By Renton de Alwis
Written and published in late 2009, the backdrop is
the lead up to the last Presidential election held in January 2010. Once again
these thoughts may serve as a backdrop for our thoughts of the present and the future
we desire ...
Learning from History
It was the Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw who once
said “If
history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man
be, of learning from experience”. In
seeking answers to the question, the Irish folk idiom adapted by American folk
musician Pete Seeger called his song “Where
have all the flowers gone?” and went on to raise a further question; “When will they ever learn?”
There
is so much said or expressed by literary greats and social activists of all
time, where we in this day and age can learn lessons from. When what happens around
us makes no sense, these gems, indeed are a great source for us to seek and find
some solace.
A mixed bag
There
is talk of a premature Presidential election to be held. There is also speculation
of a ‘common candidate’ being fielded. This is an action proposed by what, not
too long ago, would have seemed an unimaginable alliance. The dramatization is
further juiced up by speculation, if what will be held is a general election or
a Presidential one. Interest rates have been pegged low and attempts are made
to hold down prices of consumer goods with government intervention. Opposition parties
have formed worker alliances and are ‘working to rule’ or threatening to take
on strike action to claim what is presented as their just demands. GST plus
concession is hanging on a thin thread and there is talk of our depending on a more
diversified economy to fill in any void from a fall out. The IDP’s are being
resettled surely but slowly and strong calls are being made by the President
for reestablishing unity within our diversity through a fast forward programme
of social and economic development. The focus is on affected and backward areas. What we see
amidst all of this, is a mixed bag of determination, intrigue, sense and
nonsense.
As you like it
William
Shakespeare in his play ‘As you like it’ said thus; “All the world's a stage; And all the men and women merely players. They
have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts”.
How very true; too many men and women in politics play varied roles, like good
and bad actors do and make this world of ours, their stage. We the audience
have no choice but to pay dearly to see them play and watch as they make their
exits and entrances, only sometimes being able to determine the ‘when and how’
they are made. The Bard in ‘Hamlet’ also quipped “The devil hath power; to assume a pleasing shape”. He made us see
how, in Macbeth, the good turn ugly and treason becomes the order of the day. Where
friend becomes foe almost overnight, for lust and greed for power is what
drives it. We also must not forget the words of poetess Emily Dickinson that “A wounded deer leaps the highest”.
The rascal judge
In the midst of all of this reigns Azdak the rascal judge, the character created by Bertolt Brecht for his play ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle’; brilliantly adapted and played by Late Henry Jayasena, who left our midst only last week, in his own version of it, as ‘Hunuvataye Kathawa’. Announcing Azdak’s entrance Brecht had his narrator sing out loud; “All mankind should love each other; But bring an ax when you talk to your brother; What miracles of preaching, a good sharp blade can do?; His honor of the high court knew; And understood it too!
When the sharks the sharks devour; Little fish will have their hour; Tis fishy to fix the scales of power; Thankfully, he's in the ivory tower; The poor man's magistrate… ;Who's the man to seal your fate; The one, the only potentate; Who's the wise? Who's the great?; Who Can it be? Who can it be? ; Azdak!”. Elsewhere in the play he had Azdak in a court scene exclaim in disgust, at the dichotomy he is faced in his world of corruption and disorder with the lines “Terrible is the temptation to do good..”. He then had him extend his hand to the accused with a gesture of inviting a bribe with the phrase; “I take”.
Guessing games
Referring
to war, Brecht is quoted to have said “War
is like love, it always finds a way” and again quipped with deep sarcasm; “Why be a Man, when you can be a success?”
In his play ‘The Three Penny Opera’ he stated “For the villainy of the world is great, and a man has to run his legs
off to keep them from being stolen out from underneath him”. Is that not
why, we all have had to tolerate our political leaders when they play their
guessing games and indulge in their antics, day in day out?
The Bard; all time great of English literature, sheds more light in our attempt to understand the ups and downs of what happens on our political stage. Some of them are “I hate ingratitude more in a man; than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness; or any taint of vice whose strong corruption; inhabits our frail blood”; “Glory is like a circle in the water; Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself ;Till by broad spreading it disperses to naught” and advised thus with words of wisdom “He who has injured thee was either stronger or weaker than thee; If weaker, spare him; if stronger, spare thyself”. The American playwright Tennessee Williams touched on the wily depths of human actions with the lines “We have to distrust each other; It is our only defense against betrayal”.
Get off my back
The
Russian writer Leo Tolstoy aptly described the reality of the world in which we
live, where exploitation is rampant, with the words “I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry
me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to
ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back”.
A word for peace
In this most complex political canopy of ours, these words of The Buddha from the Kalama Suthra in the Anguththara Nikaya, will be of immense value to us in making sense of the nonsense around us “…don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These things are unskillful; these things are blameworthy; these things are criticized by the wise; these things, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering’ — then you should abandon them”and The Buddha word “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace”.
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