[disgruntledphd2]

> it was utterly atrocious in Ireland

Speaking as an Irish citizen, this does not match to my experiences at all. But countries are large, and individual experiences are rarely a good sampling of population level traits.

[CalRobert]

Well, I’m also an Irish citizen (albeit naturalised) and it certainly matched the sentiment of both the circle I hung out with in Dublin (champagne socialists and frustrated artists) and Offaly (a different sort entirely….)

Though I did appreciate that the culchies were pretty practical about getting things done.

All the same, “maybe I like the misery” didn’t come out of a vacuum…

[disgruntledphd2]

I dunno man, like Ireland was incredibly poor even in my lifetime and I'm in my 40s. The changes from 1997 to 2007 were absurdly large and the changes from 1987 to 1997 were similarly large (but I was younger so less exposed).

That being said, I come from a pretty long line of culchies so maybe that's it ;)