Co-dependency

I think most people who are even mildly conscious of current affairs would agree that we have a problem with leadership in this country. Those in authority generally seem to lack hearts, backbones and any sense of ethics whatsoever. Paradoxically, the individuals who would make the greatest leaders are not often drawn to positions of great power. They prefer to work quietly and diligently behind the scenes, heading up NGOs, bettering their communities, doing research and maybe serving as independent Senators at the most. So the most powerful positions in government tend to get fought over by those Machiavellian characters that we’ve become familiar with.

How is it that these “smartmen” manage to capture and maintain power? Wait, no, the answer to that question is far too complex for this short column. What I’m really trying to figure out is why on earth do people love them so much? As I write this, I am looking at a picture in the newspaper of joyous people raising a Member of Parliament freed of an obscene language charge into the air. They seem on the verge of tears, ready to present the unproven cuss bird with their first born children. They will no doubt vote for him in the upcoming elections if he is a candidate. This is clearly the type of arrogant son of a gun you must be if you want the support of the masses. I admit that when I see these displays of behaviour, the first thing that comes to mind is that these people deserve everything they are served by those they put in power.

So is it that the smartmen are only able to gain power because the blind party faithful who wear the T-shirts and wave the flags give it to them? If you’ve ever been sober at a political rally it would seem so. These people swallow whole the most obvious psychological tricks, making one wonder if they have any intelligence to insult. They writhe in ecstasy at the words of their fearless party leaders, whose verbal powers rival those of evangelical preachers. They unleash their fury on those who sympathise with silly things like corruption and embezzlement trials. They scoff at evidence of London bank accounts and are willing to invent elaborate conspiracy theories rather than face the obvious. The worst among them excuse what in their minds are foibles and the debate for them is simply about who tief more. So it may be that the reason the liars and swindlers are revered so much is that they reflect the ethical standards of their supporters.

Of course it may also be that the smartmen are the ones who are pulling all the strings and manipulating the masses for their own purposes. A little rum, roti and a ten days to boot – they dangle these carrots in front of the most marginalised persons in exchange for votes. They have no interest in uplifting their constituents through education and informed dialogue; people might then become smart enough to see through their trickery. No, the system of handouts is favoured. In this way, those who most need help don’t see themselves as capable of bettering their lot and continue to depend on external forces. So maybe it’s not so much love as a sick dependence that the supporters of the good MP were demonstrating when they smothered him with hugs outside the courtroom on Thursday.

What exists is probably closest to a twisted symbiotic relationship. The parties and party supporters exist because of each other. I remember an encounter with bus loads of party faithful during a protest in South earlier this year. The people on the buses were wining down to loud music, all the while balancing bottles of rum and plates of food provided by their beloved party. They were arriving by the hundreds for a convention and had to pass through a community that was protesting against the building of aluminium smelters in their backyards. Some of the bus people responded with obscene gestures and curses. What was most startling to me, though, was the look of obliviousness on their faces. They really seemed to be unaware of what was going on, even though they wore “Build d smelter” T-shirts. They were just enjoying the free ride, food and booze, grateful maybe for the chance to escape what was probably the tedium or wretchedness of their daily lives. They would sit through the party convention and clap drunkenly and make up numbers for the TV cameras. It was difficult to feel angry with them.

Afterwards the party officials passed by in their SUVs with the windows up and the air conditioning on. They were an interesting contrast to the people who had passed before. They knew exactly what was going on and the smug smiles on their faces said it all.

Shivonne Du Barry