Entitlement In British Culture
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This is more of a social talking point, but this area of the forum is gonna have opinions on this. Looking for as many contrary and explorative answers to these questions as possible:
Is there a culture of unjustifiable entitlement in this country?
Is there a lack of appreciation for wealth and material assetts in this country?
Do we expect more than we deserve in general life, and when does the feeling of deserving stop being reasonable?
Cheers!
Is there a culture of unjustifiable entitlement in this country?
Is there a lack of appreciation for wealth and material assetts in this country?
Do we expect more than we deserve in general life, and when does the feeling of deserving stop being reasonable?
Cheers!
0
Comments
In many other countries, for example in Japan and Korea, there is a sense of shame when it comes to benefits. The Koreans call this changpi. They would do everything in their power not to be on benefits, to be seen as a good-for-nothing, to be seen as a loafer, a beggar and not to be surviving on one's own merits is the ultimate cultural sanction.
You awful cynic you.
Yes. But some of it is from outside influence whilst other is the ease of access to welfare
Is there a lack of appreciation for wealth and material assetts in this country?
Probably more so in the working and middle classes than anywhere else.
Do we expect more than we deserve in general life, and when does the feeling of deserving stop being reasonable?
We should never feel like we're not worth more than we currently are. That hinders ambition to reach higher.
What would you argue is the correct thinking and why?
When you say 'we should never feel like we're not worth more than we are', what do you mean? Where's the starting point for self-value? What do you believe you're entitled to?
I know - But its something I would have done, if the internet was around when I was studying
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The level of entitlement in modern British corporate culture is definately unjustifiable. In the way of bonus's being paid for failing or not performing to the level of the standard set. CEO's believe that they deserve this bonus for doing the job they are paid to do. A bonus used to be paid in appreciation of performing a job higher than a set standard. Yet they believe its their entitlement to receive it.
EDIT : Entitlement does not always have to extend to welfare.
That's incorrect. CEO's believe they're entitled to the bonus that is detailed in their contract - providing, of course, they achieve the necessary objectives (if there are any). The fact that CEO's have probably negotiated their contracts and that whoever employed them went along with it is where the problem lies.
Unless he owns the company, a CEO can't take money out of the company that he's not entitled to - that's theft. It's all down to what's in the contract and it takes two to make and agree a contract.
1. Yes, you only have to look at the royal family and their hangers on, plus the Eton educated planks who think the world owes them a living
2. You need to define this question before it can be answered (and learn to spell "asset")
3. No, and I don't think "deserve" is the correct word in this context. Exactly what do you mean by deserve - people get what they pay for / earn or something more than that?
4. Obviously not
1) You can have an entitlement that is legally justified but not morally justified but to know where the line of moral justification lies one needs to have a set of principles of right or wrong. this applies to all sections rich and poor, benefit claimants, workers for cash, CEO and other wealthy people
2) Many are unconvinced by consumerism, as long as the basic needs are met and there is a little available for the occasional treat most can live very comfortably, what people find disturbing is conspicuous materialism (the British tend to be understated) and greedy manipulation (British standard of fair play)
3) Most people are happy as long as they are treated fairly, we may be could have a little more ambition but overall I think we have the balance about right. contentment is not always a bad thing as it frees us for the more important things in life.
4) When people have more than they need
They believe they deserve the bonus even if they've failed badly, as recently at Network Rail, where the Board failed to achieve all targets, resulting in the company being fined £75 million by the regulator, but the Remuneration Committee, who get paid around £50,000 a year for attending a few meetings, still decided the Directors deserved a bonus.
And that almost always happens, private and public sector.
If so, nowhere is that more apparent than in banks. You showed it yourself when made the post saying you hope there's more QE, a massive public subsidy of bankers.
You only need to refer to the amount of people foaming at the mouth when the Government made some very modest and overdue welfare reforms - listening to some of these jokers you would think there are babies being butchered in the street, not a few medical assessments on some dodgy disablement claimants.
Bankers have pocketed far more of our money than social security claimants.
Yes, but they ARE entitled to everything because they own the country. If she wanted to the Queen could go out into the street and randomly point at stuff and go, "That's mine, that's mine, that's mine...in fact it's all mine"
You may think that losing your sight or getting a condition like Parkinsons etc are minor irritations that one can get over if you try hard enough. I guess your tune will change if/when it happens to you or someone you love (if you deign to care for someone that is).
I challenge you to spend a day at work or travelling about a town or village in a wheelchair or blindfolded and then tell me it is easy.
Try walking a mile in someone else's shoes before you jump to judgements.
That's not right though, is it?
Nobody should be able to 'own' countries (or us as citizens), this is the problem. We've spent the last 10 years blowing up countries in the Middle East because they are 'owned' by families, rather than operated as true democracies for their citizens...
Exactly.
Nope, and when it starts at the top with the bourgeois elites and then the MPs and Lords with their cushy sinecures and gold-plated pensions and completely legally tax-avoiding company directors what hope is there for the rest of us?
I think the whole establishment has pushed a phenomenal sense of entitlement on to young people.
You have politicians, directors, celebrities, media figure-heads and others who have never done a hard days work in their life and have either got to where they are by crushing other people or through pure luck/having it handed on a plate.
Funnily enough then young people don't want to be told that unlike their lords and masters, they have to work solidly for 40 years to attain not even 1% of what these people have.
If Cameron and others truly believed what they said they would lead by example - they don't though. They live these rich fantasy lives that are so disconnected from other people it's unreal.
And lets not forget the tv adverts that the governments have run TELLING people to claim what they are entitled to.