The Productive Pessimist

  "People who grew up in financial hardship more likely to be NEETs." "People diagnosed with ADHD or autism in childhood more likely to be NEETs." "Teens with depression and anxiety more likely to be NEETs." "Kids who were chosen last for school team sports more likely to be NEETs." "Children who spend breaktimes alone more likely to go on to be NEETs." NEETS - people, especially those aged 18-25, who are N ot in E ducation, E mployment, or T raining - are a persistent fretting point for politicians, and a frequent hand-wringing focus in the media. Almost every week, we see yet another "X type of child more likely grow up to be NEET" headline.  It seems as though there are so many  social problems causing people to shy away from paid employment, higher education, or worthwhile training pursuits.  So many problems, that need so many  schemes and organisations set up to address the problems  (often by Friends of People in Whiteh...

  Image shows the UK Houses of Parliament shot across the river Thames . The EHRC guidance on several  groups' rights - not just the "headline" of trans peoples' rights, and the entitlement to violence and abuse it has given people who aren't (yet) having their  rights "discussed" at government level. . "Simpler Recycling", and the "You're getting  more bins! We will  leave you with stinking, rotting refuse, and  fine you if you make one single mistake about what goes where, or some passerby dumps a crisp packet in your cardboard bin! No, we don't care  how little space you have to actually house all these bins!" . Constant media frothing about "young people who are unemployed and aren't even in any kind of training scheme!" and "how much it's costing the country!" These things seem very different and distinct from one another - just as many of the problems we face in business, or in our individual ...