Candyfloss & Dreams

Category: Politics

If it’s not affordable, it’s not sustainable!

How sustainability is not affordable for the time and financially poor. Sustainability goes hand in hand with affordability. Discussing how poverty and low income workers struggle to afford to be eco friendly and sustainability and why they buy into greenwashing
Affordability & Sustainability: Why They Need to Work Together to Make A Change for the Better

Do you consider yourself a green family? A zero waste expert? Eco friendly? Are you just trying to do your bit to help the environment but actually when you look into it you think how the fuck do people afford to do all this? I am in that camp. This is me. A little while ago I wrote how being zero waste was poverty shaming and I stand by this because it is. However, the planet is in crisis, the environment is being destroyed and no one knows how to save it. There are loads of things the individual person can do to make a difference but let’s be honest it’s commerce, businesses and firms that are mostly responsible for the destruction of the world. Right now sustainability is not affordable.

Not all families are able to afford to live zero waste and sustainable lifestyles

Global Companies and Government Need to do better!

The problem here though is that not all of the worldwide governments ‘believe in climate change’ which gives them no motivations to enforce laws and sanctions on companies that do nothing to minimise their damage. That don’t pay their staff fairly. That are damaging and exploitive for it’s workers. They don’t do enough globally and collectively to look for green energy sources of power despite these warnings that fossil fuels will eventually run out anyway. Sadly, on an individual level there isn’t a lot we can do. Sustainable living is not affordable when the government doesn’t want to help those that struggle the most.

We look at our own country and government who insist that extinction rebelling are basically the same as terrorists – eco terrorists, I mean they’re not Poison Ivy (perhaps we actually need an anti-hero like her to get the job done?). When are they going to come up with one of their (stupid) infamous three world slogans for saving the planet? (they won’t because saving the planet and environment will cost their buddies money). We will never, ever get anywhere with two party politics. The time for that system to change is now, and green representatives needs to have a say in how the country is run. Maybe it would be if we didn’t have an electorate that runs on classism and racism even when their governement lies to them…but that’s a post for another day

Governments need to reduce emmissions now, not at 2025. I can tell you what will help people be more eco friendly and sustainable. Funding. Fair funding for mental health, physical health, education, employee rights, living wages and fair and equal housing costs. When a country equally funds a society you can expect to see less crime, more spending, more qualified individuals, a happy population, a happy work force and just basically a happy society. Happier people want to put their energy into things that can make them do better. Happier people who aren’t so stressed about money and health and work and education all the time will be able to afford greener energy, electric cars and will be easily able to support smaller, sustainable businesses. The problem with this is that it’s not compatible with capitalism.

Capitalism is the brick wall of sustainability & affordability working together

Capitalism is shit. There’s no denying it. We are told we all have equal opportunites, we are told we have a consumer choice and we are told that all we need to do is work hard to get what we want. I am calling bullshit. What’s the point in working hard on a zero hour contract with no chance of promotion and to be told you could have no hours next week?

How is their a consumer choice when it’s hard for small businesses to start? Or when Amazon offer prime now and people can get instant gratification? How is it helpful when there is a gender pay gap? When private schools (aka people with money) can offer better education and ignore the government approved national curriculum? You can literally buy a shortcut to success if you can afford it so what’s the point. When your press is funded by the government you’re not getting any clear, non biased information at all.

Capitalisim basically keeps the poor poor and poorly educated working all hours in a job they hate to buy stuff from rich people on credit, to get into debt because they’re told by advertising and their press that they “need” things because it will make them look and feel richer. Basically, Fight Club and the song Between Angels and Insects by Papa Roach explains what capitalism does and why it’s really shit.

Okay, so what does this have to do with sustainability?

So why is sustainable unaffordable? My point is that sustainability is unaffordable for the working class of this country and quite frankly, whilst I agree we should all do our part, because of the government choices, because of capitalism and because of our education and classist attitude the working class can’t do it all because they can’t afford it. Of course some people are poor and savvy, they are living a low waste lifestyle out of necessity rather than choice. But some people are both finanically and time poor, and therefore will pay the fee for convinience which results in more waste and plastic filled alternatives. If people were paid fairly and job offers were flexible we’d probably see more people making a difference.

If environmental studies was part of the cirruculum our children would be tempted to make changes. If cooking skills was part of the national cirriculum children would grow up understanding about meal preparation to save money, prevent waste and be able to cook (having a knock on effect in the “ob*sity crisis” this country faces – a crisis because the government are fatphobic and ignore the socioeconmoics that link poorness with fatness and deprivation but NEVERMIND).

The thing is it’s up to companies to pay their wages fairly and not use child labour. It’s up to companies to be more inclusive and sustatinable to prevent fast fashion. It’s all very well going charity shopping but that isn’t always size inclusive and sometimes denotes a person’s style – we want to feel good in the clothes we wear, as fat people, not frumpy! It’s up to companies to reduce their plastic usage and use recyclable, biodegradable materials. It’s up to companies to set the price point and make sustainable things affordable for poor people. If it’s just for the rich, then it won’t work and it won’t save the planet and therefore it completely negates any form of sustainable claims because it is only ever going to be sustainable if it is affordable.

By all means, you do you. Although I would say try not to buy into greenwashing. Just because it has a ‘sustainable’ ‘eco friendly’ or ‘clean living’ logo on it’s shiny packaging doesn’t mean it is. It’s only biodegradable if you put it on a compost heap. If it goes in the bin and to landfill it won’t be able to biodegrade because of the state of our landfills. If you recycle but it goes to an incinerator then you’re not doing your part because it fuels carbon emissions anyway. The make your own brigade won’t appeal to those that are time poor because it will just be another stress on their never ending to do list that they will struggle to fit in. You can do the best you can with the resources you have.

Can you make sustainability affordable without greenwashing?

Yes you can but again it’s hard to do if your time poor which is why green washing exists. It’s the illusion of convienience encouraging you to buy a particular product because it makes you feel like it’s sustainable. Some of the product might very well be but it isn’t just about that. If they only have one ‘green’ product but continue with all their others then they are not a sustainable company. It’s about researching and actually are you just paying a fee for a label or a sticker or are you actually contributing to real sustainability.

Some companies might say the use natural products but then still test on animals or refuse to pay fair wages or use child labor or invest in fossil fuels. Your money will contribute to those things even if the product you buy claims to be sustainable. It follows the old adage if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

There are some genuinely wonderful companies out there that are really trying to be affordable and sustainable but these are few and far between. There are some amazing small businesses that make products that are just as affordable as high street brands but are more ethically sourced and are more transparent about their ethos on zero or minimal waste. The thing is we pander to big advertisements and again, those that are time poor often don’t have time to find and research everything they purchase to see if it’s green washing or not. Green washing is the bain of making sustainability affordable for all.

So what should you do?

Think about the three principles of sustainability. I can’t tell you what to do but I will say that the ethos reduce, reuse, recycle can be applied to every single purchase you make.

Do I really need to buy this item, is it saving me time or money, do I use it?
How can I reuse or repurpose this item before I throw it away? Is there an alternative I can buy to reuse this item better?
Can I recycle this? Can I make this into something new?

Here are some ideas and suggestions that might be beneficial to you. I don’t expect anything from you but to use this as inspiration. But the pressure needs to be put on the government, on companies, and on purchasing decisions. Support small, local businesses if and where you can.

Buy tins/glass rather than plastic
Swap disposable for reusable wipes/nappies/cleaning cloths/teabags
Buy solid soap/shampoo/conditioner
Make your own cleaners
Avoid throwing away food
Eat less meat
Buy white toilet paper, not coloured or dyed (or use reusables)
Buy fruit/veg loose rather than covered in plastic
Buying secondhand
Swapping energy supplier
Using your local library

If you have the time and financial availability you can broaden your sustainability more

Litter picking/beach clean ups
Using refill stores and shops
Using your local farm shop
An electric car/hybrid
Prep meals as and when you can
Create a capsule wardrobe
Avoid buying new
Try some vegan meals/alternatives

Mostly try and research who you’re buying from. If this purchase is a can’t change but you could buy it from a more sustainable business then have a look around. If you have a choice use it because your choices will help make sustainability more affordable.

Don’t Let Guilt Weigh You Down

The most important thing I want to stress is I hold no judgement at all. It isnt YOUR fault that sustainability isn’t the norm when the government isn’t doing everything in it’s power to make sustainability affordable. It isn’t YOUR fault if you don’t earn enough to be able to choose where you shop. It isn’t YOUR fault if the charity shops don’t have clothes that fit you or second hand ebay bundles aren’t your style. You are allowed to be an individual and frustratingly fast fashion is currently the most affordable and size inclusive option.

If the only thing you can do is switch to buying in tins and glass then that is amazing. It’s something. It’s a change. Do what you can with the resources you have. Sing petitions. Raise awareness. Vote for the party candidate that will make a difference.

September 21, 2020
All The Problems with the Government’s Fatphobic War on Obesity* & Class
The recent Government campaign insists that weight loss is the answer to health, but this is problematic, fat shaming, poverty shaming and only focuses on eating less junk food. This, with the recent “obese people may have to sheild” come Autumn without addressing food desert areas, nutrition, movement and childrens’ access to meals and cooking skills is ignored. It is complicated. This is long.
*Obesity is a slur. It is used to health shame fat people regardless of activity, general health & diet and is assumed the person is stupid, lazy and has no willpower. It does not take into any consideration of the socioeconomics. Fat, whilst often used as an insult, is a neutral word and does not actually connote ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

Slimming Clubs don’t want you to drink smoothies even though they are a great breakfast on the go and give you a portion of fruit/veg

Before we get into this lets completey ignore the governement ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme in August which is not going to be all about making healthy choices…If I’m going to go to Pizza Express or Nandos for a half priced meal I won’t be ordering a salad, and if I do, I’ll be covering it in dressing. So running these two ‘schemes’ alongside each other is a load of crap. Here are my issues.

I’ve seen every bloody argument for and against this faphobic rethoric and it’s just a load of shit. I won’t deny I’m worried about catching covid (again?) risking being on a ventilator and dying because I am fat but as Rebelfit excellently said, it’s not fatness, it’s not weight that brings vulnerable, elderly and obese (obese is a slur – it is always meant to health shame fat people) people into the same at risk group. It is more likely to be poor(er) cardiovascular health. Improving your aerobic fitness is going to be the healthier option to weight loss.

Better Health – Lose 5lb to “save the NHS” is massively stimatising. It should be about movement.

Losing weight takes time and energy and effort and it’s hard. Diets fail 90% of the time and loosing 5lbs for a fat person isn’t going to make much difference. Do you know what will? Movement. Not saying starve yourself. Not stopping bofoff offers on chocolate. Not banning adverts. None of that will work BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL STILL BUY THESE THINGS WHEN THEY WANT THEM and people will order what they want to eat in a resturant regardless of calories – but they’ll probably feel shitty about it afterwards so let’s just drive more people into harmful hating themselves, eating disorders, guilt and stress, more anxiety based behaviours and not moving because they’re so afraid of being made fun of for being a fat person moving.

Why can’t the money go to families for free fruit and veg vouchers? Why can’t the money go to discounted swimming lessons or gym memberships instead of slimming clubs? Why is it ‘lose 5 pounds’ not ‘why not start moving for an extra 15 minutes a day’? Why can’t the money go to local authorities in schools to teach kids how to cook so they have the skills when they’re older? Or adult cooking classes? Or online cooking classes that can be done when someone is time poor? These schemes ignore the fact that poorer people, who are more likely to be fat people, or people that were poor growing up, may lack the money, time and skills to prepare freshly cooked food for every meal for their family.

it’s all about finding a way to move and exercise that you love and that feels good

Movement can benefit you almost instantly, weight loss will not. It takes months and years.

If you start moving more today, regardless of what you eat, in a week, month, years time you will feel stronger, fitter and healthier. You will have less pain. You will breathe better. You will feel better. Look at atheletes and rugby players who are clearly classed as Obese because of BMI and eat a shit load of calories a day…does anyone reckon they’re unfit? NO! Because they move every single day. They work out. They build muscle. They have nutritionists helping them know what to eat and when. They have the money and resources for healthier meals.

The issue is not weight, the issue is lack of movement. You do not have to be thin, or starve yourself to be healthy. You just have to move more often. Yes cooking from scratch, eating fruit and vegetables, eating a colourful plate, eating slower, having chocolate in moderation are all healthy choices but we are discounting the biggest thing and that is moving more. I’ve read the answer is for GP’s to prescribe bike rides and for some areas to get free bikes which is great for those that 1) can ride a bike (I can’t) 2) have a garden/shed to store bikes in (I don’t).

The money would be better spent getting people to move more in a way that is accessible to them

Slimming World don’t care about you, they just want your money and for you to keep coming back.

I don’t want to waste my time doing slimming world, eating food I can not stand, constantly being drained of energy from not eating enough, and being shamed for not losing weight weekly. I’d rather be encouraged to go swimming, which I absolutely love to do but struggle to afford it. We eat relatively well when we’re not eating in resturants or having takeaways. I love adding peppers and onions and fresh herbs to food to make them taste better. I love to cook. I like decent size meals. I don’t buy crisps & chocolate on a regular basis but I’m still fat from over 10 years of dieting and hating myself and binge eating. Now I’m undoing the damage from that.

My advice, don’t diet, just move more, let go of the guilt, stop calling foods ‘bad’ and ‘good and work on finding a meal plan that works for your needs and circumstances. This campaign is fat shaming and poor shaming. It won’t work except to drive people to get fatter in the long run. If you do have the time and don’t know how to cook then find some recipe books to try. Take a look at Jack Monroe’s book, which all started from a single parent trying to cook healthy meals using tins. It can be done, but we need the skills to do it, the appliances and the time.

The Better Health campaign is rife in classist views

Again we are facing not just an issue with fatness but an issue with class which is rife in this country and it frustrates me to no end. The government do not acknowledge people living in poverty and on the breadline. Let me outline for you. You have priveledge if:
1. You own a fridge, cooker and other kitchen appliances that allow you to store and cook food
2. You can regularly afford to top up/pay your gas and electric
3. You have a choice of where/what time you can shop
4. You can feed yourself and your family three meals a day, plus have stuff at home for snacks
5. You work a 9-5 job with a secure salaried wage and know when pay day is
6. You do not rely on foodboxes
7. You know how to cook and prepare fresh food
8. You have the time to cook meals every day
9. You have access to your own kitchen
10. You have/or are the partner that does this
Now I can tell you that I tick most of the above boxes right now but I haven’t always. I have had to rely on food boxes, I have had to share a kitchen with six other families. I have had to only have one draw in a freezer and one shelf in the fridge. I have lacked the time and skills. And if you think that there are families who don’t have access to some or all of the above then you, my friend, are blinded by your priveledge. Some of the families that don’t have all of the above will struggle with what you think is easy so please stop putting shame on them.

Some of these families might rely heavily on meal deals, takeaways, ready made food, microwave meals because they can’t/don’t have the facility to cook and a lot of these options are high fat, high sugar and highly processed. This, and an inability to move more regularly lead to gaining fat. It isn’t because they’re binge eating chocolate and crisps every occasion they can.

But Fruit IS Cheaper…Let’s Unpack That Poverty Shaming Statement

Also, I keep seeing the argument that fresh fruit/veg is cheaper and I want to break that down because, in the long term, it isn’t and I saw an excellent analogy by a counciler dad on facebook which I will loosely paraphrase.

A bag of apples is, say £1, for four apples. That’s pretty cheap or the same as a multipacket of crisps. The bag of apples will be a snack for four people, or one person 4 times in a week. But one apple isn’t filling, and one apple isn’t enough fruit and veg a day, let alone a week. We are told that to be healthy we need 5-7 portions of different coloured fruit and veg every day. So lets add strawberries for £2, a bunch of bananas for £1, a packet of spinach for £2, some cauliflower for £2 and a pack of peppers for £2. Including the apples, thats £10, for a family of four and is what you need per day. So adding that up becomes £70 a week just on fresh fruit and vegetables. Thats no rice, no pasta, no herbs, no stock cupboard ingredients, no lentils, no potatoes, and the most expensive thing, no meat. That’s no snacks, no bread, no packed lunch ingredients (well maybe one) no drinks. So lets add that in.

Lets add some chicken for £5, a pack of mince for £4, ham for £2, cheese for £2, milk for the week £2, two loaves of bread for £2, some juice for £1, pasta for £1, Rice for £1, a bag of potatoes for £2, some cereal for £2 and some yoghurts for £1. Thats another £25 and for a family of 4 thats maybe three meals and lunches a week. So it’s not enough for a weeks worth of meals, so you’ll likely have to double this and add extra to bulk out the meals with things like lentils, extra veg, beans, pulses etc. It’s easy then to arrive at something like £150 a week for food shopping for a family of four. That quickly transfers to £600 on food in a month.

Now I know what you’re thinking, why not shop somewhere cheaper. Aldi and Lidl are cheap. Yep, youre right, they are. But if a single, non driving parent doesn’t have one local, has no family to drive them to/from and can only carry so much by herself on the bus then that’s going to be a lot of trips back and fourth, resulting in more money spent on transport.

You could be thinking why don’t they just shop for the reduced meat that goes on sale every night in certain supermarkets – again, I hear you, this is an excellent way to save money, but if you’re working shifts, a single parent or not able to drive to/from a supermarket at this time then you’re going to miss out. All these sweeping statements are fine if you’re a single person or you have help with any caring responsibilities but they simply do not work for everyone. It’s complex and it isn’t one size fits all. You can’t just tell someone to do better if they do not have the resources to do better, or differently.

So a family might have to resort to buying all frozen food which is cheap and easy to prepare, providing they have an oven and the electricity/gas to use it. HFHS processed meals which lead to an increase in fatness are cheap, but will give every member of the family a hot meal each day.

The TL:DR version – to afford all nutrition food for a family of four you need to live close to a budget supermarket and be able to get there in time for the cheap fruit and veg boxes which are usually in working hours. And know and have the time to shop in the reduced section. And have transport if your closest shop is a small newsagents that doesn’t cover all your meal making needs/where the costs are spiked.

How To Improve Poverty Stricken Families Health & Wellbeing

This is what I think the government should do to help families on the breadline instead of funding repair a bike and diet club schemes.
- Multi supermarket free fruit and vegetables vouchers
- Reduced gym/swim/fitness memberships
- Subsidised swimming lessons for children under 11
- Free school meals for primary school children
- Resources to get proper cooking lessons back in school for kids, including the ingredients needed
- Making healthy food more accessible
- Getting rid of zero hour contracts and giving job security back to people
If you are reading this and genuinely want to improve your health then I would really recommend reading more about anti diet culture, such as Health at Every Size which is a brilliant book full of recommendations, scientific studies and how diets don’t work. Improving your mental health, wellbeing and appreciating your body regardless of size will help. It’s also important to consider fat liberation movements. Rebelfit is another excellent place for information and non bias, non discrimatory fitness programmes which have lots of like minded people of all different shapes, sizes and abilities that want to move more and get healthier. Health and weight are two very seperate things. Sofie Hagen, a fat comedien who I love to follow on Instagram, is another great resource for this and has a pretty amazing book too.

Body Positivity isn’t about being fat, lazy and loving your body

No one in the fat liberation or body positive movement says this is only for fat people to be fat and lazy. I have never seen that anywhere. I have seen nothing but encouragement for fat people existing and taking up the spaces they deserve to have. I have seen a call for joyous movement, for yoga, for swimming for weight lifting and I have seen people genuinely love and appreciate their fat bodies. If it’s about health, then shouldn’t it be about all health?
1. Improving mental health by focusing on positive self talk
2. Moving more to improve cardio health
3. Eating foods that you enjoy and eating a range of foods that sustain you
4. Recovering from eating disorders which include binge eating and disordered eating
5. Taking the time for self care to improve your relationship with food and your body
6. Having therapy where you can exist as a fat person not to be told “if you just tried to lose weight”
Do you think we haven’t tried?

Also, I want to add as a final point this comment that “you can’t be fat and healthy.” In my experience this comes from a place of shame or disgust. It’s frustrating because, for women, it absolutely comes from a place that women are here to be objectified and sexualised and that comment comes from a place where men* (usually) don’t want to fuck a fatty. Because obviously, we fatties are so desperate because no one could possibly ever want us sexually in any way ever…and the fact that there are people that put divorce reasons as ‘she/he/they put on weight after we got married’ like a big fuck you to that. Fatness is not the problem, thinness should not be the goal. Ever. Make the goal to move more, to get strong, to be healthy but stop making it about weight loss.
August 11, 2020
#clapforcarers & keyworkers

recently people across the nation have been opening up their doors and windows to clap for carers and keyworkers. during this time i think it just goes to show who the real keyworkers are, the people that actually uphold society for everyone. the shopkeepers, nurses, carers, doctors, binmen, utility providers, telephone banking customer services, couriers, postpeople, police, firefighters, on the ground military personnel and so many more people that are told to stay in work because our infastructure relies on them so heavily.

of course we would not be able to cope without our nhs and health care practitioners that are currently exposing themselves to this virus daily, hour after hour but shops are still open to provide our families, sick or otherwise with food. care homes are still operating with carers to look after our vulnerable elderly family members. couriers are still deliving the stuff we are all buying to keep up with this lockdown and entertain our kids. teachers are still working, through the holidays, to provide a safe place for vulnerable children. these are the people that are just about stopping the economy from crashing down all around us. those are the people that should be thanked, celebrated and appreciated.

many people are struggling right now for many different reasons but those that have to work, do so, to help everyone else who has the priviledge to stay home. yes, being laid off, made redunant, is awful, its the worst timing but there is some help available and there are still people you can talk to if you’re struggling financially. it’s an issue, it’s a flawed system but there is no replacement for the intensive care workers trying to battle this virus and keep people alive. jobs, savings, bills can all be sorted, the economy will rebuild eventually (but this isn’t the most for that) but the lives lost will not be returned to us.

so thank you for all our carers and keyworkers. i am sorry that right now people are being awful and rude to you. i will try and make up for this with a thank you, a smile, a clap. i will try and make your job as easy as i possibly can should you need to assist me. i will try to be patient and understanding. i will not blame you if the shelves aren’t fully stocked. i know their are shortages and difficult times ahead.

not that long ago i shared about how everyone was talking about being kind and that sentiment has, as i predicted, disapeared. i know that many people are trying to control something in a surreal time, that they are angry at the situation. that they don’t know whether to laugh or cry their way through this. it’s not a nice time for anyone. but our carers and keyworkers are seperated from their families, are working so you can stay home and have the basic necessities you need. are doing everything they can to keep life moving through unprecedented times.

so be kind.
say thank you.
think of others when you’re shopping.

yes your feelings are valid, yes it’s shit, but no, it’s not anyone you’re going to come into contact with’s fault. you don’t need to be an arse. you might not be able to control what’s going on in the world, but you can absolutely control your actions towards other people.

April 5, 2020
there is an atmosphere of anger

felix has conjunctivitus and after a telephone consultation with the doctor he was prescribed some antibiotic eye drops. adam went out yesterday to collect from the pharmacy (who didn’t have it, because the doctor didn’t send it until the end of the day) but that is beside the point. he came home saying how weird it was walking around town whilst going to the pharmacy and then the supermarket to get us a few bits and pieces.

people are now, rightly so, being asked to wait in line outside stores and pharmacies to maintain social distancing and so staff can have enough time to restock shelves – we are going to see a massive decrease in stockpilling and hopefully staff will be working without abuse – but the energy coming from some of these people was anger. but who are they angry at?

i don’t know about you but i’ve kind of started to feel peace and acceptance at what is going on now we have some clarity over schools and workplaces. i know my grandparents are being cautious. both my parents are considered key workers (my dad will never let people forget this) and are obviously worried but taking precautions and following guidelines and government advice. my sisters and step dad can work at home so they too are moving on with their new normal for now.

did other people not see this coming? are they angry at their workplaces for being twatish? let’s face it, there are quite a few bosses being absolute horrors during this, caring only about money and not the welfare and wellbeing of their staff. are they just suspicious and angry because they don’t know who might have the virus? are they just angry because that’s the stage of grief they’re at right now? i don’t know.

what i do know is that this too shall pass. that this anger will filter down into sadness, depression, possibly relief and then acceptance. i know that despite ramping up testing and antibody kits, people can catch this virus twice which carries more complex risk and complications. i do know that we are going to see more and more losses of life which is heartbreakingly sad – especially when i have family members that are hugely at risk.

i don’t think the government are helping really. i think they’ve had seven weeks to prepare for this and they haven’t acted quick enough. i think boris is more concerned about being liked than giving strict sanctions and orders. i think a tory government and cuts over the last ten years are massively to blame for the shortages in the nhs, the police and the other emergency services. i think the bailout package for workers has been designed in a way to say a big f you to the eu as some sort of “look, we can cope without you, look what we’re doing for our country” although they haven’t raised statutory sick pay yet which is inexcusable being one of the worst paid in europe. but anyway, the political scrutiny will come after, as long as people remember.

i think this is our new normal until the summer. we need to stay home as much as possible. we need to take advantage of the allowance outside for exercise whilst we still can. we need to protect ourselves and our loved ones by socially distancing from others. we need to make the best out of a bad situation. we need to facetime our friends and family instead of visiting. we need to just focus on being a little patient, a little kinder and a little gentler to ourselves and each other.

for now at home we have books to read, games to play, intruments to try and learn, apps to have fun with and a lot of love for our little family. we will ge through this. we will carve the path between complacency and panic so that we’re staying safe as we possibly can.

March 28, 2020
Learning About Politics Is Everyone’s Responsibility
The results of the recent election are still right at the forefront of my mind. I was upset, disappointed, a bit shocked at the result. I expected another hung parliament as the country has been divided for so long or a small Conservative majority but it seems the main issue was Brexit. I am saddened, I feel a bit lost and a bit anxious about my future.

One thing that really did get to me though, is the turnout figures. I’ve had a look at some statistics to get some figures about turnout in the 2019 general election. The amount of people eligible to vote in the election were 47,500,00 or there abouts. There were approximately 31,800,000 votes cast on the 12th December. That’s over 15 million people who were eligible to vote and just didn’t. Turnout was 67.3% which was less than the 2017 general election.

Why did 15 million people not vote?

Some of the excuses, and they are excuses, are I don’t understand politics or I don’t know who to vote for. I want to dig a little deeper into this because it’s really infuriating. Saying you don’t know who to vote for is tough because you may feel disillousioned by politicians, you might think they all lie and cheat, you might not have gotten the result you wanted in the past, or maybe you just hate all the candidates. Some people just couldn’t be bothered and I do not have time for those people.

If you don’t know who to vote for, in terms of which party, and you have a bit of an ‘I’m alright, Jack’ attitude then you have to educate yourself. Just like you have to educate yourself if you don’t understand politics. If at the end of learning you still don’t know then you can still go and put an X in a box because voting really is that easy.

If you’re truly happy with how things are, vote for the party in charge. If you don’t vote at all, then you’re basically saying “I’m happy with how things are.” and it’s like a vote for the party in charge anyway.
If you’re not happy with how things are vote for the opposition.
If you’re passionate about a particular cause, independence or referendum vote for a party most alligned with that.
If you aren’t a fan of the options in Westminister of the main parties then vote for an independent candidate that might be standing.
If you’re angry about everything then you can go and spoil your vote because spoiled votes are counted and, apparently, fed back.

How can you educate yourself about poltics?
1. You can read the manifestos launched when a general election is called
2. You can visit the parties websites to find out more
3. You can follow many politicans on social media to read their views and why they are a part of their party
4. You can ask other people about politics
5. You can seek education resources and try to learn about them in college or University if youre priviledged enough
6. You can try and attend local rallies, hustings and meetings
7. You can write to your MP and ask them about a view they old and why they voted for a particular cause
8. You can join petitions for causes you care about
9. You can join activisit movements
10. You can read blog posts, like mine, like this one. They may have some bias from the position the person takes but you can still learn about movements that way
11. You can watch Prime Ministers questions on television
12. You can read about your local MP’s voting history
13. You can join a political party and attend their conferences
14. You can read a variety of articles in the press, again, these can come with bias so like posts like mine, it’s best to take everything with a pinch of salt. If you read a piece that is particularly positive about a particular party, try and find a negative piece to balance it, and vice versa.
15. You can always ask questions
The truth is politics is in everything and it’s really important. However, over the years it’s felt a bit taboo. In the past it wasn’t really talked about who people voted for because of anominity but with social media more people are openly discussing their views.

It also isn’t taken seriously in education and it really should be. I think if Children learned more about our parlimentary process they would be more willing and passionate about voting in the future. It’s really important to learn about conflict theories that oppose the establishment because that’s how you make an informed decision.

My blog is full of telling people to make balanced and informed decisions but you have to take responsibility for this. You have to seek information, have a desire to educate yourself and try and make the best choices for you as you possibly can.

Living in an Echo Chamber

This is where you seem to only associate with people that share the same views as you and this can sometimes be why people are upset with results from elections and referendems. What you say is constantly echoed back to you and you feel like you’re in a safe little bubble. Then big results shock you because you don’t see it coming. It’s a bit naive but also it’s a way of protecting yourself from what you feel might be the worst thing to happen.

It also creates a support network so when you talk to each other you have a shared sadness and that can really help in a process of grieving which does happen. It isn’t about ignoring differing views but let’s be honest it’s easier to get on with people that share the similar views as you.

Pushing an agenda

This is what activists do, they push agendas. They aren’t trying to make copies of themselves or make everyone the same as them. Usually they’re trying to offer a different point of view, share an alternative way of live, educate others in social injustices and welfare issues, make a statement or a big change for the benefit of a group or just because they’re passionate about it.

If you feel that someone is pushing their agenda on you then there are quite a few things you can do.
1. Ask yourself why their opinion is making you feel uncomfortable
2. Debate with them, in a productive way. Ask them why they support an agenda or movement, put your ideas across, talk to them about it.
3. You don’t have to follow these people if you don’t want to. You don’t have to listen and you don’t have to be a part of the change they might want to make. However, they also don’t have to stop either. We always make a concious choice about what we want to speak about, listen to and ignore.
4. If you are conflicting with each other, talking to each other will help strengthen your own position against other arguments in the future. When you debate something you’re passionate about you do start to form a rhetoric about it and you get better at explaining it the more you talk about it.
Politics is in everything and affects everyone

Feminism, Socialism, LGTBQ+, human rights, education, abortion rights, gender pay gap, veganism, animal cruelty, healthcare, social care, climate crisis – these are all big parts of our lives that we see frequently, they are all conflicting with the establishment, going against “the norm” and trying to find equality and balance. Parenting even gets political and competitive with how to feed your baby. There are ethical reasons for every movement and pretty much every decision
December 15, 2019