- Ceaseless sermons on self-sanctifying virtue and innocence
Candid Corner
“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time, they create for themselves a legal system that authorises it and a moral code that glorifies it.” –Frederic Bastiat
It is a painful sight to endure ceaseless sermonising by apologists of criminals on self-sanctifying virtue and innocence. In the current times of caustic confrontation, the vile spectacle is enacted with monotonous frequency.
It is understandable also because at stake is the survival of the traditional brand of politics in the country, perpetuated by a sequence of oligarchs who relish masquerading as democrats. But this pretension of democracy is used only as a cover to hide their crimes and despotic indulgences, amply demonstrated by the fact that none of these parties have ever conducted free and transparent elections within their ranks to allow aspirant individuals to assume leadership roles. The divisions are sharp and different responsibilities are assigned to different people with members of the ruling family alone qualifying to lead the party, generation after generation.
It is through this process of belittlement of individuals that some are resigned to the role of subservience to others who purchase loyalty just as they are wont to purchase votes at the time of elections. Much as they are aware of their exclusion from the leadership echelons, they lack the grit and courage to protest and, consequently, are reduced to being ‘workers’. Thus, a subordinate class takes shape within the party to act as apologists of the rulers. The spectacle enacted by them is perpetually on display as one sees fleet after fleet of individuals hailing from this tribe of apologists rising to defend their masters without a shade of logic or reason. This slavery is so deeply ingrained in their psyche that it even shows on their faces.
The objective should be living by hope rather than degenerating further into the pit of slavery. It is this inherent good within all of us that one has to engage so that it could be brought out to guide people along the path of comprehensive reform. Anything short of that will not help to transform either the fate of the people, or the future of the state. A continuation of a past soaked in corrupt and despotic indulgences is a sure recipe for unmitigated disaster. This is what we have nurtured all along. This is the spectre we are confronting today. This has to be remedied and the only way to ensure that is to begin by espousing and practising democratic tenets within the political parties
The corruption of the traditional ruling elite has been laid bare time and again, but there is no shame to concede and apologise. Instead, legions hailing from this tribe of apologists are given the task of defending their corrupt, even convicted and absconding leaders on every conceivable media outlet, in every conceivable manner. This is a degenerative spectacle displaying complete absence of self-esteem, or a desire for cultivating equality within the party rank and file by annulling the despicable practice of some being more equal than others. I have yet to figure out how their respective competence is gauged except by the quantum and extent of swearing loyalty to their masters. This subservience to crime is on display in multiple shapes and shades but, most importantly, its wickedness is in full view when they are parroting their hymns endlessly as if they were the images of some celestial being.
Unfortunately, this culture of division among people is the root cause of most of the ills that our system is afflicted with. When the desire and ambition to rise to the pinnacle is forfeited, the need to compromise with mediocrity takes over. That is why our society is overflowing with surfeit of non-performing and non-delivering individuals who never excel in their respective fields, but are consigned to playing subservient roles which are rooted in employing and benefitting from corrupt practices, just like their leaders do to satisfy their insatiable lust and egos. These people feel no shame in rubbishing a plethora of irrefutable evidence proving the corruption and complicity of their leaders. Over time, they have become so used to doing this that it has taken roots as a deeply embedded habit.
Even more importantly, such people become incapable of engaging in a constructive dialogue that would be based on facts and figures. Instead, what we witness are these legions of apologists brandishing their poisonous swords with abandon in their bid to subdue their opponents into submission. When that does not happen, they degrade themselves to the use of invectives in a bid to impose their viewpoint. So, instead of logic and reason doing the rounds, it is a plethora of expletives flying across that vitiates the environment further. Every shred of reason is drowned in these putrid juices, overtaken by a wild celebration signifying freedom from the confines of decency. It is as if this tribe of apologists has come from the wild, playing their games by the rules of the wild.
The reform process of any magnitude is a mammoth undertaking. It is not a simple task encompassing guidance along a few rudimentary lines and teaching a few leading principles. These legions of apologists have sunk so low that the task of reform would involve virtually re-educating them so that they could conduct themselves as humans by forsaking the vile indoctrination that they have assimilated in profusion. A lot of grime has to be taken out which germinates slavery. Instead, self-esteem has to be injected into their veins.
As I said earlier, it is not going to be easy. In fact, there is no certainty that it could be done because there are layers upon layers of deceit and deception they are buried under. They are virtual captives. The lure of easy profit has taken its hold. It has to be exterminated from their thinking so that there is space to espouse the ethic of honest and honourable work and the courage to fight for securing their rightful place among the echelons of their party, not as subservient apologists but as aspirants who have as much right to steer the ship as anyone else.
Democracy must begin from home, from the political parties which these oligarchs have taken for their personal properties. This should be a binding precondition to these people talking about the need for democracy in the country. A non-democratic political party cannot breed democracy. Let transparent and democratic elections be held within every political party as a precursor to them becoming vehicles of democracy in the country. In the event that does not happen, these parties lose their locus standi for demanding a democratic polity.
In the ultimate analysis, it is the guilt within these oligarchs which has to be probed. Losing faith is not an option. It was Philip Dick who said thus: “Guilt – if there was any guilt – spread out and diffused itself over everybody and everything. Perhaps, at some point in time, at some spot in the world, a moment of responsibility existed”.
The objective should be living by hope rather than degenerating further into the pit of slavery. It is this inherent good within all of us that one has to engage so that it could be brought out to guide people along the path of comprehensive reform. Anything short of that will not help to transform either the fate of the people, or the future of the state. A continuation of a past soaked in corrupt and despotic indulgences is a sure recipe for unmitigated disaster. This is what we have nurtured all along. This is the spectre we are confronting today. This has to be remedied and the only way to ensure that is to begin by espousing and practising democratic tenets within the political parties.
It should not come about in years because time is not on our side. It has to be cultivated and implemented immediately. Before the next elections, may be!
