How do the unemployed spend their time?

Well, it's obviously going to be a pie chart thing, of course.

I would assume, giving the benefit of the doubt, that the bulk of the unemployed are probably spending most of their time just learning about various things on the internet, reading books, blogging about their thoughts, or going to school.

I would also make the assumption that most of the employed are making the wrongfully biased assumption that the unemployed spend the bulk of their time entertaining themselves with mindless TV sitcoms, playing expensive video games, doing expensive drugs, and drinking booze all day long. I seriously question that assumption though, because I think that kind of lifestyle would get boring really quickly, not to mention expensive too.

No offense is intended by this post. What do you guys on ATS think the unemployed do with their time?

reply to post by quantum_flux


Well, I spend a large percentage of my time doing my online schooling And trying to hash out this Math I need for this IT degree, then I spend about 80 percent of my time also filling out for job openings and looking for openings, I have given rides to people for money, have helped my husband on his jobs for money. Then there is Saturday, Saturday is my family time which is mostly just me and the kids cause the hubby is working. We do this with either the money I earned from giving people rides or helping with his jobs or the money he has earned that he gives me. This has been the beach for the last five Saturdays. Oh and every day at seven I walk around the neighborhood with two friends so I don't become a blob. Between that I may sleep or worry or cry because I cannot find anything or anyone that will even so much as call me to say FU or whatever when I have applied to their opening. And then I feel like sitting on top a water tower and taking MFERS out with a semi automatic rifle. But prison life does not agree with me or er it wouldn't I like my illusion of freedom. So I never follow through. In a few short months I should be able to get a real darn good job and that is all that really keeps me from being depressive and suicidal or homicidal, or being to the point I wanna have myself committed. So there ya go, a day in the life of one unemployed Angry bitter and totally disillusioned woman!

reply to post by quantum_flux


I would Imagine some of them are Comitting Crimes . What would you do if you were Unemployed and couldn't Provide for your Family ?

reply to post by ldyserenity


Take it easy. Sounds to me like you're spending your time wisely. I really mean no offense to you or any of the other unemployed, just trying to get a collective analysis of what that 10% of the population does is all.

reply to post by Zanti Misfit


'Is unemployed and crime free..."

i just spend my time on here until i find a job...

reply to post by Zanti Misfit


I don't really know what I'd do if I had to support a family and couldn't land a job. I'd imagine I would need to be a tightwad with my money though.

reply to post by quantum_flux


Desperate People can do Desperate things sometimes . Just an Observation.

Originally posted by quantum_flux
Well, it's obviously going to be a pie chart thing, of course.

I would assume, giving the benefit of the doubt, that the bulk of the unemployed are probably spending most of their time just learning about various things on the internet, reading books, blogging about their thoughts, or going to school.

I would also make the assumption that most of the employed are making the wrongfully biased assumption that the unemployed spend the bulk of their time entertaining themselves with mindless TV sitcoms, playing expensive video games, doing expensive drugs, and drinking booze all day long. I seriously question that assumption though, because I think that kind of lifestyle would get boring really quickly, not to mention expensive too.

No offense is intended by this post. What do you guys on ATS think the unemployed do with their time?

edit on 10-10-2010 by quantum_flux because: -

I think most unemployed are watching everything collapse around them. Shaking their heads saying (in echo)
I told you so........I told you so........I told you so...........I told you so.................

reply to post by Mr. D


Do you think there is a statistical difference in mentallity between the unemployed and the employed? Do you think that the employed just seem to accept the fact that they are cogs in a failing system whereas the unemployed desire to somehow get around the system?

Originally posted by quantum_flux
reply to post by Mr. D

 

Do you think there is a statistical difference in mentallity between the unemployed and the employed? Do you think that the employed just seem to accept the fact that they are cogs in a failing system whereas the unemployed desire to somehow get around the system?

I believe that the "System" is corrupt, it is no longer what you know but who you know. Think
about your work place if you have one and check out the management/owners. How many of their
relatives work there and where? Ah yes, if you begin to dig too deep and they find out, you too will join
the ranks of the unemployed my friend. Haven't you noticed that the U.S. can no longer compete in the
world? A once proud nation that the world looked to, that made some of the best products out there
with lifetime warranties on their products now can not even manufacture anything because all the
good paying jobs (manufacturing) have been outsourced to more profitable countries. Now look at the
junk we buy from them that practically falls apart after being used a few times. How many Made in
the USA products can you find now compared to oh say 20 years ago? Think about it.

Originally posted by Mr. D
How many Made in the USA products can you find now compared to oh say 20 years ago? Think about it.

I agree with this statement.. Even our flags are made in china.. Most of them..

I have a job where I help make products in the states, the only thing we dont make for this product is the power supply..

But i am helping the american way of life..

I saw a commercial a few days ago on tv.. Jeep I think it is.. it said at the end "What we made, makes us.." I agree with this statement on the things you said about.. and that statement Jeep stated I agree with..

Originally posted by ThichHeaded

Originally posted by Mr. D
How many Made in the USA products can you find now compared to oh say 20 years ago? Think about it.

I agree with this statement.. Even our flags are made in china.. Most of them..

I have a job where I help make products in the states, the only thing we dont make for this product is the power supply..

But i am helping the american way of life..

I saw a commercial a few days ago on tv.. Jeep I think it is.. it said at the end "What we made, makes us.." I agree with this statement on the things you said about.. and that statement Jeep stated I agree with..

edit on 10/11/2010 by ThichHeaded because: (no reason given)

Yeah, it's a sad state of affairs no doubt and what is worse is that the gubberment is in bed with
the very corporations that are doing this! There is some consolement in all of this.....they are in
for a huge wake up call for sure. When the western world falls, Asia will be on a fast track to
the same path. For all intents and purposes, they are modelling their system on the western one.
AND they will be left holding alot of worthless debt, with no one to purchase the products they are
manufacturing and Billions of hungry mouths to feed can anyone say the sleeping dragon will awaken?
(Billions of hungry, angry orientals who will turn on their gubberments first).

I was unemployed for nearly 6 months.
I spent most of my time looking and applying for jobs. There is a myth that all you need to do is fire off a CV. But in my line of work, CVs are not accepted. So each application was a couple of days of work at least.
I also cleaned people's houses.
I think it's important to keep up a routine. In the end I took a temporary 3 day job that paid little more than the welfare I was on. But that was rewarded by the job being made permanent, the pay going up, good flexibility of working and opportunities for overtime. Great employer too

Originally posted by Zanti Misfit
reply to post by quantum_flux

 

I would Imagine some of them are Comitting Crimes . What would you do if you were Unemployed and couldn't Provide for your Family ?

Are you out of your mind???

reply to post by quantum_flux


The unemployed spend their time trying to finagle ways to obtain alcohol and drugs. Once they have had their fix, they retreat back to the couch at their "old buddy's" and/or their mothers' basements to think of ways to get to the corner of 3rd and 5th for a hooker.

As a man who is currently unemployed I can list everything that I do...

Daily I submit my resume to at least one company. This may sound like a slacker move off the cuff, but, in reality, one a day takes work because I started my unemployment stint putting in 20 - 30 a day. I am literally running out of places to apply. It's a challenge to just find the one per day some days.

I ATS because it distracts me from the mountain of stress that being unemployed can cause. To be honest - and to quell all those "unemployed people probably sit around getting drunk" neocon voices... I have taken up the habit of NOT DRINKING at ALL because I realize that, as depressed, scared, and stressed as I've become due to unemployment... I could easily get lost in the bottle and never climb back out. Sorry to violate some peoples precious stereotypes of liberals and the unemployed... But we aren't social leaches or opportunistic drunkards. At least not on weekdays.

I volunteer 8 hours a week at a mental health center. I did this before I lost my job and, by God, I won't stop giving of myself just because I no longer have as much as I used to. I actually fought with a conservative a few months back, who insisted that I was "abusing the system" by "giving away my labor in a communist fashion" instead of flipping burgers... A chunk of my sense of self worth comes from volunteering and I will do it until I am dead or so old and incapacitated that they won't let me to it anymore.

Besides... I've applied to flip burgers too... Not happening for a skilled adult laborer. I almost envy teenagers at this point for their ability to get dead end jobs.

I read a LOT.

And while I won't confess to anything underhanded, dishonorable, or shady here... I will say this:

All you guys who are married to stay at home wives and who are still employed... Ummm chances are they very well could be spending their days texting, visiting, or going to lunch with your unemployed neighbors. My door gets knocked on a LOT between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm.

Just sayin'

~Heff

Im unemployed, but not by choice.

I went through the whole getting wrecked everyday thing but my body could'nt cope with it. Now i just chill more and look in to lifes little mysteries and try to find answers to big questions. Which as it turns out is actually harder than your 9 to 5 in some respect.

Im always getting judged by those who think they are better than me because they can afford more things. I used to argue with them and explain that they are just slaves and dont realsie it. It was like banging my head against a brick wall. Im happy with myself, if i get well enough to work, ill look to start my own business and be my own boss. I alraedy suppliment my existance through gambling at the moment so i see no need to change really. Even if they stop giving me benefits i think id be ok.

Being unemployed has opened my eyes to a lot of things that i would'nt of had time to look in to otherwise. So i think ive actually benefited from it in a strange way. Call me what you will, im twice the man i was before.

Since being unemployed i have spent far more time on my main passion music production. I can spend as much time and effort on a music project than I ever applied myself to any employed work I had. I also spend a lot more time outside walking. At the moment Im also doing some voluntary work as a youth mentor, I have only had the training, but am looking forward to getting stuck in, I'm hoping to forge a career in working with young people. I have a few other voluntary jobs working with young people lined up. I'm just hoping the governments cuts dont put an end to these projects before I even get started.

there is a difference between the unemployed by fate and the unemployed by choice, the unemployed by fate or economic downturn, look for jobs and try to pay bills and feed their family with some time spent to get their minds of their problems. the on purpose unemployed drink do drugs get each other pregnant and stir up as much drama as possible to fill their meaningless days and leech of the rest of us and are nasty to those of us that do work and earn thinhgs because of their undeserved sense of entitlement.

reply to post by abe froman


I agree to an extent, fortunately i dont have any children to look after so i avoid all the stress and worry that would come with that. Not all "on purpose" unemployed people act as you mention though. Thats just the picture that people paint of them. The media here in the U.K is mainly responsable for this with "Chav" culture. Even people who work do all these things they just squeeze it in to a weekend instead of a week. I thinks its more of a social deprevation issue myself. There is'nt a lot for young people to do these days unless you've got some cash in your bank account. Theres not much scope for making money when nobody trusts you because the newspaper has demonised you and everyones afraid of you. You end up hanging with people who are in the same situation and the motivation to change gets lost, while your trying to survive urban life where respect is king and drinking and taking drugs is the only way to cope with all thats involved in getting it. Then your caught in gang culture which is an issue in its self.

Dont be too quick to judge people, young people in particular. Its a tough world out there and people deal with it in different ways thats all.