A WHO report released today reveals some quite shocking statistics. While we expect life to be shorter in foreign countries such as Africa, we learn that even in the UK there are major differences. If you live in Calton you can only expect to make it to 54 years old, live just over 10 miles away and you gain almost 30 years.
It is lifestyle, but how much of that is choice. Do people eat deep fried mars bars, take drugs, abuse alcohol out of choice? Is it what they are taught by their parents? Or is it a lack of self-respect because society doesn't let them know that they have value?
I went to university in Glasgow. It would have been easy to go to church in the more respectable areas. In fact, while it wasn't Calton, I used to go to one of the rougher, poorer areas. I didn't do enough there, but at least I saw with my eyes. I met some of the most genuine people it has been my fortune to call friends.
I remain committed to my beliefs because I believe that conservatism is about trying to bring everyone up to the higher level. But, you know what, I don't care what your political background, we have to find a way to all work together to stop this.
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I keep intending to read more about structuration, apparently a concept developed by Giddens to bring together ideas about the effects of structures on people, and the individual choices they make.
This is something I see on a daily basis, working in social housing. We now have third-generation benefit dependents. People grow up in an environment where there is no expectation on them to get a job. I work with people who hold adults entirely responsible for their behaviour but pity the children they bring up and I fail to understand why they can't see the connection between the two. They also hold up examples of people who grow up in such environments and do manage to do ok, and say that if they can, everyone should be able to.
I try to reconcile the conflicting ideas by thinking that people do have to be held responsible for the choices they make, but that the environment people grow up in affects their ability to make good choices. If you are brought up by parents who actively encourage you to damage neighbours' property, or who spend all their money on drugs and don't give you any tea, you may not manage your life as well as others.
I think that modern conservatism maintains privilege and fails to recognise that people do not start on a level playing field. But I respect you for the ends above the party politics involved in getting there.
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