That would be no problem, because I'm the LAW!
When I heard that word, somehow this phrase is an early sign of power corrupting people. As people gain power to the point of being able change the law to bend in what way it seems convinent, then it is a spark that will lead to the fire of corruption, nepotisim, and cronyism.
One quote come from Plato's Crito in which recollects Socrates last days sums it up nicely:
One quote come from Plato's Crito in which recollects Socrates last days sums it up nicely:
Socrates: Consider it in this way. Suppose the laws and the commonwealth were to come and appear to me as I was preparing to run away and were to ask, " Tell us, Socrates, what have you in your mind to do? What do you mean by trying to escape but to destroy us and think that a sate can exist and not be overthrown, in which the decisions of the law are of no force, and are disregarded and underminded by private individuals?" How shall we answer questions like that, Crito?When talking about the movie again, another issue that repeatedly is popped up is that it seems education shouldn't be a huge factor in considering elected public officials. One of the things that popped into my mind is about how presidental elections somehow turn into strange affairs - and an example of how real life is so similar - we can see well in the Phillipines election in which Estrada and Poe were two popular megamovie stars in their country who ran for president. Both of these candidates had little education(primary), which makes them a huge contrast to their more highly sophisticated alternative which are usually old policians with high education. In the example of Estrada, he won the presidental race, and quickly had popularist policies up and running to appease the poor whereas he plundered the country with his cronies and was ousted a few years later.
In the example of Poe he lost the election to Arroyo, who currently is in hot water over her admission that she may have cheated by persuading election officials to help her out in the last election. As we noticed these are examples of poorly qualified candidates who has a huge voter base due to personal charisma. When talking about education, I do find that since most politicians cheat, education doesn't seem to be a big matter. The point that I find as a paradox is that the more clever and educated the candidate is, the more likely the scale of the the cheating would be. As noted, you don't need to look for for example of this. In Thailand, all Member of Parliment are required to have at least bachelor level education. Somehow by adding this requirement, we see new creative and more worrisome forms of cronyism and corruption budding on a regular basis, which I do assume isn't the intended result of the law.
As noted, education and moral don't really go hand in hand. Higher education doesn't guarantee better moral, its completely discrete.
If you talk about moral, we can easily power can corrupt a person's moral. Now some people will say if religion plays a huger part in the government, then morality would not be a big issue. However, I'm a huge opponent of that. One of the most dangerous thing that has happened in our World is the rise of fundamentalist elements. People who have strong religious conviction and are willing to go beyond normal means to achieve their goal, have little reasoning capability due to blind faith, and insensitive to the multiplicity in the world. Some good example of people who have moral that are straight and exact to the book could be pointed at the Taliban. In some cases, I feel that people following religion do it for unholy causes. From what I see donation is similar to investment to god. Praying for good fortune later, I feel its is like to withdraw some of the investment from god. Somehow it makes sense in financial terms doesn't it?
That brings to the other side of the spectrum, there is money that plays a huge part in swaying a person's moral to the dark side. Somehow I feel the hawks in Washington are calling to the call of Money, though claiming to be morally sound on a religious sense. Somehow I find it ironic, but as we note, even the question of moral, virtue, and the sense of right and wrong would go around in a full circle much like asking which comes first - a chicken or an egg?
So after a long and rambling talk, it just seems that I've just ran into circles and back again. Somehow I've come to the conclusion that most politicans are lying scumbags, and no matter what education and background they come from, they are usually corrupted due to the allure of power and the swaying influence of religious fundamentalism and/or money which makes it a deadly combination. The only difference that makes one politician look better than another usually lie on their ability to manipulate the media. As noted, you should know that appearing to be good is alot easier than being good, and it just seems that too many people are taking this approach these later lean and mean years.
Though I may sound quite sour at my inability to change how many of our politicans plunder our country, somehow it warms my heart when I read Plato's Apology when I came to a part in which Socrates mentioned about an episode in his short foray into public life as a politician and his dealing with an accuser that he was a corrupter of youth:
The only office of State which I ever held. O men of Athens was that of senator: the tribe Antiochis, whic is my tribe, had the presidency at the trial of the generals who had not taken up the bodies of the slain after the battle of Arginusae; and you proposed to try them in a body, contrary to law, as you all thought afterwards; but at the time, I was the only one of the Prytanes who was opposed to the illegality, and I gave my vote against you; and when the orators threatened to impeach and arrest me, and you called and shouted, I made up my mind that I would run the risk, having law and justice with me, arather than to take part in your injustice because I feared imprisonment and death. This happened in the day of
democracy.
Somehow at the end of this blog, I want to dedicated this to our PM, wish you another belated birthday (which was 2 days ago), and hopefully someday you can be the man you claim to be during your first steps into the Thai political scene without having to rely with all the media circus and spindoctors to cover your tracks.
2 comments:
i am the law .. it's true.
Many people are power hunger. They get what ever they wanted.
I have ran accross one MP down at Silom Rd few years back. He was walking along the Rd talking to those shop owners along the Rd whith many of his body gards.
When I walked pass him, actually I have to walk on the road as there is no space for me to walk on the foot path without looking at his face. He just say to me that didnt u know I am MP?
Well inside me just go who give a damm about you? Few months ago you come and beg for our votes and now u want us to respect u as MP? Just go to hell.
During Asian Games, I was part in a Volunteer Fire Rescue team. I saw many people go against each other becase they have power. They showing off their power that make our jobs difficult.
At the closing celemony, the guy who control the Ramkhamheng University area which is the back of the Rajamangkala stadium stop all cars to park there. I agree because they would create huge traffic there as the sportmen buses and bus of the staffs are to stop and pick up there. But they also stop about 30 plus fire trucks including the radio station setup vehicles which helps them comunicate not to park there. We try to explain to them that we suppose to stand by there incase if there is anything happens.
So at the end we pull out coz we didnt want to argue with them.
Really wanna see ppl in power do the best to for other ppl's interests.
Politicians come and go, some are a little better than others, some are more clever at corrupting, some are great with image creation etc. I think the point is not to expect a perfect politicians, cause there are none. They are only human, and good and bad is only relative. I tend to believe, that most if not all politicians still have some good intentions (even if it is very small), true, some more than others, though the means by which they come into power almost, has certainly brought some immoral (power hungry) side to them along the way.
The point is that the rules which govern the system are supposed to inevitabily check this balance of power. This is one beauty of this rule to the game, becasue it does not require either the person checking the person in power, or the person in power to be 'good'. Both will keep (in theory at least) the balance of power, even though the intention (to bring the otherside down from power, and oneself into power) may not necessarily be 'good'. The rules of the game is not perfect, ofcause, and loop-holes exist. The person in power will have a more difficult time excercising power, ie. the decision process will be slowed, even when his intention is good for example. It is a cost, that will have to be weighed with the check and balance of the system.
It all comes down to people, and 'trust' basically. It is clear that in any society where the is generally a higher level of 'trust', and 'moral' within the community, less rules are needed, (not because there are not any bad intended people, but that their proportion is lower) and any process from the most basic of everyday life, to the rules which govern the society, are excercised more efficiently. This is observed as the countries with some of the least corruption in the world, has actually 'less' need for rules covering every aspects of everyday life. It comes from the ground up, and the 'education' here is not the one in school, but one that the particular society has imposed upon it's citizens by rewarding, punishing, praising and repremanding it's citizens for their actions. 'Society' is an awkward word ofcause, with an awkard meaning in this context ofcause, but that's going a little too deep for this discussion right now. It is a difficult balancing act..., true, not a perfect system, but one that currently 'works' within 'limits' in today's society.
Unfortunately, when the people in power not only corrupt, but also change the rules which balances the power within the system to benefit themselves, the damage is more long term. The balance will tip for ever (until counter rules, or obolishment of the rules which cause the tip are inforced to bring it back into balance), and without counter balance even after the politician has gone, the change of the 'rules' to benefit himself and the reprecussion will have a long lasting effect within the society. The corruption of the minds of the next generation, and changing fundamental laws to this advantage are great examples of this.
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