People

Exhausted, dominated by technology and broke: Sign of the Times survey is all bad news

Survey indicates a loss of confidence in the ability of Irish governments to tackle important social issues or to have empathy for people struggling

Almost half of those who took part in the research admitted to levels of exhaustion not seen in Ipsos B&A surveys previously

Conor Pope's face
Conor Pope
Sat Apr 27 2024 - 06:00

Irish people are run ragged, stressed by the social media screeching from the far right and struggling with an enduring cost-of-living crisis, according to the latest Sign of the Times survey published by Ipsos B&A.

People are also sceptical about the capacity politicians have to fix systemic issues such as the housing crisis, while the research points to life milestones being missed or delayed, and a trend among younger men to misunderstand the scale of the inequities that exists between the genders.

There has also been a drop-off in concern about the climate crisis and an almost weary acceptance of the dominant role technology now plays in most people’s lives.

The better news is there is a level of “cautious optimism” creeping in as the world around us feels “less out of control” than last year, although that may be because consumers have “become somewhat numb and accustomed to perma-crisis”.

READ MORE

When those polled were asked if they had more, less or the same amount of money compared with 2023, just 12 per cent said more, with 28 per cent saying there had been no change and 60 per cent saying they had less. A total of 62 per cent are “getting by” with one in five “struggling” and 17 per cent living comfortably.

Source: Ipsos B&A

Source: Ipsos B&A

The report suggests many Irish people “feel strangely sheltered from the full extent of the global chaos” and points to a sense that the “economy is doing well [with] record tax receipts [and] full employment despite a UK recession and sluggish growth elsewhere Europe”.

There is also evidence of a “vibrant economy in daily life”, the report notes, with construction activity booming and shops appearing busy with restaurants and bars full. “It feels like life as usual,” the report says.

There is, however, a sense that we are walking on a tightrope and an underlying fragility to it all and when asked if they felt the global economy would be better, worse or the same over the next 12 months one in four people said it would be the same, 64 per cent suggested things would be worse, while an optimistic 11 per cent believe things are going to get better.

Also identified in the report is a loss of faith in Irish governments’ ability to solve or even have empathy for important social issues.

Others have grown disillusioned and disheartened by the relentless stream of distressing news [and are] actively avoiding [it] as it’s too overwhelming

“People are frustrated at the short-sightedness of government policy and the slow pace of change. Recent examples like the costs of the national children’s hospital, continued MetroLink delays and the worsening of the housing crisis are used as points of evidence to highlight the inability of government to solve issues that really matter to people. The recent failed referendum vote is another example used to point at a Government out of touch with voters,” it says.

The report repeatedly makes it clear that life is harder for younger people, with 32 per cent of the 25-34-year olds saying they need to ask family or friends for help for household or daily expenses and 87 per cent of the total population saying the prospect of home ownership is becoming increasingly out of reach for the younger generation.

There is widespread recognition that demographically Ireland is changing and many are positive about this evolution, but for some there is a feeling of neglect and frustration that refugees are getting support that they feel they need.

Attitudes towards immigration remain highly polarised, with nearly half worrying that Ireland is losing its sense of identity with the influx of foreign nationals.

The housing shortage, the cost-of-living crisis and fears about the influx of asylum seekers have combined to make the perfect cocktail for the rise of the far-right movement and most Irish people are worried, with 62 per cent expressing concern, compared with 14 per cent who are not worried.

Within Ireland there are different responses to what is happening geopolitically. Some are consumed by a profound sense of anger towards the injustice they see in the world, particularly in Gaza and Ukraine.

“Others have grown disillusioned and disheartened by the relentless stream of distressing news [and are] actively avoiding [it] as it’s too overwhelming. [They are] succumbing to what can be described as the ‘ostrich effect’, burying their heads in the sand and avoiding negative news to preserve their mental wellbeing.”

Despite the tension, anxiety and gloom, many feel Ireland is a better place to live now than it was 20 years ago, with 49 per cent agreeing with that assessment, compared with 27 per cent who disagree.

Sign of the times

Source: Ipsos B&A

While most people agree that significant progress has been made in terms of gender equality in Ireland, there is, the report says, “a highly distorted view of just how far we have actually come as a country”.

It points to a the “vastly different experiences and perceptions of gender equality” between men and women.

When asked if there “is equality between men and women in Ireland” 50 per cent of women disagreed, compared with just one in four men.

And when asked if, “when it comes to giving women equal rights with men, things have gone far enough” 48 per cent of men agreed, compared with 28 per cent of women in younger cohorts more likely to agree.

The report points to delayed home ownership and parenthood and says it is “redefining life trajectories”.

“There is a inherent human need to progress and, traditionally, reaching milestones has been the very definition of success as deemed by society,” the report notes. “What is clear is that some more ‘traditional’ milestones have become more difficult to achieve,” it continues.

“To satisfy this inherent human need for progress many are creating new ‘surrogate’ milestones [that are] often expressed through the consumption of ‘symbols of independence’ (travel, building a cabin in parents’ back garden, even consumer goods purchasing).”

Consumers feel that they have been experiencing a return to ‘rip-off Ireland’, with many reluctant to consider holidaying at home based on stories or experiences of exorbitant prices. In contrast, air travel is firmly back on the map, but consumers are also looking farther afield to less ‘traditional’ locations in order to get a sense of good value.

Concern about the climate crisis continues to drop as environment fatigue appears to be setting in despite multiple temperature record-breaking months over the past year.

We have identified a battle-hardened population that finds a way to adjust, to cope and there is a bit more certainty but it’s fragile

Even some of the most ethically minded people are consistently ‘blinded by convenience’ and willingness to forfeit comforts is low, while a rationalisation of our behaviour remains high.

When presented with the statement “I am extremely concerned about environmental issues” only 46 per cent agreed, compared with 68 per cent four years ago; and when asked if they give a lot of consideration to sustainability when shopping for groceries, only 36 per cent said yes, compared with 54 per cent in 2020.

There is a growing scepticism towards brands’ efforts in the sustainability space, with consumers alert and seeking out evidence of greenwashing.

There has been a shift towards using public transport more often but the uptake is much slower outside Dublin, while Dubliners are twice as likely to say their next car will be an EV compared with those from Connacht/Ulster.

Almost half of those who took part in the research admitted to levels of exhaustion not seen in Ipsos B&A surveys previously, with 49 per cent agreeing with the statement “I feel tired all the time” and less than a third disagreeing. It is an almost complete reversal of the answers to the same question in 2019.

“Our use of technology is beyond addiction – we are being rewritten. Technology has actually begun to rewire how our brains work,” the report says. “People note that they have become increasingly worse at focusing on only one thing at a time ... However, we are entering a phase of accepting tech will be part of our lives [and] AI is compounding this.”

“The economic strain is still there and we still have the same proportion of people struggling,” notes Ipsos B&A chief executive Luke Reaper. “But it seems that people are feeling a little bit more in control.

“We have identified a battle-hardened population that finds a way to adjust, to cope and there is a bit more certainty but it’s fragile.”

[ Electricity prices are falling - but when will you see the savings? ]

Reaper says that while support for the far right “is extremely low they’re extremely vocal, especially online, and that is quite concerning for people, because that is twisting some of the genuine concerns that people have about housing, for example, to a particular agenda and it’s getting airplay, probably more in a social media context”.

“We’ve never been more hectic,” he adds. “During the pandemic people were saying they loved going out into nature and going for walks and saying they would never go back to the way they were. There’s more people feeling tired all the time now than there ever has been.”

A representative sample of 1,000 people aged 16+ were surveyed, quota controlled in terms of gender, age, socioeconomic status and region. In addition, five focus groups were conducted and fieldwork was conducted in the first quarter of 2024.

Weekend ReviewIpsosCost of Living