There are three kinds of people. Those who make things happen, those who watch while things happen, and those who ask: "What happened?" In this day and age, the third kind is the one flirting with close encounters. Because while watching as things happen is by far the position of the majority, the power to make things happen is the prerogative of an elite. Which it is an increasingly costly privilege to which to belong.
Once upon a time, there was an inveterate breed of people who would fear neither flesh nor fowl in their pursuit of the 'what happened' question. For good measure, they would politely enquire how it happened, when it happened, and where it happened. And should perchance a satisfactory response not be forthcoming, these pioneers of truth and reconciliation would press the case for why it happened at all.
But today that mantle has lifted from the shoulders of members of society whose task it was to raise the issue. And without too much effort on the part of those opposed to the asking of questions, it has fallen as a boon on the platter of the most unlikely folks. Gone are the days when tough stances were adopted by academics, business mandarins, civil society leaders, and the like. When the last time it was that anyone who was someone said something to everyone on anything that was worth saying is no one's guess now.
In such a sorry state, the most unlikely folks cited above become folk heroes when they take on the dragons of our times. To judge by the response to a recent keynote speech on a game crucial to the character of our island race, the sportsman who had the courage to put up his hand and point some fingers has gone from mere celebrity status to being a cult icon of political lore. Of course we exaggerate a little. Because the mystifying reality is that the man who made it his bounden duty to speak up for sport as well as nation has been vilified in certain quarters for taking things too far.
Naturally, when you're the former skipper of a national sporting side, there's no pleasing everybody. Something you say or do somewhere will fail to tickle the fancy of someone. Most surprising, perhaps, is that the more powerful among the powers that be chose not to take umbrage at some of the questions being asked. Which speaks volumes of the wily nature of those unschooled in politics but only too savvy in the modalities of realpolitik.
In an uncanny and unexpected move, these elect mandarins have expressed pleasure at certain statements made in a lecture that was otherwise all fire and brimstone against elected officials under their ken.
Which begs these questions. When is it appropriate to ask: "What happened?" How best is the issue raised, and who must strive to bell the fat cats of our corrupt society? Whom does one address, and does the venue of one's diatribe or polemic make a difference as to how it is received? Where does one seek to lay the onus for the state of the nation, and how far can one go in the process in asseverating how deep the rabbit hole goes?
These are questions that citizens of our state must dare to ask themselves. In days of yore, the better newspapers of their ilk performed the function of a nation talking to itself. But today the real news, and any commentary on the same that is worth its salt, has gone underground - that is to say, to the deep dark recesses of the web, where relative anonymity cloaks our pusillanimous critics. Also to our eternal shame and everlasting regret, the more genuine among the commentators have said in their secret hearts that it is not worth attempting to redress the mortal ills that ail our country and risk going the way of all flesh - that is to say, to a hole in the ground, which is solemnly visited every year by faithful followers of dear dead editors and sundry missing scribes.
If the country we love is not to fall into a well of bottomless silence, now may be the best time for citizens with their consciences intact and their cap in hand to doff it at truth with honour and justice with peace. Rather than continuing to kowtow to those who treasure the status quo more than doing what is right by those who ask hard questions. It is no longer acceptable that lone individuals pick up and polish smooth stones to pot the skulls of giants who threaten our well-being, or dragons that breathe fire so that those who take tough stances may wither where they stand. The time is right. The need is rife. The chance is ripe. The hour is here, the man has come; and said his piece; and retired from his fifteen minutes of fame… Now it's our turn. Quick now, altogether! |
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