h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

long term unemployment is like a pension, its like waiting to die. You don't have enough money to do any thing so you sit around and do nothing. No matter what you do, any thing is better than doing nothing. You only get one shot at life and you must do something with it. Any thing don't just waste it. If you can't do better then sweep gutters, keep your mind active and write somrthing for posterity. Build a monument be part of the future plans of the city....On the other hand working is only $10 better than the dole. IE when you need $10 on the dole you wait for the next cheque when your working yopu may have it in your pocket. The big trap is not to work for the same boss all your life. He will only pay you the minimum, therefore you sold your life for the minimum. You must work for your self. Sell hot dogs, cut lawns do, the ironing, pick up scrap metal, any thing but sell your life for the minimum.

long term unemployment has mostly been fun so far. as a lone parent, i've been on the dole for 8 years, + we live a good life. of course the yacht + the country mansion would be nice, but i object to the implication that all doley scroungers do is sit around all day, waiting for the next giro. i've been very busy on the dole, apart from bringing up a pretty happy, cool kid, i've done a fair few courses, for interest + for fun, NOT for bits of paper qualifications that mean sod all, various voluntary work, also for fun. Just because i'm 'Unemployed' doesn't mean i don't work, i work harder than most 'Employed' people i know, and i have a better quality of life AND importantly more freedom. you don't meed money to have good times, the absolute only things i actually NEED money for is road tax, insurance, fuel + mobile bill, the rest can be got without money (without breaking the law). i have no intention of getting a job, ever. at some point i will do something, for money, that will mean i'll get the yacht etc, but it doesn't seem that important at the moment.