Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Raised On The Street

The government wants us to think that the problem is with us. If only people would do their jobs better, if only people would work harder, if only people would stop littering, if only, if only. While people have indeed reached new heights of slumber and dismay, it is apparent that this is not entirely of their own doing. They have been catalyzed, pushed and even hypnotized into heading into that direction by none other than the governments themselves. To make matters worse the government installs a sense of hopelessness that things cannot be bettered and this is the exact ingredient to stabilize the state of dismay. Things of course aren't bad for everybody, they're worse for the people and better for the government who will soon run out of people to rob and oppress and will look amongst themselves for preys to feast upon until they've destroyed one another and present us with another outright dictator who will govern a hopeless and non existent people.

They say that if we had the energy of those who fought the war back in '73 or if we had the energy of those who won the African cup twice in a row, we'd turn this place around. But I tell you, if only the government had that same spirit, and when I say the government I'm not talking about 80 million people, I'm just taking about a couple of thousand, if they had that same spirit we'd be on the verge of fixing things.

But these days all anyone wants to do is preach. All anyone wants to do is hand out burdens to people that he himself cannot carry. It's easier to tell people to do things better, but can you tell yourself to do things, not even better, just differently? It's a near impossible task, it takes effort to stop drinking your tea or coffee in the morning. It takes effort to change things that have been instilled in you for a very long time and the fact of the matter is that all the horrible things have been instilled in us since birth. Not only does the government not provide what we need to overcome natural obstacles of ugly habits, but they devise ingeniously obstacles that hinder each individual from progress. In order to actually progress just a little bit, a tiny bit that other developed countries may consider as insignificant, you need to be a great person. This seemingly little progress should not be evaluated of itself but in the context in which this progress was made. For to go one step forward rather than ten steps back is to overcome the immense boulders designed by the government to set you back. That kilometer you've walked is worth thirty of those walked by others who have real governments and countries.

We've been brought up on a vicious street and not a home. It's the survival of the fittest and punishment of virtue and the hindering of any progress that might endanger the pact leader even if it benefits the others. It's like a den of thieves where honest people are the real outsiders. It's not a home where we feel safety in everything we do, guilty when doing wrong. It's a jungle where we have to turn into carnivores in order to get to the top of the food chain. We need to eat each other alive and we have no real protectors but each other.

And to top it all off, they tell you the problem is with you. "Come let us talk," they say, don't revolt, it's a democracy. But when we go and talk, they arrest us, beat us and torture us. The perfect servant of theirs is one who is happy to be enslaved. But a hundred years from now who knows what can happen, whose children will be where. They're trying to ensure our children and theirs a life that's not worth living and a country that's not worth dying for.

8 comments:

Deeeeeee said...

Reading through that, I decided to find valid arguments,disagree, and sharply answer back, but actually I can't find one thing to say... the government blames it on the people and people blame it on the government. Well at the end of the day, the government goes home and becomes the people. Personally, I was the government just this morning!

I blame it on lack of conscience and stamina, and low enforcement of laws and regulations.

Anonymous said...

Dear Will,
I find your post thought triggering, it amazing how you think and analyze. Let's take some time to touch upon the points you have tackled. To start with, it is fair that everyone should work hard on improving themselves. You can't expect the government to improve things for you. If you were a teacher who doesn't have his heart on to his work, why are you complaining that your kids are not getting good education.
IF ONLY, you and your colleagues were doing a good job, your own kids will be getting better education. But of course we can't ask an under paid teacher to do his job better he has his problems and he is hopeless. Everybody is hopeless!
Seriously, this love-hate relationship with the government has to end. If the government is so distrusted by people, how would it be expected to fix things??!!
If you go to a government officer with the biggest frown ever on your face to change the address on your ID for example. You are frowning at the poor employee because you are expecting the worst treatment ever, and the employee is treating you badly because of your frown. Which came first, the egg or the chicken?
The government is a slice of this community it would reflect it in every aspect. As Dee is saying "Well at the end of the day, the government goes home and becomes the people." Government or no government the whole nation thinks the same way, YES, if only we would change….
I totally agree with you! All that everyone wants to do these days is preach. Here we are, blogging about issues, but have we ever taken action??!! No, we are just pretty occupied with our day-to-day issues. Donations, Charity, Zakat, Community Work, are all there at the bottom of my to-do-list.
Oh my god, what have I done for my community OPPS I am bad, but hold on I have and excuse= I'm busy earning a living now.
Go away come back when I retire I will have time to preach about their importance maybe blog it as well.

insomniac said...

i like the way you closed it Will :)


anonymous,

this is not me disagreeing, it is more like me pointing out something...

there should be a system; a reliable one that leaves no room for violation, or to be a little bit realistic, leaves a minimum amount of violation.

A system that does not differentiate between people based on their status... blind like lady justice, perhaps! however, i am not sure lady justice is blind in this country, she's pretending to be blind to dodge some responsibilities, but that's another issue.

if there is that kind of system, the teacher you spoke of will be reported to the system, and if his behavior is due to the low pay or the bad package, the system should fix that... the miserable government official, there should be a system that provides him with better benefits and ensures that he does his job properly!

Utopia? perhaps... but it can happen! when i walk into a place where i need service, i put my best smile and speak politely, i explain what i want more than once without getting impatient, and when i get shitty treatment, i hold my anger back, but what really cripples me is that i know that even if i complain and start making trouble, the only difference it would make depends on whose name i will mention... this is not a system

and sadly, the government should provide such system... it didn't, or perhaps it is called constitution, which barely ever applies...

the government is responsible for what have become of the people... they took them centuries back, they changed their better nature and turned them into lazy uncivilized yet barbarian cavemen who would rip off your arm if it holds what they want and cannot have...

i wish i could change things, i think of ways i could, but at the end of the day i am crippled by the lack of good system and the abundance of a chaotic law that allows certain people to rise while ensures that others fall...


sorry for the long comment Will, i can hear music all over the place :)

Anonymous said...

despite that you all slightly disagree on some points, i still agree with all of you to a certain extent ... doesn't make sense i know.
I paused on that thought for a second then it struck me ... it is a checken Vs. Egg situation as anonymous mentioned...
i still don't disagree with either D or insomniac on their points about the system being unjust and screwed up and that at the same time night falls in and the government becomes the people .. which leads me to the following:
The only thing that could actually make a difference if we strike awareness at a personal level, starting with ourselves... you can't teach a million public workers who are opressed and underpaid how to suck it in and do their jobs right because they'll never respond (which is totally righteous)... but what you CAN do is start with yourself ... do something for your society and be an attractive model for people to follow ... soon before you know it your followers will include those who are in the position to affect this change and the change will happen...
It's too much of a far fetch, long term, blablabla ... and it's too fairytale-ish and would definitely not make sense to most of those who read it ... but seriously ... i can't think of another way out ... sorry...

Zayneb Ebrahem said...

we are salves though, just in a more democratic way. Back then slaves would be those who were locked in dark places and sold and in handcuffs. But now we are slave in a way where we work out butts off so we can pay our next bill which the money we have earned goes right back into theirs hands.

Please no politician is ever going to change this. No matter what their campaign is.

Nora said...

Replying to your post:
I might be ignorant when it comes to politics.. but I disagree with you. I do not see the gevernment as being that bad. They're not perfect... but no gevernment really is. We're not the worst off and that has to mean something. Egypt is still one of the most kick ass places to live.. and I think that some credit should be given to the governement. I also think that the country and the government has changed recently. There are many initiatives trying to correct the major problems in this country. These initiatives do not stand a chance if nobody believes in them. So, if you feel you cannot do anything to help... at least believe it can he done and maybe you will motivate others to believe there can be a solution to all you see wrong.

Replying to comments:
I do not think that having a poor salary is reason to not do your job. You agreed to take the job at whatever salary you were offered. Now, suck it up and fulfill the contract you agreed upon. I have worked jobs and knew I was hideously underpaid.. but my professionalism and work ethic made me give it my best regardless of what I was getting.. simply because I agreed to the terms. We need to stop blaming our fucking up on other people or factors.

Also, when I go into any goevernmental office I always get very good service. Most people go beyond what is required of them to help me. I go in with a smile and a sincere belief that I will get something accomplished and that people will be helpful.. and honestly, they are.

I think that most of our problems lie in the manner that we go about getting things done. Maybe we should trying different ways of thinking and acting before we look at other peoples' ways of thinking and acting....

Call me naieve if you will.. but that is what I sincerely believe.

Wael Eskandar said...

Nora, what you're pointing out is that the government might be impotent rather than negligent. If they're trying hard and not succeeding as is obvious, then I suppose it's negligence of them not to step down.

However of course it's all just opinions here and I could be wrong, thanks for sharing.

LouLou said...

Generally speaking, there's a limit to how much national problems can be blamed on leadership.

I think leaders are a product of society more than society is a product of leadeship. In other words, the few thousands you mentioned did not arrive from outer space in a capsule. They are a product of their society.

I believe positive, sustainable change can only happen from the bottom up. There's very little historical evidence to revolutions succeeding in creating reform from the top down. More often than not, they make things worse.

In other words, a decent work ethic should result in a healthy economy which should in turn become a driving force that prevents the corrupt and inept from surviving in power.

In short, "Kama takoono yowala
3laikum."