We should put our self-pity in perspective

COME budget day, we will doubtless witness levels of nationwide self-pity that will make Peig Sayers seem cheerful.

Apparently, according to every second TV and radio presenter, “we are all struggling”. For those who have lost their jobs, and even homes, self-pity is certainly justified.

But when one dismisses the claims of those who possess a combination of second, third, fourth, or more, homes, 4x4 jeeps, iPhones, plasma TVs, Xboxes, Playstations, Wiis, iPods, iPads, Sky Digital, designer handbags, shoes, and the myriad of contraptions we have been led to believe are our natural entitlement, perhaps the number of those genuinely entitled to whinge is not as great as the media would have us believe.

Or am I the only economics graduate who sees a link between our spiralling materialistic aspirations and our lack of competitiveness as an economy? Not so long ago, we were collecting for Haiti and Pakistan. Having witnessed scenes of appalling devastation on our expensive TVs, one would think the rest of us – justifiably angry as we are about the recklessness of those we voted for – might see things with a little perspective.

At most, some of us might have to switch from Sky to Freeview or from a smartphone to a slightly-less-than-smartphone to compensate for the budget ‘pain’.

Please – out of respect for those made redundant if nothing else – can we reserve the word “struggling” for the genuine cases – and certainly not for some of the broadcasters at the frontline of the frenzy who are pocketing hundreds of thousands or euro each from our licence fees.

Seamus Lynch

Cnoc Mhuire

Athenry

Galway