Let’s look at bright side of the recession

WHILE the media revels in the doom and gloom associated with the recession, let us consider some of the positive consequences that may follow.

The crass consumerism that has plagued Ireland for much of the past decade has turned us from a friendly, welcoming nation into a vulgarian’s paradise.

We borrowed recklessly to buy things we didn’t need in order to impress people we often didn’t know or like, and all so we could project an image of status that we probably didn’t deserve. Now that the abundance of credit has dried up, perhaps we will no longer feel the need to keep up with the Joneses in a relentless consumerist race that can never be won, and instead we might start being friendly to our neighbours again.