I admit that of the Season's Greetings I have received this has irritated me by far the most:
The IFRS is the International Financial Reporting Standard which controls the International Accounting Standards Board that sets the standards governing the production of the accounts of all European based multinational corporations, and quite a few others besides.
Let me remind you of what the message of the angels, to which the card clearly refers, was in Luke:
The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
'Seasons Greetings' suggest that the International Accounting Standards Board has ignored everything from the end of the first sentence, so I will do the same. And I still get annoyed.
That's because the IASB suggest that the objective of general purpose financial reporting (which they claim International Financial Reporting Standard deliver) is to provide present and potential investors, lenders and other creditors with information to make decisions about buying, selling or holding equity or debt instruments and providing or settling loans or other forms of credit. In saying that the IFRS says that general purpose financial reports cannot provide all the information that users may need to make economic decisions. In particular they suggest that while other parties, including prudential and market regulators, may find general purpose financial reports useful they consider that the objectives of general purpose financial reporting and the objectives of financial regulation may not be consistent. Hence, regulators are not considered a primary user and general purpose financial reports are not primarily directed to regulators or other parties.
Or, to put it another way, if they think you want data but you are not quite specifically a supplier of particular types of capital to a company then you can, to not put too fine a point on it, go to hell. Which is why they have always, for example, refused to consider the possibility that country-by-country reporting should be included within International Financial Reporting Standards, despite calls from people like the EU Parliament and national newspapers for it to be adopted in public accounts.
So the IFRS Foundation card is not just a lie but is deeply hypocritical. The offer was of peace and joy was for all people and the IASB have interpreted all people as being the suppliers of capital.
And I do find that profoundly annoying. If the International Accounting Standards Board want to offer peace and joy then it's about time they realised its for everyone, not just capitalists.
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Are you serious? What happened to ‘goodwill to all men’. As an accountant, perhaps that is the one phrase that should come front of mind at this time of year.
Baa humbug!
I would be very happy with some goodwill to all people
I have never seen the slightest hint of it from the IASB
Quoting Luke will not help us here my friend.
We live in the realm of men – some very greedy men (and women). I’m not sure the higher ethics of the Angels, God and Jesus (whatever) have any power here. In fact as your piece indicates, God has been co-opted into the process of the making of money for money’s sake.
It is told that the last person who took on the money lenders ended up being betrayed and crucified for his trouble. Things have always been the same ever since.
Did Jesus die for our sins or is the real meaning of the story ‘Look what happens when you get in the way of vested interests driven by money’. Was it a warning setting out the status quo for ever more?
As a heathen atheist I believe that only men can sort this out I’m afraid. If we are not going to lead a good life as depicted in the story of Jesus (or Mohammed or any other form of decent prophet) , it just means that there will have to be more suffering before some sort of awakening takes place inside men to make changes for the better.
I do not rely on God to sort anything out
But I am bloody annoyed at corruption wherever I see it
And this is corruption of a message
That’s about all I was saying
We’re on the same page, I think
I am by no means denying you your right to be annoyed in your blog. I share it but from a different perspective to that of a Quaker.
Seasonal platitudes as seen in the card you mention above are often sent these days as a matter of unthinking corporate routine – not from the heart or soul. If the IFRS were sincere they would realise that they could not use cards like this because they do not walk it like they talk it.
The lack of self-awareness is because their neo-lib indoctrination encourages over-simplification of the causes and effects of their ‘work’ on accounting standards under a cod justification of client confidentiality.
Even I as an atheist deplore the use of these sentiments in such an ignorant fashion as I am drawn to the inherent humanism present in them.
Forgive me for expanding on your theme, but your post reminded me of what the current CEO of Goldman Sachs (Lloyd Blankfein) said at a congressional hearing – that GS was ‘Doing God’s work’; it made me recall what the ex-Enron CEO Jeff Skilling said about Enron ‘being on the side of angels’ when they were busy ripping off California’s citizens by manipulating the energy supply in that State.
The abuse of religious symbolism and philosophy by adherents of the free market is sickening. But the point remains: if some form of divine intervention is not present to put a stop to this, then only those of the real world of men will stop it. You’ve done and will continue you to do your significant bit, but more people are needed. They will come one day I am sure of it because too many of them will have no choice. But mark me it will have to get to that point first.
I have no faith at all in religious miracles
If heaven is to be built on earth then it is down to people to do it
And we will need a lot of builders: you are right
Pilgrim-you might be more of a Quaker than you think. here’s an extract from the early American Quaker, John Woolman. It’s couched in a religious framework but the message is clear written c. 1759:
” My mind, through the Power of Truth, was in a good degree weaned from
the Desire of outward Greatness, and I was learning to be content with
real Conveniences, that were not costly; so that a Way of Life, free
from much Entanglement, appeared best for me, though the Income might be
small. I had several Offers of Business that appeared profitable, but
did not see my Way clear to accept of them; as believing the Business
proposed would be attended with more outward Care than was required of
me to engage in.
I saw that a humble Man, with the blessing of the Lord, might live on a
little; and that where the Heart was set on Greatness, Success in
Business did not satisfy the craving; but that commonly, with an
Increase of Wealth, the Desire of Wealth increased. There was a Care on
my Mind so to pass my Time, that nothing might hinder me from the most
steady Attention to the Voice of the true Shepherd.”
On Land rents and reduction of Labour hours:
“a Belief was gradually settled in my Mind, that if such, as had
great Estates, generally lived in that Humility and Plainness which
belongs to a _Christian_ Life, and laid much easier Rents and Interests
on their Lands and Monies, and thus led the Way to a right Use of
Things, so great a Number of People might be employed in Things useful,
that Labour, both for Men and other Creatures, would need to be no more
than an agreeable Employ; and divers Branches of Business, which serve
chiefly to please the natural Inclinations of our Minds, and which, at
present, seem necessary to circulate that Wealth which some gather,
might, in this Way of pure Wisdom, be discontinued.
Terms like ‘True Shepherd’ and the ‘Power of Truth’, ‘Christian Life’ can be expressed with modern cognates if you like-Quakers never see the ‘word as the thing.’
Hope I don’t sound ‘preachy’ Richard -delete if so!
John Woolman is always welcome here
Why did Arthur Hugh Clough come to mind?
Thou shalt not steal, an empty feat,
When ’tis so lucrative to cheat
The spirit of Arthur Andersen lives on.
This is not corruption of a message, as you put it.
It is a Christmas card, drawn by a child and sent by well meaning people in the spirit of Christmas.
Christmas is the time to put aside differences and come together, rather than to make petty political points.
Wrong
Christmas was the announcement of the beginning of a revolution
Do you have no comprehension of the real Christmas message?
It is deeply radical
I am the one with a comprehension of the Christmas message. Peace and joy to all, forgiveness and happiness.
In that spirit, I wish you a very merry Christmas. I trust you can find it in your heart to share this festive message
The airbrushed view
Happy Christmas
Might I suggest you re-read the Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
That is the message of Christmas
If you think that’s anything less than revolutionary, think again
Sorry, but I don’t buy the sanitised version
This is not about interpretations of the Bible. It’s about the vast majority of people, myself included, seeing Christmas as a time of peace and joy and an opportunity to put aside our differences.
Even in the depths of World War One, the British and the Germans managed to call a truce to celebrate Christmas.
I support much of what you say on a range of issues. However, picking on a well-meant Christmas message is, in my opinion, going a step too far.
This was not, in my view, a well-meant Christmas message. It was cynical PR
And you really don’t get the paradox of 1914 (not subsequently repeated) do you? Real people – soldiers in trenches – took part in a cease fir. And the next day were told to kill each other and did.
If the IASB declare peace today and ignore the demands of all those to whom they send the message tomorrow their card is as meaningless as that ceasefire
Do you not think comparing an Accounting Standards Board sending a Christmas Card with soldiers playing football and then getting shot in trenches somewhat ludicrous?
I did not create the comparison
Do I think neoliberalism is however conducting economic warfare on ordinary people? Yes, of course I do: it is