Where are the miracles?

Sometimes you hear on TV how wonderful this country is. Sometimes you see it somewhere in the newspaper. Or in magazines. It can be on the radio. Or at a campaign rally, and it\’s right before an election. Everywhere they pour optimism into my veins and everywhere they say we are doing great. But I am told this by either paid newscasters and journalists or, indeed, wealthy and powerful people. Sometimes it\’s only until they figure out what\’s going on and get arrested. But even then, they usually don\’t feel bad about it.

We are told we are doing well. Because we are making more and more money. Even if we are not earning as much, we are getting more pensions and other benefits, allowances, and add-ons. But this last statement suggests that if someone has to contribute from the treasury to make a living, that is probably not such a great thing.

However, in my area, I don\’t see many examples of people living above their means. Those who don\’t get paid well don\’t live very well. And those who get raises eventually get another raise, and there are no more zeroes to zero.

Tell me. Why do young people have savings? They have no savings. Where will they save from? Because they can\’t do anything yet and haven\’t proven to their employers that they can. They cannot earn a living because they have no experience. Unless they are from a rich family, they still have to earn a living.

And because they have no savings, statistics show that by the time they are 36, most are either renting or living with their parents. If they want to live in their own homes, they will have to take out a mortgage. It is estimated that next year there will be 300,000 of them. But because they have no savings, banks will not approve their mortgages. In other words, it is estimated that more than 1.5 million young Czechs will want to move out of their homes in the next 10 years. That is if they can afford it. For young people, mortgages are becoming increasingly unaffordable. And real estate is becoming more expensive.

So we are supposedly doing well. Many people can\’t even afford to live properly. Many can\’t even afford to buy a house with a mortgage, or installment payments.

Sometimes you hear on TV how wonderful this country is. Sometimes you see it somewhere in the newspaper. Or in magazines. It can be on the radio. Or at a campaign rally, and it\’s right before an election. Everywhere they pour optimism into my veins and everywhere they say we are doing great. But I am told this by either paid newscasters and journalists or, indeed, wealthy and powerful people. Sometimes it\’s only until they figure out what\’s going on and get arrested. But even then, they usually don\’t feel bad about it.

We are told we are doing well. Because we are making more and more money. Even if we are not earning as much, we are getting more pensions and other benefits, allowances, and add-ons. But this last statement suggests that if someone has to contribute from the treasury to make a living, that is probably not such a great thing.

However, in my area, I don\’t see many examples of people living above their means. Those who don\’t get paid well don\’t live very well. And those who get raises eventually get another raise, and there are no more zeroes to zero.

Tell me. Why do young people have savings? They have no savings. Where will they save from? Because they can\’t do anything yet and haven\’t proven to their employers that they can. They cannot earn a living because they have no experience. Unless they are from a rich family, they still have to earn a living.

And because they have no savings, statistics show that by the time they are 36, most are either renting or living with their parents. If they want to live in their own homes, they will have to take out a mortgage. It is estimated that next year there will be 300,000 of them. But because they have no savings, banks will not approve their mortgages. In other words, it is estimated that more than 1.5 million young Czechs will want to move out of their homes in the next 10 years. That is if they can afford it. For young people, mortgages are becoming increasingly unaffordable. And real estate is becoming more expensive.

So we are supposedly doing well. Many people can\’t even afford to live properly. Many can\’t even afford to buy a house with a mortgage, or installment payments.