Reading this makes me cry. " freighted with judgement and assumption" that's the daily experience of the people I try to help through financial mentoring are confronted with. The media and particular policiticans always come back to the 'they made bad choices' mantra. Well, yes they did and they're crippled by those bad choices whether it's an abusive partner they're terrified of, past trauma they can't shake off so getting a good night's sleep is impossible, or bad financial decisions like bying a car from a high cost lender and being unable to afford the repayments. Stuck in a freezing cold emergency accommodation motel room with sick kids, or being a single woman on a benefit, unable to live with others because of said trauma and paying 80% of her income on rent. What heartens me is that after the hours of work getting debts into a manageable repayment plan, getting a budget sorted and stuck to, encouragining some who are able back into work, getting clients to believe in themselves and that they are essentially good people, getting irresponsible lenders to back off the bad loans, is that my clients are able to see the light at the end of the very dark tunnel they've been in. The day they no longer need my help is a day to celebrate.
"Can we find a fairer, more inclusive, more generous way? Or are we going to go on leaning into a cold wind of free market and individual enrichment?" A stark choice. It is time to call it.
Could barely watch either. Both triggering and so close to my experience as a single mother in the 80s in Auckland. Basically no fucks given by anyone. As the social welfare woman said when I applied for an emergency payment for food: you made your bed……
Remember some years ago disabled guy wheeled himself some 5 or so kilometres into town on a rural road, mason's hammer in hand, to smash WINZ' front window. Why ? Because he'd painfully got himself in there a couple of days earlier for a food grant. "No !" said the bulldog at the public counter. "Go and get a budgeter's report". The man's file already held a budgeter's report. No budgeter appointments were available for 3 weeks. The resulting report would anyway be exactly the same as the existing one. Bulldog finally acknowledged there was discretion to grant without a further report but "No ! I'm not going to exercise the discretion." Importantly, nothing could happen until he got past the bulldog. That seemed to be advised. It took criminal damage and prosecution (convicted and discharged) and all sorts of bad press for WINZ to remove the bulldog from the public counter. Otherwise she'd still be there torturing people.
The difference between me and how I might have become Alex, was my parents. They took me and my then 2 year-old in. Despite the challenges, I remain indebted to them.
I am grateful to you for watching those and telling us here. I simply can't watch them not because I want to ignore the plight of those who find themselves in these kinds of human traps but because I just get very upset about why people who need help cannot get it. Are we so angry about other humans that we put up these absurd barriers and for what purpose ? And I also cannot understand people, including friends, who shun social welfare as bringing out the slacker in everyone. These times, I retreat to my house and read. Thanks for the column.
Maid was a heart wrenching watch. Roddy Doyle's Rosie, about a Dublin family forced into homelessness is another example of ordinary people unfairly disadvantaged by out of control economic forces. Film directors like Mike Leigh have been highlighting these stories for years, but like climate change the message seems to fall on deaf ears
Such a good point about how could those voices also be heard. For me, the concept of 'convergent facilitation' brings promise. It's a way of genuinely the needs of all are at the table and given equal weight by a small group of appointed people coming up with the best strategy to meet those needs. This. https://convergentfacilitation.org/
"Un-pretty communist you ! What's this shit about a vastly more active State and money for nought ? I'm having none of it ! What this country needs is for 'these people' to take a firm grip of their bootstraps.......!" There's the nub of it Uncle. Bastards never having walked in the mocassins or having forgotten the experience if they have, and the assistance they personally availed.......being incited to inhumanity by Bastards whose true paramountcy is unshaken entitlement to maximised personal power and/or personal wealth.
Snap! I watched Maid last night too - before I came to read your sermon 🙂
Many years ago, about the time they were buying them all up, from retired post war mum and dad's, I asked a dairy owner if he bought the lotto tickets he was selling to the down-at-heels who were desperately buyiing them for a SuperDraw. He replied "Winston, you and I were put on this earth to work."
Thanks David. 100% correct, again. Unfortunately, despite the massive inequality in our country, what we need is not being offered by any party at present.
Reading this makes me cry. " freighted with judgement and assumption" that's the daily experience of the people I try to help through financial mentoring are confronted with. The media and particular policiticans always come back to the 'they made bad choices' mantra. Well, yes they did and they're crippled by those bad choices whether it's an abusive partner they're terrified of, past trauma they can't shake off so getting a good night's sleep is impossible, or bad financial decisions like bying a car from a high cost lender and being unable to afford the repayments. Stuck in a freezing cold emergency accommodation motel room with sick kids, or being a single woman on a benefit, unable to live with others because of said trauma and paying 80% of her income on rent. What heartens me is that after the hours of work getting debts into a manageable repayment plan, getting a budget sorted and stuck to, encouragining some who are able back into work, getting clients to believe in themselves and that they are essentially good people, getting irresponsible lenders to back off the bad loans, is that my clients are able to see the light at the end of the very dark tunnel they've been in. The day they no longer need my help is a day to celebrate.
you do good work.
"Can we find a fairer, more inclusive, more generous way? Or are we going to go on leaning into a cold wind of free market and individual enrichment?" A stark choice. It is time to call it.
Could barely watch either. Both triggering and so close to my experience as a single mother in the 80s in Auckland. Basically no fucks given by anyone. As the social welfare woman said when I applied for an emergency payment for food: you made your bed……
Remember some years ago disabled guy wheeled himself some 5 or so kilometres into town on a rural road, mason's hammer in hand, to smash WINZ' front window. Why ? Because he'd painfully got himself in there a couple of days earlier for a food grant. "No !" said the bulldog at the public counter. "Go and get a budgeter's report". The man's file already held a budgeter's report. No budgeter appointments were available for 3 weeks. The resulting report would anyway be exactly the same as the existing one. Bulldog finally acknowledged there was discretion to grant without a further report but "No ! I'm not going to exercise the discretion." Importantly, nothing could happen until he got past the bulldog. That seemed to be advised. It took criminal damage and prosecution (convicted and discharged) and all sorts of bad press for WINZ to remove the bulldog from the public counter. Otherwise she'd still be there torturing people.
Oh my, did she? That's abhorrent. I trust all goes well for you now?
A bed made from an avalanche of lemons affords little warmth or comfort indeed
The difference between me and how I might have become Alex, was my parents. They took me and my then 2 year-old in. Despite the challenges, I remain indebted to them.
I am grateful to you for watching those and telling us here. I simply can't watch them not because I want to ignore the plight of those who find themselves in these kinds of human traps but because I just get very upset about why people who need help cannot get it. Are we so angry about other humans that we put up these absurd barriers and for what purpose ? And I also cannot understand people, including friends, who shun social welfare as bringing out the slacker in everyone. These times, I retreat to my house and read. Thanks for the column.
Maid was a heart wrenching watch. Roddy Doyle's Rosie, about a Dublin family forced into homelessness is another example of ordinary people unfairly disadvantaged by out of control economic forces. Film directors like Mike Leigh have been highlighting these stories for years, but like climate change the message seems to fall on deaf ears
Such a good point about how could those voices also be heard. For me, the concept of 'convergent facilitation' brings promise. It's a way of genuinely the needs of all are at the table and given equal weight by a small group of appointed people coming up with the best strategy to meet those needs. This. https://convergentfacilitation.org/
"Un-pretty communist you ! What's this shit about a vastly more active State and money for nought ? I'm having none of it ! What this country needs is for 'these people' to take a firm grip of their bootstraps.......!" There's the nub of it Uncle. Bastards never having walked in the mocassins or having forgotten the experience if they have, and the assistance they personally availed.......being incited to inhumanity by Bastards whose true paramountcy is unshaken entitlement to maximised personal power and/or personal wealth.
Yes
Brilliant read. Thank you.
Preach it.
Snap! I watched Maid last night too - before I came to read your sermon 🙂
Many years ago, about the time they were buying them all up, from retired post war mum and dad's, I asked a dairy owner if he bought the lotto tickets he was selling to the down-at-heels who were desperately buyiing them for a SuperDraw. He replied "Winston, you and I were put on this earth to work."
Excellent
We have gone from Pandora to Pandemic. Is this the cure for all our ills?
“Acute disease is cure”as someone pointed out back in the day.
“If we are ill and yet want to go on, we must put up the ante.”
“If we lose, it does not mean we wished to die.”
Apparently life can get a bit lonely and boring atop the pile of people one must trample on the way up avarice mountain.
I guess throwing empty champagne bottles at, and pouring scorn on those beneath you relieves the realisation that it really is lonely at the top .
David that is sad We need to do so much better Voting ACT would help No?
You have to be joking. Voting Act is like voting for Brave New World. A more dystopian party I can't think of.
Agreed
It was tongue-in-cheek question mark should have been after 'help'
No.
See above comment by me
Thanks David. 100% correct, again. Unfortunately, despite the massive inequality in our country, what we need is not being offered by any party at present.