Where will we be?

[elefantfresh]

I've been thinking about all this financial crisis, the Chruch, the general state and health of this country. On other forums, you'd think the sky is about to fall on our heads. Without going into absolute specifics, where do you think we'll be in say, ten years time.

Will there still be a Euro and will we be in it?
Will the Church have taken a considerable back seat in the day to day of the country?
Will the price of living be back to "normal"? I won't mention house prices!!
Will the Global Economy be back to "normal"?

I'm not an economist (I truly don't understand all this finance talk thats being beaten into us daily) but will we look back in ten years or so and wonder why there was so much hullabaloo or are we really, genuinely in the mess that some people would have us believe?

Is it possible that things really are not as bad as they seem or are we rightly in the do do?

Is it possible that, fingers crossed in ten years time we'll be ok again? Or is this really the demise of our country?
Talk of major financial crisis in the US, the UK, the Euro - we can't ALL be in trouble can we?

 

[Betsy Og]

Hard to answer specifically but I'm optimistic. A few random points in support of this view:

1. Stats can be misleading, our debt to GDP is a gazillion %, a significant point is that GDP is probably "artificially" low, so when that gets back on track the stats will correct themselves.
2. Once employment grows again you get tax revenue and less social welfare - its the win win flipside of the lose lose we've had of late.
3. Hype sells papers and makes people feel important, the probable reality is unsexy (IMHO the probable reality is we'll crawl out of the hole over the next 5 years and be the better for the chastening experience). So I'm very reluctant to buy into the apocolypse now theory (just like I was when we were all going to the millionaires and too good for everything).
4. There's an awful lot of whingers out there, owed a living it seems. They'll do nothing but gripe about things - dont let 'em drag you down.
5. Every year passing by is a year closer to recovery, we're a few years into this recession, the light will come and we're getting closer to it. Perhaps even, eventually, the banks and NAMA will slowly grind in the right direction - surely another 5 years will have the losses recognised, rationlised and recapitalised.

 

[Purple]

Agree broadly with Betsy Og

 

[DB74]

I would hazard a guess that in 10 years time, the country will be back on its feet and running on a fairly even keel.

Property prices and wages will find their correct levels etc etc

However, anyone who bought when prices were high will have to continue to pay their huge mortgage and will find things tougher than people who will just be starting out buying a home.

 

[Shawady]

Will the Church have taken a considerable back seat in the day to day of the country?

I think future generations will look back in astonishment at how an organisation like the church had such a grip on the country. I don't know about 10 years, but maybe in time people will ridicule the teachings and beliefs of the church the same way we do at people that thought the earth was flat centuries ago.

 

[Mrs. Doyle]

I'm not being smart when I say this but as long as I'm 'not six feet under' I don't care where we will be. Because of the way things have gone over the last few years I just take things a day at a time and hope for the best. Because I'm stupid I have spent most of my life worrying about little things and now realise that its a waste of time and energy.

Obviously one has to be financially cautious but I just find it too depressing listening to all the doom and gloom and it may sound selfish but its my survival method.

One relative told me recently that they don't watch much telly or read many newspapers because they can't take much more of it either. Would have to wonder if they're right.

 

[elefantfresh]

Theres a lot of positivity in the replies here - it makes a great change from all the doom and gloom normally available. Thanks all for your comments. Lets hope this optimism spreads to the right people and we're all up and running again sometime soon.

 

[horusd]

Great posts. It got me thinking that maybe if we learned something from all the doom & gloom, it would be that realising we're so much more than an economy. The things that really give me a good feel about Ireland are the likes of the great GAA, the endless natterin we do, the special olympics, etc. And more and more I'm proud of how we have welcomed so many foreigners here, and blended them into our country, and in most cases, made them feel at home. I hope these things will continue, and I'm fairly optimistic. Even the fact we moan so much about what's wrong shows how much we all want to change it. That can only be a good thing.

 

[Mpsox]

hopefully, still alive and posting on here, with 10 years less left on my mortgage. I don't care about house prices and never really did, I have to live somewhere after all.

Given that in 10 years time there will have been another 1560 Lotto/Euromillions draws, I'd like to think I'd have won a bit more then the €20 I won last week. although if the Euro is gone, not sure what it'll be called. (have a punt on the Puntmillions maybe).

Hopefully Cork GAA will not be on strike and we'll have won a few more All Irelands, and Munster will have regained their rightful place as kings of Europe (as opposed to kings of the Magners league)

 

[Birroc]

I have a friend stockpiling food and survival gear so in 10 years I will be either living in his commune or I will be slagging him for being such a loon!

 

[micmclo]

Theres a lot of positivity in the replies here - it makes a great change from all the doom and gloom normally available.

I was listening to the Joe Duffy show about cuts on allowances to pensioners and you'd be depressed after listening to it. Not over the cuts but the attitudes and crying and wailing of the callers. Misery porn.
Same with yesterdays Daily Mail about families under pressure. Big bold headline on Page 1, we're doomed!

We were never the second richest country in the world but equally things are not as bad as they seem

Giving up Joe Duffy and the Daily Mail can do a lot to help a persons mood.
Both are natural homes for the hysterical

It got me thinking that maybe if we learned something from all the doom & gloom, it would be that realising we're so much more than an economy.

In 2031 after Brendan is a billionaire for selling AAM in the great dot com boom starting in 2025, we'll be back here again, boom and bust and Ireland will be broke
We never learn.

I have a friend stockpiling food and survival gear so in 10 years I will be either living in his commune or I will be slagging him for being such a loon!

Your friend is the wise one, zombie apocalyse is on the way

He will be laughing, you will be food

 

[ringledman]

Every year passing by is a year closer to recovery,

Every year the West is running a budget deficit. These deficits are much larger than the growth rate in GDP.

Therefore every year our debt as a total of GDP is rising.

Therefore our fiscal positions are getting worse each year.

The question is whether the political leaders can grasp this problem quickly enough in order to prevent a much larger problem presenting itself, 5-10 years down the line when debt levels become unsustainably large are spending 20-40% or so of income funding our debt.

Time will tell. I am more optimistic over the short to medium term than the press but longer term we have major issues which need to be faced now.

There is no future, only futures. The tough decisions made now will determine the future outcome.

So far I don't have much hope for the current set of global leaders to tackle these global imbalances.

 

[RMCF]

In 10 yrs time I would love to see the Church on its knees, a ruined institution, complete with thousands of priests behind bars, irrespective of their age. Hunted and put away like the evil scum they were.

 

[Purple]

In 10 yrs time I would love to see the Church on its knees, a ruined institution, complete with thousands of priests behind bars, irrespective of their age. Hunted and put away like the evil scum they were.

Wow... what can I say to that?

 

[Godfather]

Will there still be a Euro and will we be in it?

No the Euro will die. People hate it more and more and we will all kill it

Will the Church have taken a considerable back seat in the day to day of the country?

The Church will humbly restart preaching and some priests will keep surviving because they are good people even if their institution is sick

Will the price of living be back to "normal"? I won't mention house prices!!

Yes, but let's get rid of any debts before buying something that mightn't be necessary. In other words, let's stop consumerism please just because of the stupid slogan of "helping the economy" because the same economy wants us to fully pay our debts

Will the Global Economy be back to "normal"?

Good question, it's like asking the Dalai Lama are people good or bad? In my opinion we're bad so don't worry too much if there might be a new World WaR because human beings at the core are rotten.

And don't tell me I'm a positive thinker please!

I'm not an economist (I truly don't understand all this finance talk thats being beaten into us daily) but will we look back in ten years or so and wonder why there was so much hullabaloo or are we really, genuinely in the mess that some people would have us believe?

Yes, sorry I need to admit that. And people like Warren Buffett are ruling

Is it possible that things really are not as bad as they seem or are we rightly in the do do?

See above

Is it possible that, fingers crossed in ten years time we'll be ok again?

Yes if we look more into spirituality rather than pure materialism

Or is this really the demise of our country?

Ours, Italy, Greece, etc

Talk of major financial crisis in the US, the UK, the Euro - we can't ALL be in trouble can we?

No, buddhist people will keep surviving with a lovely smile on their face

 

[RMCF]

Wow... what can I say to that?

Hear hear?

 

[Purple]

Hear hear?

Np, that's not it.

 

[Thirsty]

...complete with thousands of priests behind bars, irrespective of their age. Hunted and put away like the evil scum they were.

I'm an atheist and I have a problem with that statement.

Substitute Polish, Chinese, Asian, gays or whatever you fancy for 'priests' in that sentence and see if you're still prepared to clap like a seal.

 

[Godfather]

i'm an atheist and i have a problem with that statement.

Substitute polish, chinese, asian, gays or whatever you fancy for 'priests' in that sentence and see if you're still prepared to clap like a seal.

+1

 

[SoylentGreen]

I'm an atheist and I have a problem with that statement.

Substitute Polish, Chinese, Asian, gays or whatever you fancy for 'priests' in that sentence and see if you're still prepared to clap like a seal.

If my Auntie were a man......