Things to Ask and Learn

The recently-concluded presidential election in the United States was followed with great interest by the majority of the world population, not least because the waves of America’s politics invariably affect others beyond its shores. Malaysians are also getting prepared to cast their votes in the next general election which will take place in a matter of months. The presidential election reminded us of some key points that need to be addressed by both our government and the people, if we were to take up the reins of our country’s future and steer it to better heights.

In this essay, the writer questions the loss of authority which is entailed by the loss of trust, or whether there is any credibility to the ‘truth’ spurned by the media, without or despite the absence of an authority; and the true design of a cause by each party .

What gives us the right to command others to do what we like them to do? What do we preach to other people? What exactly is the duty of those who are in power or in a position of authority? Should Daddy be respected because he is the ‘man of the house’ or does he earn his respect out of love by his wife and children?

If someone does something wrong, we are quick in our attempt to set them right, believing that we actually know better. However, we really don’t know any better. If we think we are right about something, there’s also a probability that we might be wrong about it. Why do we give advice? Is it out of concern for other people, or is it to satisfy our moral needs? Don’t you think we should do something right because it is only right?

Definition of Authority

“Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” (Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part II, 1597)

In a position of power, a man is often tempted to abuse it for his own benefits. It takes a great deal of moral courage to stay on the path of selflessness and be concerned only with the welfare of the people under his authority. There is absolutely no room for self-indulgement, however deserving that may be. Of course, this also relegates the individual into becoming a mere figure, an image that he has to maintain in the society. No one truly knows what goes on in his head and no one knows his story. No one knows what drives him to take a certain decision.

The Kindly Ones, a historical fiction novel by Jonathan Littell, provides us with a great description.

“We like to contrast the State, totalitarian or not, with the ordinary man, that insect or trembling reed. But then we forget that the State is made up of individuals, all more or less ordinary, each one with his life, his story...”

Government is of the people, and should be chosen by the people. It seems only right that the demands of the people should be echoed by the Government and the latter should be subjected to the people’s whims. There is not supposed to be a distinction between those running the country and the general public. The Government and the people are the same. Both are one.

Validity of Information

The advent of the Internet and the ubiquity of the mass media promise that information is literally at the tip of our fingers. People have become a lot more informed, thanks to the hard work of news agencies to bring the news in a much broader network. It’s easier for people to connect with each other, share opinions and exchange ideas than those living 50 years ago. We have come so far in terms of physical progress.

Nevertheless, what really drives people to make a good decision? Is information alone enough to make us informed about an issue or a particular subject?

When people only screen the information they receive without properly analysing it, they will instantly believe what they see or hear. There are those who are quick to jump on a bandwagon, involving themselves in a cause for the sake of rebellion against the authority. I don’t believe they truly care for the end of the cause seeing as the methods that they use are not in line with what they are bandying about. We ought to encourage critical thinking; however, I do believe that being passionate is different from being emotional. The former is translated into sincere and measured actions, which are governed by intellect, while the latter is not.

It is important to note that once the Government ceases to be the ‘authority’, there will be others waiting to fill up that position. Essentially, the Government and the Opposition, sitting on the opposite benches in the Parliament are both candidates for the ‘authority’ to run the country. Soldiers and police are bound to serve the country, not the current government.

When Government’s plans are questioned, based on the emotions of the people towards the individuals running the country, the Government’s authority is indirectly questioned as well. Without the authority, how do you expect them to lead the people? How do you expect the Government to run the country?

When a leader loses the respect of his followers, he is no longer fit to lead.   

However liberal we may be, we need to concede that filtering of certain information is necessary. There can’t and shouldn’t be, for that matter, total transparency in the Government. The people elects the Government, therefore they also put in their trust and belief in them. Certain matters should be handled by the experts, and those who aren’t experts in the matters should not get involved.

There should be a clear distinction between the Government’s rights and the people’s rights. For instance, I believe the Government does not have the right to invade the privacy of an individual. Only when that individual trespasses certain boundaries or harm others then, they are subjected to the law. Everyone should be treated as innocent in the first place. This philosophy is rarely practised in our country however. People find it easier to feed on rumours and hearsay without doing any research to investigate the truth.

“O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” (An injunction for the Muslims, quoted from Qur’an 49:6)

Clear Intentions

The people should be allowed to practise what they believe. Their behaviours shouldn’t be monitored, or captured on camera. Freedom must be guaranteed and this can be achieved when the Government stops acting like they ‘know better’. The Government is in place to guard the people, not to control them. We should encourage ideas to flourish in our society. I believe progress in thought and societal maturity is the key towards driving our nation forward—not the physical progress, however laudable it may seem.

Information is technically boundless nowadays. Whether the Government likes it or not, people are getting increasingly aware of the Government’s actions and closely monitor them. This is in reverse of what I mentioned before. Instead of the Government watching the people (which by the way, is their first and foremost duty), it is now the people who are watching the Government. Every policy is being scrutinised and the public is no longer content to sit in the back. They air their dissatisfactions and direct their anger towards the Government, when they think the Government screws up. It doesn’t matter who is right, but what matters is the Government is no longer able to act like a parental figure over the society.

As the people are becoming more actively involved in the running of the country, the nation’s leaders should be listening more to the people’s voice and taking into account their opinions and complaints; all done with the nation’s best interests at heart. They should inspire people to do the right thing, and to do that, they must first and foremost accept that the Government and the people stand on the same ground; one is not greater than the other.

To quote Martin Luther King, the great champion of human rights:

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a moulder of consensus.”

What this means is that, the leaders should work on bridging differences not by finding similar grounds, but by building an interest that is recognised and shared by all members of the nation, so that we can move forward with a clear goal in mind. We should curb the speech of WHO is right and start answering the question of WHAT is right. 

Similarly, Obama acknowledged the importance of shared dreams and united spirits in his acceptance speech: 

“This country has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military in history, but that's not what makes us strong. Our university, our culture are all the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores... What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth... The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations.”

The people are calling for reforms. What kind of reforms are we seeking? Is it enough to suggest that the current Government is incompetent, which warrants their dismissal from the office? Are we riding in a cause simply because it is convenient to do so, when everybody is chanting for the death of another, without properly analysing the issue?

There’s a cloud on the horizon. The fate of our nation is not yet clear but, it will be determined by the people, and not the current Government. The latter has lost that power when they lost the authority. Trust has been breached, and in all sectors, there exist much doubt and uncertainty. A new era dawns on the nation’s doorstep, but are we as the people ready to take on this challenge?