"I've never had a job"

[Mich the Tester]

I would have thought being born into poverty (ok not poverty in the true sense) would be a greater incentive to making something or your life than being born into affluence.

For a few outstanding individuals this is the case; Duncan Bannatyne and Alan Sugar are fine examples.

How many self made millionaires come from a middle class background?

More than you think. Don't forget that it can be a PR thing to exaggerate your difficult childhood. Ultimately, a good education and experience in the family business will give you more chance of becoming a millionaire than being born in the rough end of Glasgow, but of course people won't then call you 'self made'; they'll assume that you've been gifted everything by daddy instead of doing something clever yourself.

[expat]

It always amazes me the French unions can actually find anyone prepared to get out of bed and turn up for a picket.

Only in cases of dire necessity. Normally being on strike consists of staying at home on full pay.

[DieScum]

To be honest this person’s so bleeding useless it’s probably cheaper to just give her benefits to keep her away from any kind of a job where she’d do a lot more damage to the economy. Sorry to say it, but some people really are just too hopeless to work. The question is really whether we let those people rot, begging and drug dealing in the streets, or try to at least keep them in humane conditions where they might leave the rest of us alone, and then try to help their kids make a better go of life.

I think that is pretty much spot on but you don't want to be judgemental because sometimes life is difficult and complex.

I grew up on a council estate and I can't remember many people in my family having jobs. Which was tough. My step-dad just couldn't get on for years and then he eventually got one as a lollipop man. I remember being mortified as a teenager at that.

My Dad never really worked. He was a landlord for a bit, then became an alcoholic and then kind of fell in to sickness benefit. Economically he is basically just a useless scrounger and waster. Thing is once you go far enough down a road it's hard to go anywhere else.

I was lucky that I was reasonably smart and alright at school. I left home at 16. Went to a red brick uni and never really looked back. Had most of the chances that kids going to Eton have.

People like to slag off the UK but I will always be grateful for the chances that being born in this country has given me.

I've probably paid way more in tax now than anyone in my family has received in their extensive years on benefit. So I think some people are useless but you still in a humane society have to provide at least something for them to get by and give their kids some chances.

[sasguru]

I think that is pretty much spot on but you don't want to be judgemental because sometimes life is difficult and complex.

I grew up on a council estate and I can't remember many people in my family having jobs. Which was tough. My step-dad just couldn't get on for years and then he eventually got one as a lollipop man. I remember being mortified as a teenager at that.

My Dad never really worked. He was a landlord for a bit, then became an alcoholic and then kind of fell in to sickness benefit. Economically he is basically just a useless scrounger and waster. Thing is once you go far enough down a road it's hard to go anywhere else.

I was lucky that I was reasonably smart and alright at school. I left home at 16. Went to a red brick uni and never really looked back. Had most of the chances that kids going to Eton have.

People like to slag off the UK but I will always be grateful for the chances that being born in this country has given me.

I've probably paid way more in tax now than anyone in my family has received in their extensive years on benefit. So I think some people are useless but you still in a humane society have to provide at least something for them to get by and give their kids some chances.

A thoughtful intelligent post on CUK? Whatever next?
Well done that man - for many reasons

[Mich the Tester]

I think that is pretty much spot on but you don't want to be judgemental because sometimes life is difficult and complex.

I grew up on a council estate and I can't remember many people in my family having jobs. Which was tough. My step-dad just couldn't get on for years and then he eventually got one as a lollipop man. I remember being mortified as a teenager at that.

My Dad never really worked. He was a landlord for a bit, then became an alcoholic and then kind of fell in to sickness benefit. Economically he is basically just a useless scrounger and waster. Thing is once you go far enough down a road it's hard to go anywhere else.

I was lucky that I was reasonably smart and alright at school. I left home at 16. Went to a red brick uni and never really looked back. Had most of the chances that kids going to Eton have.

People like to slag off the UK but I will always be grateful for the chances that being born in this country has given me.

I've probably paid way more in tax now than anyone in my family has received in their extensive years on benefit. So I think some people are useless but you still in a humane society have to provide at least something for them to get by and give their kids some chances.

That's why I think it's important to concentrate on helping the kids to make a better go of it; this woman's beyond ever getting a job; there's no point in berating her, better to accept that in her case it's gone wrong and try and prevent it happening again. I posed the 'choice' because that's really what it boils down to with these things; if you damn the woman who's never had a job, you damn her kids, who are innocent and deserve a chance.

[gingerjedi]

For a few outstanding individuals this is the case; Duncan Bannatyne and Alan Sugar are fine examples.

It's true that most could make more of their lives if they could be bothered but what narks me about the two you mention is the way they always say that anyone can achieve what they have if they try hard enough, plenty do try and work bloody hard at it, some have moderate success and some just fail.

You don't amass several hundred million without getting just a few lucky breaks along the way, I wish they would acknowledge that every now and then.

[Mich the Tester]

It's true that most could make more of their lives if they could be bothered but what narks me about the two you mention is the way they always say that anyone can achieve what they have if they try hard enough, plenty do try and work bloody hard at it, some have moderate success and some just fail.

You don't amass several hundred million without getting just a few lucky breaks along the way, I wish they would acknowledge that every now and then.

Yes, some of it is luck; both these guys have worked hard and I applaud them, but lots of people work hard and do their best for little reward.

[minestrone]

If you come from that area you are very, very unlikely to ever make anything of your life, hardly anyone works and the kids just spend their days drinking and stabbing each other. I think life expectancy is in the 50s. The scheme is divided up and each area has its own gang. The kids cannot leave their area to work or they will get stabbed.

If you want to blame anyone blame the socialist Glasgow Corporation who thought it was a good idea to build the biggest housing scheme in Western Europe in the middle of the country and throw tens of thousands of families into it.

[Bagpuss]

This woman strikes me as someone who has lost direction in her life. Not everyone has the ability to "think outside of the box". She acts the way expected of her by the state and by the community. She is a victim of the system as much of one of her own actions. The state need to stop making it hard for people to work. Remove the fiscal drag into benefits by removing taxation on low earners and reducing the amount of benefit. Maybe providing food and heating vouchers instead of money.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Yes, some of it is luck; both these guys have worked hard and I applaud them, but lots of people work hard and do their best for little reward.

Another part of it is desire for cash above almost anything. I'm not criticising this but some poor kids will have a better relationship with their mums and dads than some rich ones because they are around more. I have been wondering why I wasn't more like Sugar, Bannatyne et al - and aside from not having the guts, determination and ideas, I just don't want it badly enough.