The cost of living and the hike in energy prices, interest rates, food – well everything really – beggars belief. In fact, if we continue to allow these ‘things’ to be done to us that’s what it will do – beggar us.
Now as my regular readers will be aware, I try my best to keep out of all things politics as I have a somewhat tainted view of our whole outdated political system and its workings.
But when things become intensely personal, as the current crop of crises most definitely are, I shall continue to pop my head above the parapet and hope to speak for many of you because as a motivational speaker, that’s precisely what I want to do – motivate people to take action and improve a situation, whatever that looks like.
What I am having trouble wrapping my head around is the ‘why’ in all this.
I’m a reasonable person, prepared to accept situations that I am personally not happy with provided there is a good reason why and it can be explained. But what is happening at the moment has no justifiable good reason that I can fathom.
To borrow an expression I’ve heard before somewhere: “t’aint fair, t’aint right, t’aint proper.”
The media is absolutely swamped with the stories of where the trouble spots are but in my simplistic way of looking at things, this is how it boils down in my mind:
Because of the Pandemic our government had to borrow a lot more money in order to keep things afloat.
Then Russia walked into Ukraine uninvited and unwanted, and reduced the amount of fuel it supplies with signs they will stop supplying altogether which to me makes them a global bully.
This sent oil prices sky-rocketing as other suppliers took advantage of the supply shortfall which in turn caused a huge influx of monies into the very few’s pockets. (I cannot believe the treble and even five-fold increases in profits the big energy companies have seen yet still somehow manage to claim it’s justified.)
Both these factors helped cause inflation to rise quickly which increased the cost of living in terms of food, goods and services which again means an influx of profits which have disappeared into the pockets of the few.
In an effort to combat rising inflation, the Bank of England are steadily raising interest rates which in turn is causing mortgage rates to rise. GDP is faltering as people feel the pinch and stop spending – not to mention we have never fully recovered from the drop in goods we export after Brexit.
Public sector workers have had to watch the obscene profits being generated and are then asked to stomach miniscule wage increases which won’t keep pace with the cost of living increases. Understandably, they ask for more and feel strike action is the only way to try and force the issue. The problem is, it’s a vicious circle. The higher wages increase, the more inflation will rise, as will the cost of living and everyone’s back to where they started.
And what does our ancient institution of a government do? It has spent most of its time recently fannying around with tax cut promises they won’t be able to keep and a beauty pageant on who should be the next PM.
You really couldn’t make it up.
Now before I start getting annoyed responses, I know that this is a very, very simplistic way of putting it and I know there is much more intricate detail and many issues behind what is happening. However, I think I’ve got the basics down and does it really need to be any more complicated?
Ordinary peoples’ lives are going to be turned into mush (if not death, sadly, if people can’t afford to heat themselves) and the few I keep referring to are so rich they will weather all this without it touching their lives – unlike you and I, they can afford to.
I don’t think there are many of us who would be want to or be willing to run our entire country. However, we could say stop and get our parliamentary representatives to do what they are supposed to which is representing us.
We could say stop and insist that the government get a proper grip on these big company profits. We could say stop (take a pause) and try to rebalance how our country operates to make it more equitable.
But, most of all, we have to stop ourselves from viewing what is happening as individuals, we’re powerless as such. Together though, as one united entity, we could quite literally change everything.
What is it (legally) that you’re prepared to do to make a difference?
But, most of all, we have to stop ourselves from viewing what is happening as individuals, we’re powerless as such. Together though, as one united entity, we could quite literally change everything.
