A big boy did it

As I sit here writing the outside temperature is slushing somewhere between 1c and 2c. 

The roads have been gritted a nasty dirty brown, my garden is a thick blanket of white and my overcoat is rapidly becoming a threadbare embarrassing rag. Its been this way for some time now, not the coat, the weather. In fact as long as I can remember and even knowing I have the short term memory of a demented blowfish this is still a long time.

We have already Spring-ed forward, the days are getting longer and winter is supposedly over. Only problem being is it isn’t and as of today it shows no sign of abating.

Is this the beginning of a new ice age or a global catastrophe? A Hollywood style icy cold, icebergs covering Paris, Jeff Goldblum, Armageddon thing?

No apparently not. This is Global Warming.

Some time ago in another blog, in reference to an unpronounceable Icelandic volcano I suggested we might need a global naming body (GNB) to police the naming of things. Global warming seriously needs their help as it is someway away from adequately describing the weather outside my living room window just now. It’s actually the polar opposite if you forgive a very loose pun.

I understand the concept that global warming doesn’t necessarily mean warmer. Its more extreme weather. I am grown up enough to know that it doesn’t necessarily mean the Costa del Govan anytime soon. But still, change the name please.

So, who is to blame?

As with most things these day, if something bad is happening or has happened, then someone or some organisation must to be to blame. The economic crisis = bankers. Horse meat burgers = Romanians. Greek, Spanish, Cypriot austerity measures = Germans.

Having someone to blame allows us to deflect responsibility and direct our anger at someone. Kill the bankers! Stone them! Tax them! Burn them!

Of course the reality is somewhat different but having someone to blame is much much easier. And if that someone happens to be rich, aloof, a bit poncy or German then even better.

It’s a load of rubbish though. Sorry, but it is.

I watch on the news the vitriol being directed at Chancellor Merkel and the nasty Germans from the streets of Athens or Madrid. Why? Because Germany are bailing them out, loaning them money and expecting some guarantees in return? 

If I was German, facing a tax hike because I lived in one of the few countries in the world which have not mismanaged their economies, I would be very pissed off indeed.

Sorry Mr Stopalopalos, if it was me I would be just letting you get on with it. Take responsibility for the mess you have created yourself and go back to smashing plates for a living.

In a illegal drug market who is responsible? Is it the drug dealer coming in and pushing his dirty, nasty products or is it the existing demand and the dealer is just taking advantage of the market conditions?

One simply would not exist without the other. 

A drug dealer wouldn’t exist in a town full of saints in the same way as an economic crisis would not have happened if everyone stopped, took time to considered it and then realised that they couldn’t afford the house, the plasma TV, holiday to a hot place or new car.

It just wouldn’t.

Its not just the bankers fault. Its as much your or my fault for being so fucking stupid in the first place. Just because you are offered something, doesn’t mean you should take it.

This is why when I read the anti-banking propaganda being peddled in the news or from both sides of the political spectrum I instantly think witch hunt or scapegoat.

The problem with following my train of thought is that it shifts the blame from the nasty fat cat, tax avoiding, Southern English sleazy, scum, tory bankers onto you and me. And this isn’t nearly as much fun or easy to stomach however true it might be.

So global warming, who is to blame for the ruination of the planet and me having to delay my first barbecue of 2013?

Again the answer seems to be everyone. The difference it seems with global warming and the economic crisis is that there never has been some group or individual to blame. It always has been everyone to blame and I would contend this is why we are still arguing about the real causes and the real impacts – i.e. not doing anything real about it.

Judging from my garden right now its real. I don’t need some politically or financially motivated organisation telling me otherwise. Its real, just look outside or try taking off from Zurich airport this afternoon on the first day of Spring.

The penalties and restrictions which are being proposed for the banking world have a Treaty of Versailles-esq feel about them. Almost vengeful. And its not just restricted to banking. Cross border legislation is being proposed to hinder larger businesses taking advantage of their earned economies of scale. The whole point of growing a business is to increase such opportunities, any country which restricts these opportunities will increase the percentage of tax they receive, yes, but unfortunately it will be a higher percentage of a much lower pot. I haven’t done the calculations. I cant do the calculations but I would bet a lot of money this will work out to be a lower number.   

As Bill Gates is supposedly said recently, the world and life isn’t fair, get used to it. He’s right - it isn’t. 

There are winners and there are losers and not necessarily the right ones.

If you have spent the last 25 years sucking up cheap unaffordable credit or enjoyed your annual holiday in the sun on the never-never. If you have built a thriving economy based on debt and employed an unaffordable army of civil servants who are essentially parasitic in nature, from a tax balance perspective, or built up a nanny state where personal responsibility is largely absent then I fail to see how anyone can claim to be a victim.

Its yours, mine and everyone’s fault so please stop blaming the bankers, the Germans or anyone else for that matter.

Unless you happen to have your life savings in the bank of Cyprus that is. 

Then I might start to agree with you.