[OANST]

That's a lot to respond to. Let me give it a shot.

I assumed, and I think I assumed rightly, that jobseekers is only one of the benefits offered to the unemployed in your country. I do not have any knowledge of the actual amounts paid, but I expect that it amounts to a combination of what we call unemployment and welfare. And yes, those are very difficult to live off of. Shit, my wages are difficult to live off of.

I did say that there are people that are genuinely looking for work, and can't find it. They either don't interview well, or as Joe insists, the jobs just aren't out there. In those situations, your only option is to seek work where you can find it, and move. I've moved for a job before. It sucks, and it's hard. But it's an option if all else fails.

As for cutting yourself off from entertainment, my point there is that if you have money for entertainment, you have money to better your position if you save it. And that's what the money you're being given is for. To better your odds of getting a job. The more prep work you've done, the better your odds of getting a job more quickly, and being able to enjoy yourself again.

Taxes pay for a lot of things, but those taxes still come from people. It's money that they earned. For people who are being taxed out the ass for work that they do, it gets difficult to watch people receive that money for doing nothing. And just as there are people genuinely looking for work, there are people genuinely happy to not have to work, and live off what the government gives them plus whatever they can get from people they know.

Do you think that the same schemes to make numbers look better don't exist here? They do. My point is that you are looking at a very close percentage of unemployment, even with manipulation taken into account.

As for the rest of it, you're obviously pissed at me for having this perspective. I won't take it personally. Even if you want me to.