- FileKnight - is our high murder rate because of him or just the weakness of our culture?
Ian Boyne, Contributor
IRRESPECTIVE of which political party you support, it would be nigh impossible to deny that there is a deep feeling of foreboding, frustration, alienation, cynicism and mistrust in Jamaica.
You might ascribe it to misinformation and the work of propagandists, but a denial of these facts should warrant a visit to one of the country's better psychiatrists.
There is a sense of rootlessness; a feeling that we are drifting and that those in charge of the ship are just looking after themselves. It is difficult to practice honest journalism because the culture is so partisan and divisive that objective analysis is bound to be read as political bias. So many continue to live in denial.
In business it is customary to do a SWOT analysis to look at the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) that face the particular business. A similar analysis of Jamaica proves disturbing. But it must be done.
Strengths
One of the positive features of Jamaica over the past number of years is the assertiveness of the ordinary working-class Jamaican, and his or her refusal to accept the trampling of his rights. The Jamaican people have made it clear that "Backra Massa days done" and with it the attendant subservience.
Generally, Jamaicans stubbornly refuse to accept the sentiments of the old hymn which says: "The rich man in his Castle, the poor man at his gate; God made them high and lowly and ordered their estate".
Concomitantly, our people have become more vocal on national and community issues, and this has been greatly facilitated by the media, particularly the talk shows. There has been a strengthening of civil society and a weakening of the hold of the political parties. The political parties are now on the defensive and have, thankfully, lost some of the power they once wielded. Politicians have gone from gods to dogs in the eyes of many (Though I don't support that extreme).
Civic groups and non-governmental organisations have been empowered and have been an important countervailing force to the politicians. The politicians are behaving more accountable to the people these days and show less of the arrogance and sense of omnipotence, which used to characterise them. (There are still some vestiges of this from those living in a time warp, but many are learning painfully). The increased probity, even scepticism, of the media has helped considerably.
Weaknesses
But our weaknesses outweigh our strengths for we have not found the balance between advocacy of our rights and the shouldering of our responsibilities. Our dancehall culture is an example of the kind of crude and crass swinging to the other side of the pendulum, from obsequiousness to vulgar disrespect. In addition, the increased assertiveness and recognition that politicians have feet of clay have led to a crippling cynicism and disillusionment with politics that is dangerous for democracy.
It is also leading to increasing apathy, a growing "me-ism" and an atomistic approach to life. People are just busy hustling, juggling, and tending their own little shop. Yes, many are vocal. But the majority is too turned off to bother about changing the political system.
The fractiousness and divisiveness of our people, our appalling inability to resolve simple disputes constitutes one of our greatest and most debilitating weaknesses. The politicians set no example. They can't settle their disputes without rancour, name-calling and the abuse of one another (The EAC fracas is merely the latest), often behaving like spoiled children in the nation's Parliament. Our murder rate is high not because of National Security Minister K.D. Knight, but because of this tragic weakness in our culture.
In an age that calls for deal-making and strategic alliances, we are grossly underprepared for the 21st century.
Opportunities
There are significant opportunities for us to market our culture and to make mega-bucks from our cultural industries. There are vast opportunities in information technology and a major opportunity to market our human capital through the Information and communications technologies. There is the opportunity for us to be the Silicon Island of the Caribbean, the opportunity to be the Singapore of the Caribbean. But our threats presently outweigh the opportunities.
Threats
These are many. One, the galloping cynicism and mistrust will destroy us. The media have lost all sense of balance and must share some blame in this, but media practitioners are generally so arrogant and unreflective that they will give the usual knee-jerk reaction that criticisms like these are uttered by apologists for the Government who have their whole bodies in the trough. Argument done.
This is the same media which berate politicians for not being willing to listen will listen to no one except their advertisers and managers. Jamaicans seem to have an automatic negative reaction to everything. There is enough psychological research to demonstrate, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the constant harping and emphasis on the negatives only reinforces those negatives, and it's time we stop the silly, defensive rejoinder that this criticism is an effort to shield the Government from attacks and to pretend everything is rosy. Nonsense.
Just as individuals shoot themselves in the foot (and perhaps the head) if they constantly recite their disadvantages and obstacles, so nationally the daily diet of ain't-it-awful talk is crippling the nation. Yes, there are problems and very serious ones. But we rob ourselves of the ability to creatively respond to them when we feed our cynicism. The people in charge of running the Government must also ensure that their behaviour does not lend to the deepening of the cynicism.
The esteemed psychologist Martin Seligman has done some fascinating studies on the concept of learned helplessness which our talk-show hosts and journalists would do well to acquaint themselves with.
Another major threat is our elevation of money as the supreme value in life and our obsession with aping the American materialistic lifestyle. Many commentators fail to see the connection between our money-obsession and our runaway corruption. We focus on the institutional and constitutional things which need to be done to curb corruption and we fail to look at the root causes. It is a culture where value and worth are defined largely in material terms. And this phenomenon is worsening because we have no ideology or philosophical principle to rally around.
We are a people experiencing ennui and psychological disorientation. We have absolutely no sense of national purpose or direction.
But let's end with positives. We have been a very resilient, courageous people. Every time we seem to be stepping off the brink, something pulls us back something keeps us hoping, keeps us pushing us forward. We are tough and we are creative. Perhaps if we are a little more reflective, more humble and less partisan we might yet come up with the solutions.
