Top Tweets for #thrivethinking

It’s so sad to once again see the language being used by politicians when talking about the social security system / benefits. It sets us back as a nation, as a society and as compassionate human beings. ‘Shirkers’ ‘a life on benefits’ ‘deadbeats’ just three terrible examples. Look. I’m not saying the system is perfect. I’m not saying there aren’t examples of households in the UK solely reliant on benefits to survive. I’m not saying there aren’t people with disabilities or health issues who could find work which helps them to thrive on their own terms. Or that there aren’t Dad’s that need to step up and pay towards their kids wellbeing. But let’s not lose sight of how difficult life can be for people. How the system often works against people, scaring them to the point where they just desperately hope they don’t lose the very basic financial stability they need to survive. Then there’s the fact that vulnerability is a broad spectrum; issues like limited skills, a lack of opportunities, health inequalities and other factors getting in the way of thriving. We’ve got to build the systems to help people be self-sufficient. Health. Education. Good work. Community safety. Support when life gets tough. We’re all human beings. Some people don’t have it easy. It’s not always someone’s fault exclusively that life is tough for them. Humans fuck up. They make mistakes. They get ill. They might be disabled. We have different skills, abilities and experiences that shape our life. We’re all just trying to be OK, and survive this crazy journey called life. Don’t hate. Don’t blame others. Love, kindness and compassion is what we need, along with a vision for a society with first class public services which provides the foundation for more of us to thrive. It’s too easy to blame others. It is the people in power that need to step up.