Una Mullally: Believe me, ‘back to normal’ will not look normal at all

There is a lot of frustration bubbling underneath the surface of society at the moment. Almost all of it is linked to fairness and equality, or the lack of it.

The pandemic is a politicising force. People who were otherwise relatively content and privileged have found themselves in advocacy or campaigning mode: in a manner usually reserved for those who are traditionally marginalised in society. Frustration has created an atmosphere where people feel let down and unsupported by the parties in Government they voted for.

The divide is between those who have not been financially hit by the pandemic and those who have not just been financially devastated, but have seen their livelihoods implode

People are generally smart, engaged and highly educated, and there is an understandable frustration felt by the average person when they realise their elected representatives probably aren’t as competent as they are themselves. You only click into this when their failings affect you. This goes back to a calibre issue in our political system and also the mind-boggling communications failures of Government despite its heaving staff of advisers. The public has been left treasure hunting amid a collage of clues gleaned from hearing radio and TV interviews with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. It is simply unacceptable.

But perhaps the greatest social, cultural and political force right now, and into the future, is resentment. Resentment is a potent force and sometimes lacks a basis in reality, gets weaponised and finds the wrong targets. But this time it’s authentic. This resentment and despair was articulated last week by the drag performer and bar owner Rory O’Neill, aka Panti, who has once again come to the fore as a clear and authentic voice of experience, honesty and reason.

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In a couple of media interviews, O’Neill laid out his frustrations about a specific divide in society right now, one section of which is brimming with legitimate resentment. The divide is between those who have not been financially hit by the pandemic and those who have not just been financially devastated, but have seen their livelihoods implode; their work and professional plans pushed off a cliff, and their careers tossed aside.

The idea that things will “go back to normal” or that jobs will “come back” or we will “open back up” is all well and good, but it denies what has happened, and is happening, in the meantime. Because in the meantime, people have lost everything, including the sense of potential, opportunity and purpose.

It has had a disproportionate impact on the self-employed and business owners whose work connects directly with others and involves the essence of gathering.

This is not an argument against restrictions. It’s just a cruel and unfair fact. Just as much as the fact that as soon as it’s over the Government will never want to think of the pandemic again.

Youth unemployment now stands at a staggering 56.4 per cent. Some of these jobs will come back but what about the damage that has already been done to these young people?

But unless that resentment is addressed, its political impact will echo that of the crash. Fine Gael, the party of “I’m all right, Jack”, skipped off into the sunset high-fiving each other about a farcical fantasy GDP, and 10 years later Sinn Féin is the most popular party at the ballot box. Go figure.

The people who have been left in turmoil and loss are very aware that, as O’Neill said, a lot of people just lost their commute and a lot of other people lost their jobs. Many people have lost their loved ones. Some people have lost their lives and others are stacking up savings; something O’Neill said made him feel like he was living in a parallel universe.

This surge in savings – Irish households put an extra €12.6 billion into savings accounts in last year, and households had a record €123 billion on deposit last October – is going to create a social and economic divide that will be profound. Not only has a large cohort in society not been affected financially, they will have a jump on people who were. Who do you think will have a better shot at buying a house? Getting a loan? Renting where they want to live? Starting a family? Becoming a landlord? Buying a building?

Resentment will be the defining force this year. The Government will also be dealing with an array of novel long-term issues such as rural gentrification. There will be discourse on public and “play” space, the size of homes and the need for at-home work space. This will have an impact on public housing design. So will the potential for repurposing office blocks and the realisation of how ridiculous these large-scale office developments now look.

Then there will be demands for universal basic income. Irish unity and nationalism. A left-wing electorate. And an ongoing cultural revolution – rooted in contemporary Irish identities totally at odds with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil – that could very well make Ireland the centre of the creative and artistic universe for the next decade.

Youth unemployment now stands at a staggering 56.4 per cent. Some of these jobs will come back but what about the damage that has already been done to these young people? What about the people who never recovered from the recession, for whom the crash remains the defining moment in their lives – until now – and for whom the “recovery” was never felt?

And now this? Believe me, “back to normal” will not look normal at all.