This past week I tuned in to the Six o'Clock RTE news on several evenings. Each newscast was totally depressing. A recitation of job losses, factories closed and budget woes. This negative drumbeat about the recession is echoed on the radio and in the national newspapers. It begins to look as if the media is just hyping the recession.
I'm not suggesting for a moment that we ought to ignore the challenges now facing our economy. It's a grim situation. However, we need to put the recession in perspective.
The Celtic Tiger produced dramatic improvements in the living standards of many families. And the country now has an infrastructure that puts it among the most advanced countries in the world.
Sure there were abuses during the heyday of the Celtic Tiger. And the Government should have put aside resources for the rainy day. The quick onset of the recession has left many people in difficult circumstances.
My point here is that obsessing about negative news will not help people get back on their feet. Having a positive outlook is the first necessary step in dealing with the new realities.
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In Ireland at present we have a recession. This is not a catastrophe or a disaater, just a recession. It will pass and we will all live through barring accidents or other natural events. Darfur, Gaza, or Zimbabwe: that's what I call disaster or catastrophe. We are lucky to have a recession only.
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