Every day, sadly, starts with the trepidation of what other revelations will add to the woes of a nation on its knees.
The latest saga of a certain gentleman has revealed how he observed first-hand the blatant abuse of trust and honest service delivery from a commodity, which embarrassment prevents me from naming.
My dilemma stems from the new conspiracy theory that, instead of being sent as a knight cavalier to rescue a dimming situation (pun intended), he was part of a plot that has escalated obsequiously from the first days of our heady rebirth as a free country. Put another way, all the so-called efforts to rescue the prominent SOE were really exercises in misdirection.
The concept of misdirection is simple, yet effective. As children, we used to marvel at how a magician could pluck a pigeon out of a thimble or a boiled egg from the nostril of a bystander. It became more spectacular with the advancement of technology, with its array of virtual sensory input.
In a word, the slick fellows would do two things. They would make a claim so outlandish and seemingly impossible that our concentration was on seeing them get it right.
That was part of the trick because it distracted us from the other sleight of hand or unseen manipulations and substitutions that they made while we were supposedly watching. And they made it look so easy that we never tried to work out how they did it. We just applauded the efforts and asked for more.
Does this sound like spurious and mundane material for a columnist whose heart aches for his beautiful country that has been ravaged by deception, duplicity and non-delivery? The principle is the same. Drag the focus of the population away from the basics by presenting fatuous and unnecessary side-attractions and distractions. Change the names of streets.
Make desolation a heritage site. Name a natural phenomenon a modern wonder of the world. Vie to host international competitions without a pedigree of mileage in participation.
Align with friends who ostensibly helped us during the Struggle years, and commit our resources, desperately required at home, to a spurious trade act or commitment that favours past gestures at the expense of the nation.
It is a magic show that cannot be topped. We have a Constitution written with assistance from the rogues who caused our national consternation. Build in clauses that re-advantage the historically advantaged and leave the expectant hordes wondering what happen. But R350 a month from “the winners” is the magic misdirection.
This column has aspired to maintain an ambiance of hope and hopefulness. It is becoming increasingly difficult to try to galvanise our people into independent thinking, self-help and the distant prospect of a healthy national ethic of service and excellence.
Let us concentrate on the commonalities that are neither partisan, ideological or denialist. Each of us has only one life. Each of us is the creation of a divine being to whom we shall return. There are no second chances. All of us share the same human traits, hopes, expediencies and expectations.
All of us have a desire to have the best day possible every day. This is hard and easy. Easy because we only have to shine for the one day we live at a time, and hard because it requires a continuum that has to be developed and nurtured into ambition, drive, involvement, sharing and respect for self and others.
There is plenty of material for the magicians to work their misdirection. My pathetic contribution is: develop your own skills by empowering yourself. Read.
* Alex Tabisher.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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