And what can you do about it?
We all know that it is “not my fault” that we are where we are today. And exactly where is that? It is at the bottom of the pit of nastiness, petty selfishness, gossip, and the desire to pull down everyone and everything into the nasty pit with us.
It is also at the pinnacle of greed, corruption, nepotism and favouritism. And the only difference between these two dreadful places is the illusion of “bling” and fame at the pinnacle.
The greed, corruption and selfishness at the pinnacle are “good” because they are imposed upon us by the rich and powerful, those with favours and contracts to dispense. So we bow and scrape before the perpetrators as we seek to ingratiate ourselves for a few crumbs to be thrown our way.
The same traits seen down in the bottom of the pit are “bad” because we cower in fear of the perpetrators who use guns to steal what the pinnacle people stole by using a pen.
And that is where we are today, sublimely and oxymoronically mired in the filth at the bottom of the pit, yet reaching up greedily for the gold-plated filth at the pinnacle of all of our faults.
It is also at the pinnacle of greed, corruption, nepotism and favouritism. And the only difference between these two dreadful places is the illusion of “bling” and fame at the pinnacle.
The greed, corruption and selfishness at the pinnacle are “good” because they are imposed upon us by the rich and powerful, those with favours and contracts to dispense. So we bow and scrape before the perpetrators as we seek to ingratiate ourselves for a few crumbs to be thrown our way.
The same traits seen down in the bottom of the pit are “bad” because we cower in fear of the perpetrators who use guns to steal what the pinnacle people stole by using a pen.
And that is where we are today, sublimely and oxymoronically mired in the filth at the bottom of the pit, yet reaching up greedily for the gold-plated filth at the pinnacle of all of our faults.
We seek to free ourselves from the banditry and violent anarchy welling in the pit by building walls and gated communities, by sending our children to private schools, and hiding our money “away” (or in Clico?), while surrendering most of the country, including the roads and the malls, to bandits and kidnappers.
But to survive in this presumably protected State, we need to become hardened against the injustices we too must impose (for our own safety, of course!) on those around us.
We need to make deals, increase profits and buy politicians in order to pay for our walls and our private security.
And somewhere in between these two moral parameters which define our existence, resides the majority of us, neither violent nor “sophisticated” bandits, but under serious attacks from both extremes.
Unable to afford the walls and private security to protect us from those in the pit, and unable to withstand the pressures of servicing loans, paying medical expenses, or dealing with crumbling infrastructure imposed upon us by commerce and politics, the majority of us have nowhere to turn.
We are living in the State of Hopelessness.
Attacked from below, and squeezed from above, we were never taught the values of unity and community which would inspire us to come together to fight our cause and remove the rot at the base, and the illusion at the pinnacle, and become a society, or even—gasp!— a nation.
So, unaware of our potential strength, and indeed taught and indoctrinated to remain unaware, we have two choices, both named “Join”. We can either join the bandits, by forming gangs—of neighbourhood watches, “self-protecting” nightclub limes, convoys to the beaches and the fetes,— or by joining a party sucking-up to the politicians to get favours which will give us commercial advantage over others—look, it have a “setta” State boards and special advisers positions out there (sic).
We need to make deals, increase profits and buy politicians in order to pay for our walls and our private security.
And somewhere in between these two moral parameters which define our existence, resides the majority of us, neither violent nor “sophisticated” bandits, but under serious attacks from both extremes.
Unable to afford the walls and private security to protect us from those in the pit, and unable to withstand the pressures of servicing loans, paying medical expenses, or dealing with crumbling infrastructure imposed upon us by commerce and politics, the majority of us have nowhere to turn.
We are living in the State of Hopelessness.
Attacked from below, and squeezed from above, we were never taught the values of unity and community which would inspire us to come together to fight our cause and remove the rot at the base, and the illusion at the pinnacle, and become a society, or even—gasp!— a nation.
So, unaware of our potential strength, and indeed taught and indoctrinated to remain unaware, we have two choices, both named “Join”. We can either join the bandits, by forming gangs—of neighbourhood watches, “self-protecting” nightclub limes, convoys to the beaches and the fetes,— or by joining a party sucking-up to the politicians to get favours which will give us commercial advantage over others—look, it have a “setta” State boards and special advisers positions out there (sic).
And those among you who still cling to the idea that you should have ethics and morals, I ask: So what you want we to do? (sic)
So if you still “small” and suffering the lawlessness and the benign anarchy all around you, you begin to break the law as well. And why not? Why you alone must suffer?
So we all break the laws—traffic, litter, noise, small ongoing embezzlement, big time fraud and corruption; “all ah we tief” all the time, but we no longer consider it wrong.
How can it be wrong if “big people” at the top are doing it all the time, and bandits, with the power of guns, are attacking us from below? And we, turning selfish, are ignoring every rule and law, but not, in our minds, breaking the law.
And it is this hardening of our hearts—for survival sake—which can make a woman in public life state, using the “Royal We” in her remarks, that the tragedy which has befallen Marlene Coudray’s family was some form of retribution from God! Thankfully, the condemnation of those appalling remarks has been universal.
Can I, or indeed anyone here, get through to any of us, that we are all in peril?
The benign anarchy practised by the rich and powerful is rapidly becoming violent anarchy in our communities, as those who were told for 50 years that they need not work, have come to “take”.
Is this where we want to be after 50 years of independence? I know we will all say no to that. But actually, this is where we are. And tragically, this is where we will stay.
So if you still “small” and suffering the lawlessness and the benign anarchy all around you, you begin to break the law as well. And why not? Why you alone must suffer?
So we all break the laws—traffic, litter, noise, small ongoing embezzlement, big time fraud and corruption; “all ah we tief” all the time, but we no longer consider it wrong.
How can it be wrong if “big people” at the top are doing it all the time, and bandits, with the power of guns, are attacking us from below? And we, turning selfish, are ignoring every rule and law, but not, in our minds, breaking the law.
And it is this hardening of our hearts—for survival sake—which can make a woman in public life state, using the “Royal We” in her remarks, that the tragedy which has befallen Marlene Coudray’s family was some form of retribution from God! Thankfully, the condemnation of those appalling remarks has been universal.
Can I, or indeed anyone here, get through to any of us, that we are all in peril?
The benign anarchy practised by the rich and powerful is rapidly becoming violent anarchy in our communities, as those who were told for 50 years that they need not work, have come to “take”.
Is this where we want to be after 50 years of independence? I know we will all say no to that. But actually, this is where we are. And tragically, this is where we will stay.
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