Puteri UMNO may just be on their way to prove to the public that they are indeed, irrelevant. Firstly, there was a suggestion from their premier, that baby dumpers be charged as murderers, never mind the majority of baby dumpers are teenagers. Now, the Puteri UMNO wants the air stewardesses wear head covers.
These are the things that make one wonders, what runs Puteri UMNO. Even if one is not sure of the right answer, it not necessarily mean that one do not know what is NOT the answer and judging by the decisions taken by them lately, I reckon I can safely say this establishment do not run on compassion nor gray matter, but does it matter?
Shahrizat must be suffering from either PMS or perimenopausal mood swings when she suggested that Murder charge be sentenced to baby dumpers, probably forgetting that most baby dumpers are clueless teenagers. They cannot even have sex without being smart enough not to get a baby out of wedlock, not to mention dispose these babies without getting caught, how is it that the cabinet reached to the conclusion that these teenagers are harmful to society and therefore must be sentenced to death.Of course, killing babies or action that leads to babies killed cannot be justified as right. Far from it. Yes, they should be punished. But by death? What is the juvenile court there then, if we are going to punish our thoughtless kids the same way we punish adults?We are the adults. We should not forget that we are partly to blame for this fiasco. The system that we had created had given accidental birth to these baby murderers. If you don't believe me, read the papers. The medical side have encouraged sex education in schools
But lucky for doctors in Malaysia, because majority of Malaysians comprises of shortsighted and not so smart people who cannot differentiate between porn and sex education even if their lives depended on it, ergo explained how they managed to get into medical school without stiff competition. We're not THAT smart actually...just lucky that everyone else is less smarter :->
HERE's why I said that...Below are links to reiterate my point.
2. I'd be surprise if teachers say yes to extra work for them. I mean, it's bad enough that they were threatened with learning English in order to teach Science and Mathematics - if not for the strong Teachers' Union's much needed next GE votes, the Goverment would have went ahead with the plan ergo this, Malaysian teachers say no to sex education 3. Of course we Malaysians tend to really sit down and solve a problem when it is totally necessary. The idea of prevention as a better option then cure, is too much for us to grasp ergo, Debate on Sex Education Rises with teen pregnancy
4. And of course, Sex issues are not Sex issues without the comment of spiritual leaders. After all, religion IS all about sex - prohibited against it, line up seperately and treated differently because you differ in it, abstain from it or punished for it. The religious department may not have enough kaki and tangan to entertain betrayed, frustrated women who are wronged by men in marriage not to mention settle children's allemony form divorce, because most of the time they are not in office....attending courses is the normal excuse (I call it inter-course), but there will always be ample kaki dan tangan to nab couples making out anywhere. These 4 guys are so effficient, they should be working in the CIA, Mossad etc. Nik Aziz : Sex Education is like teaching thieves how to steal. I hate to break the news to Nik Aziz, but teaching folks to steal would be sending them to prison. In fact, one may go in for petty crimes, and graduate as a full fledged criminal, or at least con artists. If we send folks to prison for sex, like while waiting for sentence of flogging, they may come out as porn artists.
Trust me. The amount of frustrated wives and husbands coming into my clinic for consultation is enough to make me know that not only our children need sex education, some of our adults them too. Hmm..maybe that is why many Muslims are against sex education. They don't want to have their children know more than what they can handle.
Obviously being Muslim, the ultimate goal here is of course ABSTINENCE from sex before marriage. Hello, people!! Stop the hypocrisy silvous plait merci boucoup!!! Haven't we learn in...I mean from the hoo haas going on with the Churches that that is almost impossible?!! Ask the Pope, and the victims of molestations all around,they'll tell ya.. Right now the Pope may be thinking of ways to ban viagra. For now however, he could only manage this:
Humans have needs and especially teenagers, they have crazy hormones, that is a fact and that is nature. How we handle this is of utmost importance. What they need is guidance on how to handle their hormones. The grandmother's method of two tight slaps don't work on kids of today. Right now, I think we have no right to punish our children when part of their mistakes are a consequence of our shortcummings...I mean shortcomings.
How Menteri Besar Melaka handled this situation, which was legalizing child marriages, is shameful. Our duty is to protect our children, not encourage them to legalize sex just so the adults get to solve their headaches. Have they actually thought how they are going to handle the number of broken marriages in the future, resulting from this type of marriages? As it is, it takes Sisters In Islam to do their job for them, ironically for free. Not bad for a "sesat" organization, I must say. Maybe JAKIM or JAIS needs to be "sesat" so they they may learn some work ethics in order to defend humanity, not suppress it.
Again, Puteri UMNO suggested they come up with schools just for pregnant students. I for one believe that a child pregnant should not be expelled from school. You cannot punish a child for a mistake he/she did because of immaturity, by creating new problems on top the preexisting one that they have already been going through. Again, it's the adults' idea of solving problem is punishing. it's easier on their part. Don't bother about prevention because the punishment is allegedly better than prevention.
I suppose it never occured to the Kementerian to send these kids for counselling, and of course it did not occur to them that perhaps other kids may learn a few good lessons when their eyes are feasted upon the product of reckless sex, should these pregnant kids be allowed to resume studying in the same school?
Our school is where we are taught to not accept people who make mistakes, let alone give them support and guidance when they do. This is where inhumanity is instilled in the next and the next generation to come. It begins with the decision the adults take concerning our children who erred.
Whether we like or accept it or not, sex amongst kids is not going to go away. And the problems that comes with them are not going to go anywhere either. Not with the existing system the adults create for our children anyway. Let's just stop the hypocrisy and start working for zero corruption instead of concentrating on zero legal sex. Sex is going to happen amongst kids because it is human nature to rebel and do what is told not to do, and it's human nature to feel horny. Not every kid can handle it, ergo the need for a proper sex education. If Nik Aziz is right, that teaching sex to our kids is like teaching them how to steal, at least let them know about the consequences of their actions. If shit happens, it is the duty of the adult to support them and guide them, not shun them simply because it is convenient for us and that is saves face. Childhood pregnance is not about the adult and how they feel in society, but about the children who erred and need the guidance of the adults even more so now.
I think it's the adults who should start doing what we commonly tell our children to do and that is not just to grow old, but to grow up too.
A cool and lovely Sunday morning that looks like it's going to last all afternoon, saw me in the Mamak Stall, eating roti canai and sipping a glass of teh tarik. Breakfast in Mamak stall in the mornings could only mean two things; either I've achieved my early morning walk up and down the hill, and need to replenish all that burnt calories so that I will have a reason to continue exercising, OR I am on my Sunday once in a month duty, which in turn could only mean one thing; that I will be banging the balls that I don't have (not physically anyway), which therein means one thing; IT WAS BLOGGING TIME....
Back to the Mamak Stall scenario, I had to buy The Star today because my kid reads the papers..well, at least someone still does. Apparently she need to know current issues to aid her debate activities. I offered her my knowledge of the Malaysian politics but was quickly rejected. She told me, "Ummi, I need a non biased safe to use facts for my debate", of which I chuckled before answering, "Mainstream media, non biased, rrrrriiiggggggggghhhht...but yes, it's definitely useful for public debates. My facts not only will make you get kicked out of the debate team, but I may have to bail you out from Khidmat Negara later".
Just to digress a little, I also reminded her to keep up with her number one priority, which is her studies saying, "You need to know where your priority lies, darling. You must not neglect your studies while passionately engrossed in debate. The world does not need another smart mouth with a latent brain to catch up with it. We have too many of them in our Parliament already. You'd be out of job due to stiff competition since not many want to step down to allow new faces entering parliament". Funny, how that little reminder work with her.
Anyway, back on track, I almost choke on my tea when I saw this headlines, "Understand Islam better". No wait, it wasn't the headlines, rather what was printed just below it, "Malaysia can help US overcome Islamophobia, says Najib". You can also read it HERE.
Then I just sat there, and imagined how the conversation between Obama and Najib would have sounded like:
Najib : Yo dude, what's jivin' mah maaan.
Obama : Err....Datuk... Najib. Salam'alaikum. Let me be clear, my middle name may be Hussain, but I am not a Muslim, and unlike what the public thinks, actually, I am just black on the outside. Datuk Najib, first and foremost, can you please explain to me what does "Datuk" means... I am confused. My nieces and nephews who now live in Indonesia calls their grandfather the same thing, although your grey hair may help give some clue. Furthermore, I heard one can become a Datuk by purchasing it? Can you buy grandchildren to be called "Datuk" ? How many grandchildren do you have? Err..pssss....(pulling Najib aside), is that your better three quarter, pardon me, I mean better half? Wow, looking at her, I have to say that I'm grateful, that it's just Sasya and Malia for us, I mean look at Michelle, isn't she still a hot guchie mama?
Najib : Oh, the gray hair was caused by the headaches I have to face lately, which have nothing to do with medical condition. Life as a politician is no longer bliss like they use to be in Malaysia. Now we actually have to work. Can you teach me how to use that Blackberry later when my wife is not looking? (winking at Obama).
To answer your question, we, just like you were colonized by the British who officially left in 1957 but not really left our minds. America was liberated via methods of war, whilst we Malaysians are proud to avow that there was not a single drop of blood involved in the path to our Independance. We just killed each other AFTER we secured Independance, you know, on that black May day. We were smart enough to get everything on papers first, before we can do whatever we want. We tend to settle our problems later rather than sooner, it's just how we do things around here. Some call it laid back but I call it balancing life to have some quality of it. In fact, it is the Malaysian way to settle any problem only when it is unavoidably necessary.
Obama : Yes, I understand from my Intelligence, sources that you people were smart to recognize non bloody methods to gain your Independence. Something about the Malays having to grant the Indians and the Chinese citizenship to comply to British condition to Independence. Imagine if you don't grant them their citizenship, surely the British use this excuse to not grant the Independence, those sly bastards. Very smart indeed, you just managed to outwit the British to get this done only on papers but these Chinese and Indians have been never been welcomed hitherto. Heck, my sources told me some Malays still call them "immigrants". I must send my people to learn on how to handle immigrants in your country, so that we can apply them in Arizona. I'm sure you've heard about the much criticized immigration bill signed into law in the US state of Arizona that allows police officers to question and detain suspected illegal immigrants even if they are not believed to have committed a crime. People have been giving me hell ever since.
Najib : Oh, yes, you have come to the right place to train your agents. We may not specialize in making good cars, but just like we are brilliant in marketing them, we definitely are the experts on questioning not to mention detaining, not just illegals and legal immigrants, but also anyone who gets in our way. I'm sure you've heard of our much feared ISA detention. We just shove whoever we like into detention and work out the excuse for detention later. Over here we practice pre-emptive detention, of course we adapted this from your predecessor Bush. I mean, how brilliant is that, preemptive war!! Bush must have had this idea while watching that brilliant movie, "Minority report". Ha..ha..speaking of minority, over here in Malaysia, we too have a "Minority Report" but anyone who make that report incidentally will end up under ISA detention. Like I said, we may not be brilliant in making cars, but we are brilliant detaining people. although we still have problems defining the word sedition but we are working on it.
Obama : Well, my fellow comrade, that is why the Dictionary was invented you know.
Najib : Well, I beg to differ. Here in Malaysia, we tend to have our very own vocabulary aid, designed to be interactive like one of those Astro shows for our kids and we call Dick-tionary, whereby we get to tailor the words to our liking. I mean, so far we've managed to convince, well majority of our people that racist bigots for instance, does not fall under seditious, but satire is.
Obama : Ah yes, I've just been informed about your latest detention. A cartoonist am I right?
Najib : Wow, I am certainly impressed by the efficiency of CIA. They actually picked this up before CNN did. I mean after September 11, many have stopped calling your Intelligence unit, intelligent, but we'll save this topic for later.
Obama : Oh, no, it was not the CIA that picked up this story. Actually I got this piece of information from the Facebook, and yes, they've finally hack-proof my Blackberry. It was so embarrassing that some of the personal data leaked, I mean, people now know that I'm surrounded by Jews, but hey, there is no proof that link them to Zionist the movements, so that was a relief. You know, I've got a brilliant FB page going on in there. My attention was brought to this cartoonist matter when my eyes caught sight of this certain witty guy called John, who posted on his status, the words, "Cartoonist was arrested by Cartoons". I have to tell you I ROFLOL so much so the thud caused second level panic at the white house because the trainee CIA, who was with me at the time, thought it was some WMD dropped onto the White House. We have been very jittery since 9/11.
Najib : Ah yes, I had the same problem when my wife slipped and fell onto the floor in Sabah recently, but she was far from ROFLOL mode.
Obama : Ah yes, I believe I read about it on FB, Twitter and Blogs. My my, she made the headlines. Don't you have a Facebook account Najib? It's an excellent networking tool. It had helped me won the premiership
Najib. : I had one. It was fun until my wife caught me poking on FB. She told me, "enough poking already, remember where the last poke got you into?". From thereon, no woman was allowed to be on my friend list. She even suggested that poking is seditious and should be detain under ISA. Oh, my pudding pie loves me so very much I sometimes am overwhelmed by her.
Obama : But Najib, don't you think you should drop this ISA business. I was told that it is manipulated and used at the whims of those few powerful people...I mean, that's what my Intelligence briefed me..but well, after 9/11, they have very much lost credibility, it could have just been called the "Central Intelligent Agency ?".
Najib : Oh, I did not make myself clear. Sorry, I meant ISA as in InSecurityActions. You mistook that for our Internal Security Act. I should have been more specific, my apologies. Then again, Obama, it's just terminology. We call it ISA, you call it Guantanamo Bay. Tomaaato, tomayto.. Eh, when are you going to send me some people to train in water boarding. I think this water is still cheaper to use rather than eggs. The old man is right you know. These Malaysians are really not grateful. We serve them eggs in detention, they say it's food fit for dogs. Common lar...we kill dogs, we don't feed them.
Obama : You know, you really ought to look into this matter. Somebody on facebook suggested you use that video in which your wife dueted with your local sensational artist, Mawi. Apparently survey done on facebook showed that people think that that video should be much more effective than our water boarding. Here, let me tap into your wifi and check out this video they are talking about.
Najib : Ahahaaa....my darling wife. I did warn her to keep her day job after seeing that video. You know, I really must make a mental note to ask Jintao how he manage to ban You Tube and Google in China.
Obama : Ah yes, China. I did China trip just after Mongolia last year. I'm sorry about you not being able to go to Mongolia. The women there are truly beautiful.
Najib : *&()^$%#@?!! (muffling sound)
Obama : Pardon me?
Najib : Oh excuse me, it's just my post nasal drip flaring up again.
Obama : Post nasal drip? What is that? Is that why you have those tiny bits of saliva at the corners of your mouth soon after you pass 5 minutes of talking time? Lucky you have such luscious pink lips, otherwise those saliva would have been a major distraction.
Embarrassed, it was this that instigated a quick change in the subject ergo how Najib came up with telling Obama that Malaysia is prepared to help America fight Islamphobia.
Najib : Eh, what is the deal with the building mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero?
Obama : Ah that. I cannot believe how much crap I have to put up with as a consequence of my condoning the building of that particular mosque. Some pastor from Florida started getting ideas that it is okay to burn the Quran on 9/11 as a sign of retaliation. Right now I'm sending in my agents to determine, who are the Dumb, and who are the Dumber.
Najib : Yes, I noticed you allowed the erection of mosque, is that a political move?
Obama : I don't know how you do things in Malaysia, but in the United States, we have constitutions and we have been proudly upholding them hitherto. We honor and respect everyone's beliefs long as they do not interfere with the convenience of others.
Najib : Aah....I understand what you mean. In Malaysia we have this latest theme, "One Malaysia".
Obama : Oh, but our views are far more than just themes and logos. We live up to them as have our forefathers as envisioned by the founders of America. Abraham Lincoln, god bless him and America. My CIA is not all that daft you know.
Najib : Your CIA may not be daft, but statistics showed that Americans do not know enough about Islam to suddenly hate it. Remember the poor Sikh who got shot just because he wore a turban and people mistaken him for a Muslim? I mean, they even think that you are a Muslim just because your middle name is Hussain !! Errr....are you?
Obama : I hope you have not mistaken me for Bush, I have way more IQ score than him. He was just there as a puppet, or clown if I may. He was so funny, that when he left the White House, the media cried because comedy died that day. Make no mistake about it, I am not Bush. With apostasy, when clearly your own Quran mentioned that "there is no compulsion in Islam", why would I want to enter a trap set up by Islam? It's like that Hotel California song, "You can checkout any time you like, But you can never leave".
Najib : The issue here is you people are scared of Islam. Let me show you that Islam is a benign and moderate religion.
Obama : How can that possibly be moderate in your country? I mean what was that deal with the flogging of Kartika and the adulterers. Were there any males involved in those adultery, and if so, why was it that the men were not whipped? You claim to be practicing progression, but my sources showed that you have gone two steps backwards in time. What happened to forgiveness? You want me to quote some Quranic verses the way I quoted the Torah during my speech in Israel? I mean, if I, a non Muslim cannot in your country mention the word "Allaa" then perhaps I better not upset your people by quoting your Quran. I mean, with people like Mat Selamat, who is ironically declared not a threat to the nation, yet you found a cartoonist a threat, running loose in between Singapore and Malaysia, and Indonesia, make no mistake about it, how can I not be feeling a little bit threatened .
Najib : Actually, in all honesty, those were just for shows, to show voters that we the incumbents, have repented after the last GE tsunami and that as usual, in Malaysia, repent can be shown by what the eyes can perceive. It would be good if I can get my wife to cover her head, because the culture in Malaysia currently shows that a sign for repentance in a woman is when she covers her head. People here are generally more concern with what is ON a woman's head, not so much what is IN her head. But I digress.
Obama : You are saying that to regain trust of voters for the next GE, you approach the method whereby religion, which incidentally never fails to be an effective tool in politics...... I mean, ask us the Americans, we are THE expert in doing that..haha.. Bin Laden still thought that we, via the CIA, have nothing to do with strengthening the Taliban when we needed to get Russia out of Afghanistan. Man, we were brilliant, even the Mossad adapted our method by sponsoring and training the Hamas in a quest to counter the Hisbullah ergo Arafat...or was it the other way round...hmmm....I'm feeling a bit tipsy...what is this I'm drinking?
Najib : Oh, it's tapai. We did not want to take the risk, unsure whether you being a Muslim was a rumour or otherwise, so we served Tapai, it is halal.
Obama : Hmmm....I must get Michelle to taste this,she's big on vegetables right now...I'm sure she'd like to taste your local fermented stuff ...tapai..hmm.... Annyway, my point is, you try to win voters by being more Islamic than your rival...what's that party that looked like they've been transported via a wormhole to the present from the time of Muhammad again? Why are they dressed like they come from the past? And yet you say Islam is progressive. Look how you present yourselves? By the way, I must get Hawkings to research how on earth their camels did not make it through the wormhole. He's been calling me that Hawkings, obviously edgy and jittery and feeling paranoid that some Clergy may send someone to blow him up into pieces for the latest discovery he revealed that claims God did not create the Universe. That man, it's as though it's not enough that he's on the wheelchair, now he's trying to commit suicide by declaring such scientific shocking statements. You and I learn history. We are aware of human tendencies to stop brilliant minds from excelling by cutting off the vault that holds the brains.
Well, come to think of it, at least Hawkings won't be able to strangle himself to death the way Teoh Beng Hock did under the custody of your anti-corruption unit, what with in his condition ad all, so even if he's dead, we can safely rule out suicide this time around. Seriously Najib, I thought I was in deep shit when I took over bloody Bush in office. Looks like you are in a deeper shit than I am.
Oh God, this tapai is really making me have difficulties in staying focus. What I meant to ask you, is, instead of trying to out-Islam your rival, have you tried combating corruption instead? You cannot beat Islamists at their game you know, didn't your intelligence brief you? Do you have intelligence at all Najib?
Najib : I ....bbbbeg your pardoooon...
Obama : Oh..no..no..no..no...I didn't mean it that way. I tend to forget diplomacy ways of communication when I'm a bit tipsy. I meant your Intelligence equavalence to our CIA.
Najib : Oh. Well, we have our special branch.
Obama : You mean the same bunch who chucked aside TBH's suicide note just because he could not comprehend Chinese? Just wondering, do they understand English? I would be very worried if they don't. I don't feel safe in Malaysia.
Najib : About that, I was wondering if America can send language teachers to Asean nations, similar to the Peace Corps projects of the 1960s initiated by President John F. Kennedy, where youth volunteers travelled the globe to help in community projects.
Obama : Aaah...now I know why Malaysians like everything possibly free. Obviously, your "Kepimpinan Melalui Tauladan" theme is such a success. I mean, look at the level of corruption in your country!!
Najib : Are you trying to be condescending?
Obama : I think we better end this meeting. I think I may just have had too much of that delicious tapai, even your Mrs looks attractive right now. Let's end this with a photo session, do call in the rest to join us.
Najib : Of course. (but swearing under breath is not counted as seditious anywhere in the world)
Obama : It is nice to have met your acquantance, finally. I've heard so much about you.
Najib : Likewise. Will you be coming to visit in Malaysia?
Obama : No. Oh, by the way, I may look up on your suggestion of the ressurrection of the Peace corp program, but let me be clear, I will not be sending any to malaysia. It would be a waste of our resources, since I've read somewhere that malaysian prefers to study their Mathematics and Science in native language. I was not aware though, that the Orang Asli speak Bahasa Malaysia. Anyway, farewell.
They shook hands and bid their farewell. Those last words exchanged may be the reason why they stood not side by side, but far apart in that photo session.
It was at this point when my phone rang and I was awoken up from my day dreaming in the kedai mamak. Duty called. I took a last sip of my already cold teh tarik, and made my way back to work, smiling as I recall my own imagination ;->
Someone once asked me, why on earth did I not open up my own practice. Despite the reasons I put forth, he continued to add, "Open up your own practice. Make your money, then give back to charity".
Tempting. I can do that except there is one thing that stands in my way, my conscience. My goddayng conscience, you know that irritating tiny little voice at the back of your head that nags the moment you do something you're not suppose to do and it gets louder when your daily routine winds down and you're alone in bed trying to get some sleep? Yeah, that one.
Now, please don't get me wrong. I am not saying that those who open up their own private practices are corrupted or without conscience. I just have problems handling mine. I just don't see, that in my profession, how one can get filthy rich. Comfortable, yes. Filthy rich, well, I can't really see that happening, not to me anyway. Other profession, yes, just not doctoring. Exactly what I told my kid, "If you want to make lots of money, don't bother becoming a doctor. I'm not in this for the money, and fame comes not really in a good way most of the time".
I may not be the rich, but let's put it this way, when people say they have trouble sleeping, they meant they can't sleep at night. When I say I have trouble sleeping...I meant I have trouble getting out of the delicious slumber state....it helps when your conscience sleeps with you...
Click on the rabbit hole to view more wisdom...or so it seems...
The same way that I do not look down upon the Hollywood film stars who do lots of things in their lives they regret later (or regret that people found out, later), just to get to where they are today then donated to charity (although they get less pictures smeared all over the tabloids for that rather than say they go out with someone new). It is still a good and noble deed. They could have just kept the money all to themselves, spend it on drugs, shoes whatever but they chose to give some away to the needy instead. Giving back is still better than not giving at all, regardless of the circumstances prior to it. I'm saying that in my line of job, I cannot see how I can make money out of sick people, and still go to sleep at night with my conscience clear. It's just me.
Nothing wrong about making money at all. I just don't think it is right to make the money via wrongful methods, that's all. I have to point out however, "making money legally" and "making money ethically" are two different things. Something like "frogging" in politics. Ahh...now I can see that you are getting my point......
In my profession, I have to bend too much of my medical ethics not to mention humanity, in order to compete with others in their profession to attain "success". This could mean, giving antibiotics unsparingly (Asian countries are responsible in a large part for contributing to the antibiotic resistance due to doctors being lenient with prescribing antibiotics), issuing MCs (need I explain this? eyes rolled up my sockets) as a form of business promotion, sometimes selling steroids and trust me...there are more stuff some doctors do that kills the nobility of the profession, just for the extra money. If one were to open the clinic by owing the bank, well, I leave it to you to do the math on what a debtor needs to do to manage paying the bank on time. If I have my own capital and open up my own, well, then that may lessen the temptation of corrupting my soul I guess.
Back to those who have a higher level of some of that irritating conscience, they may just not do as well as some who may have sold their souls to the devil, but of course would be branded by society as "under-achievers". I am an under-achiever but a proud one. That is because my definition of "achievements" differs from that of majority in the society. So, I can live with that brand comfortably.
To me, life is not about getting rich materially, screw our ethics and self worth whilst on our peregrination there, become filthy rich, donate to charity so as we can feel better about ourselves. So yes, to me life is not so much about the destination, but about the journey. This is it. This is our journey folks, this small little things we do on a daily basis, that are collectively called "living". What we do on daily basis IS what counts. It does matter how many people we do not screw on daily basis as we carry on our routine in life, to make a living for ourselves and our family.
It takes a real man to restrain himself from screwing others for self interest, than it does to sell your soul to the devil and do what it takes to become materially filthy wealthy. The latter is just easy and natural for most human.
Don't get me wrong. I have no qualms with wealth or people who posses it, but it is important that that wealth comes from day to day righteous living. Someone pointed out, "But it is quite impossible to become rich by being too fussy about values". He's right. But is all that wealth worth sacrificing our inner human wealth. Perhaps it is our definition of "wealth" that, have through time, got screwed up. Perhaps the society of this millennium have redefined "wealth".
THAT is the thing that bothers me. It' how people TREAT wealth. Today, people respect people based what they are able to make FOR themselves, not what they make OF themselves. The greatest conqueror, is a man who can conquer himself, for it is easier to conquer others, than to conquer oneself. I'm sure I've plagiarized someone on this one but I am pretty sure too that anyone who is deep can come up with a good philosophical quote, would not mind me plagiarizing it for the benefit of mankind as a whole. Besides, I'm pretty sure he's dead too. The best of course, are those lucky ones who work hard and righteously, and comes out both wealthy, in the sense of contact of humanity as well as materially.
Take a good look around you. Do you not find that today, our society have become superficial? It's in how we define "success". Do we hear the word, "integrity", "honesty", "loyalty", associated with the word "success"? Instead, we hear things like, "It doesn't matter how we get there, just get there". Today, a man with the bigger estate, not just bigger cars and houses, but how many they possess, people with more wives perhaps, a worldly title and to some extend, religious title, are looked upon as being "successful". And the most ironic quote of all is "success comes with a price".... err....one's soul perhaps?...
And what you get today is a society that is out to get each other. The system is less interested in helping you out, rather, collectively try to make as much money as they can squeeze out of you. This selfishness is reflected in the way we do our dealings with each other on daily basis, the way we drive on the roads, the way we react to crisis, the way we pick our government etc. Look around you, we are living in an almost failed society. Racism is as rampant as the corruption. The more powerful and the more material wealth you have, the more you are respected.
People are awarded bonuses, incentives not based on the integrity, honesty, loyalty at work, instead of how much revenue we bring in, it doesn't matter how this revenue is generated, so long as the credit balance is heavy on the debit side. Tell me something, how much money is much?
This country is run by politicians who do not see wrong in practising corruption. Money politics are brushed off with only "stern warnings". If anyone cannot see that "money politics" is synonym to "corruption", and he gets off with merely stern warning, then you know that that society is in deeper trouble morally, than they think they are. But why are we quick to criticize these corrupted politicians? After all, who put them there? If a country practices democracy, then simply put, the government reflects the society, because it is the majority who put them there. A corrupted government arises from a corrupted society. So why don't we look at our reflection. How do we go about in our daily dealings. If we, the society is not corrupted, then naturally there won't be any corrupted human beings to make politicians out of them then to elect ,right?
George Carlin will tell ya...
And for those who fight for the good against evil, it is our responsibility to unite and do something in our capabilities to make that change. Because to practice reticent, is as good as condoning the crime. Guilty by silence. Third Newton Law stated, "for every action there is a reaction". The good practices reticent ergo no action, so obviously there is no reaction in the form of change in the attitude of the rulers.
Please remember, that making money and power our god, is the root cause of the coruption. Corruption is like consumption, TB if you prefer. It consumes a society and kills it insidiously. But unlike cancer, the good news is that, it can be cured. But the TB treatment sometimes have a lot of side effects. It needs compliancy and the tenacity to complete it's course. Basically,what I'm trying to tell you is that corruption is curable. It just need the people's will, strength , tenacity and perseverance to do so.
How do we get out of this mess? Well, for starters, out-Islamizing each other is definitely not the answer. We don't need to start flogging alcohol consumers, selectively if I may add ( I mean, why the hypocrisy....if you want to set an example to people, why not go for the big guns?), just to show that we've suddenly become more righteous. You don't need religion to not be corrupted. The happiest people on earth, with less rate of corruption, are the Swedish and more than half of them are atheists. In Sweden, you can leave your baby outside to get some sun for a bit and you'll still have them giggling in the pram when you get back to them. No need religion to recognize humanity. Besides, we have enough examples to show that religion makes failed nations.
Take home message? Well, it's okay to be wealthy, long as we all achieve it by not cutting each others' throats and that wealth is not THE only reason for us to respect a human being.
Practicing some humanity may just get the job done actually. You need not embrace any religion to recognize humanity too. You just have to be human, that's the minimum qualification actually. All we need is just basic understanding of how to recognize what qualities makes one respectful, other than material evaluation. A little less ego and playing obtuse may take us far...
"Everyone is entitled to be stupid. Some just abuse the privilege"
I've always been awed by rainbows. I just love them. They are a sight for sore eyes. What awed me the most about the rainbow when I first learned it in the science class was that rainbows, despite comprising of many colors that makes it's beauty, is actually from one; the light.
That's what we are, multiple in skin shades but are ONE.... the sooner we realize this, the sooner we attain sanctuary, right here where it can never be taken away from us; in our hearts and minds............
My most fav quote:
"He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye"
-Siddhartha Gautama Buddha-
Here's a few more worth pondering on:
"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others" -Nelson Mandela-
“Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” -Abraham J. Heschel-
“It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate” -James Arthur Baldwin-
When the world turn their back on you, you show your butt to them...
