As one of the little people I know how utterly irrelevant my opinion is. I don't have the same inalienable rights as 'the markets' for example. I know I don't have the kind of privileges previously conferred on developers, and now being conferred on bankers, who, for some strange reason, have their concerns placed at the heart of every aspect of public policy. Neither do I have the 'pull' associated with being a cumann member. So, I have been forced to conclude that there is nothing for it; I am declaring myself a dissident, an internal exile! The government needn't worry though; I am a repressed Irish dissident. I won't be breaking anything, or storming any buildings. We Irish dissidents do our objecting, like good little people, in complete and obedient silence. You politicians may not notice that I am a dissident when you call round to my house; after all, it's rude to disagree.

If I wasn't so frightened to express an opinion, I would encourage public reflection on my innate Catholic psychosis – the nature of internal repression, the outward dangers associated with self loathing, characteristic of a society historically rooted in doctrinal fascism. I would fully acknowledge that like all good Catholics, I was taught to shut my mouth and let my betters do my thinking for me. Also, I would publicly accept that I was drilled into believing that it doesn't matter how much you are abused in life; you earn your eternal reward through suffering. But, don't worry; I will resist the temptation to do the deceiver's work, and start being overtly angry or opinionated, or anything even closely associated with the cult of secular individualism. My anger is buried deep, deep down; I am a good little boy. Not like those nasty, openly opinionated foreigners who hold their politicians to account by putting them out of power when they are caught lying. After all, who are they to get above their place, pass judgement on others, and claim to know more than the political hierarchy? If they were good and obedient dissidents like me, they would come to know the joys of suppressed anger.

Declan Doyle,

Kilkenny,

declandoyle@live.com