Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

You know all those US-ians[1] who go on about how the US is the greatest country in the world? How it is the best in everything? Well, to mangle the words of Cartman; screw you guys, the Economist says that Ireland is the champion[2]

the Economist Intelligence Unit had put Ireland at the top of its league table of 180 countries when it came to quality of life

And this is no one off win, because last year we were the best country in the world as well:

Ireland is easily the best country in the world to inhabit, according to a quality of life survey…produced by the Economist Intelligence Unit… is the fourth richest country in the world based on per capita income

Of course, if all this is true, and Ireland is so fabtastic why do we have websites like Rip-off.ie and Rip Off Ireland, not to mention the TV Programme that seems to be griping the nation; Eddie Hobbs’ Monday night hit Rip Off Republic?

I’ve never seen Eddie Hobbs because he clashes with Lost, but I can imitate him from hearing so many other people talking about him.

Linknotes:

  1. (of course not you, the other ones. :) You know, them. )
  2. All together now, no time for losers cause we are champions…

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9 Responses

  1. NineMoons says:

    I've loved Eddie since he did his money doctor programme a while back but I've only seen Rip-Off Republic once, even though it doesn't clash with Lost for me (as I watch it on E4 like a loser. Heh. Loser. Lost. Geddit?). It's feckin interesting though – Eddie is great and all but just the bare facts about how we are getting screwed over are mind-boggling. It was the transport one I was watching and the real horror of it is that even if we stopped the problems now, we're still stuck with the repercussions of past screw-ups, corruption and unbelievable lack of foresight for the next decade or more.
    I love Ireland & wouldn't want to live anywhere else but this shit is scary.

  2. Fence says:

    Isn't that our catchphrase? Ireland, always with unbelievable lack of foresight? If not it should be :)

    Don't worry, when I take over the world I'll fix Ireland, fix her good'n'proper so I will.

  3. Anne says:

    Fence, what are you on?
    I want the same.
    And I've only heard good things about Ireland for a long while, now, economic miracle and all…

  4. Fence says:

    What are you talking about Anne? Everyone has plans to take over the world, I'm just going to achieve them, that's the difference ;)

    We only tell the outside world the good stuff, can't be letting tourists know anything might possibly be slightly derogatory now can we.

  5. Anne says:

    And you'll surely make it, too.

    But that's the thing, I know a few people who live in Ireland and stick to that brainwashing. There's got to be something there.

  6. NineMoons says:

    Maybe it's that thing we do where we're the only ones allowed to criticise the country. So we don't criticise it too much in front of furriners. In case it might damage our secret deeply-held belief that we're the best. Even though we really know we suck. But we're the only ones allowed to think it.
    Or maybe that's just me. Am I the only one whose hackles rise when foreign types criticise us?

  7. Fence says:

    It's like the family thing NM, inside the famlly/country you can give out all you like. Indeed, moaning and bitching is almost encouraged. Outsiders however are a different matter and must be put in their place as "other", or not us. And so, they can't possibly give out about us cause then it'd be an attack ;)

  8. Anne says:

    Agreed. The French are notorious for that.

  9. NineMoons says:

    Well, that's cause France sucks.
    :-D
    Please don't hit me. Some of my best friends are French…
    ;-)