5) “Stop wasting time, we cannot change the system”- This is a phrase often used by the ordinary citizens. There are many levels of discussing this mindset. I shall attempt at one level. At a certain level, this mindset is understandable – it may represent frustration, helplessness or emanating from a sense of the dubious “after all, who am I?. What I cannot understand is when this is uttered by those who have never a spent a second of their lives considering whether they can make any change for the better. To me, such people who deliberately refuse to think have forfeited the right to complain. They are free riders.
I have often told my students that “God did not create the brains for pure decoration”. This, however is embarrassing to tell adults. Is it true we cannot change the system? If that is so, are we conceding that we are still using the same transportation system since Merdeka? Surely, highways, monorails and LRTs did not exist then? What about our communication system? Did we not change it in this country? Only a few years back, it is unthinkable that you can send a whole cabinet of files to say, England in a few seconds. Today, we do it through email. If you think about it, the way we communicate today is completely different and unimaginable from just a few years back. That is RADICAL change. I can go on and give examples of “systems” in our lives that have changed.
But I think you get the point. If you do not, try some thinking. The only and major pre-requisite that you need for change is – THE WILL TO CHANGE. That will must be as strong as the will to save your drowning child. It is this lack of will that is still dominant in our society. You can call it by any fashionable word that you want –“comfort zone”, “fear of the unknown and so on. But the basic point is: you do not want to change but think you do and hence you conjure up excuses. Our human failings.
But know this – the academic gurus of the current political thought does not want it to change – what’s going to happen to their glory and years of dedication to failed political thoughts?
But know this – the current capitalists that benefit does not want it to change – what’s going to happen to their profits?
But know this – the current politicians in the game do not want it to change – what’s going to happen to their power and their network? (This is why I have always maintained that NO politician can be an agent for useful change unless they have evolved into Statesman or Raperas).
I cannot go into depth on this blog, so let me share an extreme simplistic example. A Buddhist monk whom I met in my teens told me something that I did not understand then. He said, “There are masters only because there are humans who allow themselves to be slaves”. I thought he must be mad! I was sure nobody wants to be a slave. However, I grow up sadly realizing that many not only live a life of slavery, but they accept it as a way of life! To avoid any misunderstanding of the word “slave”, I mean by it a person who does the every bidding of another person, without thinking, without conscience, without dignity – purely for selfish survival. A slave becomes the property of the master and is no longer human in this sense. That is why slavery is cruel and for the willing slave, it is shameful. A slave is unable to think of change.
Be warned that our society has evolved to higher levels of slavery. I often see slaves honored with honors, wealth and positions. But the fact remains – they are slaves. They have no dignity, no conscience, no humanity. Such are truly lost souls. God forbid, to this day, I have never personally recognized any of these slaves as any other than slaves. This is what I hope Raperas will be able to understand. Do not let wealth, power, positions detract you from recognizing the willing slave as one. If you can, tell him/her so. This will be a catalyst for change.
If you can start to do this in your personal lives, then we are already on the road to changing the political thought and system. Politics, we must always remember is primarily about power in the current political system. It is based on a master-slave relationship. Phrases like “working with the people” are often illusory. Do not be fooled.
If you have been following the above discussion, you must now be able to conclude that there will be resistance to change. Of course. You should not be surprised because the first person that will resist you is YOU with your creative excuses. So why should,nt those who benefit from this system?
I used to tell my student thats if all of them refuse to come to my class, I cannot be a teacher. Understand what I am saying? Change is that easy.
Peace !
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