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The leaning to authoritarianism is probably because she opted heavily in favor of the proposition that the media-tart judges of Masterchef should be hung, drawn and quartered. And left to stew in their own jus.
Kevin Rudd, who has made much of the traditional Christian virtues, announced yesterday that Labor will keep Howard's tough Welfare-to-Workhouse criteria for the disabled
Consider the lilies of the field, they toil not, neither do the spin, but Solomon, in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matthew, 6:28)
Consider the disabled, who must now toil and spin at least 15 to 30 hours a week for 48 weeks a year!
Consider the disabled, who must now toil and spin at least 15 to 30 hours a week for 48 weeks a year!
Consider low income workers, who for whatever reason, lack the drive, the genes, the energy or the IQ, to amass money, who must spend a lifetime from 16 to 65 being frogmarched through a compulsory work regime, only 4 weeks reprieve a year, controlled and disciplined, condemned to producing all kinds of baubles and trash, for the out-of-control consumption of those more fortunate.
Consider that the only escape these (virtually) indentured labourers may have from the relentless round of exploitation for scant reward is when they finally crack up, get depressed, get injured, injure themselves and go on the pitifully inadequate disability pension.
And now you want to stuff them willy-nilly back into the system???
Consider whether anyone is to be allowed to rest, ever, no matter how bereaved, how crippled, how maimed, how troubled, how weary.
Oh, brother!
Consider, too, global warming and the carbon costs of these baubles, of getting workers to and from the workplace to manufacture the baubles, and the paper generated by the bureaucracies that get them there.
Consider all this, and awake up to thyself, brother, lest even thou failest to pass through the eye of the needle when Judgment Day is upon thee.
Consider by all means, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and be inspired by his martyrdom, but don't forget the source of it all, the Protestant Work Ethic which brought us both the joys and evils of Capitalism, and its logical extension... Arbeit Macht Frei.
Consider all this, and awake up to thyself, brother, lest even thou failest to pass through the eye of the needle when Judgment Day is upon thee.
Consider by all means, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and be inspired by his martyrdom, but don't forget the source of it all, the Protestant Work Ethic which brought us both the joys and evils of Capitalism, and its logical extension... Arbeit Macht Frei.
Work sets you free
(not).
Sign on the Gates of Auschwitz
2 comments:
A lot has changed in just ten years.
Go back to 1996 my work was about three days a week, close to what the dole paid, but my travel expenses were halved as I went with a friend & took turns in taking our cars.
By 1998 that friend had sold up her home & moved back to Brisbane to care for her aging frail parents. Her home had been in Blackwater, 12mile to the west of here. I still went each winter, April to September & worked in a Citrus Packing Shed. A number of Blackwater Mines were closed, leaving at least a third of houses empty. [ opposite to now] see my blog for more on this subject. Work, we had to take where we could get it, no fear of too much.
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