Philistine Nation

[pintsofguinness]

Instead of quoting facts and figures look at individual lives and ask how good things are.

[Gnevin]

Instead of quoting facts and figures look at individual lives and ask how good things are.

As i prefaced this whole discussion with

"nothing is ever perfect and there will always be challenges to overcome but in general we as a nation have never had it so good and while there are issues both major and small to be faced"

I was talking in General as a country, as a society we are better off now that any other time in recent history .

Can you anwser my question please POG.

[pintsofguinness]

I was talking in General as a country, as a society we are better off now that any other time in recent history .

THat's no comfort to some poor sod working all the hours God sends and he still can't afford a house or someone with a massive mortgage hanging over their head.

Tell me when we've had it better?

I don't see any difference between now and 30, 50, 80 years ago. 

[Gnevin]

I was talking in General as a country, as a society we are better off now that any other time in recent history .

THat's no comfort to some poor sod working all the hours God sends and he still can't afford a house or someone with a massive mortgage hanging over their head.

Tell me when we've had it better?

I don't see any difference between now and 30, 50, 80 years ago. 

Well if you can't see the difference between now and the past when we had massive unemployment , massive emigration , massive debt and the majority of people didn't have 2 penny's to rub together (and in some cases the government too) . Well i guess we'll have too agree to disagree because you are living in a delusional dream world

[Pangurban]

We have never had it so good, says Gnevin. He must be too young to remember when elderly people in rural ireland could lie safely in their beds without fear of being robbed or murdered. Or when we did not have large no go areas in our cities, invested with crime and drugs. Or a time when people knew their neighbours, and children knew their parents. Or a time when the gap between the haves and the have-nots was at least bridgable. A Government or society which which places the acquisition of more and more wealth as its primary task, can never and has no right to call on people to act unselfishly, and make sacrifices for the good of the nation, when times get tough, as they surely will again. The nation that does not value its past and protect its heritage has no future worth talking about.

[pintsofguinness]

Good posts typ and PB - I have nothing to add.

[Gnevin]

I will cut through the bs tomorrow but for tonight just one question , since we all have it so bad now , when did we have it better?

[ONeill]

He must be too young to remember when elderly people in rural ireland could lie safely in their beds without fear of being robbed or murdered. Or when we did not have large no go areas in our cities, invested with crime and drugs. Or a time when people knew their neighbours, and children knew their parents. Or a time when the gap between the haves and the have-nots was at least bridgable.

Sorry Pangur, I don't see the point in the above, apart from a terrible state of chassis moaning opportunity - I think almost every nation in the developed world is saying this.

Most Irish families are now not succumbing to TB, consumption or starvation.

[Pangurban]

O Neill says....Most Irish families are now not succumbing to TB, consumption or starvation
Thats true O Neill, just as it is equally true that we are doing damn little to aid those who still are in undeveloped countries. Incidendentally we pilliored the man responsible for the eradication of TB., in ireland Dr.Noel Browne.
As for GNEVIN, dialoguing with him is like a dialogue with the deaf, as he persists in asking stupid questions about statements i never made eg. Since we all have it so bad now,when did we have it so good. As i never at any time stated that we all have it so bad now, i will leave him to discuss the point with his own fevered imagination. Perhaps when he cottons on that this debate is about how we are using our new found wealth, and what type of society we are becoming, he will make a more rational contribution

[Bud Wiser]

These poor unfortunates didn't have it so good then.
http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2007/07/01/story24838.asp

[Gnevin]

I will cut through the bs tomorrow but for tonight just one question , since we all have it so bad now , when did we have it better?

Yet more moaning but no one has yet said when we've had it better !

[Gnevin]

There is no doubt that some have never had it better in terms of acquisition of material goods, e.g. cars, houses, etc. but in terms of quality of life I doubt that it has really improved or never been better.

Yet we are the happiest in Europe , more stress free . You don't think having a job for everyone that wants one has improved the quality of life , or not having to go overseas for work . The improvements in health such as "Most Irish families are now not succumbing to TB, consumption or starvation." or the improved level of education ?

[pintsofguinness]

Yet we are the happiest in Europe , more stress free .

What evidence is there of that?

[Tankie]

Yet we are the happiest in Europe , more stress free .

What evidence is there of that?

POG if you bothered to read the tread you will see that Gnevin has already given evidence of this:

http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=IRTI000020061206e2c60000b
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8122-1088614,00.html
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=nw20070514140449167C138788

[pintsofguinness]

I have and I only see polls about people's view of their work.

They were notably asked about their satisfaction with issues including pay levels and their work-life balance, as well as average working hours.

The times article won't load for me.