Being watched over is a feeling which has come to me several times as unemployed and being part of the Danish job creation program. I suppose the intention of the Danish insurance system in the early days was to comfort the unemployed in a difficult situation but thats not the case anymore. The system has turned into a grotesque labyrinth of rules and control which from a human and psychological point of view makes it very difficult for the individual to stay focused on what is essential, namely finding a new job opportunity. It seems to be the ruling belief that the unemployed cheat - a way of thinking which has its origin in the 70's and the 80's, a different time with a more nonchalantly understanding of social benefits mostly repercussions from the happy 60's. An approach based on mistrust and a belief that unemployed in general misuse social benefits and avoid the obligation to seek job, generates individual emotions of shame and guilt and this is from a psychological point of view not encouraging in a difficult situation.
Constant surveillance of the individual to ensure justice of the system do not mentally secure the individual and may have as a consequence that the individual feels insecure - the security system produces its own insecurity!
Having the feeling of constantly being watched over - logs, letters, plans made by others, official people asking what I'm doing etc. - generates a unconscious pattern of behavior where I start monitoring myself - am I doing the right thing at the moment? and I may even start to change behavior into a pattern which I do hope is not misunderstood by in this case the system - a kind of "I better give them this because it gives me less trouble" or "they want me to look for...". To me it is a worrying and misunderstood way of treating unemployed people.
It is difficult to give you the impression of being surveyed - but let me make an attempt! Put yourself into the position of being watched over by this short sequence from the French thriller "Hidden" (French: Caché) from 2005 by Michael Haneke about a French family whose quiet daily life is disturbed when they start to receive surveillance tapes of their own residence from an anonymous source. Later they receive letters and things showing that someone with a thorough knowledge of the family is secretly watching them and their life starts to collapse. Yes the sequence is short but give it a try...
Constant surveillance of the individual to ensure justice of the system do not mentally secure the individual and may have as a consequence that the individual feels insecure - the security system produces its own insecurity!
Having the feeling of constantly being watched over - logs, letters, plans made by others, official people asking what I'm doing etc. - generates a unconscious pattern of behavior where I start monitoring myself - am I doing the right thing at the moment? and I may even start to change behavior into a pattern which I do hope is not misunderstood by in this case the system - a kind of "I better give them this because it gives me less trouble" or "they want me to look for...". To me it is a worrying and misunderstood way of treating unemployed people.
It is difficult to give you the impression of being surveyed - but let me make an attempt! Put yourself into the position of being watched over by this short sequence from the French thriller "Hidden" (French: Caché) from 2005 by Michael Haneke about a French family whose quiet daily life is disturbed when they start to receive surveillance tapes of their own residence from an anonymous source. Later they receive letters and things showing that someone with a thorough knowledge of the family is secretly watching them and their life starts to collapse. Yes the sequence is short but give it a try...
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