In the Netherlands, work is the goal of life. Not necessarily doing a job that’s needed to make the world go round, but to earn a keep. People don’t care anymore about what their work is for. They believe in money and the need of money. A person is apparently doing something very useful if earning a lot of money.

We used to allow people more money because of their accountability and responsibility to do their best for all of us. A reasonable hierarchy, supported by societal behavioural structures. Every societal system has its extremes. People outside or largely outside it. As long as these ‘outsiders’ aren’t calling the shots, the system is safe.

If one would distribute influence by members of a society, one would ideally expect a kind of Gaussian distribution. But a society isn’t based on logic, but sentiment. If we admire someone, we allow them to be better off. And somehow we will listen to those we admire, although they have a message like the next person. We pay them for having our admiration, not the work they do and not even the responsibility they take. Then they’ll have a lot of money, earning them respect to earn money.

So… the next person, who is bright, could really mean something, takes responsibilities when due, but can’t be trusted to harmonise with society. This person gets little admiration and will never mean something. Most people thrive on admiration, or at least meaning something to a significant other or group of others. Yet we have ventured so far in our consumption/production societies that a person doesn’t really mean something if they can’t earn their keep. Irrespective of their actions or debilitating properties towards the possibilities they are offered. They do not harmonise.

Any person with some tendency towards logic, must realise that there will always be those who can not cope with whatever system we think of. And last year (2017), we took a step towards billing those who are not able to cope, on their benefits. People who really need every penny anyway and have more than one source of benefit to make ends meet. The argument used, is very old. If we don’t think people who do not function properly as worthy… they will adjust. Yet the argument has never yielded any result with people who are not able to… they can be very bright in their ways, yet not useful enough for acquiring revenue.

In the Netherlands there is a group, of who with all reasonability, will not fit in this kind of scheme. Their benefit was such that they would be supported and if they saw opportunity, they could find their own position in society. It’s called #Wajong, a benefit for those outside the system due to hardships or disabilities before coming of age. A living wage so to speak. Just taking away the worries and making individual development for this group as optimal as possible. Now we are billing them for trying… taking away part of this living wage, to push them in a position generating revenue, even if this will not happen without some kind of subsidy.

As such, we believe in money telling us the importance of facts of life. If you understand what I was saying in the text above, you’ll understand when I say… poppycock (originally being a Dutch expression, it seems rather fitting) Exchanging self worth, for what you’re made worth for society, although it’s all make belief, can be spun as reasonable in the short run. In the long run, a group of very miserable people will be created, who might even think it’s their own failure in being so. Because money tells them so.

I myself am in this position. I decided that I can not comply, without handing over sanity and health. May be I’ll find my niche or see my benefits reduce to sub living levels someday. My admiration can be my own. Believe me… in this society that’s a disability.