That’s all really interesting and illuminating - I feel like I’m understanding a little better what the scale of the problem is and what factors contribute to it getting better or worse.
I have always thought poverty must play a huge role in societal discord, especially where the gap between “rich” and “poor” is evident and significant. Not just because it obviously fuels crime, but also the bigger issue of people’s lives being so shit, and so many needs being unmet. It’s horrifying, really, as the trend is moving towards a whole new tranche of people being unable to afford basics, and any slack in the system being used up.
I feel our thinking is still very much dominated by a Victorian viewpoint of the deserving or undeserving poor, and by a Skinnerian behaviourist view that sees everything through the lens of reward and punishment. Even if it can be clearly demonstrated that such an approach does not produce the “behaviour modification” desired.
That’s all really interesting and illuminating - I feel like I’m understanding a little better what the scale of the problem is and what factors contribute to it getting better or worse.
I have always thought poverty must play a huge role in societal discord, especially where the gap between “rich” and “poor” is evident and significant. Not just because it obviously fuels crime, but also the bigger issue of people’s lives being so shit, and so many needs being unmet. It’s horrifying, really, as the trend is moving towards a whole new tranche of people being unable to afford basics, and any slack in the system being used up.
I feel our thinking is still very much dominated by a Victorian viewpoint of the deserving or undeserving poor, and by a Skinnerian behaviourist view that sees everything through the lens of reward and punishment. Even if it can be clearly demonstrated that such an approach does not produce the “behaviour modification” desired.