Every few years, the government announces it is “reviewing the NEET problem,” and every time the country sighs – because we’ve been here before. The truth is that the issue was never solved because it was never understood. Young people aren’t disengaging out of apathy; they’re responding rationally to a system that no longer works. This piece explores how the myth of meritocracy and the commercialisation of opportunity have left a generation blamed for failures they didn’t create – and why rebuilding dignity, contribution, and community through frameworks like LEGS is the only way forward.