. I dont have that ability or desire), but I aspired to do better than I was doing and worked hard to achieve it.

You seem like a pretty negative person to me.

Good luck. I suspect you'll need it

DM

Daedalus

sniggings wrote: »

or like most, it never comes and we are starting to see that, if we all could "make it" the economy would collapse.

Many people don't have what it takes to reach the high earning positions sure. Very few people will not reach a 'liveable' wage, which is what? £7.50? if they work hard and atleast apply for new positions.