Expanding the small man's universe

To expand the universe of the small, the microscopic, is easy. All one needs is a microscope. However, to broaden, enlarge, and expand the world of the little man - the small man - from the economically disadvantaged human community is a herculean task. It needs a concerted effort, an increase in the intelligence of the people, and fearless commitment.

The small man, since he is powerless, is compelled to live his life within a lie; an illusory world created by the crafty politician. Of course, though small and powerless, no man need live in deceit. An individual can be forced or coerced to do so only because he is in fact capable of and satisfied living in this way.

In all of us, for reasons that are varied, there is some willingness to merge with the anonymous crowd and to flow comfortably along with it down the river of pseudo-life, though worthless and wretched it may be. Because, by lies; the individual, in this pseudo socialist society, is saved from all the problems of independent thought.

The ability of independent thought requires courage and wisdom. Most individuals, lacking both attributes, are faint at heart. Hence, they fear having to confront the dilemma of standing alone, or only with a few others, in opposing the lie.

Defiance could lead to discomfort and hardship; of social ostracism; political repercussions from those in authority; and of missing life-opportunities and chances for economic and social advancement. Due to cowardice, many consider it an excessive risk and lead a life of lie.

Sri Lanka is a Democratic, Socialist, Republic. Nevertheless, the word Socialist in the Republic was a charade perpetrated upon the people by the creator of the Democratic Socialist Republic in 1978, the year of the fall of the people, the year when lies began. I call it the 'year of the fall' because then began, in spite of economic well-being, the erosion of values; acceleration of corruption; beginning of zombieism, whereby the living became corpse like, bereft of all human qualities.

The constitution thrust upon the people had not a semblance of socialist appearances and it was never the intention of the initiator to carve a Socialist State, except in word. It was a mere ritual, a formalised language deprived of semantic contact with reality.

The socialist society envisaged, if ever it was so, transformed into a system of ritual signs that replaced reality with pseudo-reality. It became the breeding ground for corruption, lies, and lawlessness; for morally bankrupt worms to lead the nation to bankruptcy; to turn people into feeble mortals.

It was easy to achieve because the majority of Sri Lankans were devoid of independent thought, were weaklings, and did not possess the boldness and the moral law to oppose dishonesty, impunity, and lawlessness.

Unless a growing number of people begins first to resist corruption, and then slowly and incrementally begins to do and say things that would tare more and more holes in the veil of illusion upon which, the system is based and built; there will be no redemption from the abyss in which all have fallen.

Socialism envisages public collective ownership or control of the basic means of production, distribution, and exchange, with the avowed aim of operating for use rather than for profit, and of assuring to each member of society an equitable share of goods, services, and welfare benefits: as a system of social and economic organization, planned, attempted, or achieved through various methods.

If this be socialism; a socialist state (or socialist republic) generally refers to any state constitutionally dedicated to the construction of a socialist society.

Hence, it could never have been the intention of the perpetrator of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to have a democratic socialist state. To construct a socialist state, the people need to be intelligent, free from greed and guilt; and the politicians from amongst whom leaders are chosen, honest, dedicated, and incorruptible.

On November 19, 1863, in Pennsylvania, U.S.A, Abraham Lincoln said in his Gettysburg Address: "Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.

"We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

"But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow, this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. That, from these honoured dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.

"That, government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

In essence, Sri Lanka too had emerged from a terrorist perpetrated civil war, long endured by the people. Many had given their life so that the nation might live.

All Sri Lankans expected that those who died will not have done so in vain and that a new birth would dawn, where all Sri Lankans would benefit.

We have a culture of our own and customs born of antiquity.

However, if the universe of the small man in Sri Lanka is to expand; economic liberty for the average citizen has to be gained; and Governments need to be harnessed, controlled and be limited in its powers over human life; and the veil of lies that prevails must stop.

But, to do so, the nature of the lies and the premises and principles that sustain them, must be understood. And, those qualities and characteristics in man that make him capable of living a life of lies, and often desirous of doing so, must be understood and opposed.

See you this day next week. Until then, keep thinking; keep laughing. Life is mostly about these two activities.

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