The return of the looney left

[burrish-gull]

If you think the idea is 'looney' then you are a bit blind in my opinion. We work more hours than most nations. More working hours means more stress, less time with the children, more work absences, more depression and less time to do the things in life that are more important than work.

Also, we work more hours for more money, but then this money is often spent on materialistic things that we do not actually need, buying more DVD's, more games, bigger TV packages, pints of lager at £4 a pint - does it make us any happier? Well, for about 10 seconds it does and then we want something else.

When you look at some other nations that work less but have less material posessions is their quality of life better or worse? for me, their QUALITY of life is actually better even if their financial situation is worse.

Before anyone calls me a work shy leftie then I can tell you for the last 3 weeks I have been in work at 7am and finishing at 7pm, it has got me thinking - what is the point?

The most sensible quote I've seen on here ever

 

[Wilko]

I've NEVER understood the whole FIVE day working week with just TWO days off. Who came up with that idea? It's f***ing bullshit. I need FAR more time off than that. I hate working, it's shit. Why would I want to spend the vast majority of my time NOT enjoying myself?

Yeah we all need to work to earn to keep the world turning etc. but it just seems everyone accepts that a 35/40 hour week is the standard when that's a phenomenally large amount of time spent working.

Teachers are the ones laughing. Finish early every day, don't even work the whole time they're AT work AND they get more holiday than ANYONE else in full time employment.

I have got NO interest in slogging away all week long just to get to the two short days of the weekend, all the time waiting for those precious four measly weeks of paid holiday we are so generously afforded each year.

It's an absolute JOKE.

f*** that for a laugh

You were doing so well until the bit about teachers. What do you mean they finish early and do not even work when they are there? My lessons run from 9am-5pm. I also have to plan the lessons, mark work, attend meetings, parents evenings, write reports etc. Therefore I work an average of 12 hours a day, I am in work at 7am and usually leave at 7pm. Come and have a go if you think it is so easy?

Before you say 'You get long holidays'. Yes, but you still have to go in and work and when you average out the hours I still do FAR more hours over a year in teaching than I EVER did in an office job.

 

[Wilko]

So you will become entirely self sufficient on the food, clothing, shelter and energy front?

No, my wages I get from 21hours a week will go on food, essential clothing, shelter and energy.

I will stop buying overpriced alcoholic drinks, DVDs I do not need, video games I do not need, branded clothing which I do not really need, eating out at over priced restaurants and other capitalist 'must have items' that really are not 'must have' by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[wellquickwoody]

No, my wages I get from 21hours a week will go on food, essential clothing, shelter and energy.

I will stop buying overpriced alcoholic drinks, DVDs I do not need, video games I do not need, branded clothing which I do not really need, eating out at over priced restaurants and other capitalist 'must have items' that really are not 'must have' by any stretch of the imagination.

In that case why not go part time now?

 

[alan partridge]

If you think the idea is 'looney' then you are a bit blind in my opinion. We work more hours than most nations. More working hours means more stress, less time with the children, more work absences, more depression and less time to do the things in life that are more important than work.

Also, we work more hours for more money, but then this money is often spent on materialistic things that we do not actually need, buying more DVD's, more games, bigger TV packages, pints of lager at £4 a pint - does it make us any happier? Well, for about 10 seconds it does and then we want something else.

When you look at some other nations that work less but have less material posessions is their quality of life better or worse? for me, their QUALITY of life is actually better even if their financial situation is worse.

Before anyone calls me a work shy leftie then I can tell you for the last 3 weeks I have been in work at 7am and finishing at 7pm, it has got me thinking - what is the point?

An intelligent and well thought out post. Same the shame can't be said for the original one in this thread. I didn't read the article. Can't be arsed if wellquicktocallsomethingPCwoody is using it to rail against the LOONY LEFT (let's face it, he'll use anything), but you are right Wilko. As is Blue Juice in his own way. I love my gadgets and STUFF but, at the end of the day, I value my time away from work (which I like, sometimes love) more.

 

[tedebear]

If you think the idea is 'looney' then you are a bit blind in my opinion. We work more hours than most nations. More working hours means more stress, less time with the children, more work absences, more depression and less time to do the things in life that are more important than work.

Also, we work more hours for more money, but then this money is often spent on materialistic things that we do not actually need, buying more DVD's, more games, bigger TV packages, pints of lager at £4 a pint - does it make us any happier? Well, for about 10 seconds it does and then we want something else.

When you look at some other nations that work less but have less material posessions is their quality of life better or worse? for me, their QUALITY of life is actually better even if their financial situation is worse.

Before anyone calls me a work shy leftie then I can tell you for the last 3 weeks I have been in work at 7am and finishing at 7pm, it has got me thinking - what is the point?

But its your want to work more hours to get more money to buy more things thats the problem? Not the fact that the hours are there to be worked!

Are you working those hours by choice? are you spending your money on materialistic things by choice?

I find other nations work better as they value family more and are less selfish as a collective, not because they have more or less money or work more or less hours...

Our govenrment bends over backwards to make life easier for each and every individual of this country, but maybe we should be rewarding those who are better at looking after each other...

 

[Bluejuice]

You were doing so well until the bit about teachers. What do you mean they finish early and do not even work when they are there? My lessons run from 9am-5pm. I also have to plan the lessons, mark work, attend meetings, parents evenings, write reports etc. Therefore I work an average of 12 hours a day, I am in work at 7am and usually leave at 7pm. Come and have a go if you think it is so easy?

Before you say 'You get long holidays'. Yes, but you still have to go in and work and when you average out the hours I still do FAR more hours over a year in teaching than I EVER did in an office job.

I stand corrected. To be fair the only teacher I know works in a prison and seems to get away with MURDER for a very decent wage. However he doesn't get the holidays that regular school teachers do so I just put two and two together.

I apologise if I've insulted your profession. Guess it just shows that NOBODY in Britain has it easy.

Time for revolution

 

[cannedheat]

If some of you lazy bastards find 40+ hours to much for you then f***ing diddums to you stay at home and change you babys shitty nappies then, no doubt you will need some kind of hand out for doing that, roll on the Conservative goverment.

Q ---- ---------

 

[beorhthelm]

If you think the idea is 'looney' then you are a bit blind in my opinion. We work more hours than most nations. More working hours means more stress, less time with the children, more work absences, more depression and less time to do the things in life that are more important than work.

but what will be the effect of more time with the children, rattling around the house with nothing to do, no money to do anything? will it cause more depression? it all vey well comparing to other countries, but they've always been that way, how would the british cope with such a change?

for me the "looney" part is summed up but the last quote of the original article: "It is time to break the power of the old industrial clock, take back our lives and work for a sustainable future.". take back our lives from whom or what? when in history was it different? before the industrial revolution we were all tied to the land. we have more free time than any time since we left the trees. the only way we could adopt the sort of sustainable future these hippies talk of is if we cull 90% of the population and dispence with every technological advace since the bronze age.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

This would never work as we live in a consumer society. When the Tories get back in the more likely scenario is the majority of us working more hours so that the toffs can become even richer.

 

[Wilko]

In that case why not go part time now?

Because in my job (like many others) part-timers get less responsibilities and are invariably the first to get laid off in difficult times (as has been proved recently). I actually enjoy working, really enjoy it in fact but as a society I do think we run ourswelves into the ground.

 

[Wilko]

but what will be the effect of more time with the children, rattling around the house with nothing to do, no money to do anything? .

But here is where the problem is, we as a society assume you need money to enjoy life. Surely TIME spent with children is far more important than how much money you spend on them?

 

[wellquickwoody]

But here is where the problem is, we as a society assume you need money to enjoy life. Surely TIME spent with children is far more important than how much money you spend on them?

If you exclude food, shelter, clothing and heating then maybe you might have a point.

 

[Wilko]

But its your want to work more hours to get more money to buy more things thats the problem? Not the fact that the hours are there to be worked!

Are you working those hours by choice? are you spending your money on materialistic things by choice?
...

You are right, I do work more hours to buy more stuff and I annoy myself for doing it. I have just spent 3 weeks marking exam papers on top of a full time teaching job, I have been working like a dog, barely sleeping and making myself ill, all that for an extra £1000 in my bank. It really was not worth it, but like so many others I have been sucked in by a capitalist society

 

[Helter]

Return of the looney left

The looney left have been running the country for the last 12 years, where have you been man!

 

[Helter]

Our govenrment bends over backwards to make life easier for each and every individual of this country

lol, never heard so much shit in my entire life. keep taking the medication love.

 

[tedebear]

lol, never heard so much shit in my entire life. keep taking the medication love.

Thats because your ear is up your arse....I'd start taking medication if I were you "love"...

 

[cheshunt seagull]

The purpose of think tanks whether right or left is to come up with ideas which challenge existing mindsets and stimulate debate, rather than come out with coherent policies; that 'should' be the job of the politicians and policy makers. I think these ideas simply note that on the one hand, there are a lot of people working long hours, many of which are probably unproductive, at a cost to their physical and mental wellbeing. Whilst on the other hand there are an increasingly large number of people who are prevented from making a contribution and from developing knowledge and experience. On the face of it this doesn't make a great deal of sense as our skills base is diminished and society as a whole becomes more divided. On the other, there are huge obstacles to making any major step change. What might result from this sort of a debate is a greater exploration of things like job sharing.

 

[BLOCK F]

If you think the idea is 'looney' then you are a bit blind in my opinion. We work more hours than most nations. More working hours means more stress, less time with the children, more work absences, more depression and less time to do the things in life that are more important than work.

Also, we work more hours for more money, but then this money is often spent on materialistic things that we do not actually need, buying more DVD's, more games, bigger TV packages, pints of lager at £4 a pint - does it make us any happier? Well, for about 10 seconds it does and then we want something else.

When you look at some other nations that work less but have less material posessions is their quality of life better or worse? for me, their QUALITY of life is actually better even if their financial situation is worse.

Before anyone calls me a work shy leftie then I can tell you for the last 3 weeks I have been in work at 7am and finishing at 7pm, it has got me thinking - what is the point?

Probably so you can afford a ticket to go and watch Albion now and again!

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

The purpose of think tanks whether right or left is to come up with ideas which challenge existing mindsets and stimulate debate, rather than come out with coherent policies; that 'should' be the job of the politicians and policy makers. I think these ideas simply note that on the one hand, there are a lot of people working long hours, many of which are probably unproductive, at a cost to their physical and mental wellbeing. Whilst on the other hand there are an increasingly large number of people who are prevented from making a contribution and from developing knowledge and experience. On the face of it this doesn't make a great deal of sense as our skills base is diminished and society as a whole becomes more divided. On the other, there are huge obstacles to making any major step change. What might result from this sort of a debate is a greater exploration of things like job sharing.

Great to see someone writing with a sense of proportion and context. You've hit the nail on the head.