The 'Why Bother' Society

Here in the good old Dis-United Kingdom the grey, windy, showery weather has at last given way to warm sunshine.
This always induces a sense of mild euphoria in most English people, who are relieved not to feel the obsessive burden of complaining about the weather, a peculiarly English compulsion.
Down on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire Nosher proved to be immune to this euphoria and was muttering gloomily all morning as he dug over his little plot. By lunchtime I was curious to know what it was all about.
'A penny for your thoughts?' I offered, as we settled in our old deckchairs outside Nosher's shed. We were hot after digging and so we each had a glass of cold fruit juice from Nosher's new solar-powered refridgerator.
'Why bother?' was all he said in reply.
'That's not like you!' I said 'you've usually got something to complain about!'
'No!' Nosher sounded even more irritated 'that's the conclusion of a report by the Reform think tank. Britain is becoming a "why bother" society. High taxes, generous welfare benefits, and a failing education system have resulted in low motivation to make any effort to succeed at anything. The result is low social and economic mobility, and the country's economy is suffering.'
'Did we need a think tank to tell us all this?' I said 'I wonder how much money was wasted on this report? I'm sure you would have told them the results for free if they'd bothered to ask you.'
'It's about time allotment-holders were consulted more on dealing with the problems of our society' Nosher confirmed. 'However, I do agree with their conclusions: lower taxation and less government intervention in people's lives. The nanny state has induced a victim culture in our society which is exploited by many people in order to avoid taking responsibility for their lives. That's what we need to change, and quickly or this country's going down the pan.'
'Hard to disagree with that' I said 'but will the idiots who think they're in charge have the moral courage to do anything effective about it before our little country implodes?'
'I doubt it' said Nosher.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
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