It's human nature to think we're doing it hard, but most are doing all right.

Have you been struggling to cope with the rapidly rising cost of living? Well, tell it to the pollies because I don't believe it. Actually, the pollies probably don't believe it either, but they'll pretend to rather than risk offending you by telling you to stop feeling sorry for yourself. They care about your approval, not your edification.

Ever since 1957, when British prime minister Harold Macmillan caused uproar by telling the Poms they'd ''never had it so good'', politicians have been wary of incurring the voters' ire by reminding them of their growing prosperity.

Many people prefer to see themselves as put upon, and pollies are happy to go along with the self-deception as long as it keeps them out of trouble. The really weak ones would agree to a proposition that you'd never had it so bad, if they thought it would humour you. (The shock jocks are no better.)

My theory is that if people are reduced to whingeing about the cost of living, it's a sign they don't have any more pressing problems to complain about. The cost of living is always rising, so there's always something to complain about if you're that way inclined.