Careful there Nhoj, your ignorance is showing again.

All those handouts you mention were a pittance, designed to help those who had family to depend on for accommodation. There was never any real consideration that the recipients could actually live independently on them.

Yes we had child endowment, in the early 50s if you saved it for a year it still wouldn't buy a pair of shoes. That is probably why we all went to school barefoot.

Yuyutsu no amount of rationalizing can ever justify anyone making a conscious decision to live off the labor of others.

Nhoj

A couple of points for you. First, you didn't go back far enough with your figures. None of this existed in the late 1800's.
Secondly, the generation to which I referred were too proud to ask for handouts even had they been available. Rather, the communities helped each other when they perceived the need.
You constantly castigate people who put forward arguments which don't fit your own perceptions. By your definition they must always be from 'the right'.
I seem to have missed any of your posts which see something good in our present system, but you are very liberal with your criticisms. I find such negativity appalling and completely unproductive.

My suggestion to anyone who is so vehemently opposed to life here under either Labour or Liberals rule is to leave for perceived finer pastures.

I have lived and worked in various other countries [including 1 communist one], so trust me when I say that by comparison Australia is way out on top - not perfect, but neither is anywhere else on earth.
cont'd

Dear Hasbeen,

<<Yuyutsu no amount of rationalizing can ever justify anyone making a conscious decision to live off the labor of others.>>

First tell this to the millions of "public-servants" (and external contractors, including universities and doctors) and politicians (and their families) that live extravagantly off our labour.

Second tell this to the millions of moms and dads who are paid in many ways to bring more babies, off our labour.

Dole-recipients should be the last to be told, because the amount they receive to "live off" is negligible relative to the top two groups and hardly allows them to live.

By the time the first two groups are told, there will hopefully develop a culture of voluntarism and charity to replace the mandatory oppression of government. Once that happens, dole-recipients can also move to this voluntary, non-coercive system.

I do hope that you have nothing against voluntary charitable exchange, or do you?

The older members on this forum have been there, done that, and experienced good times and bad in their lives. I think they deserve respect for their experiences and the views they share.

I am dismayed that you cast aspersions on them. My generation valued their stories and their insights - acknowledging that we were too young to have accumulated that ourselves, and how lucky we are by comparison.

Instead of expending fruitless energy putting people down, how about you find some positives to explore and share. Maybe then you'll be taken seriously.

I don't wish to offend you, but if you re-read your posts I think you'll recognise that you present as an angry young person with nothing but acrimony in your heart, which is why I usually prefer to ignore your posts. However, I'm hoping you can show us a better side too. Digest older forum member's experiences without immediately seeing how you can tear them down - in my case by producing [albeit interesting if correct] figures not relevant to the correct time period, so for you it was time wasted collating them in your effort to prove my friend's mother didn't have to do it so hard. Believe me - she did!

Hasbeen is an obvious example of someone who has had his fair share of tough times, yet survived them. Yes, he's rather cynical as a result, but I'd say with good reason when some young turks attack him, even though he makes some very valid points.

Worldwatcher – As a grandfather bordering on great, I say age entitles you to nothing.

Respect is given and only the arrogant expect it.

Life experience does not necessarily buy the aged any credibility, nor can it be used as an excuse.

The current generation is a direct consequence of the older generation’s inability to address reality and embrace change.

The son is not responsible for the mistakes of the father (or grandfather).

The blind political idolism, greed, racism, misogyny that is displayed by some contributors astounds me.

Dear Producer,

It would be interesting to know from where you have gained your amazing insight and wisdom - whereby you can feel so free to label so many with such venom, as in your following:

>The blind political idolism, greed, racism, misogyny that is displayed by some contributors astounds me.<

I take it you have no blind-spot, no niggling ideology, no wish for something better (want, need, and not necessarily 'greed'), and no prejudice of any kind?

Someone so perfect as yourself should surely have some argument to put forward for your 'beliefs'?
For, thus far, belief is all you have conveyed.
(As well as a profound disenchantment with our present form of existence.)

Signed: From an aged and obviously age-deranged, misled, unwise, bigoted, and obviously therefore totally super-superfluous individual.