While it’s a nice thought experiment, I find it hard to dismiss centuries of culture as a bubble. The idea that history is meaningless is dangerous.

I live in Ireland and work in frontline healthcare. I interact with people all across the country and the socio-economic spectrum. I can tell you that you definitely were and are likely still in a bubble. The Dublin you thought you knew never existed and the change you think you've experienced is a Dublin that was always there.

This is very common amongst my friends and colleagues in tech. They live in a different world.

Spinning out the "tech elites" trope is a bit of a jaded argument (and you're commenting on a tech forum?).

My experience of Ireland is outside of Dublin which seems to be where you've formed your negative framing of the country. The dialogue has regressed into anti-immigrant/anti-government sentiment. And no, it wasn't always that way in the same ferocity.

It might make you feel superior telling people they're out of touch as you're a "frontline worker" but sounds a lot like hubris.

> The dialogue has regressed into anti-immigrant/anti-government sentiment. And no, it wasn't always that way in the same ferocity.

This is the bubble I'm referring to. It's a delusion.

> It might make you feel superior telling people they're out of touch as you're a "frontline worker" but sounds a lot like hubris.

You may take it that way, but you own comments show just how out of touch you have been. I wonder if you've ever had a conversation outside your bubble in Ireland?