Just one of many unemployed people

I’m fed up with how the media & politicians portray the unemployed.  From George Osbourne calling us Skivers, not strivers and the TV and media in general concentrating on the very worse types of unemployed people for who a life on benefits is a way of life and one they are happy with.

 In fact both sets concentrate on the very few unemployed who are happy to be that way, not the millions who would rather actually be in a job than claiming benefit.  Those who do all they can to try and get that job only to find they are just one in hundreds or if not thousands who have applied for that role.  Those for who actually getting an interview is a big deal because they get the chance to sit in front of a potential employer and try to sell themselves.  Those who will make the effort, make sure that the clothes they are wearing are clean and pressed, shoe shiny, hair cut and styled making sure they give the right impression. 

Do we see television company’s, journalists or politicians highlighting the efforts these people make to get off benefits? 

No! 

It doesn’t fit with what they are trying to achieve, it wouldn’t be entertaining to watch a genuine unemployed person struggle with life on benefits, the rows with partners & children. Dealing with nasty letters from the bank because the mortgage hasn’t been paid, nasty letters from the utility company’s because bills haven’t been paid on time and the ever present threat of having your home reprocessed, the electricity or gas being cut off, the bailiffs knocking on the door.

That is the reality for a lot of unemployed people, it isn’t good viewing, it wouldn’t make good copy and it doesn’t give politicians headline grabbing slogans or sound bites.  Unemployment for the vast majority of those who are unfortunate to be in that position is, depressing, agonising and soul destroying to name just a few.

The way politicians and media portray those who are unemployed is mis-leading to say the very least.  It’s hurtful, vilifying, deceitful  and plain wrong.  Yes there are those who play the system, who make fraudulent claims and are happy to do so but they are a very small percentage of those classed as unemployed.

So before classing all the unemployed as Skivers not Strivers, cheats and fraudsters, put yourself in the position of the many millions who strive hard to find that job, who struggle day to day, who when given the opportunity of an interview do all they possibly can to make that good impression that will land them the job and ask yourself the question “Are they not Strivers too?”