Friday, August 27, 2010

Optimist - Pessimist - Realist

You know, when I was growing up, I was always sure that you were one or the other because that's what I was always told or taught;

You were either Optimist or Pessimist.

Quite often in recent times, I have been accused of being one or the other also, Like I had no choice in what I was and that it was based purely on the opinions of my peers;

"Matt, that's very optimistic of you!"

"It's not like you to be so pessimistic"

And so on.

I happen to think the difference with both are absolute bullshit. It's like I should belong to a particular sect or club. Like I cannot change my mind whenever I want to (And this happens with great frequency in general) or that I should be some sort of Idealist or something.

Let me clear up a few things for you right here. I am no idealist. I have great faith in human spirit, but nothing more. That's Ideal? Did you know you were included in that? Not ideal any more you say? OK

I think left-wing politics is just as fundamentally flawed as right-wing politics.

I believe in abortion and yet I hold strong the rights of any human who is brought into this world.

My opinions on illness don't change just because I am, or I know someone who is suffering from an illness all-of-a-sudden

I do not broadcast information I just learned and insist it upon the ears of those unfortunate enough to be in my company, just because I learned it the day before. Information always works best when it is required, not pressured.

I don't believe that any religion or God that man can conceptualise is worthy of being called one.

I believe everyone has their right place, and that it's not recognisable without considerable toil and journey.

I believe there is someone for everyone, only if you are willing to accept the reality of who isn't for you and man up enough to keep trying until you succeed.

Really I could go on.

There may or may not be good enough example here to bring to light exactly what I'm spouting about this time. Basically, my opinions could be classed as harsh, pessimistic or whatever, but I believe that true opinion in the hands of anyone can only be appreciated where there is proper foundation of the experience to back it up.

In other words, tried and tested methods is where I base my opinions on something, not on a misled or naive notion that it's either "always brilliant" or "always terrible".

For example, and optimist might say "We've definitely seen the last war", whereby a pessimist might say "There's definitely going to be another 1,000,000 wars"

I on the other hand, think there probably will be, by huge margin, another war, only because of evidence supporting the fact that we have always existed with war at the helm of our priorities. I think at some stage, maybe in the prime of civilisation, there will be significantly less wars, but that is only when man becomes enlightened enough to recognise that we all start at the same source and inevitably end up there too. In other words, we are all only human and deserve the exact same treatments from each other.

Realistically speaking, we are centuries from that point and have many collective mistakes to make before that realisation dawns on us. When man loses blame, victimisation complexes and the dream that material wealth is somehow all-important in our daily lives, we might realise that reality. When people let go of the idea that "confessing" how terrible you are to a priest and making small donations to a collection plate is enough to absolve you any "sin" or ignorance you carry so you might go about your greedy gluttonous lifestyle, we will never realise that reality. When people lose the idea that saying "I'm Christian" or "I'm Muslim" is good enough a reason to oppress anyone who isn't from that sect, we won't see it. When prayer loses the excuse for hoarding worldly wealth rather than sharing with the less-well-off, we will never realise our innate destiny.

Remember, it's not ideal, it's not pessimistic or blindly optimistic, but it's true.

The harsh reality is, this world has too many dreamers, too many greedy people who need "recognition" (I am somehow struck with that saying "there is no such thing as bad publicity") and way too many idealists and zealots for that ever to happen. I may be accused of being a pessimist here, but unless I can single-handedly convince everyone in the world from every country, speaking every language what the ultimate reality of humanity is, then I would just call it realism, not pessimism. And I'm not being overly optimistic in believing this :P

I would just like to say, that it's not possible for any of mankind to be overtly optimistic or pessimistic. Each has their downfall. The overly optimistic might lose a loved one and become very much pessimistic. The pessimist may in turn lose a "loved" one and think their fortune has changed. The realist knows that we all end up in the same place. There is no fortune or "luck", as it were. There is only chance. The reality is, we do not take enough chances in our lives. If you conform to blind optimism or pessimism, you will always feel hard done by.

Before I go off on any more tangents, I'll wrap this one up.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Everybody's Entitled to My Opinion

And not just in the way that I would say, bombard your inbox with it, spam your newspapers with it or even put it up on giant billboards or even join a line of people on O'Connell St. brandishing placards of aborted foetus', say.

I trust that everyone I meet has equal or greater intelligence to me. That may seem like fantastical merit to allow to perfect strangers in this day and age. But I believe it. Rather, I believe that everyone has the capacity for greater intelligence at least. And I honestly cannot understand why anyone consciously wouldn't want to be more intelligent. So it astounds me to see grown adults out on the street trying to educate the rest of us (heathens*).

As far as I'm concerned, intelligent people go out in search for knowledge. They actively look for new ways to soak it up, new channels to find it and reliable sources. If the source gives out faulty or biased snippets of information, an intelligent  person may boycott that source. So it's in the sources' best interests to force us to return to their services. I see this everywhere, like the aforementioned billboards, placards and daily rags you see about the place. Knowledge and experience tells me that these places are no longer reliable sources to find the best information.

So I am led to think (by my own motivations) that reliable knowledge is found, not forced. True reliable knowledge is available not pushed. It seems that all the best examples of modern thinking and influence come from a shared misunderstanding of facts, save for science and medicine. With science and medicine, the knowledge base is always changing and expanding. Human behavioral patterns and history tell me on a constant basis that our modern views are flawed and I am led to believe that this is because of the fickle and positional base that would-be educators try to spoon feed us. In other words, those who push product, opinion and dogma onto us are probably only doing it because they actually believe we will be better off... because they know no better... or because they got lazy or complacent on their "life's journey", for want of a better expression. But better off than what though? How bad were we before we suddenly needed them to prod into our personal space? How much better off are we with crude advertisement, sensational news (that is no different than anything we have seen over history). Just how dumb are we that we think humans are somehow "better" now than what we were? Has our nature evolved or are we still killing/raping/torturing the shit out of one another, save for the few who have no interest? All I see when I look at the basis of opinion that the people who follow it are somehow better than the rest of us. This is not true.

I have always found that some of the better product choices lay in the shade of their lazily anticipated cousins. Some of the best information I have happened upon has been through realisation that what has already been supplied just wasn't reliable enough. Something felt missing or some loose ends perhaps remained. Science tries to tie up loose ends and though I feel this is a goal that will probably never be realised (when considering the velocity and location of a particle, for example). But I think it's a fun journey to consider that somethings cannot be conceptualised easily. That is where religion failed too I think. Trying to conceptualise the "inconceivable". Anyway, enough about religion.

I'm thinking the truly intelligent people among us will survive because we need to, choose the most suitable things by trial and error, not suggestion (or over-suggestion) and recognise what is needed by endurance, not complacency. When considering things like abortion for example, I accept that some folks agree with it and some don't. But it's the naysayers that seem to push on their ideas more than the ones who have stopped to think about it. When someone does something that is "uncharacteristic", it's usually the rigid types that rise up to speak of how bad it is... like they are any better than the rest of us. When we are stopped from making our own mistakes by "suggestion", in it's easy state and in it's heavy state, we are no better off for having gone along with it, than if we had taken the chance and lived a little. Something always feels missing. When you go for the popular expensive alternatives, there will always be something missing... choice - or in some instances, money :P

Though I feel everyone can read my opinions, I will always stop short of spoon feeding it, only because to some it may suit and to others it may not. And by not pushing this onto others, I am making it suitable for everyone. It's there for the taking, with no promises or endorsements. This is life. And this is how I believe we will best live it. Not through any religious suggestion, mind you, but by participation. Willing participation. I'd rather look at the sky or the side of a building than some crude billboard endorsing some shitty expensive "product**".



In conclusion, If you have to advertise it so much, it's probably not worth it.





*You can add this in, if you see fit.
** I use this in a very broad sense.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Hidden Ignorance?



It's beautiful. It's not new though. In fact, it's been there as long as man has been around. It's a great way to shun people you are not interested in knowing or speaking to. Just turn your head. Or just don't turn up. Stop going to work. Don't participate in conversation. Say nothing. Do nothing. When you don't want to participate, the best recourse is to stop doing anything that ties you to the task. Don't speak. Don't go. Don't get involved. Don't pay attention. Don't have an opinion. Ignorance is bliss, they say.

Pure ignorance is not bliss. Dogma, prejudice, homophobia - All pure ignorance. General ignorance is a victimless crime however. Those who cry cuz you don't call, those who are pissed off because you have no opinion of their affairs, they are guilty of the same thing as you are. Every so often they will just not get involved.

When you receive that threatening letter - just don't answer.

When you receive that phone call you don't want to answer, put it on silent or hang up.

When you're sick of dating that guy/girl. Don't turn up.

When that person on a social networking site is annoying you by constantly posting mundane updates or thing that don't interest you - block 'em. Remove 'em.

But in all instances, do not answer or participate, for even to do this, shows some kind of interest in them.

Now only the pure soul, the old hand and the patient type can keep going in this regard. I mean, they don't want to maybe say nicely "Emmm, stop what you're doing please", rather they put up with it. They give the minimum attention then carry on.

Maybe I'm being hard on general ignorance by saying we're all "guilty" of it in some way. It's a perfectly innocent thing to do. And it's subconsciously accepted by everyone.

"Oh, I just didn't get/see your message"

"Oh, I didn't notice you walking down the street"

Generally accepted ignorance is a trojan horse on our high morals and principles. And it's hugely funny when someone tries to deny it or decides to take one personally. C'mon, you all knew the answer already!

Ignorance is bliss, because we all need a small amount of it in our daily lives. Pure ignorance, as in lack of understanding, is just plain bad. I mean, I understand why my calls are hung up occasionally or my texts unanswered. But there is no good reason to shun another human being just for being human.

But I'm not gonna get into that here.

I just wanted to let you know that I am aware of this. And I know you are too ;-)

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Alone Again Or...?

There is a huge difference between loneliness and being alone.

One is acquired by feeling like you've missed out on something... and you may well have not had the chance.

The other is by having too much of something and wanting the opposite. Neither is a negative quality.
Let's take person A and person B for example.

Person A has been in and out of relationships their whole life. They have had a huge and boisterous family life growing up. Person A, because they have always been around people finds it easy to associate and make friends with people. Person A likes being alone when they have a chance.

Person B was always a shy character and didn't associate much with people at school. Their family life was quiet and they have wanted nothing more than a partner they can relate to. But they are anchored by shyness or feeling inadequate. They may have had one partner who has mistreated them. Person B is lonely.

OK, so these are still very precise profiles of two very different characters, but it's not the accuracy of their stories that matter, it is the circumstances that each one is in. Having been each one, I'd like to comment on the difference between loneliness and aloneness as far as I'm concerned.

I like being alone. I like having company too, just as much, but I love having time to myself, time without limitation, time to do whatever I want. Generally, I am a pretty positive person. When I think, I consider possibilities and things to do, involving other people. I can sit for hours with nothing to do and nobody to do it with. I am comfortable with myself and having free time. I always have something to do.

When I was a teenager, I was quite shy. It took me years to ask one girl out once. Though I was sociable, I was insecure. Hey, try point out a teenager anywhere who isn't insecure. I would even go as far as saying that the majority, if not all of people are insecure. Just some people pay attention to it more than others. There are those who need to be around others I guess. Just as a kind of reassurance of who they are. An identity.

Then for some, they are nobody without the specific company of another. How do you measure who you are without the presence of another? People say things like: "I am NOTHING without you!" - an exaggeration I believe and "You COMPLETE me" - I would say this is a possibility. It would be nice, I admit, to have someone fill in all those details you think you are missing. But loneliness is a state of mind I think. You gotta drop your insecurities. Reassure yourself at what you are good at. Admire your own strengths.

What of someone who just "appreciates" the company of another? Someone who just enough to enjoy, but in a balanced measure. I realise that I'm not a lonely person, more-so, someone who just appreciates the company of another. When I continually get shadowed by someone I get restless and realise that I enjoy being alone as much - if not more, than being around someone continually. I am in a current state of disbelief that I am the only one who feels this way about loneliness and aloneness. Now, is it unusual to want to be alone but at the same time, be totally sociable? I doubt it. I think that there is an overall misunderstanding of what it means to have time to oneself.

Do you enjoy your own time, when you are sitting about with no agenda? Do you torture yourself with thoughts of how the company of someone else would make things so much more interesting? This I kinda understood once. I mean there are great things... intimate knowledge of another's life. Sharing stories, experiences, happy and sad times and of course, sex. That's cool man. But I mean it's even possible to have too much of this stuff. Sometimes I don't want to think. I don't want to plan away my next five years in an afternoon. I don't want someone else planning every happy event they will ever witness on something I may or may not be in the mood to do. That is way too much of a responsibility. You see, over the years I have realised that true personal happiness is a balancing act... even just for me. Sometimes to make someone happy you must give a little time. I have absolutely no problem with this. But when my presence is a necessity for someone's well-being, I cannot always guarantee that.

Because I like being on my own too.

In fact, the happiness that someone may get from my presence may be dependent on the fact that I can withdraw for a while and be on my own. Do my own stuff. After all, though two people can be "completed" by each other, they are still separate people.

So let's imagine a scenario involving two people who "need" the company of another. That could be ideal. They will always be around each other depending on each other. Being each other's company. Keeping each other propped up. They are totally dedicated to each other. They rely on each other's constant involvement in each other. They are secure in the fact that they know nothing else. That's cool.

And the other scenario: two people who are the opposite. The only difference with these people is that they are independent and have been through the personal wars and realised that they are, after all, separate individuals.

So at what point does a lonely person recognise that they are, in fact, just alone? The stark reality is, when your loved one leaves the room you are on your own. Even for the ten minutes or whatever, you are alone, you have to have a certain kind of tolerance for yourself. you have to have an agenda like "when Jimmy leaves the room I'm gonna play that DS!" or "When Alex goes to Cork with her friends, I'm gonna call around to the boys" It's always good to have your own stuff to do, no matter how small. I would recommend being independent a great deal. Even if you have to do stuff with the guilt that your significant other has nothing to do anchoring your conscience while you do it, that is all right. At least you know that it's not possible to merge a pair of separate lives 100%.

You see, a lonely person doesn't really have an option B, because all their friends have gotten bored of their absorbed infatuation with their loved one. So that is just a point of interest. That's happened to me before :P

OK, this is all purely speculation. See, I speculate out of experience. I mean, it's not like I never tried to understand all of this at one point. I even tried it a few times! It's utterly perplexing. As usual, all replies are appreciated to shed some light onto this question. Why do people "need" to be around someone all of the time? Why do you need to be around a person so much that you drive them away? I've never seen a cul de sac merge into a motorway in my whole life. Life is like that, a motorway, with merging vehicles, road blocks, bottle necks and generally a constant pace. It doesn't stop unless there's a really big accident and towing is not allowed on it. If you are towing a vehicle, you will be asked to leave this motorway. If you are stuck behind, you can overtake. Of course, if you're travelling too slow, you could always speed up or acquire a new vehicle. Yeah, I can go on with this analogy, but you get my drift I'm sure.

Anyway, Loneliness is just a popular misunderstanding I think. The only way you can truly enjoy the company of another person is if you enjoy your own primarily. You cannot love another without first loving yourself.

And always remember, no matter how much you're into somebody and how great you think they are, everybody has their limits. Try to appreciate it. If you love something, set it free. If it's for you, it'll come right back.

Blah blah blah blah

Friday, August 6, 2010

Nothing New Here

The Media Snake

News is trivial and changing always, just like us human beings. We are always changing... we want to stay the same and we try conserve the shit out of everything, but generally that is a fruitless task. So we follow the tabloids to read the "unbelievable" stories of how everyone around us is doing something scandalous or strange.

This is not strange. We are just afraid of the fact that we are changing forms on a big rock floating through space. News is just there to distract and occupy us... there's nothing special or new about it.


We are changing, whether we want to admit it or not. Every moment, your cells are changing. You are dying. OK, that sounds morbid, but let's face it, you're not getting any younger. Your brain is racing a mile a minute because you allow it to do so. You complain about age catching up, about time flying and about never having enough money. When was the last time you stopped being a human doing and experienced being a human being? When was the last time you slowed down those racing thoughts and realised that there was no problem bigger than being afraid of what you haven't done yet? And what of the things you have already done or thought of doing? They are no stranger than what you read in the daily rag. Indeed, there is nothing enlightening about what I write either. It's just the same mish-mash of words put into a different order. You may be intrigued because I actually went through the hassle of writing it, for example. That is the difference between a writer and a worker ant. you do it, they think it. The folks who write in the media are not talented because they present nothing new or nothing you really want to read. They just plan to get you caught up in trivial matters so you can kiss your life goodbye sooner. They make every day seem the same by sensationalising completely normal things. The media make me feel ill. "News" as it were, seems to change every day, to the unenlightened reader. It doesn't. It's just the same stories with different characters. If you've read one story, you've read them all. It's just like a bad re-hashed movie. The truth about the media is, you want to read that someone has a more fucked up existence than you. They don't. Remember, we all live on the same wet rock hurtling through space. You choose your steps carefully in case you end up as the next story. The media are scumbags, as many a person has said before.

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Losing My Mind

It's Ironic - Losing your mind, as it's often referred to in expression, is nothing more than finding too much of it. That's right; a person who "loses" their mind is only someone who thinks too much. When I thought I lost my mind a long time ago, I actually found I was thinking too much. Isn't that strange? This kind of expression is a typical misuse of language. See, when a person says "they are losing their mind", you often think that they are not themselves any more. Truth is, they are spending way too much time analysing things, running around in that black hole of a brain (In my opinion the second universe) and over-complicating things. A person who "loses their mind" knows exactly where it is. That is like saying "I cannot find the Eiffel Tower" while standing atop it!


I think if everyone were to lose their mind in a literal sense, we'd live in a fairly sane world - No Ideologies, no races, no religions and no more damn obsessions. Imagine someone who just behaved as if every moment were the only one? They would no longer be money driven slaves, plotting their - and our - next move. We could all do whatever the hell we wanted, so long as we paid attention to basic human morality. And you don't have to think too hard to know what that is. I bet you could summarise it in an instant.

So, I want to say in that regard, that I am actively trying to lose my mind. The inhibitor. The thing that makes me afraid and worrying. The thing that wants me to project and over-plan. My changing thoughts and my problems. It's a little different to ignorance you see. you are not pretending that obstacles do not exist... you are dealing with them when and wherever you can. I want to lose my past without losing the experiences. Experiences are everyday things. Memories are immutable, so they are unnecessary and useless. You can only learn those lessons once, then you must move on and make the next mistake. I want to lose my ideas of the future. There is no thing that hasn't happened yet that is so big that I cannot enjoy this moment, or at least live it to the maximum. There is no reason big enough to fear what may or may not happen. there is no amount of preparation that can change what another may do on a whim. You can only control whatever it is you choose to do at this moment. And only you can decide whether it effects anyone else. Don't live in hope; live in determination. That is your future and mine.

I want to enjoy being alive and I want you to do it too.

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Who Am I?

If you think you know this answer, then you are wrong. I am not formed by the opinions you have of me. I am a living being, that is one that adapts to their daily environment. You are too, that is why I appreciate your differences; understand your changing attitude; respect your decisions. You are every moment of every day. I am that too. I know as much about you as I know of the weather. My experience of the weather tells me that the rain will make me wet, the heat will burn me and that the cold will make me want to be warm again. I will adapt to you like I adapt to the weather. Every single day. I will be prepared when the storm comes. I may get thrown about, but I will recover. And you will again give me good days.

The weather will give a surfer his waves, a fisherman his catch, a sunbather his tan and a skier his slopes. I know that those days will come and go. We are that.

So is it strange to not want someone around who wants to be the sun on my ski slope?? To be a memory of a better time when the weather suited their interests and benefits better? Is it reasonable to have someone around who thinks of you in the past-tense only? Doesn't it seem unusual to be around someone who experiences you as a memory while you sit in front of them? Is it reasonable to try to live up to expectations of others? Some day the weather may be mutable, but not any time soon. For this is nature and nature changes constantly.

If consistancy is right, then why does it feel so wrong?

Expectation creates anxiety. It provides nothing but a feeling on tension. Even while you are looking forward to something good, you are anticipating it. Why not celebrate the differences? Does the rain stop you from having a good time even when you know it's basically harmless?

Why continue to build up the anxiety by comparing every possibility to some memory that cannot be changed? Aren't you inhibiting the possibility of more happiness? That is not you and it definitely isn't me. We are ongoing and continuous. But our mortality is not infinite, so we must learn to appreciate every single hour of every single day we have left. You cannot plan ever single moment of enjoyment. If you could predict every time you would enjoy someone for the rest of your life, where would the fun in that be? Wouldn't you already be dead? How would you enjoy the time in between?

I am not your expectations and you are not mine. but it doesn't mean we cannot celebrate the differences and just enjoy every moment we have together. Why stress about the ones we don't have? It takes the enjoyment away from the one we do have.

And no one can plan these things regardless of how they think they can. If you are not enjoying my company then you are thinking about it too much.

The ironic thing is, while you think it, you are not really there to begin with.




*The Media Snake was gonna be Change pt2, but that is a shit name and I'm gonna give up tagging blogs like that

*Who am I? and Losing My Mind are inspired pieces. They came from procrastinating mostly and my general unwillingness to participate in procrastination. It's reverse procrastination really. When I reverse procrastinate, I remember that I'm just thinking too much and avoiding what I really want to do. So I get restless with it, then start to do stuff. I know a lot of reverse procrastinators. A similar trait can be put into an analogy thus: If you ever play RPG games, you will go every way but the right way, as in, you'll do everything else besides the missions first. In a way, that is procrastinating your true aim. You are wandering around, looking for something better to do. But when you play the game, you were obviously somewhat interested in the story to begin with, so you've started to lose the plot. Reverse procrastination is finding it again pretty much.

To everyone who doesn't get the analogy, start playing RPGs!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Island of Bossed Souls

Ireland has become boring, predictable and complacent

And I dislike all of these traits.

To all foreign people who come here initially, it's beautiful and green. It is good-humoured and mystical.

But to me, all of the novelty has worn away and when I talk to friends who have come here from over-seas, they give me varying versions of what Ireland is to them or what it becomes... some say the same as I do and others do not. Most like it and some of them don't... Etcetera. But I would say the majority often end up seeing what it actually is eventually. I can now see why emigration is so popular. Ireland is full of begrudging oppressed moaners. With a few nice people thrown into the mix for good measure. (OK I exaggerate, but I'm in a bad mood. Sue me) 

Well, the same can be said about any place really. I guess some come over with expectations of what it will be like. Some say Ireland has a way of grabbing you and others are utterly disappointed by the subtle racism that the elderly (and a lot of the younger people) display when talking about "The blacks" and "those foreigners" and "All them bleedin' Europeans" and of course "The Brits". They don't want said people taking all our precious jobs, the ones that no one on the dole is bothered to do.

Eh, anyway

Funnily enough, when you grow up around it, you get used to it. It's horrible to say one can get "used" to subtle racism, isn't it?

But this is not entirely what pisses me off about Ireland, it's the "motivation" (or lack of) which is the undercurrent to keep it drifting along. It's the complacency. Everyone is just too damn lazy or peaceful or WHATEVER to do anything about it. Complacency is the death of any enjoyment for a prolonged period in Ireland. It is also one of the main reasons that Irish people have become boring and the victim complex which leads to us being ripped off, left right and centre.

- A watched kettle never boils, they say. It helps if you turn the f*cking thing on.

Ever since I've noticed this underlying problem in society, it's been bugging me. Ireland would be better if it had a bigger brother watching over it, I swear to God*. There is the government which are a shambles. And then there is the overpriced EVERYTHING all around us (Like groceries, gig tickets, booze, cigarettes, tax, you name it) to name but a few things. It all boils down to complacency. If Ireland had a bigger brother or even a pushy girlfriend, we'd stand up for ourselves a bit more. You know, like a girl-friend who nudges your ribs and makes you talk to that nice fella across the bar. Ireland needs one of those.

And this is why the need to get out of here is growing constantly. It seems to sap the life-force out of anyone living here too.

Every company is jacking up their prices precisely because no one will speak up against it. They f*cking know this you know. Your laziness is costing you money.

I passed a pub on the way home today, a pub which for reasons I will not not disclose, I decided not to occupy again. Painted all over the outside were the words "All drink prices reduced"

You see that? All drink prices reduced. Am I the only one to see the problem in that?

Why can a pub suddenly afford to reduce it's booze costs? They are paying less rent. Nobody is going there because their drinks are too expensive. The property is losing value because no one has any money so no one is going out and spending a fiver a pop on a pint and this in turn is making the landlord reduce his profits on a pint. The government are making the tax on drink spike now, as ever, even though they know it's reliability in the tax sense is steady. And they are driving up the cost because no one will complain. This is a typical move by Irish corporations/government because they know we won't bother to complain. People are losing their jobs and mortgages because of this, incidentally. Anyway, No one is complaining about the huge tax on Irish alcohol vending for example, are they?

Au contraire! The LVF (Licensed Vinter's Association) are up in arms about it because it's costing them money! Did you not know they cannot afford that huge property (Inflated because you pay huge costs on property without questioning why) even though they pull in about 300% profit on drinks? Now the LVF are your big brother only because they are losing money.  Still we say nothing because we want someone else to do it for us. This is only one example, but it's the story of Ireland to a "T"

Anyway, we are a complacent bunch, us Irish.We give out, but we don't do anything about it. We want someone else to do it. We have gotten very f*cking lazy indeed. I see a perfect exampple of it everyday:

Go out and have fun, will ya?

"Aah, no. I've done that already"

YOU'VE DONE IT ALREADY, SO THAT MEANS YOU CAN'T DO IT AGAIN?

You almost have to pick these people up and shake them vigorously to have fun. Blood from a stone is a more achievable possibility.

I have been asked, if I feel so passionately about the state of the economy and the well being of everyone else, why I don't do anything about it. Truth is, I haven't wanted to. I really feel like Ireland isn't worth it any more. People here will always be complacent and begrudging, not to mention boring and unmotivated. From the very rich, who I have no time for (Why I stopped giving them my time at a discounted price) to the people on my own level who just sit around waiting for death and those who you just cannot motivate even to have FUN, let alone look after themselves. Life is short. I will never get to do anything I actually want to if I keep giving these people time they do not prove in any way they deserve.

The best thing I ever learned was the ability to speak up for myself (Or give out, as I've been told I do) After all, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I dislike idling when something positive can be done at no cost. I stopped supporting and passively condoning greed by opting out of buying overly inflated goods and property, etc. I am now thinking of opting out of condoning the behaviour that supports it all. Ireland is getting very stale and has lost it's backbone almost completely.

Of course I'll be told it's as bad anywhere else. I'd rather walk the fringes of a more grateful and passionate populace than stumble the fringes of this one lately I think. Unless something mad and miraculous happens in the mean time.

Or else I could just have a billion kids and have no desire to do anything ever.

I'm sorry, no. I still have zero desire to do this. I can barely support myself in this wealthy persons utopia to even consider bringing another unfortunate soul onto the island of bossed souls.



* yep