There was once a time, in very recent history that when the word billion was mentioned it related to a Jurassic period or an atomic clock measuring the earths age, now however the realms of finance and economics have some how stolen a lead over the field of natural history often placing the terms 'billion' and 'stimulus' in the same breath.
A real yet intangible loss from an Irish perspective which has emerged from a decaying Celtic Tiger is a clear skills deficit. Media attention is growing, from car salesman inability to sell following 10 years of choosing his customers and parents cash rich-time poor lifestyles that fuelled a 'take away' culture thereby diminishing cookery skills, to a complete generation's inability to budget after budding in an era of cheap credit and two foreign holidays a year.
While previously unfamiliar words like recapitalisation and billion have become pedestrian and their effects may eventually stabilise a faltering banking system, this recession's societal implications deserve greater attention. Horatio, CSI Miama's character school of philosophy should remain telling to those who afforded themselves generous Celtic Tiger lifesyles, 'knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit but wisdom is knowing a it doesn't go in a fruit salad'. Funny yet ironically applicable given the growing number of stay at home parents.
Irish leaders need to realise that emerging from this recession may be more than a financial problem, but can we re-establish Horatio's insight back into Irish people? Shakespeare’s Horatio was a trusted friend to Hamlet, but just like Prince Hamlet Ireland is struggling to make a decision.
A real yet intangible loss from an Irish perspective which has emerged from a decaying Celtic Tiger is a clear skills deficit. Media attention is growing, from car salesman inability to sell following 10 years of choosing his customers and parents cash rich-time poor lifestyles that fuelled a 'take away' culture thereby diminishing cookery skills, to a complete generation's inability to budget after budding in an era of cheap credit and two foreign holidays a year.
While previously unfamiliar words like recapitalisation and billion have become pedestrian and their effects may eventually stabilise a faltering banking system, this recession's societal implications deserve greater attention. Horatio, CSI Miama's character school of philosophy should remain telling to those who afforded themselves generous Celtic Tiger lifesyles, 'knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit but wisdom is knowing a it doesn't go in a fruit salad'. Funny yet ironically applicable given the growing number of stay at home parents.
Irish leaders need to realise that emerging from this recession may be more than a financial problem, but can we re-establish Horatio's insight back into Irish people? Shakespeare’s Horatio was a trusted friend to Hamlet, but just like Prince Hamlet Ireland is struggling to make a decision.
