We have seen in the past few decades our country become ravaged by our leaders and influential people driven more by greed and love of power than integrity and service to their society. We have become so denigrated that we did not even see the depths to which we descended as a nation. Driven by the cancerous cult of profligate profit taking amongst the powerful few, many of us watched drooling as the pirates of the economy raped us financially, morally and even spiritually.
Some time ago in our energetic youth, we were blinded by the wanton temptations of unregulated capitalism and leapt on it to fulfill our basest desires. We rode the tiger until it bled thinking that wealth or in fact even the illusion of wealth somehow provided us with fulfillment. All the time though, somewhere in the back of our heads, we knew that this was not the answer but we were so blinded by the bright lights that we were addicted to its lure.
We’ve now come to the dead end that was inevitable. True, the vast majority of our troubles have been caused by a few but we sat by whilst they threw down their crumbs to us, vainly holding the belief that we could partake in it too. But it was all an illusion, those fast cars, holidays and big screen TVs were just an opiate to distract us from the reality. Ireland has little value generation without the Hindenburg that was the construction boom and the financial mania. During this time we did of course generate excellent sources of value but these were massively overshadowed by the desperate land rush of property development and dodgy financial dealings. Brown envelopes? Big black rubbish bags more like. We need to rediscover our true identity, understand true value and reach up again with the maturity that only comes from pain.
Now, we are at the end of this nightmare. We have seen the result of our impetuousness. We are now older, war worn and ragged but wiser and stronger to our core. Because hopefully, we can now value the importance of integrity after scrambling without conscience for gaudy baubles. We are feeling the guilt and pain borne out of extreme hedonism and as the saying goes, The road of excess leads to the Palace of Wisdom. We can now pick up the pieces, more mature, more aware and stronger. Instead of looking back regretfully at our past dalliances we can reflect consciously on our experiences, become better people and a better society as a result.
November 28th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
“Instead of looking back regretfully at our past dalliances we can reflect consciously on our experiences, become better people and a better society as a result.”
We do need to look back to learn from our mistakes and hold those responsible accountable. Without adjusting our behaviour, we will have gained nothing. Without holding people accountable, we reward bad behaviour.
Wisdom doesn’t come from experience, it comes from understanding our experiences and acting accordingly.
November 28th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
That’s exactly what I was trying to say but maybe took the action element of what we have learned for granted. Those who were and are abusing our economy should be dealt with severely by being jailed, publicly humiliated, forced to provide compensation and amend for their actions.
Whatever hope we have in our capital driven economy, if those that abuse the system to the detriment of ordinary citizens are not punished we have no chance for a just society.