An ailing system sans creativity

by Afreeha Jawad

Social degeneration is not without its disastrous consequences on national development. The effacement of history from the school curriculum and politicization of education as Professor Kusuma Karunaratne very correctly pointed out in last week's interview are some key contributors to a social collapse.

Making matters worse was the open market that made the populace throw values to the winds prioritizing money over all else. This anomie situation as eminent sociologist Emile Durkheim pointed out is a state of normlessness - the danger being its grip on people practising their respective professions, for they are also part of the social whole.

The story's unfortunate side is it has even found its way into seats of higher learning as well with many academics also yielding to 'self' propagating motives and are seen discreetly operating the political stardom into socially well placed but morally distasteful position. System placement no doubt does not conform to morality though in its ideal state it should be so.

This writer remembers her father's frequent reference to Cardinal Woolsley who said he would have been better off serving God than having served the King (state). This then speaks for the incompatibility of socially recognised systemic position and morality.

Literature learning is helpful if not always, at least most often, in smoothening rough edges while history teaches us to learn of the past, see ourselves in the present and locate ourselves in the future. History it is said repeats.

To recognise its repetition, a knowledge of its past performance is needed. The lack of both coupled with politicization of the socio/econ/political/cultural/educational layout dulls human creativity.

The loss of creativity in turn makes robots out of valueless humans. People no longer feel accountable to one another. Mutual respect diminishes.

Creativity is also needed in administering justice. India's legal luminary and at one time that country's Chief Justice S. Bhagwati addressing a Colombo based seminar sometime back emphasised the importance of the law's spirit. However, the loss of creativity fails to capture that spirit and the law to the very letter is applied.

In this respect India's legal system has evolved into a highly developed one. As and when the occasion would demand, laws are introduced, existing laws amended and always interpreted towards national development.

India also apart from many countries are also doing well in constitutional law. Switzerland with its cantons and Canada's French speaking Quebec are examples of doing away with heavily centred archaic laws.

Switzerland has earned a reputation for increasing its cantons after observing emerging minority grievances. This then is what creativity is all about yet, risks going into oblivion when the socio/ econ/ political/ cultural/ educational system is politicised.

Even in day-to-day workings, overlooking the law's spirit is detrimental for social well-being. Rigid security checks are common in a war situation where miscreants go scot free. Now the question arises how do we distinguish between innocents and others. This is where a sense of creativity comes in handy.

Retrospective reference to Ceylon's ancient past interestingly reveals an incident when the lack of creativity led to much embarrassment at a royal function. Andare - that famous comedian in the royal court was once ordered to behave like a cow - the Sinhala expression haraka vagey hitapan meant to feign ignorance.

Andare, at the function went on butting all the guests and when asked why, he replied he was expected to do so.

Taking another lesson - this time from past literary genius - The Merchant of Venice - Shylock the Jew was told he could have his opponent's pound of flesh provided it was exactly one pound - not less not more. The law allowed it, yet the court denied it.

Whatever be the law, the court's correct interpretation of it is deemed necessary to mete out justice. Justice must not only be done but also seemed to be done. To do so it is important to have creativity which in a politicised judicial set up is asking for too much.

Politicising the system - worst of all the educational layout holds no good. It is in school that mind moulding takes place and if in that enclave, should creativity be annulled, what of those future leaders in whose hands lie a nation's destiny?.

With a powerful executive presidency should the mantle of power fall on one of those that lack creativity - God save the Queen!!.

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