The ‘factory of rage’
The goal for anyone who wants this country to move forward must be to close the “factory of rage.” How? The only way is to put the country on the path of fair growth that will offer prospects, especially to the younger generation.
For today’s 30-somethings a salary of 1,000 euros a month is an elusive dream. It is extremely difficult for them to see themselves having a family or making much more money in the future.
The cost of living remains expensive and the customary support from the family has become harder. Some economic sectors and specialties have shrunk or even disappeared. Survival is not easy.
And it is not just now, during the pandemic, when many people live on 534 euros. The virus has hit the young insidiously, at a time when, after a great economic crisis, they felt they could finally come up for air.
At least one generation has felt stuck for many years. It felt that no matter how hard it tried, progress was impossible.
Many people of this generation went abroad looking for opportunities. Some of them settled there, others are looking for a way to return. They see that some things are changing and that gives them hope. We need them because they can bring professionalism, extroversion and a clear mind.
When you live in an ivory tower it is natural to view the future with a certain euphoria: The pandemic will end, people will start going out again and they will spend money. Society may indeed react like a tightly wound spring that has been released and surprise us, but a large part needs to feel that euphoria and that this sense of liberty concerns them as well.
The easy solution is for the capital from the EU Recovery Fund to end up supporting “mature” infrastructure projects and circulate among a closed circle of people. Tourism is valuable and vital but it is not enough. The challenge will be to create good jobs elsewhere and a decent working environment. Citizens will also need to see a difference in hospitals, schools and the civil service. It gives people great satisfaction when they see a tangible sign of change, such as the vaccination program or the platform for online prescriptions.
Nothing will be worse than a divided society where one part thrives while the other looks on, feeling stagnant. We can only hope that the business community does not fall back into its old habits and that it has learned something from the economic crisis. We will find out soon enough. The goal, however, should be to close or shut down the “factory of rage,” even if some people want to keep it open, because that is where they always fish for their voters.
