It’s official! I’m sure David Cameron (allegedly) likes George Orwell. Well, surely he must. 1984: surely an inspiration – a template for us all. Why else would he allow this country (England) to descend into some Orwellian shadow-world, a dictatorship masquerading as a democracy. A place where the super-rich tell the masses that the poor and vulnerable are to blame for the country’s economic woes; where the same poor and those unable to beat the never ending trap of poverty will become cashless – forced to buy food from “official” government outlets. “UK Food – Sponsored by ASDA”.
The poor and vulnerable: add to that the long-term sick and those with mental health problems, those who want to work but can’t get beyond the application forms. We’re told that they’re to blame – they’re the ones who are bringing the country down; destroying opportunities for the rest; stifling economic and educational growth. Spending our money on Sky TV, fags, booze, and putting their own kids into poverty. Gradually removing our children’s future. It’s reinforced in the endless diatribe of the “free press” – the frenzy of someone to blame. It’s easy to blame to vulnerable. Try playing “Spot the Satellite Dish on the Council Estate”.
Well, no more. The poor and vulnerable will no longer be able to spend our money on the things they want. It’s food or nothing. No choice. The poor and vulnerable will become “The Cashless Society” – Sponsored by Visa/Master/Amex” or whoever wins the contract to provided all state benefits in the form of a top-up credit card. A card that will come with a 20% admin fee. A fee paid for by….? Spend the money on what we tell you to and where we tell you to spend it, or else. ASDA/TESCO etc., will become the shop of necessity rather than choice. Those who have a job or a privilege will have cash. Those who don’t will not.
Orwell described a world where whatever the ruling classes told the masses was the truth. They believed it. No matter how harsh or wrong, no matter if there was a contradiction from one day to the next. Dissenters were removed, punished, told to retract their “lies”. However, it’s not 1984. Newspeak is alive. The poor are to blame for all our woes and the past of the Banking Crisis, poor political decisions and economic crises are written out of history. If you were given a roof over your head when you were homeless, when the politicians said you needed a home with enough rooms to house the sick, mentally ill, vulnerable, and they’ve died, grown up, got better, you’re no longer allowed to stay there. Either that or stay and we’ll penalise you financially. It’s as though those previous decisions and policies never existed. Written from history.
My interest in all of this?
I’ve got a job. My wife is carer to her 21 year old son who has autism. He can’t go to work. He can’t cope with people, with life outside our family. He’s on DLA, soon to become PIP. He spends his money on food, heating, electricity, and other essentials, and a few things to keep him sane – to take his mind off all of his phobias and anxieties and depression. Things to stop him from spiralling into an early grave. He’ll probably never ever get a job, so it’s going to be a life on benefits for him. Which means some administrator somewhere telling him to spend his money on food and the rest going straight to the utilities companies. His sister has problems too. She’s just been diagnosed on the Autistic Spectrum too. She needs things to keep her sane and to give her some focus in life. Whether she is lucky enough to get a job, I don’t know.
Until then, it’ll be food or nothing for her. Their future is bleak. They’ve already had a bad start in life. No qualifications because of their disabilities. Disadvantaged and competing against the best. I worry about them and their future. Do the Super Rich, the Media Owners and commentators, the politicians and the people who will not question what they’re being told, the people who say they want to help the needy, truly understand the plight of millions of people who are vulnerable and may join the cashless society, really care, really understand what sort of society they’re creating. IngSoc comes alive. Third Class aisles in Tesco replacing the Bread and Cakes. Disinfectant sprays replacing security scanners.
Finally, do those companies know what they’re doing? From morning till night, droves of unemployed, unwashed, benefit scroungers shopping for Smart Price food. How many of their more wealthier patrons will continue to shop there when they’re having to associate with the great cashless brigade?
gullible fools programmed by worthless hacks in the pay of the super rich join in the demonisation of the most vulnerable
Disclaimer
I don’t proclaim that David Cameron likes George Orwell or is inspired by him. In fact, I’m rather reluctant to criticise him, as he’s having a bit of a hard time from the rest of the Conservative Party. Maybe I should have go about Michael Gove instead.
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