Common Sense and World Harmony

If you remember, the spread of communism was portrayed as the precursor to Armageddon. Every ‘right thinking’ person(s) was extolled, begged and, where need be, coerced to rejecting the ideals of communism. Yet the fall of Berlin wall, even the crumbling of USSR, never really did the trick everyone had been made to expect.

Before then, world issues had revolved around independence from colonialism; this was just after the world wars.

Right now, in spite of achieving the supposed global desires, it seems, humanity is grappling with more serious issues than ever before. This, by extension, means that the posterity will, going by this trend, suffer worse.

The issues we are talking about here include: terrorism; nuclear proliferation; wars and rumors of war, poverty and hopelessness.

Democracy, as a governance system, has proved so far to be the most enduring. But not in its purest form of, majority having their say.

In any case, there have seen numerous cases of tyranny, both of the majority as well as minority; and, also Machiavellian-ship, propagated, as it were, democratically.

Countries such as Zimbabwe, Egypt, Libya, Iran, Rwanda, Kenya, and a host more nations have recently suffered atrocities, despite them practicing democracy; and by ‘confessed’ democrats.

India’s experience has not been any better, despite the economic progress. The poorest are to be found there.

America, the most aggressive crusader of democracy, has a deep crack separating the conservatives and those considered liberals. A situation which has seen fatalities in the past, and is not getting any better either.

China, which ironically does not subscribe to democracy, is a mixed bag.

Marxism, has been accused of criminalizing success and rewards of hard work.

The postmodern world is talking of human rights; in Europe, for instance, Anders Behring Breivik, murdered 72 teenagers, and he is boasting of a higher calling. Where he comes from, his rights are fully secured.

The main aim of this article is, hence, to call for a guided philosophy in the conduct of the way we run systems; one which is not held at ransom by written rules alone; but also supplemented by common sense.

In the absence of an ideal system, Common sense approach comes handy. It, ‘simply,’ requires an individual to engage, guess: eyes, ears, nose, touch and taste as appropriate.

This is an election year for a number of countries. One of them is Kenya. During the last election many people were assaulted, killed, raped and displaced for supporting one or the other candidate.

It would appear that the perpetrators were advancing their claim to their ‘rights’. In the process, the victims had to bear the abuse of their rights! When Koffi Annan came to help arbitrate, he emphasized common sense.

An indication of deficiency, even among leaders, of what God granted humanity, all in equal measure.

And when the dust finally settled, the same pawns who had suffered the atrocities, retreated to their, usually humble, abodes. Miserable as ever before.

Then, just this week, the pawns are, again, at the beck of their masters again. The chaos witnessed at Limuru meeting has all the undertones of the chaos that happened in 2008.

The same carrot is being dangled at them. And you can bet who will, most likely, take the flaking when the worst happens.

Oh, how wonderful this world would be, if we could learn to use our common sense.