Mum kicking me out at 16 can i claim benefits?

Original post by tufc

For advocating personal responsibility? What is, in fact, wrong with the world is the widespread feeling of entitlement to other people's money.

You call it 'advocating personal responsibility', I call it 'selfishness'.
How dare you claim that everyone who is in an unfortunate position is in that position simply because they have failed to 'advocate personal responsibility'. It's all very well for you to judge others from the comfort of your home and the luxuries your parents have bestowed upon you, but until you have walked a mile in a homeless person's shoes, or actually experienced what it's like to be brought up by a drug addict, or gone for months without adequate nutrition, you have NO RIGHT to judge them, or to think that you are better than them simply because you were born into more fortunate circumstances.
Not everyone is in an unfortunate position through fault of their own. I personally think the world would be a much nicer place if, I don't know, we actually HELPED each other, rather than allowing people to suffer under our noses and saying 'Oh, well, my Father earns a lot of money, so that means he pays a lot of taxes, and he does a bit of charity work, so that means I shouldn't feel guilty or be inclined to help others at all'.

Aaah.

Reply 102

Fynch101

Original post by XxelliexX

No, his pompous attitude, inability to appreciate how lucky he is, and most importantly his belief that he has no obligation to help those less fortunate than himself because his life is fine so why bother worrying about the other people?

And please, it's getting annoying that people on this thread seem to assume they know things about me which just aren't true.

How on earth can you contradict yourself in such a way?

Reply 103

Original post by XxelliexX

I was being hyperbolic when I said they were benefit scroungers. I don't care how much they do, the fact that they were born into a set position in life and have their expenses paid for them by the rest of the country is wrong. The idea that the queen should be considered as any more important or worthy of tax-payers money just because she was born into a certain family is wrong, and goes against the whole notion of equality, hard work and social mobility.

Edit: And no, it wasn't thoughtless. I have thought about it lots.

If you think that the policy of them being supported by the tax-payer then where is your argument? The Queen, a poor frail old lady, who has no chance of getting a job, has her expenses paid the same as any other workshy lazy benefit scrounger that our countries tax-payer's pay for. How is it any different?

At least the royal family bring our country some enjoyment. What enjoyment do the scum that constitute the benefit scroungers cause us? You also seem to forget that at least the royal family also bring an income to the country by tourism. I really don't see your argument.

Reply 104

Original post by XxelliexX

I'm sorry, you remind me too much of Draco Malfoy to take you seriously.

How so?

Reply 105

tufc

Original post by XxelliexX

You call it 'advocating personal responsibility', I call it 'selfishness'.

I call it advocating people's individual right to be selfish.

How dare you claim that everyone who is in an unfortunate position is in that position simply because they have failed to 'advocate personal responsibility'.

For someone who's supposedly studying Philosophy at Cambridge, you're actually very poor at understanding people's arguments. I didn't specifically say the OP had failed to advocate personal responsibility, I simply said that it's a problem with society as a whole

It's all very well for you to judge others from the comfort of your home and the luxuries your parents have bestowed upon you, but until you have walked a mile in a homeless person's shoes, or actually experienced what it's like to be brought up by a drug addict, or gone for months without adequate nutrition, you have NO RIGHT to judge them, or to think that you are better than them simply because you were born into more fortunate circumstances.

I haven't judged anyone, nor have I said that I am naturally better than anyone. People evaluate success by different measures, and I haven't evaluated anyone's success. I've only backed people's right to enjoy the rewards of their own labour in whichever way they wish to, be that spending all their money on a fast, or be it giving it to charity - or, indeed, spending it on their own children

Not everyone is in an unfortunate position through fault of their own. I personally think the world would be a much nicer place if, I don't know, we actually HELPED each other, rather than allowing people to suffer under our noses and saying 'Oh, well, my Father earns a lot of money, so that means he pays a lot of taxes, and he does a bit of charity work, so that means I shouldn't feel guilty or be inclined to help others at all'.

Aaah.

I quite agree that many people are in an unfortunate position through no fault of their own. However, I personally think that world is better when people are free to decide what they do with their own resource - even if they don't want to spend it on helping others. I don't think that's particularly altruistic or morally pleasant, but I back their right to use their resource as they want to. Remember: During the Thatcher years, the poorest sections of society grew in wealth - why? Because she taught them to create their own wealth and work for their own families.

Reply 106

Original post by fudgesundae

Selfishness? Wanting to help your own is not selfishness. And excuse me for having more compassion for my family than John from Newcastle who can't find a job. A basic welfare safety net is a good idea, it allows us to help those who can't help themselves. But anything more than that is getting ridiculous, it becomes a disincentive to find work. I honestly don't see how me wanting to spend my money on my family instead of a person I don't know shows selfishness and a lack of compassion.

Look, you asked 'Why does he have an obligation to help those less fortunate than himself?'

Which, personally, I find incredibly selfish. Wanting to help yourself above all others is the very definition of selfishness. I took what you said in a much more general way than giving more money to the government or however you meant it.
You could just as easily apply that question to an old lady walking down the street who falls over drops all of her shopping. Just ask yourself 'why should I those less fortunate?' Why should you help her up and collect her shopping for her? Because you can. Because you're in a position to help those who need it.
We're obviously not on the same wavelength... you seem to be obsessed with the monetary side of things... I'm thinking more abstractly.

Original post by fudgesundae

You should be, you're in a fantastic position. However it's the little jibe at those who have had a more comfortable upbringing which demonstrates my point.

Yeah we're definitely not on the same wavelength. What 'point' is that exactly?

Reply 107

Original post by XxelliexX

you have NO RIGHT to judge them, or to think that you are better than them simply because you were born into more fortunate circumstances.

Just as you have no right to judge those born into more fortunate circumstances as you have been doing throughout this thread.

I personally think the world would be a much nicer place if, I don't know, we actually HELPED each other, rather than allowing people to suffer under our noses and saying 'Oh, well, my Father earns a lot of money, so that means he pays a lot of taxes, and he does a bit of charity work,

Is allowing the government to rob you of half your salary not helping other people? What exactly do you mean by helping other people, it's an extremely vague term.

so that means I shouldn't feel guilty or be inclined to help others at all'.

I don't see why I should feel guilty that I was born into a richer family. It isn't my fault that some people have a rough life.

Reply 108

Original post by donutaud15

This is out of topic from OP but ptsd can affect a person the way he explained. I was abuse (sexually, emotionally and physically) for pretty much my whole life and I do get violent outburst because of my ptsd.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Sensation Z710e

Because you have violent outbursts you assume it is due to ptsd. Because you blame it on ptsd, I would assume you are entitled to benefits such as disability living allowance. I have been through a lot, had counselling and I realize that life goes on, I try not to dwell on the choices others made regardless of what effect they had on me. I have outbursts, I just choose how to deal with them.

Reply 109

Original post by Fynch101

How on earth can you contradict yourself in such a way?

In what way?

Reply 110

AdvanceAndVanquish

Original post by fudgesundae

Is allowing the government to rob you of half your salary not helping other people? What exactly do you mean by helping other people, it's an extremely vague term.

Seriously. A top rate taxpayer might be supporting 15-20 families on benefits, on top of supporting his own family.

Reply 111

Original post by XxelliexX

Which, personally, I find incredibly selfish. Wanting to help yourself above all others is the very definition of selfishness. I took what you said in a much more general way than giving more money to the government or however you meant it.

I'm not advocating helping myself, I'm advocating put my family's needs above those of someone who I have never met. That is not selfishness, which as you said is helping oneself.

We're obviously not on the same wavelength... you seem to be obsessed with the monetary side of things... I'm thinking more abstractly.

And that's the problem. There are so many ways to 'help people'. It's just a ridiculously vague term you are throwing about.

Oh, and I'm talking about monetary help because the whole theme of this thread was benefits.

Yeah we're definitely not on the same wavelength. What 'point' is that exactly?

That you have a chip on your shoulder. You stated your achievements but still felt that you had to qualify them with the fact that you didn't live a cushy lifestyle courtesy of your parents.

Reply 112

Original post by AdvanceAndVanquish

Seriously. A top rate taxpayer might be supporting 15-20 families on benefits, on top of supporting his own family.

Sorry, what's your point?

Reply 113

Original post by tufc

I have actually not heard of anyone outside of my family or schooling that has praised Thatcher.

Thank you for raising my opinion on society :yy:

Reply 114

coopsyy

The amount of people on here who have no idea of life in the real world seriously amazes me. Get off your high horse and realise that there are people out there that NEED benefits. This is why we have a welfare system. If you suddenly had to rely on benefits, i'm sure you'd change your tune.

ANYWAY, OP, go to citizens advice asap, and see what they can do :smile:

One of my friends was kicked out by her parents at your age and was placed in temporary accomodation which was pretty much a share house for youths in the same posistion (but not like a hostel with staff on site) then is now being fostered by a family, and has managed to continue with sixth form :smile:

Reply 115

Original post by coopsyy

A minimum safety net which provides a basic standard of living for those who cannot provide one for themselves is needed. Some of the ridiculous amounts handed out, are not.

Reply 116

AdvanceAndVanquish

Original post by fudgesundae

Sorry, what's your point?

...that you're correct.

Reply 117

Original post by tufc

I call it advocating people's individual right to be selfish.

So you admit it's selfish.

Original post by tufc

Whoah, **** just got personal. Oh, and I love the 'supposedly'. Yes, you have caught me out, I have lied to the TSR community about my degree choice and university in some pathetic attempt to make people like me. Well done.

Maybe you're the one who is poor at making arguments. And actually, I didn't say you had assumed that the OP specifically has failed to advocate personal responsibility.

Original post by tufc

You have insinuated that people have got themselves into unfortunate circumstances due to a lack of personal responsibility, I call that judging.

Original post by tufc

No, I don't remember the Thatcher years.

Reply 118