Filzmaier analyzes – lack of gas, inflation, pandemic: the great crisis

1. Politically, this would further increase the polarization of our society if large populations are affected. Research data shows that citizens’ concerns and fears are increasingly turning into anger and anger. In other words, until now, Wutbürger was a media word for a few protesters who were particularly loud and at times confused and always a small minority. Not anymore.

2. There may be developments coming against which the unfortunate corona marches were a relatively soft breeze. Also because dangerous Radikalinskis will exploit and abuse the mood of genuinely concerned critics. Demonstrations – a central fundamental right – are not about solving material problems, but about mobilizing and destabilizing the country.

3. Are our politicians at least talking to us about it? no Or at least way too little. For once, no current party member is responsible for the original problem of crisis communication in Austria, but it is based on an old slogan of all governments and chambers for the future of the country: “We do this and that, so that we can all better and better!” Yes, uh.

4. But the well-known saying about parties of any color is no longer up to date. In bad times full of restrictions for the population, it falls on us. Because such a sentence seems to have nothing to do with reality. Most of us will be much worse off in the short and medium term during the crisis. But given the four state elections in 2022/23, almost no politician dares to say that.

5. The pursuit of an ever better standard of living for all was a logical promise from the beginning of the Second Republic until the 1970s. It was also easy to hold. Compared to the hardships of the war and the post-war period. Above a certain level of prosperity, however, it cannot continue to go uphill.

6. Regardless of the pandemic and war in Europe with the consequences of massive inflation, scarcity economy and energy crisis, decades ago our politicians failed to say goodbye to the “Everything will get better!” promises. Why didn’t they? We are all somewhat complicit in this, because research into electoral motives shows that people are more likely to be chosen for a promise of the future than for unpleasant truths.

7. So what to do? The author Max Frisch is said to have talked about the crisis as an opportunity, you just have to remove the aftertaste of a catastrophe. It doesn’t matter if the quote is correct or if it was only attributed to Frisch. Anyway, it’s not a very clever half-truth. Because only those who have more than enough money can seize their chance and fight the disastrous aftertaste.

8. If a person has a lot of capital, he can pay his bills despite skyrocketing energy prices and high inflation. If a company has a lot of savings and reserves, it can bridge profit declines and inflation. Or even think about wise investments and restructuring instead of just saving money. To war profits.

9. On a private level, rich of all kinds can easily spend the bad winter time in Austria abroad, where it is less cold and expensive. Which, of course, will widen the social divide and outrage. The former “Cost what it may!” from the start of the corona pandemic, to help everyone and thus guarantee social cohesion, has become an empty formula.

10. Everyone just wonders, “What’s it going to cost me?” – and thinks unspoken: “Hopefully I can make it cost me less than the others!” The lobby of the Member of Parliament, Chamber of Commerce and cable car owner Franz Hörls is the best example of this. According to him, the cable cars must run at all costs, whatever happens in the crisis if we have too little energy and can no longer heat.

11. To be honest, there are no perfect solutions. Or no solution at all. Nobody’s. This involves damage limitation through reasonably good crisis management and crisis communication. Have the government and ministries learned the corona lesson, made an error analysis and did their homework in preparation?