The Feel Good Factor (FGF virus) is a deadly virus

I have not been blogging for some time. Mainly because I am going through a certain phase – tired with human beings in so many ways. It leaves you weary and in grief and you just wish that you have the skill of blissful ignorance that many seem to be gifted with. One of my friends suggested that I be animalistically selfish but I am just too aware being created as a human. 

Anyway, I have digressed from what I had intended to share – the feel good factor virus (fgf virus) that seems to be engulfing most of us in most areas of our life. I observe that the FGF virus is readily welcomed by most without realizing that it is going to kill them and kill them brutally.

 Politics is one area of life that the virus is most deadly rampant and subtly infects most of the people (the other area being religion).  In United States, the feel good factor of Obama with his “Yes, we can” has blinded many to various obvious questions – where did he come from suddenly? Has America suddenly become colour blind? Is he a democract or a fascist in disguise (I have written about this possibility here). Never mind what he was. I too was happy for the US to have a black President with the hope that the symbol will excite people’s minds to go beyond colour, creed or religious beliefs.  As I said never mind what he was but can we ignore what he IS? The American hegemonic march seems to have escalated under his presidency despite his Will Smith smile and voice. This time, it seems to be focused in the Middle  East even while the embers in Iraq have not fully subsided. 

Let us look into our own backyard – Malaysia. For a while, Malaysians seem to want to clamour for real reforms in society and governance. People first, performance now. Reformasi and so on. We have always been a nation of slogans and it fits in well with our national culture of superficiality.  We are, whether we want to admit it or not, generally a very superficial people. 

We have the 1Malaysia policy which I support and the unfortunate rhetoric that accompanied it which I do not support.  There has been cosmetic reforms from both side of the political divide and this has brought about the fgf virus. People can be made to feel good with crumbs thrown to them while the rotting system has yet to be treated FUNDAMENTALLY. (read here)

There is a lot of branding and marketing going on that the general body of citizens with their refusal to think deeply are easily made to feel good. To date, I have yet to hear any politicians on either side of the divide or even any NGOs demanding fundamental reforms to the system. Of course I know all cannot be done overnight but the thinking and the motivation can start yesterday, can’t it?  Unfortunately, people are just contend to feel good with trivial reforms and do not wish to go further for fear of shaking their comfort zones and their little kingdoms called “my life”.

I am so convinced that formal education per se cannot bring about fundamental reforms without other important qualities. These qualities include the will to want reforms, the willingness to do it or push for it, the courage to upset comfort zones and the ability to think beyond the superficial. Formal education as an agent of change has also failed because the quality of our education is so bad due to it being politicized that we now have the greater challenge of dealing with formally educated graduates in key positions who lack the intellectual ability to think. Yes, with respect, we have stupid or incompetent people in decision making  and important positions who are steering the Nation’s destiny.

In other words, your life and your children’s lives are now in the hands of incompetent decision makers who suffer from an inability to think. I apologize if I have offended another of our national culture – not thinking deeply and beyond the superficial. 

Do we really think that we will have a good life in the future if we continue not to think and behave selfishly thinking only of the current superficial state of feeling good?

I have never known slaves to develop honour or improve themselves. I do not see how the slaves of a rotting system will have an alternative fate.

While it feels good to talk of hope, it can also be like a drug addict who gets his high on drugs denying the long term deadly effects. So, I would rather make a morbid conclusion – if we Malaysians continue to be infected by the FGF virus and refuse to change the way we have been looking at things all this while, we will be doomed.

As the adage goes, if you want things to change for the better, YOU have to change for the better.

Or as the Quran says: God will not change the state/fate of someone until he or she changes what is within himself/herself.

This Nation needs more Saviour Citizens or Raperas.

Peace !