Wisdom in a time of crisis.

When some leaders start to display dictatorial tendencies, human nature being what it is, it is worthwhile looking at what history has to say. Always it is best to take the long view – a timely distance allows one to make sense of what happened and why. 

Even so, relating to current world leadership, inferences may be drawn from the sayings of some historical figures:-

“Those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.”

No one is quite sure who originated this saying - attributed, possibly to Euripides, but it doesn’t really matter. It is the intent. I believe is quite appropriate today.  By “mad” I don’t think that insanity is implied, rather I believe that what is alluded to is a loss of  “measure” – a term that is no longer fashionable - meaning a loss of proportion; giving to much emphasis on personal gain and aggrandizement and thus ignoring the plight of others.     

Then there is this famous injunction leveled at the English “Rump Parliament” on 20^th April 1653, when Oliver Cromwell harangued the members of that parliament:-

“You have sat here too long for any good that you have been doing lately. Depart I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!” 

Also quite apposite today I believe is this saying, attributed to Edmund Burke, the Eighteenth Century Irish author and Statesman:-

 “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.”

It saddens me to think that some of todays world leaders have so lost their moral and ethical compasses that they think only of themselves.

Then many people have idols; things they value above all others, even, unfortunately more than they value themselves – their self-worth, their honour or their reputation. As has been said before, poets have the ability to say in a few words what it takes others many words to express. 

There is a very appropriate verse in the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Omar was an 11^th Century Persian mathematician, astronomer and poet) - which goes as follows (verse 69): 

                                           Indeed the Idols I have loved so long

                                           Have done my Credit in Men’s Eyes much wrong:

                                              Have drown’d my Honour in a shallow cup,

                                          And sold my Reputation for a Song 

In this context it may also be useful to recall the words of an old nursery rhyme – a cautionary tale stressing the importance of doing things properly. By doing things properly, doing them well, unintended consequences are minimised. This is a tale of the “Horse-shoe Nail”:-

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.

For want of a shoe the horse was lost.

For want of a horse the battle was lost.

For want of a battle the Kingdom was lost,

And all for the want of a horse-shoe nail!

The nail represents the “glue” that binds us together as humans. The main component of this “glue” is trust. This is what holds us together as a society – trust. Trust that those we deal with believe in ethics, morality, virtues and hold to their values and will do what they promise; trust that people are honest and will treat others in the way they would like to be treated. When it comes to organisations – be they Governments, financial organisation, multinational news conglomerates, political parties, police departments or families there is a need to understand, today as never before, what it means to provide a duty of care and its corollary – a fiduciary duty. Anything else will lead to chaos, as has been displayed for all to see over the last few years.

This leads back to the title of this post – wisdom in a time of crisis. When good men do nothing; when leaders love their idols more than their fellow beings; when leaders love their idols (whatever they are) more than they respect the need for honesty and morality, we are in real trouble. The horseshoe was lost years ago and we have already lost the horse; if we now lose the battle as well, the kingdom and all of us will be in grave danger. 

And it’s leaders will have drowned their honour in a shallow cup and sold their reputations for a song.

Israel, Gaza and superbugs.

The Middle East is currently in a diplomatic mess. Particularly the Gaza – Israeli crisis. And it is a crisis. The Israelis say its all the Palestinians fault that there is a blockade of Gaza. The Israelis need to stop attacks on Israel. Fair comment! But what the Israelis forget, or ignore, is that some Palestinian families still have the keys to the houses they were forced to leave (without compensation) in 1948, when the State of Israel was formed. 

This injustice, and it is an injustice, being forced to leave your land and house without compensation, has been seared deep into the Palestinian psyche. All the Palestinians want in their land back. Instead they were told, “invited”, to move to Gaza, or be forcibly moved there. So the Palestinians, as they have done for 70 years, are trying, by any means to get the Israelis to agree to a solution, even the least worst option of a “Two State” country. 

This, “two state” possible solution, is anathema to the hard line parties in the Israeli parliament that will not budge – Israel belongs to the Jews according to Biblical records; it is a God given land, and so it will remain!  

So Gaza is now the most densely populated place on earth with its infrastructure largely destroyed by Israel. Normal standards of hygiene are impossible to achieve. Water and sewage treatment is largely non-existent. It is on record that untreated wastewater has now seeped into the aquifer that is drawn on by Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.  Hospitals are unable to obtain enough drugs and medications to effectively treat the many wounded by the Israeli air attacks.  

The result? An alarming increase in the incidence of antibiotic resistant superbugs. The trouble is this Genie is now well and truly out of the bottle and can never be put back. Superbugs are spread very easily and Gaza shares borders with Israel and Egypt – admittedly heavily controlled and fortified border crossings. But people move, crossing those border every day and will carry the bacteria on their clothes, shoes, on their skin, even up their nose. 

These superbugs will spread worldwide. Their movement is now unstoppable. 

Remember the old tale about the horseshoe nail? “For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; for want of a horse the battle was lost; for want of a battle the Kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horse shoe nail.” 

This still holds true. Inaction and intransigence on resolving a 70 years old injustice will cause problems for us all.

Howling Dog

Most people will know this story – or at least some variation of it. It is a simple tale of a man who visits a friend who he finds on the back porch sitting on a chair, idling away the time by whittling on a piece of wood. He strikes up a conversation with his friend but is constantly interrupted by a dog lying next to the chair, who, every now and again whines then emits a howl. Somewhat alarmed he asks his friend if the dog shouldn’t be taken to a vet and treated for an obviously painful ailment.

The friend says, “No. He is lying on a nail but it is not hurting enough for him to get up and move. So he just lies there whining and howling.”

Now how many of us are in a situation, domestically or at work, which gives us grief in that it is emotionally draining, stressful and generally unpleasant? If this is your situation (and I believe that many people find themselves in this situation) which, to put it plainly, is not conducive to peace of mind, what are you doing about it? Are you just accepting the emotional pain without getting up and moving and just like the dog in the tale above, complaining about your situation but remaining where you are? Why? In the name of all that is wonderful, why?

In our society it is a criminal offence to physically restrain someone against their will - unless of course you are already in prison, which is a different story entirely. I am talking about voluntary situations where you made a choice which turned out to have been not very good. We all make bad decisions at times. If you made a bad choice, take a deep breath, choose again and move on with your life.

Remember, without chains, you are only held against your will if you have, (even subconsciously), given someone permission to hold you. Move on – withdraw that “permission” and live the life you choose to live. Live your life, not the life someone else want you to live.

Now choose and move on! Do something! Doing nothing isn't an option!