WHAT’S UP WITH ALL THIS CORRUPTION?
Reading the media regularly, almost daily one hears about the corruption happening in the country. “…and R250 million Rands disappeared in the Department of …”, and “PPE gone – we don’t know where… but it was millions worth”. It goes all the way to the other end of the spectrum with people making nothing of it, “Corruption is nothing new. It’s been happening since the 1600’s…” and somehow it’s ok or “normal” that it is happening because it started centuries ago. Or “Politician from … party caught with his pants down as the large cookie jar was found empty…” It is almost to that level of “a bad joke”.
So what is this really about? Where does that come from? It is as if somebody is setting us up to make us weaker as a Nation, embroiling us in noise and confusion, making people become greedy for more money, incapable of straightening up this centuries-old matter. Is this really where we want to be as a Country? Or is it the vested interests of others pushing us to the brink of collapsing?
Many have tried to handle it or at least put this under some control, and while the attempts are good – we are at least aware that there is something wrong with it – the situation is still not resolved. Even a Commission was established to find where does the money go and this ain’t no quickie task as billions have “disappeared” and the guilty ones try to cover their act, hide in hospital, or think that because “others do not know”, they are ok. But are they really?
There is an old saying which goes, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” This must be one of the biggest lies there is. If one commits some fraud or decides to make a “quick buck” while in politics to “become rich while one can”, maybe nobody else knows for now… but the individual himself, his conscience knows and that is plenty enough! How about the consequences even if one is not found out – the heaviness and constant guilt that eats one up; having to constantly lie to one’s co-workers, family and friends to cover up the crimes makes one’s life more miserable than anything else – the constant threat of being found out, the destruction of one’s family, losing one’s job and having to find another one after 5-10-20-30 years in jail. Is it really worth it?
“Uneasy lies the head that has a bad conscience. (…) The right of a person to survive is directly related to his honesty”, as philosopher L. Ron Hubbard once wrote in 1959. In 1982, he also wrote, “One cannot live a happy or even a contented life or even one worth living when one is committing crimes. Even those well hidden. The stolen loot is worthless, the pain a man causes lives on deep in his own soul.” L. Ron Hubbard.
I am not trying to be a moralist or a puritan here, but as sure as a rock falls when thrown in the air, as sure as two plus two equals four, what will fall on the head of people that commits crimes is not worth the temporary “pleasure” of “feeling rich” since it is just an appearance until one is found out. Unless one is completely criminal and an anti-social personality and not even aware that hurting others will eventually get back to him hard – even if the men he stole might have been killed by him too and they are no longer there to hurt him back, nature will! I trust that most politicians are social personalities and they have momentarily fallen for greed, not being aware of what is ahead for them, and, having been caught in that trap, they don’t know how to get out of it. It is a very dangerous “fad”, and it weakens us as a Nation. It is a sad game all around.
When anyone is at a point of deciding whether he should take that money or not as it “looks” so appetizing, take a minute or two to consider if it is really worth it. Don’t lose your integrity, as well as your family and friends just for money. It is really not worth it and not worth all the trouble you will get yourself into.
