David Bloch, Brightwater MD, chain email

The following is an e-mail from Brightwater company director, David Bloch, who claims his company is "a little enclave of positivity and energy", despite the "daily media barrage of misery". It got him a slot on the opinion pages of today's Irish Times, so I suppose that's a result for him.

He might like to include blogs like Gombeen Nation along with the established "meedja", who feel that the economic boom was but a "confidence" driven, construction-based pyramid scheme. Here's an extract from the email, which could be entitled Fwd: Send this on to ten people and your personal angel will grant your wish. (As suggested by the reader who brought it to my attention).

The Irish media is spreading fear and panic! I am the MD of an Irish Company. I have a job and I want to keep it. I also want to keep the jobs of my staff and my friends... and I want to live and work in an upbeat country! The Irish Media is spreading fear and panic – it makes me think about cutting more costs, salaries, staff and saving money. If it affects me, it must affect other people. With the positive American attitude, do we have any doubts that the US will recover? Ireland has one of the youngest and well-educated populations in the first world (after the US) - let’s use our energy and can-do attitude and get out of this. I sent a similar e-mail to a few people from my address book a couple of weeks ago. Here’s a few comments from the dozens of replies I’ve had which show I’m not alone in my thinking:

From Senior Manager at Big 4 Accountancy Firm: "...it's giving a desperate impression to investors, commentators etc. Also too much time spent pummeling those who are easy to blame - bankers, developers etc. By all means accept there have been mistakes, learn the lessons, add regulations etc. but now time to move on and have plan for the future."

From MD of major European Bank, based in Ireland: "I know RTE would argue that in criticising them we are in danger of "shooting the messenger" but "the medium IS the message. Those in RTE are relatively "bullet proof" in their jobs. They are playing "Russian roulette" with private sector jobs as visiting business people and others latch on to our depressive outlook. Other development agencies will also use this to argue against Ireland as a location to invest in, in favour of their own place."

From Partner at medium-sized Law Firm: "What irks Me about say RTE is that the doom laden voices of George Lee, Ann Doyle and others announcing yet more job cuts etc as the lead item. It is literally depressing. It is usually preceded by a really sad ad from one of the NGO's with pictures of starving emaciated Africans. I know their plight is tragic but the continuous subliminal effect of all of this is to drag one down in terms of "mood". The best piece of news is in fact "Nationwide" at 7pm with Mary Kennedy and Michael Ryan. They are cheery and upbeat."

From Irish person recently moved to New York (don't know her details): "Hear Hear I say!! I live in New York and although things are tough here, people are getting on with the new reality and figuring out creative ways of dealing with the downturn."

From Owner of private Irish company: "Frankly, I'm enraged about what RTE specifically are doing. They're destroying hope and thereby destroying Ireland. "


Funny. There were few complaints when the media was as caught up with the credit-fuelled boom as much as the Government and most economic commentators. Remember Bertie's remarks about the "boom getter boomier" (or something similarly unintelligible)? And his inviting those few voices critical of the way things were going to "commit suicide".

Instead, Bertie and the captains of Irish business committed economic hari-kari.



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