Figuring it out....

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Figuring it out.... By Fr Pat Fahey SSC (left)

Some Distinctions
"A lump in my porridge, a lump in my throat, and a lump on the breast, is not the same lump" Mr Fulgrum reminds me. Nor is the hole in my sock, and that hole in the economy the same hole, he might have added. So our preferred solution to our economic woes is to spend our way out of this recession. Does this mean we fill one hole with the contents of another hole which we propose to dig. Just imagine your friendly bank manager’s reaction when you inform him that you propose to spend your way out of your overdraft. And watch his face light up when you offer him nothing but your "toxic assets" as collateral. So explain it to me. Is there something I am not getting?

The cry has gone forth "We must get the banks lending again". Hold on a minute, is this not what got us into this mess in the first place? But then, who is ever going to get elected to office with a slogan like, "For the sake of the planet and all who live on it, I propose that we learn to live within our means".

The dogs in the street know that it was those greedy bankers with their "smoke and mirrors" book-keeping that brought all this upon us. Did I read of one bank who borrowed money from itself to buy shares in itself? How about that for creative book-keeping! And who exactly is this fairy-godmother who is presently bankrolling us to the tune of four hundred million - plus interest- a week to keep the wolf from our national door? Just imagine what the next generation will have to say of us when they realize that all we have left them by way of inheritance is a mountain of debt and a blighted world? Yet we somehow see ourselves as an enlightened generation that has been especially endowed. We harrumph in indignation at the sins of our forefathers, and never tire of high-lighting their shortcomings. Perhaps its time we cast a cold eye on what future generations will have to say of us.

What Do We Aspire To?
Sadly it has not been beauty, virtue or even love that we aspire to. More like something called shopping, which is simply an addiction to buying all kinds of stuff we don’t need, and with money we don’t have. We all agree it’s because of all this greed that’s about. Perhaps it’s more about privilege? We all expect to be preferred, because as we well know, money always finds its way into this world’s golden circles. Its about being in the company of J.P. or A.J. or preferably in his tent with the Sultan of Brunei. Everyone now possess the X- factor. We are all stars in our own eyes. We have now blown a bubble of self importance. But where did I learn that I am entitled to such privilege? Well, it certainly wasn’t from the penny catechism. Worth more than many sparrows maybe, but not worth a ha’p’orth more in God’s eyes than any impoverished nomad living in the Ethiopian desert.

And by the way, it may be insensitive to suggest this, but the recent bad floods which we have experienced in Ireland and Britain, might also help to remind us just how lucky we are? Lucky indeed that we do not live in some less temperate part of the world, where people are regularly decimated not only by floods, but earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, cyclones and all other kinds of natural disasters.

Is All of This Relevant?
"But what "you ask", has all this to do with us?" A lot, if we are to believe the scientific evidence on global warming. Meanwhile our Epicurean tendencies are drip-fed by the advertising industry. Like that silly ad on telly assuring me that "I’m worth it". But worth what, exactly? Another advises me to take Zapitol when a headache strikes; because "I don’t have time for a headache". Now how important is that! Surely you can’t expect me to wait six months for a hip replacement! Sadly, unless you play for Munster or Man. United that’s exactly how long you will wait for orthopaedic attention.

Isn’t it time we paid attention, because its not only the next generation, but the poor of the world before whom one day we will have to render an account. In the meantime we await the "green shoots" of economic recovery. The question is, will these be the shoots that will return us to our bad old ways, or will they be those that will herald an end to this shameful period of waste and overindulgence?
But hey! Don’t get me wrong now, I’m not part of any of this…Am I?

Fr Pat Fahey lives in semi-retirement at St Columban’s, Dalgan Park, Navan.

[Far East Magazine]