Census...
The latest Census in the UK takes place on Sunday 27Th March 2011.
I realise that I have filled in two so far(before that)My Father took care of such matters...
I'm trying to think if I objected to any questions I was asked before but cannot think of any but as I get older I think I find such forms more objectionable and less likely to want to fill them in and I wouldn't say it's because I have more or anything to hide as such but with all the different ways Government and official organisations can and do have access to personal details I am not really sure that the Census means anything any more.
It could be argued that past census details are handy to historians or people tracing their family trees but today I'm not sure it means anything.
I have seen the questions being asked on the 2011 Census.
Where they once would've asked for your marital status and you could say single, divorced, separated etc.
An example of how things have changed...there is no term for being single...the nearest you have now is "Have You never been married" but in the same line it is classed with a question about civil ceremonies for gay people.
Which is almost classing anyone who is single will automatically be gay(and I am not making any derogatory reference to be being gay)I just don't understand why its been lumped together. Those who are gay may be asking the same in reverse.
Another asks when you last worked and where. I honestly cannot remember and the company I worked for as far as I know went out of business or moved. So I don't know what date to put on the form but equally it has nowhere to add extra information where you can explain that since then you have maybe been on training courses, been looking for work or have been seriously ill or have a long term health problem. Or that you may be looking after someone else who is not in the best of health.
Only specific answers can be given or you can only tick boxes beside the nearest appropriate answer to your situation.
It asks what qualifications you have(I'll accept that is to maybe find out what you have studied over your working life)but as most of mine were gained at school and in training courses quite some time ago I honestly cannot remember what I actually did qualify in so it will be guess work and if they don't match with previous censuses I have filled in...tough!
It asks if you have central heating, a car etc...you might have but that does not necessarily mean you can afford to use them. But if you say you have them when statistics are issued they can say look at the high standard of living everyone has.
They keep saying each Census will be the last we shall see. They are supposed to be confidential but with your name and address on the form, they are not really.
I'm not a fan...but with the threat that you will be fined or sent to jail if you do not fill in the form but what can you do?
I realise that I have filled in two so far(before that)My Father took care of such matters...
I'm trying to think if I objected to any questions I was asked before but cannot think of any but as I get older I think I find such forms more objectionable and less likely to want to fill them in and I wouldn't say it's because I have more or anything to hide as such but with all the different ways Government and official organisations can and do have access to personal details I am not really sure that the Census means anything any more.
It could be argued that past census details are handy to historians or people tracing their family trees but today I'm not sure it means anything.
I have seen the questions being asked on the 2011 Census.
Where they once would've asked for your marital status and you could say single, divorced, separated etc.
An example of how things have changed...there is no term for being single...the nearest you have now is "Have You never been married" but in the same line it is classed with a question about civil ceremonies for gay people.
Which is almost classing anyone who is single will automatically be gay(and I am not making any derogatory reference to be being gay)I just don't understand why its been lumped together. Those who are gay may be asking the same in reverse.
Another asks when you last worked and where. I honestly cannot remember and the company I worked for as far as I know went out of business or moved. So I don't know what date to put on the form but equally it has nowhere to add extra information where you can explain that since then you have maybe been on training courses, been looking for work or have been seriously ill or have a long term health problem. Or that you may be looking after someone else who is not in the best of health.
Only specific answers can be given or you can only tick boxes beside the nearest appropriate answer to your situation.
It asks what qualifications you have(I'll accept that is to maybe find out what you have studied over your working life)but as most of mine were gained at school and in training courses quite some time ago I honestly cannot remember what I actually did qualify in so it will be guess work and if they don't match with previous censuses I have filled in...tough!
It asks if you have central heating, a car etc...you might have but that does not necessarily mean you can afford to use them. But if you say you have them when statistics are issued they can say look at the high standard of living everyone has.
They keep saying each Census will be the last we shall see. They are supposed to be confidential but with your name and address on the form, they are not really.
I'm not a fan...but with the threat that you will be fined or sent to jail if you do not fill in the form but what can you do?
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 4:16 pm
3 Comments:
They are an aide to help politicians invent shit. They have plenty of uses but no "real" use...it's for your own good but it won't do you any good at all.
Hi Gildy.
Historical information has been very useful to me in tracing my family history but nowadays there are plenty of other sources available for measuring consumption and future requirements. Interestingly in Germany they have local censuses every year. This year is the year of the census right across the EU, it just happens to coincide with our ten year cycle.
I agree with both your points in that in the past they were probably of historical interest but these days have little or no use.
If the information said the Government needs to invest more in the welfare of its subjects will they do that?
Highly unlikely, in many cases they are trying to do the opposite either because political docterate or because we're so shafted it cannot be afforded.
And again thanks to the media as much as anything can be blamed because they find the few extremes where someone fiddles benefits it fuels the ill feeling of some in society to tar everyone with the same brush and lump everyone as being the same.
Now we are all going to be bombarded with that happiness survey which will come through our letterboxes and so far I don't know if you have to fill that in or you can refuse unlike the Census.
And both only offer boxes to tick or yes/no answers.
The Census will cost £487 Million.
Not sure what the happiness survey will cost.
Two questions in the planned survey are:How happy did you feel yesterday?
How anxious did you feel yesterday?
But if they do start to ask for more detail, I'm not sure I want to say what I feel.
If I decide to reveal my thoughts and feelings voluntarily here that's different, if I said most of the worries are driven by Government policies are they likely to take notice as I said about the Census...I don't think so...
I think most people are worried about keeping their jobs, being made unemployed, ill health, having enough income to be able to live, care when they need it, the NHS etc...I doubt you need a survey to work that out.
Post a Comment
<< Home