It, of course, was totally unmoved by my frustration that the article I wanted to tell you about a) has no abstract and b) is not available online.
Where is our humanity? is a short piece by Dr Sebastian Kraemer, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, who challenges some common assumptions and prejudices about benefit claimants. This is published in Poverty Number 141 (Autumn 2011) from CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group).
The part which really struck home with me talks about the human brain at birth not being fully grown. The first few months and years of life mould the way we think about the world, especially about being loved. If you have not experienced love as a youngster then it is possible that your search takes you in appropriate directions. You will try to find love in the bottom of a bottle, or (not mentioned by Dr Kraemer but equally relevant in many poverty situations) in promiscuous behaviour.
Many vulnerable individuals had their willpower knocked out of them before they could make use of it, which is worse than bad luck, and – through fear or ignorance – they missed opportunities to make things better for themselves, which is tragic. When we can collectively accept that there are people among us who have both and been failed, then we can contemplate a better society in which the strong support the weak rather than despise them. Which kind of society would you prefer to live in?
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