Irish Examiner View: Difficult decisions need to be made about Christmas

Our dishonest culture of making rules but not enforcing them has become a real danger

The pattern of human response to threat or crisis follows a well-trodden path. The initial reaction is usually one of determined solidarity and individuals’ willingness to sacrifice personal interests in pursuit of a common goal. 

Over time, especially if the threat persists or intensifies, that solidarity wanes. Differences about how to respond deepen and, occasionally, become almost as threatening as the crisis that provoked those differences.