Life becomes a bitter experience and an impenetrable labyrinth – a path full of monstrous hurdles, and obstacles for those who hover outside the precincts of the academic walls in desperation, in an effort to acquire higher education, and of course join the bandwagon of paper heroes and elites, and acquire the envious epithet of a graduate. When they learn too soon that, their cherished dream of becoming intellectual adventurers and carving niches for themselves as members of the high profile achievers see no daylight, fail to materialize.
Some of the “failures” would savor defeat and accept their fate, that they were not destined to reach the enviable and the most important pinnacle of the academic ladder. But would never fail to curse their fate and heap blames on themselves for displaying much irresponsibility and recklessness at high school and neglecting their books – idling in lassitude and failing to grasp what would have propelled them to become some bodies in the future. They would continually curse themselves especially if their endeavors in other areas proves unsuccessful.
Some too armed with the weapon that failure rather propels them to success, would venture again to remedy the situation. It doesn’t matter to them if it takes them years of repeated attempts to get to the university. They would make all effort to garner the required grade by continually writing the exams until their granddaughters will by pass them to the university and they would still be there armed with pessimism that they will finally make it. They become obsessed with sanguine hope and optimism and continually recites their slogan that education is not a race – they will get there. They will also get to the golden campus where complexity is the order of the day. Where education becomes a real vibrant entity and a tool. Where their maturity would be assured and they would shed their childhood idiosyncrasies. For the university is for the matured student and different from high school. At the university, teachers become lecturers, headmasters are referred to as chancellors and dormitories become halls. Everything there is complex. The prospective academicians who will finally come to the conclusion that getting to the university for complex impracticable theories is really tough and difficult and that all the years they spent trying to get there was a sheer waste of time and that they were building castles or lecture halls in the air will finally give up their pursuit.
Some too simply refuse to accept defeat. They do not humbly carry their crosses to be crucified by the exams council. They simply refuse to die. Their assertion is that they have come far – abnegating everything to pursue education and to face frustration at the dying moment of their academic endeavor and sacrifice is but a high price to pay, the culminating point to relent ignominiously is something they can not endure. Their poor grades which threatens to be their doom and gloom is reflected on a piece of paper and for them to be relegated to the doldrums of conundrum is just too great. How can they struggle through thick and thin been pursued by pharaoh and his militant charioteers, crossing red seas of academia bearing in mind the promise of reaching the promise land of education only to be told that their eyes will see the hill of knowledge, the towers of legon but their feet will never step there? This is unfair. They will exclaim. The educational system is unjustifiable. Education for all is the policy of educationists but it seems that every level in the ladder is designed to sieve out the few – for they are deemed to be the best to further their education to the next level and again to be sieved. It continues like that until only few people come out getting any meaningful education. The majority are left out to rot in the lowermost echelons of dire ignorance.
Aware of the structure, they refuse to fail. If A’s and B’s is what they need to get to the university, then it is very easy for them to get that. They will resort to unconventional means to get the A’s on papers to enable them enter the university. Either they will produce fake results or bribe officials at the top hierarchy or capitalize on the vicious influence of relatives in high places to get there. Fraudulent means are employed to enable them pass through. When they are caught, they step out but when the authorities fail to detect their academic maneuvers and nefarious adventures, they go with it. They come out with their sham degrees for privileges and opportunities.
Necessity is the mother of invention. It is embarrassing and humorous to see how the academic brains are outwitted all the time by people who do not qualify. It is about time they see the uselessness of the pieces of papers they offer to students as degrees and certificates.. What does it denote? Excellence? If it is meant to show the expertise, the academic exploits and the capabilities of the earner, the holder, then it might as well pass as the criminal record, the evidence of their vicious craftiness. It is a living symbol of their charlatanism and chicanery and crooked propensities. If the emphasis would be laid on certificates alone and not the ingenuity, the creative resourcefulness and the scintillating talents of the people, then the educational institutions will always churn out half baked intellectuals, idle nincompoops full of the rhetoric of theories without having the requisite knowledge of implementing those abstract ideas.
Falling standards of education and the shallow mendacity of students are a glaring example of how they are obsessed with passing their exams and not making any effort to acquire knowledge. There seems to be a huge gap between education proper and the acquisition of knowledge. most students deem it less important to strive towards academic excellence but rather channel their energies to using vicious means of getting the required grades. And the interesting thing is that nowadays, it is not only exams or thesis that will qualify a student in academia. Money and the secret weapon between the thighs of the womenfolk. The ladies will parade campus for years exhibiting their new found status, partying and reveling, indulging in toyish, coquettish and childish activities which has nothing to do with education and eventually get a depraved lecturer without moral scruples for an evil deal. The certificates that has relegated hard working and earnest students to the gutters, the golden fleece that was portrayed to be the ultimate, the symbol of academic excellence and intellectuality is finally debased by been rewarded for cheap sex. Very soon the young men will also offer themselves for cheap sex to garner the certificates because the gay men are gradually penetrating the walls of academia.
Modern myths place so much emphasis on certificates that it becomes necessary to invent one. And that is the norm of the day. Most holders of seemingly excellent certificates made it themselves. Some simply go to the corrupt institutions and buy the papers. They are able with their fake certificates to reach high places and job fulfillment and they cause a lot of damage before they are caught, if they are even caught at all. When people bemoan their inability to enter the university, it is for nothing but the loss of the papers.
How do the populace understand and interpret education, knowledge and mental development and certificates? Certificates exist to certify, to guarantee that a person has indeed been trained in a field or has acquired a certain amount of knowledge or training and there by his or her proficiency in the area mentioned in the paper is indisputable. Yet, in recent times, people acquire the certificates without the requisite knowledge. people have come to accept the fallacy that certificates are the passports to success in life and as long s they acquire it, they will be successful.
Alma mater. The fact that certain people attended certain schools, their success in the job market is assured. Ones alma mater and certificate is all that is needed. At times if one is fortunate to have attended a prestigious school, the only thing to do is to mention the name of the school and you are met with smiles and whether you qualify or not, your desires to some extent are satisfied. This also gives the clue that when one is able to get a good school, and which schools are the bad ones, who are responsible for its upgrading? If certain schools are devoid of educational materials, lack amenities and the curriculum is meant to impart half knowledge to the students, why not raze those schools down since they rather impart ignorance and churn out mediocre persons. With a prestigious school as your alma mater, you are assured of great success.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
THE SECOND CLASS CITIZEN AND THE UNJUST GOD
Our society is reeking in the corrupting pangs of social injustice and inequality. The ideals and values set on humane principles, which serve as columns for the healthful progression of the society, and social structures are fast crumbling into debris of filth – desuetude. The cohesive elements in the society have been obliterated and people with consciences attuned to communal bond, classless and egalitarian predilection are now hostile, separate and unequal. Intellectual narcissism and the corrupting influence of dishonest politicians and public officials, manic elitism and self indulgence, cancerous egoism, individualism and blind subjection, self worship and blatant atheism and renunciation of social values and ethical mores, materialism, greed and the lust for money and power have plunged the society into an abyss of low, poor, diseased, despised decaying masses governed by selfish manipulative conscienceless demoniacs.
Our arc proclaims in banal hypocrisy freedom and justice. Is there freedom in a society riddled with ignorance, cursed with illiteracy and visionless leaders? Where is justice if the instruments of justice is been controlled by few manipulative egotistical men devoid of conscience and pity, who thrive by corrupting and abusing, cheating and stealing, killing and destroying?
They trample on the rights of the poor, instigate vitiating policies to atrophy their humble visions and suppress their voices. They lock the poor and the vociferous behind bars in a bid to dampen and debilitate their spirits. They are thrown into insane asylums and vilified as rabid dogs. Writers who are pro truths and anti lies
Are hardly published. Their irrepressible voices expressed with ink on papers clamoring for justice are not allowed in the public domain. In these, the weak, the cowardly, the vulnerable is seduced by their capricious whims, or forced to compromise. The poor and the weak are thrown out of the social arena. He is relegated, demeaned, made to apologize for his poverty and squalor and condemned to perdition. To be judged by an extremely unjust and insensate god. To burn in an ever blazing hell fire!
Social inequity, class distinctions, racial superiority, tribalism, parochial mendacity and intellectual dishonesty is evident in the superstructure of our society yet we are constantly been bombarded with documents professing to show us that we are protected by a system in place set by governments. These mythical documents in the name of constitutions and conventions, laws and statutes which the citizens with which it was meant for knows nothing about the hypocritical fictitious articles that the betrayers constantly refer to. If anything, it justifies their meanness and suppression of the truth and destruction of the poor.
They are full of seemingly high-sounding ideas. They organize conferences and litter the media with fallacious arguments and fruitless deliberations on how they can bridge the gap between the poor and the rich. When none of them is even ready to adopt a single child on the street! They discuss and pledge to their diseased souls to initiate a policy that would ameliorate the sufferings of the masses. They concoct in their idle brains hypocritical policies of education for all but knowledge, opportunities, and privileges for few. They are distant from the masses. They who claim to be leaders, serving in the interest of the people, the society. They alienate themselves from the people. They cheat, dupe, manipulate, conceal vital information from the public, abuse power, amass wealth, corrupt, lie and plunge the society into dire ignorance, chaos and anarchy. They will humbly approach the people canvassing for support and pleading with the masses to give them the mandate to literally solve all their problems for them. They are apt to admit in hypocritical obsequiousness that the real power, the authority is in the hands of the people. Those who wield the ultimate power are the people. As long as the power they hold start diminishing, and it becomes imperative for them to secure their positions so that they can still continue to cheat and manipulate and enrich themselves, that is when they grow vociferous, singing resounding epithets and publicly admitting that it is the people who actually hold the power. When they delude the masses and eventually their cheating propensities and selfish ambitions catapult them to power, the real owners, those who wield the power becomes clear. It is realized too soon that the authority is in the hands of but a few treacherous self seekers. The masses are totally obliterated. They sink with their malleable interests and humble ideals into oblivion to resurface at election time. That is when they matter most.
When they assume power which no one actually endorses but their own inhibited lust to revel in servitude and to eat the crumbs of power that falls at the feet of the Whiteman mans table. No black man wields power. Real power lies outside the Blackman’s domain. Lobbying and ingratiating pleas to the Whiteman to be the mediators of the people. To be the link of manipulation and exploitation. To render and expose the land of the people to the Whiteman. They beg the people to give them their consent, their approval for their own enslavement. They lead the masses like sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered at the labyrinth of doom.
Our arc proclaims in banal hypocrisy freedom and justice. Is there freedom in a society riddled with ignorance, cursed with illiteracy and visionless leaders? Where is justice if the instruments of justice is been controlled by few manipulative egotistical men devoid of conscience and pity, who thrive by corrupting and abusing, cheating and stealing, killing and destroying?
They trample on the rights of the poor, instigate vitiating policies to atrophy their humble visions and suppress their voices. They lock the poor and the vociferous behind bars in a bid to dampen and debilitate their spirits. They are thrown into insane asylums and vilified as rabid dogs. Writers who are pro truths and anti lies
Are hardly published. Their irrepressible voices expressed with ink on papers clamoring for justice are not allowed in the public domain. In these, the weak, the cowardly, the vulnerable is seduced by their capricious whims, or forced to compromise. The poor and the weak are thrown out of the social arena. He is relegated, demeaned, made to apologize for his poverty and squalor and condemned to perdition. To be judged by an extremely unjust and insensate god. To burn in an ever blazing hell fire!
Social inequity, class distinctions, racial superiority, tribalism, parochial mendacity and intellectual dishonesty is evident in the superstructure of our society yet we are constantly been bombarded with documents professing to show us that we are protected by a system in place set by governments. These mythical documents in the name of constitutions and conventions, laws and statutes which the citizens with which it was meant for knows nothing about the hypocritical fictitious articles that the betrayers constantly refer to. If anything, it justifies their meanness and suppression of the truth and destruction of the poor.
They are full of seemingly high-sounding ideas. They organize conferences and litter the media with fallacious arguments and fruitless deliberations on how they can bridge the gap between the poor and the rich. When none of them is even ready to adopt a single child on the street! They discuss and pledge to their diseased souls to initiate a policy that would ameliorate the sufferings of the masses. They concoct in their idle brains hypocritical policies of education for all but knowledge, opportunities, and privileges for few. They are distant from the masses. They who claim to be leaders, serving in the interest of the people, the society. They alienate themselves from the people. They cheat, dupe, manipulate, conceal vital information from the public, abuse power, amass wealth, corrupt, lie and plunge the society into dire ignorance, chaos and anarchy. They will humbly approach the people canvassing for support and pleading with the masses to give them the mandate to literally solve all their problems for them. They are apt to admit in hypocritical obsequiousness that the real power, the authority is in the hands of the people. Those who wield the ultimate power are the people. As long as the power they hold start diminishing, and it becomes imperative for them to secure their positions so that they can still continue to cheat and manipulate and enrich themselves, that is when they grow vociferous, singing resounding epithets and publicly admitting that it is the people who actually hold the power. When they delude the masses and eventually their cheating propensities and selfish ambitions catapult them to power, the real owners, those who wield the power becomes clear. It is realized too soon that the authority is in the hands of but a few treacherous self seekers. The masses are totally obliterated. They sink with their malleable interests and humble ideals into oblivion to resurface at election time. That is when they matter most.
When they assume power which no one actually endorses but their own inhibited lust to revel in servitude and to eat the crumbs of power that falls at the feet of the Whiteman mans table. No black man wields power. Real power lies outside the Blackman’s domain. Lobbying and ingratiating pleas to the Whiteman to be the mediators of the people. To be the link of manipulation and exploitation. To render and expose the land of the people to the Whiteman. They beg the people to give them their consent, their approval for their own enslavement. They lead the masses like sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered at the labyrinth of doom.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
DOGS LICKING THE ROTTEN SORES OF JOB. ADVERSITY, FILTH, POOR MEN AND POVERTY ERADICATION
It is a common habit and practice of unsuccessful men, failures, the less endowed and the susceptible to attribute their lots to a strange inescapable hand of fate. The numerous disappointments and misfortunes that dock their steps and impede their progress and success in life is attributed to or supposed to have being wreaked by a vindictive force or entity. Or ascribed to be the handiwork of a jealous god of love, or the machinations and manipulations of a devil who will culminate his ruthless and brutal assault on immature brains, by eventually dragging them by virtue of their irreparable and unpardonable indulgences in sinful acts to the eternal flames of hell fire.
The less credulous, less superstitious with refined predilections, enlightened, endowed with analytical propensities, cynical in their outlook and may have in their intellectual aberrations and purposeless wanderings for personal gratification around the academic walls encounter the hulking Thomas of Cartesian doubt theory and taught that they are rational animals will quickly refute such traditional passive acceptance of such abstract believes and idiosyncrasies and replace it with philosophical concepts gleaned from the speculative thoughts and wanton judgments of philosophers who were oblivious to their fates and pretended to be unaware of the fallacies, inadequacies and the erring nature of their senses, and gave with authority prescriptions for the depraved world to follow in a bid to make it better at least.
Those armed with academic riffles, and taught to analyze with logical tools any idea or concepts they may encounter, would quickly reduce to the doldrums of simplicity and primitivism bordering on illiterate precociousness, such claims about the determinants of the success of life. They will wrestle with their hither to unproven theories, and come to the conclusion that to be successful is to stir ones capabilities, seek for quality education, strive hard. They are full of high sounding ideals and intelligence, creativity and capability in its latent state should be given immense efforts and decided impetus to awaken the dormant instincts in us and we are sure to hit upon the threshold of success. Those who believe that their fates are irrevocable are relegated with dismissive terms like fatalists – they believe that their very existence is predestined and predetermined by an invisible hand and whatever ill that will befall them is determined already.
Is adversity, poverty and squalor a boon or a curse? Most people will accept without qualms the injunction of the old adage that a heart that is schooled in adversity naturally becomes ennobled. It attains a sublime level and becomes capacious and absorbing and well adapted to deal with unsavory situations that would have broken the heart of optimist and snapped the mind of the thoughtful.
Poverty with its ugly and filthy semblance of abstraction is a portentous wretch, a hooligan with the mask of anarchy and chaos, a cruel master who takes everything from its victims and leave them to languish in hunger and sorrow and to continually curse their fate and to repent for having been born into this unjust world of woes and tribulations. Poverty is such a potent adversary of the human race that not even the hardcore fatalists or the promulgators of determinism able to accept it as his presence in our midst predestined. It is a bitter pill to swallow. Where poverty rears its ugly head, all theories and beliefs die. There is a unanimous concussion that it is a destructive disease that must be eradicated in the society with immediate effects.
But then it becomes easy to sing about the virtues of poverty. It is the majestic conqueror and chastiser who sublimates the faith of the religionist. Blessed are the poor for they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. And in certain religious prescriptions, men are enjoined to renounce the material fripperies of the world and live in perpetual penury coupled with rigid asceticism for that is the only way that can ensure their spiritual growth. To attain spiritual ecstasy, men with religious fervor are made to live like mendicants. Certainly it would be difficult for rich men to enter the kingdom of God. It is only when they renounce the world and give their worldly riches to the poor that they will enter the kingdom of god.
Even though most people are apt to admit that to be poor is synonymous to living in hell, they are still ready to point out the good qualities of poverty. Biblical Job epitomizes the quintessential example of “from riches to rags and from rags to riches” Many people have since the dawn of history being awed by the phenomenon or abstraction called poverty. How can one come to terms with the fact that some have more than enough – able to satisfy their desires by just mentioning it and like a magical invocation or spell cast they get it at once. And some too have barely enough to eat and life to such unfortunate products of fate a bitter struggle for survival.
There are many people who wouldn’t hesitate to admit that the present successes they have chalked in their various endeavors came as a result of hard work and perseverance. They will bring to bear childhood memories riddled with numerous escapes and adventures in poverty. They will relate with nostalgic pride how because they were born into poor homes they were spurred by enthusiasm and determination to overcome that monster of eternal retrogression. They will tell you that they were once poor but now they are rich and that they prefer riches to poverty. But they are always quick to acknowledge the fact that poverty one way or the other helped them to see and understand the world better and guided them to make the right decision that resulted in their material success. So poverty served as a deep philosophical inspiration and motivation for them one time but still a dangerous force to reckon with. Others too drunk with religious frenzy will tell you that it was when they renounced riches that they were able to attain inner peace and fulfillment. To be rich they will tell you is fraught with pains and agonies. They will tell you it is not easy to maintain that status as one has to constantly live in strife guarding the money with alacrity. Scheming on how one can properly invest and maintain balance so as to retain it.
So the issue of poverty and riches from all indications a complex subject to handle. One intriguing thing about the two is that they are abstract concepts and this also make the two concepts analyzable. Depending on how one understands and view the two, it is a matter of attuning ones mental faculties to any of them and utilizing them to ones benefit. So this leaves us with the faint notion that there is nothing like poverty or riches but how one can identify the potency even of evil concepts with negative aura and using it to ones benefit. Again we are left with a new concept. That is utilitarianism. There is nothing like good or bad but thinking makes it so. If in the cause of application of any of the concepts or ideas one becomes successful, then it is good. But if it turns out to be the opposite, its effect far from beneficial, then it becomes bad.
There is a strong argument and social reality that seems to refute the argument of poverty been an abstract concoction of idle gluttons. Governments efforts worldwide to eradicate and when it becomes impossible alleviate poverty seems to belie any argument that there are beneficial elements in poverty. Once they have identified poverty as making the world a bitter place to live and the earlier they eradicate or alleviate it the better. That is absolutely commendable. That governments have detected that they are there for the people and they have realized that there is so much disparity, there is inequality and injustice in the world and would act as bulwarks to protect the weak and the poor. Assist the less endowed and empower the powerless. That is certainly an exceptional idea and policy that we must encourage and see to it that it comes to pass. Job regains his former status Amen.
I will urge all those who believe in the supreme qualities of poverty as giving them inspiration to stop singing praises about the diseases because governments have recognized that the disadvantages of poverty far outweighs the advantages and are ready to combat it. They will call job to rail against poverty and curse the day the canker was born. Why should job be appointed minister of poverty affairs. Because he knows everything about the wretch. Job stayed with it for long and he is reputed to be the greatest poverty stricken man on earth and as if that was not enough he was also inflicted with sores all over his body!
But there is a secret one of the companions of job whispered in my ears. I had wanted to keep it to myself but for the benefit of the poor and powerless in our midst who will soon become rich men by the courtesy of the generous policies of governments, I will reveal it. The companion of job said. If government cannot eradicate illiteracy, inequality, injustice, social vices, corruption, nepotism and tribalism. If governments cannot protect the interest of the weak nor guard their meager share, if governments cannot curb vicious and exploitive policies of egocentric men, self seekers and selfish men. When there is uneven distribution of social amenities and the bulk are engulfed by horrendous deprivation and left to languish in disadvantageous positions? With all these social dilemmas entrenched and towering like the tower of Babel. Surely governments can alleviate poverty. They can do it and we look forward to that day when every one would be equal and there wouldn’t be class distinctions. Where we shall all be entitled to the same social privileges and opportunities. The day that poverty would be completely eradicated from the surface of the earth.
The less credulous, less superstitious with refined predilections, enlightened, endowed with analytical propensities, cynical in their outlook and may have in their intellectual aberrations and purposeless wanderings for personal gratification around the academic walls encounter the hulking Thomas of Cartesian doubt theory and taught that they are rational animals will quickly refute such traditional passive acceptance of such abstract believes and idiosyncrasies and replace it with philosophical concepts gleaned from the speculative thoughts and wanton judgments of philosophers who were oblivious to their fates and pretended to be unaware of the fallacies, inadequacies and the erring nature of their senses, and gave with authority prescriptions for the depraved world to follow in a bid to make it better at least.
Those armed with academic riffles, and taught to analyze with logical tools any idea or concepts they may encounter, would quickly reduce to the doldrums of simplicity and primitivism bordering on illiterate precociousness, such claims about the determinants of the success of life. They will wrestle with their hither to unproven theories, and come to the conclusion that to be successful is to stir ones capabilities, seek for quality education, strive hard. They are full of high sounding ideals and intelligence, creativity and capability in its latent state should be given immense efforts and decided impetus to awaken the dormant instincts in us and we are sure to hit upon the threshold of success. Those who believe that their fates are irrevocable are relegated with dismissive terms like fatalists – they believe that their very existence is predestined and predetermined by an invisible hand and whatever ill that will befall them is determined already.
Is adversity, poverty and squalor a boon or a curse? Most people will accept without qualms the injunction of the old adage that a heart that is schooled in adversity naturally becomes ennobled. It attains a sublime level and becomes capacious and absorbing and well adapted to deal with unsavory situations that would have broken the heart of optimist and snapped the mind of the thoughtful.
Poverty with its ugly and filthy semblance of abstraction is a portentous wretch, a hooligan with the mask of anarchy and chaos, a cruel master who takes everything from its victims and leave them to languish in hunger and sorrow and to continually curse their fate and to repent for having been born into this unjust world of woes and tribulations. Poverty is such a potent adversary of the human race that not even the hardcore fatalists or the promulgators of determinism able to accept it as his presence in our midst predestined. It is a bitter pill to swallow. Where poverty rears its ugly head, all theories and beliefs die. There is a unanimous concussion that it is a destructive disease that must be eradicated in the society with immediate effects.
But then it becomes easy to sing about the virtues of poverty. It is the majestic conqueror and chastiser who sublimates the faith of the religionist. Blessed are the poor for they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. And in certain religious prescriptions, men are enjoined to renounce the material fripperies of the world and live in perpetual penury coupled with rigid asceticism for that is the only way that can ensure their spiritual growth. To attain spiritual ecstasy, men with religious fervor are made to live like mendicants. Certainly it would be difficult for rich men to enter the kingdom of God. It is only when they renounce the world and give their worldly riches to the poor that they will enter the kingdom of god.
Even though most people are apt to admit that to be poor is synonymous to living in hell, they are still ready to point out the good qualities of poverty. Biblical Job epitomizes the quintessential example of “from riches to rags and from rags to riches” Many people have since the dawn of history being awed by the phenomenon or abstraction called poverty. How can one come to terms with the fact that some have more than enough – able to satisfy their desires by just mentioning it and like a magical invocation or spell cast they get it at once. And some too have barely enough to eat and life to such unfortunate products of fate a bitter struggle for survival.
There are many people who wouldn’t hesitate to admit that the present successes they have chalked in their various endeavors came as a result of hard work and perseverance. They will bring to bear childhood memories riddled with numerous escapes and adventures in poverty. They will relate with nostalgic pride how because they were born into poor homes they were spurred by enthusiasm and determination to overcome that monster of eternal retrogression. They will tell you that they were once poor but now they are rich and that they prefer riches to poverty. But they are always quick to acknowledge the fact that poverty one way or the other helped them to see and understand the world better and guided them to make the right decision that resulted in their material success. So poverty served as a deep philosophical inspiration and motivation for them one time but still a dangerous force to reckon with. Others too drunk with religious frenzy will tell you that it was when they renounced riches that they were able to attain inner peace and fulfillment. To be rich they will tell you is fraught with pains and agonies. They will tell you it is not easy to maintain that status as one has to constantly live in strife guarding the money with alacrity. Scheming on how one can properly invest and maintain balance so as to retain it.
So the issue of poverty and riches from all indications a complex subject to handle. One intriguing thing about the two is that they are abstract concepts and this also make the two concepts analyzable. Depending on how one understands and view the two, it is a matter of attuning ones mental faculties to any of them and utilizing them to ones benefit. So this leaves us with the faint notion that there is nothing like poverty or riches but how one can identify the potency even of evil concepts with negative aura and using it to ones benefit. Again we are left with a new concept. That is utilitarianism. There is nothing like good or bad but thinking makes it so. If in the cause of application of any of the concepts or ideas one becomes successful, then it is good. But if it turns out to be the opposite, its effect far from beneficial, then it becomes bad.
There is a strong argument and social reality that seems to refute the argument of poverty been an abstract concoction of idle gluttons. Governments efforts worldwide to eradicate and when it becomes impossible alleviate poverty seems to belie any argument that there are beneficial elements in poverty. Once they have identified poverty as making the world a bitter place to live and the earlier they eradicate or alleviate it the better. That is absolutely commendable. That governments have detected that they are there for the people and they have realized that there is so much disparity, there is inequality and injustice in the world and would act as bulwarks to protect the weak and the poor. Assist the less endowed and empower the powerless. That is certainly an exceptional idea and policy that we must encourage and see to it that it comes to pass. Job regains his former status Amen.
I will urge all those who believe in the supreme qualities of poverty as giving them inspiration to stop singing praises about the diseases because governments have recognized that the disadvantages of poverty far outweighs the advantages and are ready to combat it. They will call job to rail against poverty and curse the day the canker was born. Why should job be appointed minister of poverty affairs. Because he knows everything about the wretch. Job stayed with it for long and he is reputed to be the greatest poverty stricken man on earth and as if that was not enough he was also inflicted with sores all over his body!
But there is a secret one of the companions of job whispered in my ears. I had wanted to keep it to myself but for the benefit of the poor and powerless in our midst who will soon become rich men by the courtesy of the generous policies of governments, I will reveal it. The companion of job said. If government cannot eradicate illiteracy, inequality, injustice, social vices, corruption, nepotism and tribalism. If governments cannot protect the interest of the weak nor guard their meager share, if governments cannot curb vicious and exploitive policies of egocentric men, self seekers and selfish men. When there is uneven distribution of social amenities and the bulk are engulfed by horrendous deprivation and left to languish in disadvantageous positions? With all these social dilemmas entrenched and towering like the tower of Babel. Surely governments can alleviate poverty. They can do it and we look forward to that day when every one would be equal and there wouldn’t be class distinctions. Where we shall all be entitled to the same social privileges and opportunities. The day that poverty would be completely eradicated from the surface of the earth.
POLITICAL PAMPHLETEERS AND POLITICAL GHOSTS
Social and political commentators pride themselves on their ability to analyze, dissect, expatiate and clarify social and political concepts. They present their analyses in highly technical terms irretrievably intertwined with high flown style riddled with unbridled verbosity and concatenation of conflicting ideologies and impracticable theories. The presentation of their political philosophies and knowledge is not meant to educate the larger populace unversed in politics, oblivious to Aristotle and Plato, Karl Marx and the nature of revolution and may never lay their hands on Machiavelli’s the prince or sun Tzu’s the art of war about the fundamental issues that will give insight into the vagaries and vicissitudes of politics but a grandiose exhibition of their learning, education, knowledge and a singsong inventory of their numerous researches into politics that automatically makes them unchallengeable authorities but making no meaningful impacts on the people.. They are made to understand that they are irrational but are not told that by nature they are political animals, and that they can awaken their political instincts. That is left to the few who possesses the charisma and are endowed with political fervor to rule. What actually happens is that the nature of politics as the commentators claim to shed light on and explain better to the populace is at best left undiscussed and conflicting political and economic theories that have lost their bearings and narcissistic references made to ideologies that other nations are always trying to impose on others but always proves to be abortive experiments. Arguments bordering on irrationality and presentation of issues not based on cogent philosophy are served with trimmings to the masses who are so separate and distant from political theories that all that they know about politics is to rail out in sycophantic and ingratiating terms their support or dislike of political parties and point out with naivety the dirty nature of politics yet quick to admit that political power resides in their thumbs by the courtesy of the political commentators.
In effect, the nature and workings of politics is not clarified and key issues that will be the only link to the true acquisition of political knowledge withheld from the public. And academic exploits, prejudices, biases, mediocrity and shallow mendacity tossed to the masses to digest and when they get surfeited with the poisonous and irrelevant ideas exclaim in unequivocal terms yes politics is full of tricks.
These aberrations on the part of the commentators pave the way for the real politicians to descend down like vultures on the masses. The numerous misinterpretations and misconceptions they were subjected to leaves them steeped in political superstition. This makes them malleable and volatile to extreme exploitation. The resounding epithets they are fond of reciting about politics do not have affinity with practicality. They become entrapped in subjective political realms away from the objective reality of the games. It becomes amusing and sheer fallacy to see sections of the populace harboring totally different and divergent views and notions about politics. The perceptions the masses hold about their role in politics is to humbly align themselves with those in “power” so that they would also eat the crumbs that may fall beneath the tables of the calibers so as to keep body and soul together. Their vulnerability thus become pronounced and exposed to be exploited and any idea whether progressive or retrogressive is implemented to please their party heroes and their whims and lust for money satisfied.
With time these tendencies will degenerate into fanaticism and bigotry. Relationships becomes embittered and hostile, sharp distinctions are quickly drawn. The masses would wage their own version of political war of words. Abuses are hurled at opponents and derogatory remarks of acrimony and animosity becomes the tools, the political weapons.
When it happens that the masses becomes overtaken by the intoxicating fallacies of politics what the pamphleteers will do is to start pleading with the populace to start conducting themselves. They suddenly become eloquent with soothing orations about the splendid qualities of politics as not a hostile game at all but rather a unifying endeavor. Politics becomes a golden chess played by the gods and not dirty game of pigs. The need for peace becomes the focus of attention and discussion. For the first time we hear enigmatic phrases of politicians who are in actual fact political ghosts because when they are voted into power, they are not seen or heard again in their various constituencies but at election time, telling the people that we are one entity and we should guard that bond and mutual understanding. We shouldn’t let the harmony and tolerance degenerate into a hideous outburst of hostilities.
Priority and centrality is given to the supremacy of the nation. Politics becomes its handmaid. Peace becomes the topic of discussion. By that time, the masses have already immersed themselves into the game and their hearts and minds etched in the vagaries of the game that they are prepared to partake in anything that is bound to bring out their political follies and totally averse to imploring pleas of political saints to conduct themselves like humans in the political arena.
For the first time the masses learn that politics is not a hostile game at all. The real owners of power become evident and prayers of religionists and prophets are sought after. God almighty is invoked to descend down from his supreme abode in the sky to arbitrate and soften the heart of weak and wicked men who will capitalize on the volatile situation to plunge the nation into chaos and anarchy. The national anthem is played times unending with solemn majesty and new impetus is given to our identity. Men and women who have spent their lives abroad and virtually know nothing about the nation and are ready to leave at any time become nationalists advocating for tolerance. It becomes clear that we are one people with one aim, one destiny one soul.
If we are capable of viewing politics in this light, why so much fallacious propagation of false ideas and concepts? Why inflame passions in the first place if we are very much aware that when it degenerates into indescribable hostilities we all stand the chance of losing, even plunging into the lowermost echelons of destruction. If we are aware that politics if not properly handled can be a ruinous pursuit, a dangerous adventure that can reduce the nation to debris and a bitter experience why not get down and shed the egocentric elitist way of conducting it far from the masses. Why not devote the time wasted with fruitless arguments and war of words and educate the masses on the positive aspects of politics and forge ahead in our nation building endeavors. The undue advantage taken to today in the mask of and vile excuse of politics is a dirty game – poly tricks or poor little tricks played on the less intelligent masses for personal aggrandizement may be upturned tomorrow and the masses hitherto thought to be less intelligent and immersed in ignorance rise up in their folly –tical frenzy to wreak irreparable havoc and mete out justice for if anything, they are the majority and if the “leader is a lion at least, the people are many headed beast”.
In effect, the nature and workings of politics is not clarified and key issues that will be the only link to the true acquisition of political knowledge withheld from the public. And academic exploits, prejudices, biases, mediocrity and shallow mendacity tossed to the masses to digest and when they get surfeited with the poisonous and irrelevant ideas exclaim in unequivocal terms yes politics is full of tricks.
These aberrations on the part of the commentators pave the way for the real politicians to descend down like vultures on the masses. The numerous misinterpretations and misconceptions they were subjected to leaves them steeped in political superstition. This makes them malleable and volatile to extreme exploitation. The resounding epithets they are fond of reciting about politics do not have affinity with practicality. They become entrapped in subjective political realms away from the objective reality of the games. It becomes amusing and sheer fallacy to see sections of the populace harboring totally different and divergent views and notions about politics. The perceptions the masses hold about their role in politics is to humbly align themselves with those in “power” so that they would also eat the crumbs that may fall beneath the tables of the calibers so as to keep body and soul together. Their vulnerability thus become pronounced and exposed to be exploited and any idea whether progressive or retrogressive is implemented to please their party heroes and their whims and lust for money satisfied.
With time these tendencies will degenerate into fanaticism and bigotry. Relationships becomes embittered and hostile, sharp distinctions are quickly drawn. The masses would wage their own version of political war of words. Abuses are hurled at opponents and derogatory remarks of acrimony and animosity becomes the tools, the political weapons.
When it happens that the masses becomes overtaken by the intoxicating fallacies of politics what the pamphleteers will do is to start pleading with the populace to start conducting themselves. They suddenly become eloquent with soothing orations about the splendid qualities of politics as not a hostile game at all but rather a unifying endeavor. Politics becomes a golden chess played by the gods and not dirty game of pigs. The need for peace becomes the focus of attention and discussion. For the first time we hear enigmatic phrases of politicians who are in actual fact political ghosts because when they are voted into power, they are not seen or heard again in their various constituencies but at election time, telling the people that we are one entity and we should guard that bond and mutual understanding. We shouldn’t let the harmony and tolerance degenerate into a hideous outburst of hostilities.
Priority and centrality is given to the supremacy of the nation. Politics becomes its handmaid. Peace becomes the topic of discussion. By that time, the masses have already immersed themselves into the game and their hearts and minds etched in the vagaries of the game that they are prepared to partake in anything that is bound to bring out their political follies and totally averse to imploring pleas of political saints to conduct themselves like humans in the political arena.
For the first time the masses learn that politics is not a hostile game at all. The real owners of power become evident and prayers of religionists and prophets are sought after. God almighty is invoked to descend down from his supreme abode in the sky to arbitrate and soften the heart of weak and wicked men who will capitalize on the volatile situation to plunge the nation into chaos and anarchy. The national anthem is played times unending with solemn majesty and new impetus is given to our identity. Men and women who have spent their lives abroad and virtually know nothing about the nation and are ready to leave at any time become nationalists advocating for tolerance. It becomes clear that we are one people with one aim, one destiny one soul.
If we are capable of viewing politics in this light, why so much fallacious propagation of false ideas and concepts? Why inflame passions in the first place if we are very much aware that when it degenerates into indescribable hostilities we all stand the chance of losing, even plunging into the lowermost echelons of destruction. If we are aware that politics if not properly handled can be a ruinous pursuit, a dangerous adventure that can reduce the nation to debris and a bitter experience why not get down and shed the egocentric elitist way of conducting it far from the masses. Why not devote the time wasted with fruitless arguments and war of words and educate the masses on the positive aspects of politics and forge ahead in our nation building endeavors. The undue advantage taken to today in the mask of and vile excuse of politics is a dirty game – poly tricks or poor little tricks played on the less intelligent masses for personal aggrandizement may be upturned tomorrow and the masses hitherto thought to be less intelligent and immersed in ignorance rise up in their folly –tical frenzy to wreak irreparable havoc and mete out justice for if anything, they are the majority and if the “leader is a lion at least, the people are many headed beast”.
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