Either one has to become conveniently dumb or perhaps comfortably numb to defend the unapologetic leaders, uneducated religious merchants, or non-meritorious selections in every facet of life.
The innate conscience of the majority of society has been like a dwindling candle as if it will die down any time. The shameless stubborn way how people defend cartelization, hoarding, or nepotism where relatives, sons of colleagues, or course mates take preference overall systems and best and the brightest take a back seat. The norm becomes that if you know someone in a position of power, everything will be sorted.
Read more: Why non conformity is important for a prosperous society?
The game of power politics
The society deteriorated over a period of time when people saw spineless and yes men superseding dozens of good officers, when people saw that goons can become Ministers when people saw illegal monies can buy law when people saw sycophants get the prized postings when people say that politicians are only concerned about their own vested interests and when people saw honest men live in misery and upright men suffer while tax evaders and law maneuverers get the respect from the society when people say that going with the might and rent-seeking helps survival and perpetuate their power politics.
This power or so-called happiness the ignorant run after and society crumbles. Society has deprived its children of true happiness and living. States of Happiness as described by Aristotle have three forms. This first form is a life of pleasure and enjoyment, the second form is a free and responsible citizen and the third form is life as a thinker. Most die in pursuit of the first form of happiness as the second form is blessed on us. However, nearly no one has any ambition or understanding to pursue a third form of happiness. Isn’t it sad?
Hence, the youth no longer believe in idealism and justify all the wrongs by calling themselves pragmatic and practical. It is a shame that low materialistic standards are set for the youth. The paralyzed society or the compromised systems now being created will ensure that even the most powerful and rich will not be able to live in this country.
Read more: Battling the challenge of dying faith in Pakistan’s youth
The upright justice system, media and bureaucracy have become endangered
The universal scruples have been put aside and even when the selection of national teams is carried out, nepotism and justification of nepotism are rampant. The love for the son of a colleague becomes bigger than the national pride. The lesson we are teaching to talented youth is that this country is not for you, it’s better if you leave the country and get some other passport or nationality.
The meritless selections, propagation of vested interests, or hypocritic sloganeering have plagued the country’s ecosystem. There is a lot of talks but in essence, no one seems to be bothered about the next generation or what precedents are being set up. Even the people who believe in idealism and scruples do not stand up to their bosses because either they are scared that the system will turn against them and they will be labeled as black sheep or incompetent. Some of them knowingly become part of the cruelty as they fear transfers or loss of jobs.
This ecosystem of going with the might and not being objective will only result in law of the jungle and eventually, everyone will suffer. The national pride will be of no consequence and love for the flag will fade away.
It’s time for all men and women in power to rekindle their conscience and start taking fearless decisions, it’s time to become role models for the youth by standing up on the principals, it’s time for the judiciary to take decisions progressively, it’s time for media to go all gun blazing and highlight all the meritless selections, directionless policies and empty practices. It’s time for bureaucracy to reform and create specialists, it’s time for regulators to ensure fairness and impartiality.
Read more: Understanding the term ‘Anti Establishment’ in Pakistan
It’s time to demonstrate to youth that without malpractices and being part of unethical life can be lived. It’s time to stand up and say No to injustices. It’s time to look beyond own petty interests and privileges and be part of the daring truth. Will all of this be taken as a Camelot of a cynic or will we see some daring actions and fire in the conscience of men in power?
Moied Javeed is a senior telecom executive in Pakistan and can be reached at mj@tptglobal.net. The views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.