I think the internet has a role on our perception of things now. Forums such as this give a greater insight into just how well off others are and the flip side. There are plenty of doom and gloom mongers on line and it is almost impossible to not feel down when reading consistently negative posts regarding our country and our future. 24/7 news (and non news) isn't good for mental health.
Is the current recession worse than the 80's?
- Thread starter pinkyBear
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Misery makes good news stories. You never see the 9 o'clock news filled with feel good stories, do you?
The depression in the media was on full throttle for 18 months to 2 years, but I noticed it seemed to ease off for a few months. Did I imagine it or did the extreme cold weather over December just give the media something more depressing to moan about?
Anyway, the Prime Time and Front Line specials seem to be racketing the gloom up again.
The depression in the media was on full throttle for 18 months to 2 years, but I noticed it seemed to ease off for a few months. Did I imagine it or did the extreme cold weather over December just give the media something more depressing to moan about?
Anyway, the Prime Time and Front Line specials seem to be racketing the gloom up again.
I don't watch the prime times / front lines anymore. I listen to spin and 2 fm in the car in the evenings, not the drivetimes or last word.
Pinkybear I hated the wire and have yet to find a female who liked it who watched it herself ie: not with her husband or boyfriend. Dominic West made it bearable but just about.
West wing suited me a lot more.
Pinkybear I hated the wire and have yet to find a female who liked it who watched it herself ie: not with her husband or boyfriend. Dominic West made it bearable but just about.
West wing suited me a lot more.
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The big difference now over the 80s is the level of personal debt - high mortgages, negative equity, credit card debt, CU loans - and govt debt that we are now carrying.
Becky.....you just found one! I loved The Wire, and bought it & watched it for myself!
(sorry for dragging the thread off topic!)
All told, apart from all the debt we collectively hold now, I feel personally the 80's was worse. Having said that,some of the music that came out about the 80's recession was really good. Anyone remember UB40's "I am a one in ten " (1981 ) about the numbers unemployed ? Interesting to see what iconic songs, films etc which will come out of this one.
As a slight off topic ramble, I have reason to remember UB40. I was on a flight with them which almost couldn't land in Birmingham due to terrible weather. It was terrifying, all I could think about was that I wouldn't even get a mention in the papers if we crashed, it would be all about UB40!
As a slight off topic ramble, I have reason to remember UB40. I was on a flight with them which almost couldn't land in Birmingham due to terrible weather. It was terrifying, all I could think about was that I wouldn't even get a mention in the papers if we crashed, it would be all about UB40!
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And The Special's 'Ghost Town' immortalised in Fr Ted years later.
Is this the Dunnes strike over apartheid in south africa?
I seen a play about it before Christmas (called Strike). I think it is coimng back later this year. Worth seeing.
I remember thinking the film, The Commitments would be a good period piece when Ireland was a poor country. Remember the scene when they are all queing up for thei dole payments. Who thought those days would be back.
Thats the strike, and I remember hearing about the play - I would love to see it. I really admired those women.. And the commitments, an absolute classic film, I felt proud to be poor
... P..
I think that people in the 80s weren't used to having anything, whereas now people have got a higher standard of living and have to cut back again.
Also in the 80s, even though it was very hard to get a job, once you had a job you were unlikely to lose it, whereas now you could be let go at the drop of a hat (even with loads of education and experience).
When I finished school in the late 80s, office staff were paid about 60 a week, then it would go up to 100 after a few years. I know pay and conditions were bad, but at least you had a job. Even if you lived 10 or 15 miles out the country, you would be living at home and coming to work on buses until your mid to late 20s. Even young single people who were working full time may not have a holiday abroad every year. I remember not socialising at weekends for a few months before my holiday abroad. Usually people would only have one night out a week.
My father was a farmer and my mother worked full time in an office. Even though I was an only child, we rarely went on hols, we had one bad car. We didn't get a washing machine and house phone until the early 90s. (when I was in my early 20s)
People would rarely go out for dinner. It was frowned on as 'waste'. I love the way there is more of a culture of eating out now (early birds etc) esp as I don't really drink. I remember only starting to go out for dinner with friends in my late 20s, and only then once or twice a year. I only bought Lancome make up in my late 20s.
Even getting a coffee and scone in town was a big deal during the 80s. You wouldn't call in for something every time you were in town. As we were coming from the country we would often get hungry in town. I might call into a cafe for coffee and scone as a treat, but my mother would not want to get anything (sure it is only another 2 hours til we get home). Now I love the way it is more accepted to have a cappucino/latte in town, and I really enjoy it.
Clothes were always expensive in the late 80s compared to what people were earning. I can remember earning 130 a week, and trousers in Dunnes costing 30. Now trousers in Dunnes still cost 30 or 40 and I am earning more.
What is making the recession harder now is that people borrowed a lot of money, an now can't pay it back. At least in the 80s people didn't use credit so much.
Also in the 80s, even though it was very hard to get a job, once you had a job you were unlikely to lose it, whereas now you could be let go at the drop of a hat (even with loads of education and experience).
When I finished school in the late 80s, office staff were paid about 60 a week, then it would go up to 100 after a few years. I know pay and conditions were bad, but at least you had a job. Even if you lived 10 or 15 miles out the country, you would be living at home and coming to work on buses until your mid to late 20s. Even young single people who were working full time may not have a holiday abroad every year. I remember not socialising at weekends for a few months before my holiday abroad. Usually people would only have one night out a week.
My father was a farmer and my mother worked full time in an office. Even though I was an only child, we rarely went on hols, we had one bad car. We didn't get a washing machine and house phone until the early 90s. (when I was in my early 20s)
People would rarely go out for dinner. It was frowned on as 'waste'. I love the way there is more of a culture of eating out now (early birds etc) esp as I don't really drink. I remember only starting to go out for dinner with friends in my late 20s, and only then once or twice a year. I only bought Lancome make up in my late 20s.
Even getting a coffee and scone in town was a big deal during the 80s. You wouldn't call in for something every time you were in town. As we were coming from the country we would often get hungry in town. I might call into a cafe for coffee and scone as a treat, but my mother would not want to get anything (sure it is only another 2 hours til we get home). Now I love the way it is more accepted to have a cappucino/latte in town, and I really enjoy it.
Clothes were always expensive in the late 80s compared to what people were earning. I can remember earning 130 a week, and trousers in Dunnes costing 30. Now trousers in Dunnes still cost 30 or 40 and I am earning more.
What is making the recession harder now is that people borrowed a lot of money, an now can't pay it back. At least in the 80s people didn't use credit so much.
You sound like me, except my mother didn't work in an office.
My first wage was 60 a week and I was thrilled when I reached the 100 a week milestone. When I was made permanent I was earning 10 pounds a week less but I said nothing because I was so relieved to be made permanent.
I thumbed to work until I organised a lift, bought a car at 29 and was the first in the gang to do so.
And you're right about Dunnes clothes, trousers were 30 pounds but they were a better trouser, we didn't have MacFashion then but
Didn't have a credit card until I was 26 or so and the limit was 300 pounds or something.
I agree with Buzzybee. People acquired a high standard of living during the boom years and so have further to fall. In the 80s most households had one car max., the same furniture and carpets did for years and years, children's clothes were passed around between cousins and friends, eating out was a rare treat and most people only drank wine if they were out somewhere or celebrating, instead of a regular thing at home. Also, people in the 80s hadn't run up huge debts and been living on credit for years.
I think we were better equipped to cope with a recession back then, but we've become softer and more comfortable over the past few years and had also become used to being regarded as a successful and wealthy country so are in shock to suddenly find ourselves back to recession, emigration and high unemployment. I think we really thought those days were gone and we had totally moved on, so there's a feeling of being back to square one. However, we have a much much better educated workforce, which is a huge positive, even if many are currently emigrating.
I think we were better equipped to cope with a recession back then, but we've become softer and more comfortable over the past few years and had also become used to being regarded as a successful and wealthy country so are in shock to suddenly find ourselves back to recession, emigration and high unemployment. I think we really thought those days were gone and we had totally moved on, so there's a feeling of being back to square one. However, we have a much much better educated workforce, which is a huge positive, even if many are currently emigrating.
I'm not so sure about this. I remember several school friends in the '80s who's families lost their homes due to repossession, or threat of repossession. I also remember "Today Tonight" specials about people having debts to money lenders - echos what you hear to day re: credit cards, but with potential violence added.
I think the big difference between now and the '80s is that back then people had more time. Today people work longer and harder and usually need two incomes per household. While people back in the '80s didnt have as much stuff as we do today, they were much more time rich - more likely to volunteer in the community, more time to go to park/beach/walk or indulge in hobbies. More time to visit relatives - which seemed to be more common back then.
I agree re the money lenders, but that tended to be a minority of people. I really don't remember most people having foreign holidays on credit, or doing up the house or stuff. Most people 'saved up' for things like that or borrowed manageable amounts from the credit union. I remember when I first started work there were still 'Christmas Clubs' so people could spread the cost out over the year.
Z
z107
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It's too early into this recession/depression to start comparing it to the eighties.
Wait until the default, or until after the next couple of austerity budgets.
You ain't seen nothing yet!
Wait until the default, or until after the next couple of austerity budgets.
You ain't seen nothing yet!