I woke up this morning to the Today programme (about 1hr 13min) discussing the latest Social Attitudes Survey and it has been on my mind all day.
The key points discussed were that people are concerned about the inequalities and yet are increasingly tough on others. Self interest is prevailing, eg we need housing but not near me, and especially so if I personally don't need it. And sympathy for those in need seems at a low ebb - people would cut benefits and reduce the taxes. Child poverty is blamed on the parents, unemployment is seen as a choice.
Are we becoming more selfish? In this time of recession and tightened belts it is natural that people's thoughts are inward - dealing with our own difficulties or the instability of worries takes up time and energy therefore we may have less sympathy left over to spare for others.
But to actually harden attitudes to those in need is worrying for our society, we need each other, interdependent. And if we are supposed to be developing Big Society thinking whilst at the same time society attitudes are narrowing more than ever before - then the loss of the wider picture is going to be a major problem.
I do wonder if there is another dimension going on. Is the need to blame people for their own misfortune a pyschological safety net? In an insecure climate acknowledging that sudden change, such as redundancy followed by home repossession, could happen to anyone is a scary thing to live with. If you can put a reason on why it happens, and that reason is someone else's lack of effort and commitment, then you can reassure yourself that with all your effort it won't happen to you.
A similar dynamic may happen with depression and mental distress - the desire, or need perhaps, to separate out from the person affected, to find a reason why it is them and not you.
On the radio discussion it was noted that as people have those close to them affected by unemployment, and trying to live on benefits then attitudes may well shift again, and as people deal with mental health issues in those close to them, they come to understand more - if never perfectly!
In the meantime, and as many struggle, lets all try to mind our attitudes, and when it comes to those who are different, mind the gap!
http://ir2.flife.de/data/natcen-social-research/igb_html/index.php?bericht_id=1000001&index=&lang=ENG
ReplyDeleteis a link to the report. I heard the Radio 4 slot this morning, and thought it was shocking.
I agree that we seem to have an inherent need to define ourselves as "normal", and to separate out those who do not fit our norms. The detailed report is very interesting, and makes for sad reading. Currently writing a Sunday sermon on this....Is 6 - He sent me to give good news to the oppressed.