We are in Dorset staying at my parents-in-law, who
live very close to Sandbanks that is one of the most affluent places in the
United Kingdom. Geographically it is on a peninsular, one side of which looks
over Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island (where the Scouts and Guides were
founded) and the other side looks over the English Channel. Properties
typically cost multi-million pounds. Many thirty-year-old properties are being
pulled down to build ultra-modern designer house with names like Emporio, they
look like that name as well as being fairly tasteless.
I took the photo below from the hill overlooking
Sandbanks, looking towards the Jurassic Coast and Old Harry Rocks. I was really
fortunate in catching a fantastic light. So no apologies for reproducing this photo
here.
It was somewhat ironic given the excess I had seen
this morning I was completing my online debt advisor course this afternoon. Now
don’t get me wrong I am absolutely in favour of giving people high quality
advice. I also fully accept that you can never legislate for circumstances, and
there but for the grace of god etc…..
It is then that I struggle with the morality of this.
Much of debt counselling is about reducing people’s liabilities. So essentially
you are trying to get corporates to write off debts. I suppose that I was
always brought up in a debt free household and was taught the value of not
getting in debt. However I lived in a family where I was denied nothing. So my
thought could be that I am looking at this through the lens of my experience
rather than trying to be objective. I would be interested in hearing the
perspective of my readership.
Given where I was and as I said the number of high
net worth individuals in the area, the poster on the phone box was I thought
somewhat ironic. It was warning people against tax evasion, I feel that it is
falling on deaf ears.
I think it's difficult for us Nigel when, although not going without as children, we had parents who were able to budget within their means and were prepared to deny themselves if necessary. Nowadays the materialistic nature of society is everywhere heralded as necessary, not just desirable. Also I think so many people are living very close to the edge, up to the hilt of their earnings and unable to weather any sort of household disaster, let alone job loss. I would like to see debt repayments tailor made at a very low rate so that yes, people are expected to repay, but at a manageable amount and maybe after an agreed time lapse. It's always going to be problem and probably one that needs dealing with on a case by case basis rather than through the usual one liner headline. ( see I don't always do joke stuff!)
ReplyDeleteInteresting comments as usual Jane. I am going to discuss this with my team leader. Not sure that I see the reference to joke headlines!
ReplyDeleteIt is a delicate matter if and when to judge others for their choices and consequences, as you so rightly point out Nigel, we all have particular experiences that can never be the same as another's. That said, society must make some of these decisions, easier when the society is uniform in culture. For example, in Vermont personal responsibility, for behavior of all sorts, including self sufficiency, is not tied to economic means, but historically a basic cultural principle. I grew up with extremely limited means yet have the same ethic of living within my means as many who grew up with more. Society here has changed however, I suspect like England. A few examples: LBJ meant so well introducing welfare but it was done in a charity form, robbing people of dignity and sense of self worth. This lack of sense of self worth is passed down in generations, leading to a lack of taking personal responsibility. Another issue we face here, and I m curious whether you do too, is many, many people going into debt because of a health crisis. Many people here cannot afford high insurance premiums and we still have no full scale safety net, despite Obama's efforts, so one accident or disease onset and people rack up debt, often a lot of it. I admire you for wading in to try to help people sort themselves out and agree with Jane, allowing folks the dignity of contributing, however much they are able, is key. Of course how much they are able is to be determined, and that is a good question.
ReplyDelete