The Country is Dead, Long Live the King

I hate this country. To quote Scar from 1994's The Lion King, "I'm surrounded by idiots". I truly am. I live in a country where people are riddled with autism as much as a leper's body is stamped with rashes. I know every country has people with autism, but trust me, not to this level. Nowhere near this level. I live in a country where certain towns are known for their obesity rates and it's celebrated too. Haha look at us, we're so fat! Who needs healthy food, it's deep-fried junk all the way! I live in a country where day-drinking is the norm and is more than welcome. People start to drink as early as 9AM and call it living well. Reduced price on draft beer was celebrated by the Government. Sometimes, I wonder whether authorities profit off of this population's alcoholism and this is why there's a pub placed every 10 metres on a single street. People here care more about gossip, alcohol and tea than they care about being a good addition to society.

Work ethic? Non-existent. Guess what people here do at work? If you think they pay attention to their daily tasks then, dear reader, you're gravely mistaken. Who needs to work for a company they didn't create and for pay that they're unhappy with? After all, £28K for a 7-hour workday is incredibly small money. Besides, it's quantity over quality, who cares that the customer is unhappy. We gave them a half-assed service and they better keep returning for more. Because I made it out of bed today to come to my workplace and because my mama told me my feelings matter.

If you think employees chat all day and show minimum effort while getting someone else to do their tasks for them, you've just won the jackpot. Bonus points if, while at work, they start to talk about their sex lives and what brain-rotting reality TV they watched. Even more bonus points if they genuinely believe that the reality TV show they've watched is genuine. Like Love Island. Love Island is real, right? People telling each other that they love them is so undeniably real. Especially when they're getting paid for it. There's absolutely nothing remotely scripted or acted out in Love Island, there can't be. But I digress.

Let's go back to the work ethic example. Let's say you have a doctor's appointment. You show up on time at 9:30, just like you were supposed to. Do you get immediately seen? No. The doc is chatting. The doctor is discussing with other doctors that same Love Island that everyone's raging about. 10 minutes go by. Do you get seen now? Still no. Why? The doc is chatting. Maybe not about Love Island anymore, maybe now they want to talk about their partner and how annoying their habits are. Who likes a partner with annoying habits? You've been waiting for 20 minutes now? Have some sympathy, the doctor is a person too. So you wait. And wait. And wait. The doctor's laughter gets louder, because they've just remembered how hilarious the last Christmas party was. Jo getting drunk and doing macarena was the highlight of that Christmas party. Your symptoms just got worse. But it's okay because the doctor finally invites you to the office and you start talking about your illness. The doctor appears to be listening through their typing on their computer, nods and constant mhm's. As you describe your symptoms you realize you're talking about a serious condition that needs to be investigated further. Doc doesn't think so. Take paracetamol and let us know if things get worse. You're sent on your way home.

Except that back in your home country this paracetamol that everyone here swears by, is known to be ineffective. You've known this ever since you were a child. If you're in pain, paracetamol is the last option you'd choose. But over here? Paracetamol is the Holy Grail of medicines, the cure-all-treat-all that will save your dying grandmother. Except. They most recently discovered that it isn't. Yup, a medicine you knew wasn't working ever since you were a child has just recently been discovered by doctors in this country that it may be -gasp- ineffective. Welp, maybe now healthcare will improve. Except, it won't. Remember autism? People not wanting to work? Yeah, that still applies. But at least they have Health & Safety Laws and Regulations meant to keep you safe.

Did you know you're not supposed to pick up a 7kg printer all on your own? You could break your back. I repeat. If you lift up a 7kg printer all on your own you risk breaking your back. Yes, really. Know what else is fantastic about Health & Safety Laws? These stupid windows all over the country that open outwards. Not inwards. Outwards. Because, that's safer, obviously. But it's fine because these windows have locks. So no one who's a danger to themselves can open that window. That's right, you can just lock that fucker up, take the key and allow no air circulation in the room. The vulnerable person will not have a whiff of fresh air but at least they'll not open the window and fall out of it. Cause you know. Safety and all. And remember to take paracetamol.

You may be asking yourself, why not leave if you're so unhappy in this country? Well, other than the fact I've got a stable job, a mortgage, and all other good things that I've achieved with hard work. I have a sense of responsibility, another thing that the average person in the country lacks. Responsibility for what? For my clients' wellbeing and safety. Because if I don't do something for these people then not many so-called professionals will. Although, I know that if things will stay the same, then it will only be a matter of time until I too leave this country and let it rot.