Benefits Britain?

[rabet]

Just watching this. What is the reason for showing this programme? Is it to arouse our sympathy for these people, or to make us feel distaste at their profligate and dissolute lives? You will doubtless deduce my reaction from my choice of adjectives there; but I would be interested to hear ABs' views.

[mikey4444]

Rebet...its poverty-porn....no more and no less. Its despicable.

[rabet]

Thanks mikey; but what response is it designed to elicit from the viewer?

[mikey4444]

Watching programs like this is like watching Hammer horror films, through the gaps between you fingers. The response expected is a mixture of thrill and righteous indignation. The lowest common denominator on TV today.

[ummmm]

The make us angry or make us feel smug.

[gingejbee]

ummmm...that's why I never watch this sort of prog...I don't want to feel either angry or smug.

[rabet]

Thanks again. Apologies if I'm wrong, but I have the impression from past threads that you are a staunch Labour supporter As am I, but I have to say that I have no sympathy for these people living a life of idleness on taxpayer's money.

[mikey4444]

Why watch that rubbish, when there is the Cardiff Singer of the World on the other side ?

20 people, of all races and religions, competing against each other, for the premium serious music prize around today ?

[rabet]

But mikey, are you not implying that these people are not worth thinking about because they would never watch "Singer of the World"? Probably they wouldn't, but then I would never watch a "Rocky" or "Rambo" film. Should I be dismissed for that?

[sir.prize]

///What is the reason for showing this programme?///

rabet - the answer is most likely that it attracted good viewing figures first time around so the programmers decided to show a repeat. It was first broadcast earlier in the year

[ummmm]

I don't really either, Ginge.

[hindle-a]

Propaganda of the worst kind,the title alone gives the game away.Full disclosure,I receive benefits and this may come as a surprise,no better or worse than anyone else.Deliberate manipulation presented as "reality" ,which of course it is far from.If these scumbags came near me to film they would be given short shrift,perhaps we should turn the tables and make them the performing seals and portray in a certain way and claim no responsibilty for the engendered hatefest we enabled.

[rabet]

Thank you hindle (Wakes?), I have also received benefits for a short time many years ago when I was unable to work because of illness. But I do become annoyed when I see people financing multiple children, pets (snakes tonight!) and scorning offers of work. I've had children, and pets, but always supported them by working.

[EDDIE51]

It is on commercial TV , the purpose of it is too get the maximum viewing figures so they can get the highest possible price for the advertising time.
That is all that comes into it viewers equal money !

[Dee Sa]

the tv people cut out lots of footage to show these people in the worst light possible, its very sad that people have to live this way but I am against anyone who milks the system, sometimes I worked three jobs and looked after my two boys so they did not go without, never asked for handouts once. Nowadays they seem to think the world owes them !

[TWR]

If you want work, there is work out there if you are prepared to get off your a r s e to look, they should be made to litter pick, do Pensioners Gardens, clean up graffiti, If they will not, stop their benefits.

[mikey4444]

TWR....I agree !

I live on a "colourful estate" I am just off to work, but most of the curtains in the council houses opposite are still not drawn back. The majority of these are occupied by fit, healthy young people.

Why should I continue to flog myself to death, at the age of 62, to provide free money for those dole bludgers ? There are jobs to be found in the locality, as can be seen by the European workers over here at the moment.

[TWR]

Mikey, I think we all are farting in the wind, no-one in the right places takes a blind bit of notice.

[mikey4444]

TWR....alas, you may be right.

[chaptazbru2]

What bugs me is that they call the money going into the bank 'payday' ! Payday to me is what you deserve after working hard all week/month ...

[kylesmum]

What bugs me is people who assume people on benefits are working the system.

My daughter was on benefits and she would have made herself ill surviving on £140 a fortnight which was to cover her gas , electricity, food, council tax, phone and TV (which she had taken out as we all do when she was in work and was committed to), TV Licence,...i'm sure that's not all, lets just say she was lucky she had family to support her.

All those impoverished people on those programmes....do you truly envy their benefits lifestyles? They live from day to day, they have no future, they have no goals, they have no aspirations, they have nothing...they are more to be pitied than scorned and ridiculed.

There but for the grace of....