Christmas spirit is giving away to consumerism

A homeless man dies on a morgue-cold Dublin street; residents of a residential care home are manhandled by dullards and Christmas was celebrated in a fug of alcohol while people remain emotionally clamped to consumerism.

What is happening to Irish society?

A seam of callousness has opened up revealing a disconnection of feeling and understanding for those adrift from our normal functional world.

Self-interest has rendered the tenets of caring and acting in a compassionate manner obsolete.

This coarsening of life in Ireland is brought in sharp focus at Christmas time when in this Christian and supposedly civilised country there will be widespread cruelty inflicted on wild animals over the Christmas holiday season.

Despite the displays of support for those who reside on the fringes of society the core of Irish society is hollow.

As a nation we have all but all given up on really caring, as opposed to charity induced caring, for the human and non-human members of our society that need respect, financial support and the reach of a helping hand.

The thought and deed of kindness has died in Irish society.

The emotional connection to another person and to the non-human members of our society has being unplugged.

The flame of humanity has been extinguished and replaced with the ephemeral need of self-interest.

John Tierney

Chairman-Waterford Animal Concern

Larchville

Church Road

Waterford