We cannot go on like the way we are used to

The protest scenes in London this week look sickening. The mood of a variety of young people groups has erupted, many have got carried away, and the result is literally carnage.

Amongst it all is a 'valid' non-violent protest. The problem is, to me the validity of the student protest is not as clear cut as it would seem. Not because there are no issues with the government plan, and not because I think the students should simply lump it. There are pros & cons to the plan, and how education is funded needs to be carefully thought through to enable it to be accessible and not simply the privilege of the already over-privileged.

Yet underneath it all I think another voice needs to be heard: 'we simply cannot go on living like the way we used to'.

Our Western lifestyle have led us to expect certain things in life (healthcare, education, endless supplies of energy, food, cheap commodities etc.). This is simply un-affordable, by us and by planet earth. Something has got to give in the system somewhere.

The over-spill of public mood into violence has been repeated in other European cities (Ireland, France, Spain, Greece ...). The presenting causes have been different, but I believe the underlying sentiment is probably the same 'we believe we have the right to go on living it up as consumerists'.

I said last time that our biggest enemy is consumerism. These demonstrations are another aspect to the same equation. It has become a deep seated part of people's psyche.

Yes it is complicated - we are talking about welfare, help for some legitimately in need. I am not advocating any simple solution. Yet now fly to much of Africa, South-East Asia, the flood-displaced of Pakistan, or those still camping in Haiti, and tell them you believe you (yourself) have the right to x, y or z.

How can that work?