Why Are People In This Country So Fcuking Greedy?

RockinRolla

Everyones worried about the economy and where the bailouts are coming from but have you ever entertained the novelty of living within your means...

We generate enough money in this country for everyone to live comfortably but what we dont have, is enough to facilitate greed. We pay our civil servants more than any of the most wealthiest industrial countries in Europe, yet these very people march and protest at the thought of living similar to these other countries....have we lost the plot....

Not even the Germans can afford to pay their nurses, teachers, doctors etc the excessive amounts that Irish public sector workers demand.
The only reason for further borrowing is to maintain a lifestyle that these dilusional people have become accustomed to and it’s leading us all to utter ruin.

We need to implement the necessary reforms. Those who run the show and their respective trade unions gathered together and hammered out a deal to save themselves (the most protected in society) from any future austerity measures, the interests of the wider community did not enter into the equation. What an appalling un-equable way to run any society.
We need proper government and good management of the economy not yet more dept that will cripple us forever. If sovereignty has to be surrendered, so be it but the quicker the better these greedy civil servants etc come back down to reality the better for all of us.

The Celtic Tiger illusion is over, people...time to wake up!

Biggins

Yadi yada, Yadi yada, Yadi yada...

"That was a speech on behalf of the Fianna Fail political party. Now back to our normal broadcasting"

Next...

dsmythy

Unoriginal thread is unoriginal.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Haman nature. We're greedy and insecure.

fonecrusher1

ROBOCOP

Helix

thread fails to note that people get paid more here because things cost more here

i dont think anyone would have any problems getting paid the polish or romanian rate if things cost the polish or romanian rate

Fratton Fred

Helix wrote: »

thread fails to note that people get paid more here because things cost more here

i dont think anyone would have any problems getting paid the polish or romanian rate if things cost the polish or romanian rate

Actually, things cost more here BECAUSE people get paid more.

CamperMan

spot on RockinRolla

RonMexico

Why OP?



Answer: Delusions of grandeur.

CamperMan

Helix wrote: »

thread fails to note that people get paid more here because things cost more here

i dont think anyone would have any problems getting paid the polish or romanian rate if things cost the polish or romanian rate

and if people were paid less, the prices of food etc would come down...

CamperMan

and why is that useless nob Cowen still the highest paid leader in the EU?

Rabble Rabble

I blame the Catholics Jews Immigrants FF Myself Yourself Billionaires Bankers Germans We-as-a-society Me-as-a-society Capitalism not-enough-capitalism Travellers Vincent Browne.

danbohan

RockinRolla wrote: »

Everyones worried about the economy and where the bailouts are coming from but have you ever entertained the novelty of living within your means...

We generate enough money in this country for everyone to live comfortably but what we dont have, is enough to facilitate greed. We pay our civil servants more than any of the most wealthiest industrial countries in Europe, yet these very people march and protest at the thought of living similar to these other countries....have we lost the plot....

Not even the Germans can afford to pay their nurses, teachers, doctors etc the excessive amounts that Irish public sector workers demand.
The only reason for further borrowing is to maintain a lifestyle that these dilusional people have become accustomed to and it’s leading us all to utter ruin.

We need to implement the necessary reforms. Those who run the show and their respective trade unions gathered together and hammered out a deal to save themselves (the most protected in society) from any future austerity measures, the interests of the wider community did not enter into the equation. What an appalling un-equable way to run any society.
We need proper government and good management of the economy not yet more dept that will cripple us forever. If sovereignty has to be surrendered, so be it but the quicker the better these greedy civil servants etc come back down to reality the better for all of us.

The Celtic Tiger illusion is over, people...time to wake up!

the real question is not why they are so greedy it is why they are so delusional as to expect things to continue like this giving the circumstances this country is in , i expect it from public servant class who are a whole specis of delusional on their own but it seems much more widespread

Agricola

Simple really. We were downtrodden for centuries, oppressed under the yolk of British ........er .....oppression. So when we finally unshackled ourselves from d'empire we worked hard at gettin rich. We excelled ourselves at this in recent years, completely lost the run of ourselves and carried on like a bunch of feckless teenagers who have the house to themselves for the weekend and just found a credit card!

Now we are grounded........for alooooooooooong time!

PanchoVilla

Helix wrote: »

thread fails to note that people get paid more here because things cost more here

i dont think anyone would have any problems getting paid the polish or romanian rate if things cost the polish or romanian rate

Yeah but why do things cost more here? Is it because higher prices means more tax for the government? More tax means higher wages for top civil servants? Is our government involved in price fixing on a national scale? Do you honestly think we get value for money in this country?

I agree with the OP. The greed of a small minority in this country is unbelievable. I wonder if the attitude of Ireland's wealthiest today is any different to the Dukes and Earls we had to suffer one-hundred years ago. Our politicians seem to think we're here to provide them with a luxurious lifestyle without having to actually do anything for us in return.

I just watched The Wind That Shakes The Barely a couple of days ago and one line made a lot of sense when considering to the position we find ourselves in today. When they were all discussing the Anglo-Irish treaty, one of them said something like "the only thing that would change was the accents of the rich and the powerful".

Rabble Rabble

PanchoVilla wrote: »

I just watched The Wind That Shakes The Barely a couple of days ago and one line made a lot of sense when considering to the position we find ourselves in today. When they were all discussing the Anglo-Irish treaty, one of them said something like "the only thing that would change was the accents of the rich and the powerful".

So wait, are you blaming "us", or a few billionaires. The arguments are not the same.

PS workers are not that greedy either, if I can say so. Protecting average, or slightly above average wages is not "greed", it makes sense. ( I am not one).

PanchoVilla

Rabble Rabble wrote: »

So wait, are you blaming "us", or a few billionaires. The arguments are not the same.

PS workers are not that greedy either, if I can say so. Protecting average, or slightly above average wages is not "greed", it makes sense. ( I am not one).

I'm talking about the highest paid civil servants and the TDs/ministers. Of course not all civil servants are greedy and the majority do a great job. It's the minority at the top getting ridiculous salaries for doing fúck all I have a problem with. The problem is that when our leaders are greedy and corrupt, that greed and corruption tends to seep into the lives of the average person. It's like a cancer that needs to be cut out before it infects the entire body.

fonecrusher1

I agree with the op. He's right the public sector wage bill is destroying the country. Too many of them. Getting paid too much. To do very basic jobs.

Their wages are not proportionate to the work they do.

K-9

PanchoVilla wrote: »

Yeah but why do things cost more here? Is it because higher prices means more tax for the government? More tax means higher wages for top civil servants? Is our government involved in price fixing on a national scale? Do you honestly think we get value for money in this country?

I agree with the OP. The greed of a small minority in this country is unbelievable. I wonder if the attitude of Ireland's wealthiest today is any different to the Dukes and Earls we had to suffer one-hundred years ago. Our politicians seem to think we're here to provide them with a luxurious lifestyle without having to actually do anything for us in return.

I just watched The Wind That Shakes The Barely a couple of days ago and one line made a lot of sense when considering to the position we find ourselves in today. When they were all discussing the Anglo-Irish treaty, one of them said something like "the only thing that would change was the accents of the rich and the powerful".

Yeah, the scene about the court case was telling.

We have low Income taxes and PRSI here which was a policy agreed by FF and the Unions through social partnership.

So people had more disposable income to spend. We have high VAT, Stamp Duties etc. so the Govt. depended on spending on houses, cars etc. for extra tax revenues.

Part of the reason we are finding it harder than nearly every other European country to get out of this mess.

We have high Public Sector pay bills and Welfare rates, low direct taxes and spending on houses and cars has nose dived.

Helix

CamperMan wrote: »

and if people were paid less, the prices of food etc would come down...

exactly, thats not in question

its all relative

btard

RockinRolla wrote: »

Everyones worried about the economy and where the bailouts are coming from but have you ever entertained the novelty of living within your means...

We generate enough money in this country for everyone to live comfortably but what we dont have, is enough to facilitate greed. We pay our civil servants more than any of the most wealthiest industrial countries in Europe, yet these very people march and protest at the thought of living similar to these other countries....have we lost the plot....

Not even the Germans can afford to pay their nurses, teachers, doctors etc the excessive amounts that Irish public sector workers demand.
The only reason for further borrowing is to maintain a lifestyle that these dilusional people have become accustomed to and it’s leading us all to utter ruin.

We need to implement the necessary reforms. Those who run the show and their respective trade unions gathered together and hammered out a deal to save themselves (the most protected in society) from any future austerity measures, the interests of the wider community did not enter into the equation. What an appalling un-equable way to run any society.
We need proper government and good management of the economy not yet more dept that will cripple us forever. If sovereignty has to be surrendered, so be it but the quicker the better these greedy civil servants etc come back down to reality the better for all of us.

The Celtic Tiger illusion is over, people...time to wake up!

Never let facts get in the way of a good rant.

ascanbe

RockinRolla wrote: »

Everyones worried about the economy and where the bailouts are coming from but have you ever entertained the novelty of living within your means...

We generate enough money in this country for everyone to live comfortably but what we dont have, is enough to facilitate greed. We pay our civil servants more than any of the most wealthiest industrial countries in Europe, yet these very people march and protest at the thought of living similar to these other countries....have we lost the plot....

Not even the Germans can afford to pay their nurses, teachers, doctors etc the excessive amounts that Irish public sector workers demand.
The only reason for further borrowing is to maintain a lifestyle that these dilusional people have become accustomed to and it’s leading us all to utter ruin.

We need to implement the necessary reforms. Those who run the show and their respective trade unions gathered together and hammered out a deal to save themselves (the most protected in society) from any future austerity measures, the interests of the wider community did not enter into the equation. What an appalling un-equable way to run any society.
We need proper government and good management of the economy not yet more dept that will cripple us forever. If sovereignty has to be surrendered, so be it but the quicker the better these greedy civil servants etc come back down to reality the better for all of us.

The Celtic Tiger illusion is over, people...time to wake up!

Nope. The reason for much of the further borrowing needed will be in order to pay off the insane level of debt created by the Anglo/Nama heist.
Without this, we'd easily be able to borrow on the international markets, our fiscal situation would be manageable with some adjustments in public spending and we'd have the requisite capital needed to ensure the survival of our banking system/re-capitalise those banks actually necessary.
There is no doubt that public spending in this country needs to be cut and the public sector streamlined; this would be needed/desirable even if our govt. hadn't embarked on the catastrophic Anglo/Nama route.
But to suggest that the public sector is the cause of the debt we find ourselves in is absolute nonsense.

Biggins

RockinRolla wrote: »

Everyones worried about the economy and where the bailouts are coming from but have you ever entertained the novelty of living within your means...

We generate enough money in this country for everyone to live comfortably but what we dont have, is enough to facilitate greed. We pay our civil servants more than any of the most wealthiest industrial countries in Europe, yet these very people march and protest at the thought of living similar to these other countries....have we lost the plot....

Not even the Germans can afford to pay their nurses, teachers, doctors etc the excessive amounts that Irish public sector workers demand.
The only reason for further borrowing is to maintain a lifestyle that these delusional people have become accustomed to and it’s leading us all to utter ruin.

We need to implement the necessary reforms. Those who run the show and their respective trade unions gathered together and hammered out a deal to save themselves (the most protected in society) from any future austerity measures, the interests of the wider community did not enter into the equation. What an appalling un-equable way to run any society.
We need proper government and good management of the economy not yet more depth that will cripple us forever. If sovereignty has to be surrendered, so be it but the quicker the better these greedy civil servants etc come back down to reality the better for all of us.

The Celtic Tiger illusion is over, people...time to wake up!

I gave the AH reply - now maybe the serious one.

Everyones worried about the economy

True

Everyones worried ...where the bailouts are coming from...

We all know where they are coming from. We're not worried about that - We're concerned that they are seemingly never ending!

...have you ever entertained the novelty of living within your means...

Like many folk, the novelty of living beyond our means would be nice.
The aspiration to do so is part and part of humans drive to push themselves, gives them ambition and dreams.

Most of us are living within our means and by generalising by your preposition that we are not, is to infer a wrong, too broad distinction upon the middle and lower classes alone.

We generate enough money in this country for everyone to live comfortably

We do. Its just a pity the politicians, the multi-national ownership residents and bank directors, etc, bla, bla... are not willing to share - but hey - thats the capitalist system for you. Your point?

...what we dont have, is enough to facilitate greed

You say that as if there is a border on sources of monetary gain and revenue earnings!
Can we not be greedy - correction - ambitious enough to seek wealth elsewhere, or is that to be frowned upon now?

We pay our civil servants more than any of the most wealthiest industrial countries in Europe...

Indeed we do - BUT thats the upper management levels more so than anything else.
* Thats the fault of the government not having the balls to stand up to the (too powerful sometimes) unions.
* Its directly the unions fault for looking after the big boys before the masses under them.
* Lets all once again tarnish hard working civil servants once again with the same brush and make them all out to be rolling in it - can we? We can?
O' Good!

...these very people march and protest at the thought of living similar to these other countries

These people are looking after your roads, these people staff your hospitals, these people sort out your taxes for you, these people make sure you get your entitlements, these people run into burning buildings to rescue your child, these people are your friends, neighbours and your family sometimes for gods sake!
SO GOD DAMN WHAT IF THEY WANT TO LIVE LIKE OTHERS DO ELSEWHERE? Its ok to wish/aim for something - it don't mean we have to get it every time!

have we lost the plot....

I would surmise so far, some of us have!

Not even the Germans can afford to pay their nurses, teachers, doctors etc the excessive amounts that Irish public sector workers demand.

You see the last word in that sentence? Read it again.
DEMAND - Just because something is "demanded" - doesn't meant it has to be given ...and who gave it again? Huh?

The only reason for further borrowing is to maintain a lifestyle that these delusional people have become accustomed to and it’s leading us all to utter ruin.

There was me thinking the only reason we were borrowing was mainly due to the bankers screwing us, the politicians not doing their job right and the McCreavy and his ilk telling some it was fine to spend, spend, spend...
I forgot about the average citizen - sure its all their fault!

We need to implement the necessary reforms.

No argument there. Will it happen at present?
No, because the current lot in power are STILL looking after themselves first.
Schite, they just gave themselves last week another pay rise and pension perks!

Those who run the show and their respective trade unions gathered together and hammered out a deal to save themselves (the most protected in society) from any future austerity measures, the interests of the wider community did not enter into the equation.

Again, no argument there.
...So lets be angry at them that's really to blame please?

What an appalling un-equable way to run any society.

Yep, its a downside to the democratic way sometimes.

We need proper government and good management of the economy not yet more depth that will cripple us forever.

So please become more politically active and help to bring about change.
Lord knows we need fresh blood, new ideas and a change away from traditional parish pump voting!
Change won't happen over night but change does require your assistance.

If sovereignty has to be surrendered so be it...

Say what?
Your suggesting we give away our nation for the sake of monetary gain because you won't wait long enough to sort out our own problems (sure isn't there enough money in the country for everyone to live comfortably?) and/or because your unwilling to work for a short/long term goal that is the betterment of our nation?
...So lets give the whole shop away?

...the quicker the better these greedy civil servants etc come back down to reality the better for all of us

Aye yes, its the civil servants fault yet again - or is that just this week?
Last week, the unemployed, next week the sick?
And again, please stop attempting to tarnish ALL civil servants with the same wage brush!
Frankly, that supposition is a load of false cobblers and denigrates your wandering points and ill researched contentions!

mikom

RockinRolla wrote: »

Everyones worried about the economy and where the bailouts are coming from but have you ever entertained the novelty of living within your means...

I drive a 99 reg, shop in Aldi/Lidl, grow all my own veg which is possible outdoors in Ireland.
So yes I have entertained it.....