BRITONS ARE DRIVEN TO DRINK

Every day one reads in the newspapers that different sections of society are turning to drink. Whether it is under age schoolchildren, teenagers, unmarried youngsters, young parents even, middle-class people, working class people, executives both young and older, retired people, whether it is a woman or a man, every section of society seems to be drinking too much !!!

All the articles express astonishment at this situation, but none tries to understand why this is happening. Why are all these sections of society drinking too much ? People used to go down to the pub for a drink and a social chat with other regulars from the neighbourhood. Now, it would seem, people go out anywhere to get stoned.

So why do people want to get stoned with drink ? Finding the right single word is not easy, but it has to do with "unhappiness", "insecurity" and "hopelessness". People can see little that will make them happy in the near future.

What do people in fact want ? One sure answer is the security of a job. They want a job which will make them ambitious, which drives them when they become part of a larger project. In this way they will become proud of whatever they are doing.

People want to be occupied, not to be obliged to live off handouts from the state or elsewhere. They do not want jobs which are below their capability. They do not want to do just anything just to earn a few bob or pocket money.

So what is so wrong with Britain at present ? I will hazard just a few guesses but you may well have identified others which are more important !!!

1) Everyone gets good marks in the school leaving exams. In fact everyone is considered equally as capable as everyone else. Is this right ?

2) Apprenticeships are no longer valued as much as in former times. Is this a good thing ?

3) Too many unsuitable students are pushed into universities, and afterwards there are too many "drop outs" after the first year when they do not make the grade. Is this right ?

4) There is no national service now but this used to be a good way of forming the right attitudes of youngsters.

5) From statistics it appears that the State now employs more people than private industry but does the State create and run new companies and develope new industries ?

There are many other things which could be added to the above list of points but what is the underlying message ? The message is that people want to work and to achieve their personal objectives at whatever level they are. They would prefer to work rather than to be supported with social handouts. They want to be active members of society.

Introducing new stealth taxes, increasing taxes in general to fund the redistribution of wealth does not galvanise potential businessmen. Going into business is about undertaking risks, but taxing profits or exceptional earnings kills initiative. That is why the best brains now prefer to live and work elsewhere than in Britain.

The foregoing points tend to explain partly why Britons are driven to drink, but you the reader will certainly have other examples which could complete the picture.