Discussion Work

[Johnnythefox]

I'm desperate for a job. After the accident 2+ years ago, I have lost much of me confidence and self esteem.

I now have zero confidence and as for self esteem, well that's non existent.

 

[BlackDragonof1989]

Yeah it's a struggle *whimpers weakly* Ohwuh it's bad ><

 

[Misanthrope]

I miss working but it also mentally broke me. My clients experiences were like wandering through a quiet holocaust of a Kafkaesque nightmare that wasn't dramatic enough to get any real attention. Finding out a client had died from avoidable neglect, or that being rejected for social security was the final straw that had taken them over the edge to becoming another sad statistic was deeply painful as I knew them. It got more painful when the ability to access dignity became ever harder to secure. With the goal posts being moved to mars in a different dimension and the expectation my vulnerable ill clients could build a dimensional space rocket to get there. I am glad I got out before universal credit hit. I am pretty convinced it is the brainchild of a sadistic psychopath getting his jollies from hearing about disabled people suffering. You only have to look at Ian Duncan Smith grinning as various MPs spoke about the harrowing plight of disabled in their various constituencies. It was bad back then, now people are so driven to despair they are setting themselves on fire in job centres. It is all so fucked up.

It honestly left me with a desire to set these politicians and bureaucrats on fire. Whilst simultaneously loudly denying fire exists because it is not part of my ideology.

Fortunately I set digital zombies on fire instead as a way to escape the constant nausea.

There is also the poisonous rhetoric that work is good for you. Even if your doctor disagrees and has pointed out it could lead to a fatal heart attack or worsening of your condition. It is completely one sided in its approach ignoring how work pressure exacerbate existing conditions. The understanding of stress is well documented, yet it is trivialised.

The inferred mentality that is further pushed on the populace by media barons is that if you are not working you are subhuman and no better than a parasite. Regardless of your former work history and the tax you have paid in various forms over your life. Instead you are workshy and just need a tough approach to stop making excuses, like drowning in your own lung fluid is no barrier to working, your state of mind is. Work totally fixes lung fluid issues by the way...

That there are only strivers and shirkers and if you can press a button you can work. None of that takes into account anything approaching reality, yet it is the dominant rhetoric leaving the unemployed often vilified.

It is worse than that though because jobs for life are a thing of the past, automation and global markets taking jobs overseas, where you can pay Chinese workers a pittance and hope they don't jump off buildings is becoming the norm. It is all a melting pot of disaster. Even your pensions are not safe from the shifting of goal posts. Makes me question why we accept this ongoing toxic environment. I am not surprised people break down.

I am probably rambling, but it is hard to think or write straight these days.

 

[Johnnythefox]

I miss working but it also mentally broke me. My clients experiences were like wandering through a quiet holocaust of a Kafkaesque nightmare that wasn't dramatic enough to get any real attention. Finding out a client had died from avoidable neglect, or that being rejected for social security was the final straw that had taken them over the edge to becoming another sad statistic was deeply painful as I knew them. It got more painful when the ability to access dignity became ever harder to secure. With the goal posts being moved to mars in a different dimension and the expectation my vulnerable ill clients could build a dimensional space rocket to get there. I am glad I got out before universal credit hit. I am pretty convinced it is the brainchild of a sadistic psychopath getting his jollies from hearing about disabled people suffering. You only have to look at Ian Duncan Smith grinning as various MPs spoke about the harrowing plight of disabled in their various constituencies. It was bad back then, now people are so driven to despair they are setting themselves on fire in job centres. It is all so fucked up.

It honestly left me with a desire to set these politicians and bureaucrats on fire. Whilst simultaneously loudly denying fire exists because it is not part of my ideology.

Fortunately I set digital zombies on fire instead as a way to escape the constant nausea.

There is also the poisonous rhetoric that work is good for you. Even if your doctor disagrees and has pointed out it could lead to a fatal heart attack or worsening of your condition. It is completely one sided in its approach ignoring how work pressure exacerbate existing conditions. The understanding of stress is well documented, yet it is trivialised.

The inferred mentality that is further pushed on the populace by media barons is that if you are not working you are subhuman and no better than a parasite. Regardless of your former work history and the tax you have paid in various forms over your life. Instead you are workshy and just need a tough approach to stop making excuses, like drowning in your own lung fluid is no barrier to working, your state of mind is. Work totally fixes lung fluid issues by the way...

That there are only strivers and shirkers and if you can press a button you can work. None of that takes into account anything approaching reality, yet it is the dominant rhetoric leaving the unemployed often vilified.

It is worse than that though because jobs for life are a thing of the past, automation and global markets taking jobs overseas, where you can pay Chinese workers a pittance and hope they don't jump off buildings is becoming the norm. It is all a melting pot of disaster. Even your pensions are not safe from the shifting of goal posts. Makes me question why we accept this ongoing toxic environment. I am not surprised people break down.

I am probably rambling, but it is hard to think or write straight these days.

Very well put, the system is not there as an assistance but a deterrent.

 

[worldexploder]

Depends on the state. I have seen people take advantage of the system espically when I use to do social work. Ie do nothing but play video games all day evrey day with decent housing. Not that I have a problem with it, espically since my job was great at the time.(I played video games with clients at work, movies, manufactured hash oil etc)

If a "lazy" person in good mental and physical health looks for handouts or malingers for SSI instead of working, it's almost considered a crime against humanity! When billionaires on Wall-Street abuse the system to the point of destroying our economy and costing millions to lose their jobs, they get bailouts and tax cuts.

 

[TAW122]

I'm probably late to this thread, but I hope your interview went well.

This just sums it up for me. View attachment 3758

Bukowski is really "woke" towards the issue of wage-slaving. A man needs his freedom and having to work 40 hours (or much more nowadays) just to make ends meet, barely have time for anything else if so, it's just not something that is appealing at all. I'd personally take death over grinding for the rest of my life. I am 28, so (assuming that retirement still exists in a few decades, some say it won't) this means I'd have to wage-slave, work and grind for the next four decades (or just slightly less even) just to get by and if I hadn't already had serious health issues or medical problems by then, I'd get whatever is left of my life just to wither away or die in an assisted living facility. Nah, fuck that, I'd rather die young and still able-bodied.

 

[Johnnythefox]

I'm probably late to this thread, but I hope your interview went well.



Bukowski is really "woke" towards the issue of wage-slaving. A man needs his freedom and having to work 40 hours (or much more nowadays) just to make ends meet, barely have time for anything else if so, it's just not something that is appealing at all. I'd personally take death over grinding for the rest of my life. I am 28, so (assuming that retirement still exists in a few decades, some say it won't) this means I'd have to wage-slave, work and grind for the next four decades (or just slightly less even) just to get by and if I hadn't already had serious health issues or medical problems by then, I'd get whatever is left of my life just to wither away or die in an assisted living facility. Nah, fuck that, I'd rather die young and still able-bodied.

I didn't go to the interview, I posted the reason yesterday. I'm 53 and sick of working.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

I have never been able to work. I had scheduled some interviews and such when I was younger, but every time I was so panicky I had insomnia for days beforehand and had to be drunk to do them. Now I have chronic physical symptoms and massive fatigue which has made me unable to do much of anything, even those things that are supposed to be enjoyable. So there are mental and physical issues working together to keep me bed bound a lot of the time. I am such a failure in literally every way. I can't wait to die.

 

[Misanthrope]

I have never been able to work. I had scheduled some interviews and such when I was younger, but every time I was so panicky I had insomnia for days beforehand and had to be drunk to do them. Now I have chronic physical symptoms and massive fatigue which has made me unable to do much of anything, even those things that are supposed to be enjoyable. So there are mental and physical issues working together to keep me bed bound a lot of the time. I am such a failure in literally every way. I can't wait to die.

You are not a failure for being ill Angst. You are human being that is suffering with significant obstacles in the way. That does not make you a failure. We don't tell people they are failure for having cancer, nor do we say it to people with locked in syndrome. The limitations of health issues are real, but don't make you a failure at all. Don't internalise the mythical version of society's idea of success. It is no more accurate than a family waffle advert. I can only wish you peace and understanding.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

You are not a failure for being ill Angst. You are human being that is suffering with significant obstacles in the way. That does not make you a failure. We don't tell people they are failure for having cancer, nor do we say it to people with locked in syndrome. The limitations of health issues are real, but don't make you a failure at all. Don't internalise the mythical version of society's idea of success. It is no more accurate than a family waffle advert. I can only wish you peace and understanding.

Thank you for understanding. It's difficult to escape feelings of worthlessness as well as the scrutiny of others who don't understand the severity of these things. I have at least worked on shifting much of the blame from myself to the universe, but society likes to make you feel that that too is lame and a copout.

 

[wiIIow]

I haven't worked in decades. I have bipolar, am in the UK and get fairly generous benefits for that, much more than SSI in the States and not such a hassle to apply for - although the change from DLA to PIP hasn't gone well for me and I'm in the process of appealing for a higher rate.

I find the working world overwhelmingly horrible too. When I did work it felt like being in prison.

Having enough money to facilitate me sitting on my ass all day doesn't make me feel much better though. I still regard my life as doing hard time. It's the only analogy that makes sense for me.

I totally understand why you wouldn't wanna take that job OP. Some jobs are undoubtedly worse than no job at all...

This pretty well sums up how I feel... not sure what to do since disability here is a lengthy exhausting process, just to get barely enough money to live, plus the probability of needing to go to public housing. Every job gets harder to hold on to, and every time I lose a job the next one becomes harder to obtain... meanwhile my mental health continues to worsen because of jobs.

I think it would be manageable if workers had more rights and I could advocate for myself without fear of retaliation... instead I have to sit and take abuse from coworkers, or worse, employers... quietly. And sneak away to have my panic attacks in the bathroom, and hope nobody hears