"Through no fault of their own"

[Duer 157099]

You know, this phrase is really grating on my last nerve. WTF is it really saying? That those who may be unemployed or homeless because of some "fault" of theirs--whether illness, or a mistake, or bad judgement--why the hell are these people any less worthy of help to survive?

W.T.F.???

Same goes for "hard-working" like if somebody cannot work hard, they deserve to just die.

[calico1]

1. To me it just means you lost your job because

it was sent to India or your company went belly up or something that you had nothing to do with. Rather than you losing your job because you stole a computer or something. That would be your fault.

[Duer 157099]

2. What about someone who lost their job because they suck at it?

Clearly it's their fault that they suck at it, but let's face it, we all would suck at some--if not most--jobs.

I really detest how pervasive that phrase is and what it is saying.

[zeemike]

3. The one I like is "a well deserved vacation"

Implying that some are not deserved as much.
there must be a word for this manipulation of language somewhere.

[lunatica]

4. It means you didn't do something that cost you your job

Like being fired for stealing.

[Duer 157099]

5. As I pointed out above, what about someone who just sucks at the job?

I'm sure there are millions of people who take a certain job because it's all they can find, yet discover that they simply are not cut out for that line of work. So they get fired.

It's their fault.

Should they be eligible for unemployment? Or any help at all?

[calico1]

8. But on the other side of that, what if you

work your butt off, get consistently good reviews and then you lose your job because it was cheaper to pay someone in India to do it? Is it fair to that person?

There are a lot of people today who are taking jobs at things they would rather not do. And I understand that they may not be as good at it as something they do like.

I was just commenting on your original post.

[lunatica]

9. I'm answering your question about the phrase "Thru no fault of their own"

People who are bad at their jobs lose them through their fault. There is a reason for being fired. That reason originates with the person who is bad at their job.

I wasn't commenting on being eligible for unemployment. But I'm a progressive and feel that everyone, even the incompetent people should have a place to live, free health and food when necessary and a free education or continuing education. I'm a Democratic Socialist at heart.

[KT2000]

6. what I think it means

is that there is a strong calvinist streak that runs through America's population. It is almost in vogue now with the RW having taken over media. The comments section after news articles is filled with contempt for people who are in dire straights.

"through no fault of their own" is an attempt to break through that mean streak and find some compassion in the reader or listener. Same with "hard working."

I don't think it works though.

[QC]

7. We used to hear a lot about "innocent people" with AIDS.

The subtext, of course, was "You know, good people, not dirty queers who deserve it."

So I know what you mean.

Having said that, I do know people who have been fired for not showing up, stealing, etc., so some people really do bear some responsibility for their situations. However, there are plenty of others who have, as Bill Clinton used to say, "worked hard and played by the rules" and still gotten the shaft.

[pscot]

10. Ah yes, the Deserving poor

Clean, respectful of authority, grasteful for whatever crmbs a generous society allows to fall their way.

[LaurenG]

11. The very corporate masters who are saying this crap are the root of the problem

How are people supposed to work when America has nothing to export or to sell because so much of the work is now outsourced. I just heard that Avon is now going to outsource in a month or two. :mad:

[Rincewind]

12. Here in America,

our society has a long history of blaming people for their problems. In other words, if you are sick, poor, unemployed or otherwise on the margins of society, it's your own damn fault. For years a lot of people have insisted that people lose their jobs because they are incompetent, lazy, or want too much money.At this point in time, so many have lost their jobs, that some commentators have decided to separate the unemployed into two groups, the worthless scum that would be jobless no matter what, and a few victims of the bad economy. They do this so that they can claim that they are not hating on all they unemployed, just the low life's. When the unemployment rate drops another couple of points, they will announce that everything is fine again, and that those who are still jobless, just don't want to work.

[Touchdown]

13. Didn't this start with AIDS in the 80s where the straight people dying...

were "Innocent Victims" instead of those horrible Homosexuals who deserved it?

And a few DUers have the nerve to be shocked at my disgust at Christianity.