Socialist UK government finds a "worklessness problem" for almost a million young males

With the classic alacrity of all bureaucratic governments, the socialist govt of the U.K. is beginning to see a problem.  It's been there for awhile, but is starting to grow, cutting into government revenue, so...

Since Covid, Britain has been plagued by what the Brit press coyly calls a "worklessness crisis" (we'd say unemployment) that's "dragging down public finances."  (Amusingly, UK papers are like our Mainstream Media: they soften every problem when the Labor party is in control, so "unemployment" becomes "worklessness."

Turns out almost a million 16-to-24-year-olds in the UK are not only unemployed but also not in education, employment or training.

The socialist government's so-called "experts" bleat that it's a "mental health crisis," cuz that means hiring more bureaucrats to "solve it."  Some of duh "experts" think it's being caused by global worming, or video games, or online pornography, or the fact that more days are ending in "y."

One "expert" thinks the government paying to give free or low-cost internet to all homes in UK cities--a policy strongly pushed by socialists in the Labor party-- plays a huge role due to on-line games and porn.

Many young males see on-line game forums as being more interesting than real life.  All the popular video games have huge user groups, with users endlessly debating strategy.  

All those things may have a role, but none would cause this without the cunning socialist enabler: Britain's generous welfare system--the "dole"--gives 18-year-olds enough money so those living at home don't need to get a job.  Hmm...

SO...as anyone with a functioning brain could have predicted, given free entertainment without having to work or train for a job, almost a million young males have decided they'd rather not work.  

Like welfare recipients in the U.S, the UK males weigh the "marginal benefit" of getting a job--the amount they'd earn over what the government pays 'em for loafing--against having to work, and reasonably decide loafing makes more sense.

Getting a job strikes them as a lot of effort for little return.  And many experts believe that as on-line games become more realistic, this is gonna get worse.

"Progressives" claim the problem is that wages for low-paid entry-level jobs are too low.  Solution (as always): raise the minimum wage.  If $20 an hour doesn't solve the problem, try $40.  After all, the socialists all have high-paid government jobs so never have to eat in fast-food restaurants, eh?

Other "experts" argue that there were lots more high-paying entry-level jobs several decades ago, but...something happened.  They never pursue the question of what happened to those jobs.  It's just a huge mystery.  (Answer: they've been filled by immigrants.)  

The official figures show that in the UK, per-capita GDP has declined.  If you have kids, ask 'em what they think that means.

Socialists claim online addiction to games or porn isn't the cause of unemployment but the result of low wages.

The idea that paying people who prefer not to work has any role in this seemingly never occurs to them.