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A problem never tackled ....

Writer's picture: grimbister1984grimbister1984

There are numerous symptoms of an overall problem that we have as society.


We have a significant number of people who are in long term unemployment.



It is worth noting that the percentage of our long term unemployed as part of all those unemployed is not significantly different from what other countries experience.


We have a portion of our society who stuggle with numeracy and literacy.


We have a portion of our society who are increasingly less healthy than the majority.


We have a portion of society that has the majority of our drug problems, the majority of our crime.. both victims and culprits.


There are obvious links. The easiest of the parameters for the media and our political elite to talk about is 'income'.


Our politicians like to use this political divide as an argument against whomever they are opposed too. The reality is that the none of the political parties have made any inroads in to tackling the underlying problems.


In part, this is because they are not capable of seeing past the symptoms. In part, it is because there is more immediate political ground to be gained by being seen to be throwing money at the symptoms. And, in part, it is because to them this part of our society doesn't matter to them. It is just too remote to them.


I don't believe that increased welfare is a real solution. I don't believe that increased spending on infra structure will do it. Job creation can only be a short term partial fix for some.


There are two points that need to be accepted and then discussed, addressed and acted on.


Firstly. We need to accept that we are not all equal. We are not all capable of academic achievement. For many of us academia is not the optimum route to allow us the best options for a meaningful working life. Allowing 'everyone' an opportunity for tertiary education is a massive avoidance of the issue that for an important proportion of us, it is an opportunity that is of no use.


But the second point is that this is not a problem that we can solve quickly. Our society needs to adjust. We need to learn to accept that some functions need support and others can command more remuneration. There needs to be a balance.

The balance comes from us all learning to accept that everyone's contribution to our society is worthwhile and is to be commended. It comes from us all accepting and appreciating the contributions made by others.


Those who can/will/do earn more need to learn the advantages of moderation, and the futility of the accumulation of money. This not only requires a re-education process for this cohort of our society but we also need to put in place systems that allow those that can contribute more being allowed to see their contributions making a difference.


Like a great many aspects of our modern global society this is a problem too complex for our present political system to cope with. We need society to undergo significant change which requires both, politicians (all of them) and the media to be pushing in the same direction.


But a big first step is to increase education. We need to lift the bar across the entire education system. Our current policies only support an ever diminshing lowest common denominator. We need to be pushing the entire system upwards, which will require a major injection of resources and, vitally, an improvement in the perceived value of eductation. We currently have way too much media/press acceptance and, at times, promotion, of the notion that it is okay to be thick.


It is important to note, that by an increase in education and a lifting of the bar, this is not a simple call for higher academic standards. It is much, much more complex than that. An improved/increased education means creating a system that allows each individual to achieve the most that they possibly can. That all of our children are allowed to make the most of the potential and be able find themselves in a position to make a useful contribtion to the society that they are part of.


People don't tend to fight, destroy or protest against a society which they are actively participating in.



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