With talks rife on the bank/Government EU bailout and mere weeks to go to the budget from hell which has already paralysed the movements of shoppers, spenders, investors, savers, and anyone with a cautious streak in their nature, it is clear that Irish society is starting to turn in on itself. This is already manifest in people's behaviour in regard to general day-to-day living, where shopping for basics such as family groceries and the amount of fuel you put in your car at service stations is currently being monitored by watchful eyes.
Whether people choose to feel guilty or not about having more money than others is no longer relevant. The 'blame game' has now become so skewed that, regardless of whether your success is down to hard graft or lucky lottery gains, any move suggesting actual enjoyment of your means is likely to raise hackles and antagonism in ever-expanding hate circles where ever you go.
Alas, this week’s latest developments only serve to heighten our sense of navel-gazing as no longer do we feel just let down, but also mortified - this time by our Government. Without even explicitly asking for it (purportedly ), we are being portrayed as the poor, ignorant, Irish of old, who yet again, in modern 21st century post-Celtic Tiger Ireland, have to raise the begging bowl to Europe.
The coverage of the crisis in the UK particularly in recent days has been nothing short of sickening - with ancient stereotypical images of leprechauns and peasants dancing barefoot at the crossroads rehashed as a background for some puffed up politicians to grudgingly offer to throw us a few pennies. The sheer humiliation of having to bear witness and stand idly by as such liberties are taken is both stomach-curdling and infuriating. How dare we be made fools of in this way. How dare we allow this to happen!
The reality unfortunately is that we, the people, did willingly allow this to happen; we selected and elected our failed politicians, we bought in to the banks’ hard sells; we lived beyond our means, acquired properties and material indulgences we could not afford; we are entirely to blame for our own downfall.
Yet admitting defeat does not mean we must capitulate entirely. We can still support each other. While currently we are in the news for our failings, the Irish are also known for their indominitable spirit, sharp minds, and sense of humour through times of adversity.
We need to pull together and work to buoy each other up in whatever way we can. We will come through this. Even for those who rightly exercised caution during the boom years and can continue to go about their business as usual, catering to a depressed market where shoppers are left feeling guilty about flashing the cash is not a good situation to be in.
On a basic practical level meanwhile, it might be advisable for retailers to consider adding in some nice, new, privacy features for shoppers, so that at paypoints and shopping tills, they can expect courtesy as usual without also having to contend with prying eyes from others coming up in the queue. Otherwise, for those who are still in the fortunate situation of still having ‘got it’ but who no longer dare to ‘flaunt it’, we will simply see them travelling further afield and possibly north again this Christmas - not just for the bargains, but also for the anonymity.
