Every now and then I have to remind myself that things are really rather good for me. I don't feel deprived at all. After all, what would I do with a second helicopter?
We live in the sort of social climate wherein everyone is expected to own their own home, and their property is considered an asset rather than a roof over their heads as a minimum requirement - preferably sheltering a happy and reasonably contented family.
I reminded myself of my good fortune again this morning, when I heard the news that an entire tower-block in London was deemed unsafe to live in as a fire-risk by the local authorities and everyone was instructed to vacate immediately. By 'immediately' I mean that they had a knock on the door at 8.00pm last night, and were told to take their toothbrushes to the local leisure centre where there were rows of mattresses on a sports hall floor waiting for them.
Everyone is understandably twitchy after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and all the local authorities - nationwide - are waiting to see who will be sent to prison for corporate manslaughter.
I think every authority in the land would be moving out the residents of their tower blocks tonight if they had somewhere to put them. The London borough is providing hotels and apartments to the elderly, disabled and families with young children only. Everyone else has to sleep on a mattress in the sports centre or similar.
The survivors of Grefell Tower have just been told that the North Kensington Council have secured a load of brand-new apartments in the area which they will move into as soon as they are ready. Kensington is not an inexpensive area. The apartments are costing £64 million just to buy. Someone has made a killing.
Green Eyes is a paediatric nurse in the area. The night after the fire she had to look after a small child whose mother was pregnant. His mother was saved from the blaze and was rushed to Green-Eye's hospital, but neither her or her unborn child survived. Green-Eyes is 23 years old.
The same culture which views non home-owners as failures is also under a lot of pressure to make cuts in the budget, and that leads to a mind-set which sees fatal decisions like saving £5000 on an £8 million pound job as good ideas.
I just looked out of the window to see a party of people marching down the street waving Union Flags and E.U. banners chanting, 'EU - WE LOVE YOU!' About 20 years ago I saw a party carrying Union Flags and UKIP banners marching in the opposite direction.
Once I though acquisition and building equity was the goal of life. Now that I'm old, I have divested myself of property, save a shed full of important things like shovels, a new reel lawn mower and Christmas decorations (all for my granddaughter's use), I find that though it makes me feel "free," it's just another stage of life. Who am I to tell folks what to do. It may be wonderful to feel free at any age.
ReplyDeleteI spent the first 45 years of my life with no possessions at all. I am now deliberately accumulating clutter.
DeletePerverse as it may sound, I bet a lot of people who got burnt out of their dubious quality flats at Grenfell must be pinching themselves at the thought of being re-housed in a brand new complex alongside people who paid up to 2 million pound for the same pleasure. More a case of not "what do we want" but "what have we got".
ReplyDeleteAnd you think they would go through the same experience again to get a nicer flat in the same area? Is there any reason you can give me as to why I should carry on talking to you?
Deletea blunt billhook, that's for sure.
DeleteYe gods hundreds of people died in those flats, whole families.Derek Faulkener you should be ashamed.
DeletePeople who survived will be traumatised for life!.
A nice flat will not bring their families and friends back.
Only give them a tiny bit of respite in that people matter.
When I was 18 was in a fire, horrific. Nurses home in Kirkcaldy burt to to the ground. 1 person died. We were given council houses, did it make us whoop with joy!. No . We all stuck together visiting each other for hugs n support. People matter things Don,t.
DeleteI deleted my last insult to D.F. mainly because I think that he doesn't think before opening his mouth most of the time. I cannot imagine anyone deliberately saying the above expecting any other sort of response, even if they actually thought it.
DeleteI have been persuaded to reinstate my deleted comment and call D.F. a 'fucking arse'. It could have been worse. Maybe it should have been worse. Anyway, any more of that sort of thing from him and he will be gone forever.
DeleteThankfully marching and carrying a banner praising or criticising anything is no longer in my list of things I wish to do. One of the very few plusses about getting old.
ReplyDeleteMe too Weave.
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