Cross Brits

Are Britons really getting crosser? It would be hardly surprising if bankers thought that, writes the Financial Times. Indeed, Brits are getting revenge. But not through anger.

Financial Times

Are the British really getting crosser? It would be hardly surprising if bankers thought that. Tolerated for their usefulness rather than loved, they are being blown away in gales of scorn.

Yet just because bankers are going underground or pretending to be something more respectable, such as civil servants does not mean anger is on the rise. …

True, there is a boom in labels for anger. The website of the British Institute of Anger Management describes — apparently without irony — road rage, air rage, office rage, net rage, PC rage, phone rage, shopping rage, pavement rage, classroom rage, décor rage, remote control rage and even lollipop rage. It also provides many statistics, few of which even attempt to show that the UK is becoming angrier. …

None of this is contradicted by the inevitable choice for this year’s favourite Christmas pantomime villains: investment bankers. Of all the responses to the misery of the credit crunch, mockery provides the greatest revenge, and laughter is much more fun than getting cross.