Last night I went to see the film I, Daniel Blake. When I was writing yesterday’s blog I was still processing it’s values. Or more importantly what it said about our values.

With the background of the Manchester and London bombings already highlighting the less than positive values some people hold, I watched a story full of judgements. The belief that there are deserving and undeserving people. Punitive measures against some of the most vulnerable people left high and dry by a view that they are resources to be discarded when there is no work. Or when illness strikes and their ability to be a worker bee is temporarily or permanently ended. People being disenfranchised. Left with no voice and no option because the people with the money don’t need their services anymore. Where did all this uncaring, unloving treatment come from?

I thought today about my history lessons. About the values of Victorian business owners. There is an almost 200 year history of those with means employing those without anything and, in a lot of cases, forgetting that they were dealing with their fellow humans. I live in an old mill town. The mill owners houses crowd the tops of the hills whilst in the marshy valley bottom the narrow terraced houses march row by row for the workers. The mills were surrounded by the homes of the employees. The mill managers and owners looked down on all of this. Perhaps that is how the judgements became so entrenched. It was hard to rise to a place on the hill so when you did there was a temptation to keep others down. In case they did better than you. And ended up rising above you.

Whatever the roots of these values they still rule our lives today. Women are paid less than men. You are not respectable unless you work hard every day. It’s necessary for you to pay your way.

So when you don’t live up to those values you become an outsider. Even an outcast. It’s not the fault of the business owner who has laid off employees to boost his profits. It becomes your fault for not being in a job. So there is incredible pressure to get back into work. Even when there is no work available. Most people aren’t aware that many of the things we take for granted, the NHS, pensions, benefits and support safety nets are less than 75 years old. For the hundred or more years before that there was no systematic support for people. There was only charity and the poor law. I believe that if we are an advanced civilisation then these are not enough. So why are we busy dismantling the safety net that the most vulnerable need?

It’s not about money. There is more than enough to go round if everyone contributed according to their means. It seems to be those harsh judgements contained in the very Victorian values that need to be removed from our understanding about being a community. Who knows. Some of those very values may be part of the background to what makes a young person choose to be a bomber. And what about our future citizens? The children on the receiving end of poverty, hunger and lack of shelter. Are they going to grow up thanking us for applying Victorian values? Or will they tell us that we failed them in a fundamental way. That we could and should have found more intelligent and creative solutions.

So what is the value of values that perpetuate injustice and inequality? Is that why it’s easier to put the blame on others? To target those of a different colour, beliefs or gender?

That way I don’t have to take any responsibility for living with outdated beliefs. I don’t have to look at myself and address my prejudices. It’s possible for me to walk on by, not looking at or noticing those who are suffering, quietly telling myself thank goodness it’s not me. But that’s the issue. Life turns up side down without warning. What if I join those undeserving people? What price my values then? Surely it is better for me to recognise these outdated beliefs and work to change my values now? Perhaps that’s what this election is really about. I feel it’s time to change the way we live with one another. There has to be room for love and compassion. Not just in our thoughts but in our actions. Including in our laws and structures too.

The mills have long gone. So have most of our Victorian industries. My child faces a future that is very different to my life choices. I’m looking to our leaders to care about communities rather than big businesses. It’s important that we have principled people with solid values who help us shift from the Victorian era to the technology era. There is always work when people innovate. New ideas create new jobs. Continuing the same old same old leaves so much talent going to waste. I believe it’s time for all of us to call for reform in a very different way. To re-establish compassion for others. I care. You care. What if we all cared enough to demand new values?

Day 560 of my blogging challenge