The More Government – The Less Freedom
Everywhere is a cry for Government to do more. While it is a way to more efficiently spread our taxes to the benefit of all, it is also a way of giving away our freedom. We are merely exchanging corporate business dominance with another form of domination in the form of Government.
While there is a case to be made for Government to own the essential services in a country, it has to be bounded to stop where it is infringing on freedom. There is a difference between essential services and the stimulation of the freedom of the growth of individual business. Once that point is reached Government should be in the business of facilitating the growth of entrepreneurs.
Government has many powers: the police, law making, the army, the navy and last, but most important the political power to influence and make things happen. Government is the platform from where contact is made with world powers to bring investment and money into the country. This is the way Government should deliver to its entrepreneurs. They should facilitate economic freedom for its people by using these powers to facilitate the growth of individuals as well as the security of the citizens.
Most entrepreneurs are at the mercy of financial institutions and investors to make their dreams of owning a business come true. This is a form of enslavement, because the interest and return on investment investors want, enslaves the person that makes use of these offerings. A business owner can never be free if he has to run his business in such a way that other parties benefit from his work and effort.
The world’s governments are maintaining this unhealthy enslavement of its citizens to financial institutions very well. This is one area where they get full marks and never fail. Enslavement of its people is its main objective. Economic freedom is not featuring on the agenda at all.
How many people realize this when the walk the street protesting for economic freedom. Demanding basic human rights services is not the same as wanting economic freedom. In the hierarchy of needs as set out by Maslow essential services ranks at the bottom of the needs of humans. It is enshrined in most constitutions that people have the basic right to shelter, water, education and health services. That is the sole purpose of voting for a government and paying taxes to them.
Economic freedom should be in the hands of the people. Government should carefully employ its wide range of powers to facilitate this. The more government dominates economic freedom, the more money its needs in the form of taxes. Just look at what is happening in Europe and the USA with its double layers of Government. In the USA each state has its own Government that imposes taxes. On top of that is Federal government that imposes another set of taxes. The same is being set up in Europe in the form of the European Union. Who foots the bill for this? It is its people – and it is not working.
As South Africans we should therefore demand from our government to work towards economic freedom for its people. We will only truly prosper if democracy is implemented in such a way that all people benefit from the creation of equal economic and entrepreneurial opportunities for all.
Every citizen should have equal opportunity to attain economic freedom in his or her life time.
The more government – the less Freedom
Apartheid and the policies of the current ANC leadership
This seems to be 2 mutually exclusive entities, but as the years flow by these two become bitter sweet bed fellows. In 1994 I never dreamed that I would write something like this in 2013!
The main policies of the Apartheid Government were to pull those suited to their beliefs close. I say “suited” because you had to be a certain type of person, with loyal allegiance, to be allowed into the heart of the organizations that faithfully executed the Apartheid Government’s policies. The busting of the Sanctions imposed from overseas required close knit elite that stuck together in the secrets only they knew. Outside of the “informed” was a vast misinformed majority of which most were not considered on the inside. The majority of South Africans (Blacks and Coloureds) did not ‘exist’ for all practical purposes. To bust sanctions shell companies and businesses were formed. Even stranger business relationships were formed with the very countries that imposed the sanctions.
During the Apartheid years, everything that was not Government approved was banned. The worst was that the people who could make a difference were quickly stopped and the majority were oppressed by the police and the army.
Let us now move to 1994 and the current Government.
What I appreciate most about our current Government is that I am free to write what is on my mind with no fear that I will be put in jail for it. However, if we look further this freedom seem to be fragile. I get the horrible feeling that South Africans are increasingly been scrutinised for what they do and believe. 2012 delivered quite a few incidences that should be of concern: Example Zapiro’s cartoons. Now in 2013 the Government has once again closed ranks. You are either with them or you are not. There is a definite group of elevated persons that enjoys the riches of South Africa, just the same way the Apartheid Government did. This is evident from statements that say that business that support the current government will prosper.
Like the Apartheid Government, the current government is having secrets and information they deem not fit for public consumption. A law to enforce that was adopted in 2012. Our government see an enemy in everything that is not openly agreeing with it. This is proven by its scrutiny of the recent First National Bank advertisement. There are many more examples, but I think the point is made.
The question now arises: How is this possible?
The people in our current government grew up under Apartheid and its evil ways. They spent their forming years hiding, scheming and plotting just how they could change the oppression of the Apartheid regime. By doing this, they had a habit of secrecy and mistrust ingrained into their souls. I will go as far as to say that they never experienced real freedom nor did they experience a trusting world. It is therefore not too difficult to understand the current mind set. Secrecy, disregard for the masses and just a plain absence of vision seems to be the haunting shadow of failure. Just like the Apartheid Government did.
The Apartheid Government is no more.
If our current government want to taste success and real economic freedom for its people, it will have to shake these lager drawing tendencies. South Africa’s people are informed. They talk to each other. Everybody wants the same thing: economic freedom. Nobody wants another 20 years waiting for it. Nobody in SA wants to see police throwing tear gas and shooting rubber bullets into a crowd of unarmed people. The Apartheid Government did that nonstop.
South Africa needs its Government to be open and accessible. It needs the help of all her people to shake off the shackles of economic enslavement. It needs firm policies that lay out the rules for engagement.
Nobody should be excluded and left out in the cold.
By: Sandra Dickson
A world being denied emotions – by: Sandra Dickson
Emotions: How do we tell ourselves that poverty is acceptable?
Many times we tell a person to stop being emotional. The reason for this can have many roots, but the one reason that comes to mind is that we were told from childhood that crying are not for boys. Too much of certain types of laughter are not proper for a girl. Somewhere in our lives we all have experience of being told to cut down on the emotions. Being emotional is also being associated with a child who has not yet mastered the act of hiding his emotions.
On the other hand people that hide their emotions well are praised as being professional, grown up, mature and in control. It is good to appear devoid of having emotions in the business world. The best examples of living without emotions are in the criminal world. Emotions seldom come in the way of carefully planning a crime. If you watch people in court, it is often those with coldest and most blank faces that have committed the worst crimes.
Let us now look on the other side. Emotions are feelings – the feeling of what is right and the feeling of what is wrong, the feeling that something is wrong, the feeling of compassion that motivates not to hurt another person. So, feeling seems to be another word for emotion. Feeling is that little voice inside that question whether what you do is beneficial to you and to others. Once we are considered grown up, it seems that all this ability to “feel” is well hidden in the depths of one’s being. In the business world we have now learnt to take decisions which may be to the detriment of those affected. Without emotions we can now hurt other people in ways that does not wake that little voice telling us that we are doing it.
In society the world over, it is acceptable and even required to be able to operate without getting your emotions in the way. People are sent to war, but those that send them do not lose one night’s sleep over it. In business actions of one company sink another – that is called good business. In sport one team annihilates another – that is called victory.
Is this why the world is so cold, full of poverty, full of war and full of inequality? It has to be the case, because warm human beings with feelings will not be able to drive past a shack in a township and feel just nothing. An emotionally developed person will not be able to rejoice at another person’s defeat. Emotional intelligent people realise that choosing a win-win solution has benefit for all the parties involved. Ruthlessly and emotionlessly going in for the kill produce many wounded, dead, hurt and hateful human beings on this earth.
Having emotions are not bad. Having emotions should be praised and brought back into this world in order to break down the cold killing mentality that exists.
Next time listen to that little voice that tells you inequality and poverty are just plain wrong. Do not tell that little voice to shut up and take a hike. The world will be a better place for that decision.
Personal Economic Freedom: What is it exactly?
Personal Economic Freedom: What is it exactly?
Does economic freedom exist anywhere in the world? The answer to this question is: Economic freedom starts the minute debt is no longer the controlling and depressing factor in one’s life. Just imagine being able to take home your entire salary without any deductions from it. We are so used to having deductions from our salaries for tax, medical-aid and other loans we may have from our work place. Thereafter the take home money is further eroded by car repayments, home loans and other fees we are subscribed to. In the end there is a whole month ahead of us, but not enough money to see us through.
The above, I call economic enslavement. This is the case the world over and no working individual can escape its clutches. Furthermore we sign up to having to have the next new car, the bigger home and buying the latest fashion. When we turn on our television sets, we are bombarded with lifestyle advertisements enticing us to buy into what they have to sell. One has to dig deep to find any workable guidance to escape this trap. From a young age we are encouraged to set out on our own because the safety net of a family environment is often just not there.
The above is an everyday scenario for most working individuals. How can we attain personal economic freedom? Is it at all possible?
First a mindset change is required. The belief has to be there that it is possible to attain personal economic freedom in one’s life time. It is also to be understood that the path to personal economic freedom is a difficult one. The world is tough out there and getting a personal break may seem impossible at times.
The mindset change entails a number of alternative ways of thinking. For one the idea of being average must be eradicated from one’s mind. Average people follow the average path to enslavement. Choose what you do carefully and pursue it with vigour. If it is something that you study, master the subject. If it is a job that you are doing, do it to the best of your ability. Find out everything there is to find out about your environment. See other people as sources of information and inspiration, not competitors. People that succeed in life hardly ever do it in isolation from other people.
The first lesson in personal economic freedom is to regard debt as the enemy. Learn how to delay your gratification. Learn that it is not necessary to have the newest car or the largest apartment or the most expensive furniture. See the purchase of those things as part of the ladder of life. It will come, but not all at once!
Do your calculations of what you can do with your salary if you were not paying so many instalments. Save your money and purchase as much as what you can with saved up cash money. Avoid the debt trap.
It should therefore be our goal to rid ourselves from debt. It should therefore be our goal to fight all the debt instruments offered to us. We should rebel against debt.
Real reason why South African schools are failing
Real reason why SA children cannot read and write to standard
Have this question ever crossed your mind? How can the the pass mark for Grade 12 pupils reported to be around 69%+? At the same time we hear that literacy and numeracy in South African schools are of the lowest in the world? South Africa ranks 140th out of 144 countries.
This is another silent case of corruption in South Africa. This time it is in South African schools. This time it is our children that spend 12 years of their lives at school and have little to show for it. This is just another perpetuation of inequality in South Africa in 2012.
Currently the education departments of both the Western Cape and some provinces in the rest of South Africa go around to schools to have the children write diagnostic numeracy and literacy tests. In spite of being done for a couple of years now, the literacy and numeracy in school deteriorated further. Some statistics on the results of these tests are quietly published, but not ONE news agency picks up on it…..Why?
If you look closer and speak to parents a pattern emerges. A practice which started to help a few border line cases where children missed a few marks to pass their grade, are now being practiced across the board. Pupils that fail tests are given remedial work to make up for the failed test. However, this remedial work is not done to get the pupil to pass legitimately. It is done to put the results in a teacher’s portfolio to show that at least some work was done to get the pupil to pass the test.
Now the pattern emerges. In order to let a school’s marks look good, children’s marks are “adapted.” This is perpetuated by the pressure put on schools by the education department to perform. This practice appear to go unnoticed by the news media, public and parents. Maybe it is deliberately going unnoticed, because parents are just not interested in what their children learn at school. Or is it possible that parents do not know about this practice?
Sadly this is is true in DA as well as ANC ruled provinces.
Currently a number of NGO organizations are attempting to “save” our education system. Why are they not exposing this futile practice in our schools? Have you ever wondered why the schools themselves are not complaining about not having adequate or enough text books? People have to go around to schools to determine if they have school books or not. My guess is that the practice of faking children’s test and exam marks has taken its toll entirely at every level of our schools. With or without books, children are passed from one grade to the next unchecked.
Why is no one addressing this problem? Why is this being swept under the carpet?
In a latest International publication SA schools ranked 140th out of 144 countries in the world.
Inequality is being fed by the very management and those responsible for our children’s education.
Comments on: “The spear is down – City Press”
“The Spear is Down – City Press”
This morning the City Press took the Spear down from their Web site. I quote the reasons for it as published by its editor:
Ferial Haffajee:
“The Spear is down. Out of care and as an olive branch to play a small role in helping turn around a tough moment, I have decided to take down the image.
Of course, the image is coming down from fear too. I’d be silly not to admit that. The atmosphere is like a tinderbox: City Press copies went up in flames on Saturday; I don’t want any more newspapers burnt in anger.”
The lesson I get from reading the different viewpoints on the City Press and the publishing of Zuma’s Spear is complex and at the same time very telling of misconceptions amongst certain respected and outspoken people in South Africa.
The very few people in cushy offices who drive to work in a car, have access to the Internet and have access to @DSTV is the minority in South Africa. However, educated they are and however clever conversation they can conduct, in a democratic political system, they are a minority. By having access to the publishing power of the Internet and publishing newspapers give the people using these tools lots of pwoer. However, it is not enough to take away the power of the majority who appears voiceless, without jobs, without cars and without the Internet.
Some of the privileged people in South Africa lose sight of their place in South Africa. Also many of these people in positions of influence are less informed of what is happening on the ground than those not having access to the Internet or access to the privileged ways of expressing themselves.
This majority is not misinformed about when their leaders are attacked. This is because these angry people have the benefit of their history, where their leaders learned how to organise and how to disseminate information without the help of a newspaper or the Internet. They also know all too well how to mobilise people. This is because they have structures through which they organise their supporters. This “silent” mass of people turned out not to be so silent and uninformed.
The vocal minority attempting to make inroads into this organised majority has a lot to learn. A lone voice or News Paper here and there will never bring about change. Raising awareness and informing its readers are what it can hope to achieve. A clever marketing orientated person will find a way to use the situation to maximise the benefit from all the publicity suddenly out there – for free. An alert and imaginative marketing person will not hide behind “olive branches” and “fear” rhetoric. This type of back tracking is only further reinforcing the negative publicity out there.
All said, it is a brave move to have apologised and to remove the Spear from the Web site. South Africa is in need of reconciliation and dissemination of information. Bringing the issue of division, racism and plain bad taste is courageous by any person doing it. Pushing the envelope and operating from an ivory tower is not.
The South African press sometimes need to be protected from itself.
(Just some ideas that floats around in my head.)
Advocate Malindi – Please see the real truth
Advocate Malindi – Please use empathy and see the real truth
The “Spear” court case burst onto South Africa’a collective minds like a festering wound. Within a record short time for a South African court the proceedings started with a packed court room, a full bench of judges and many cheering protesters outside. The ANC Youth League was noticed by its screaming absence from the cheering crowd. Zuma successfully managed to eliminate one of his most vocal and visible supporters. The expectancy of most anti-ANC/Zuma South Africans were geared to see President Zuma struck another blow.
Surprised (or not so surprised) the judges were led by a white judge whom immediately struck me as a typical pre-1994 patriarch and condescending individual. Not unlike the type of people in roles of authority I was subjected to as a child on many occasions. So, yes, I was sensitised to this type of mannerism.
Malindi, the ANC/Zuma’s advocate started on a faltering note. People with any knowledge of body language must have seen that he folded his arms. That is the body language for taking a stance and shutting someone out. (I wondered how well he knew this outspoken judge who asked more questions than what the defence could dream up.) I thought that a judge listens to an advocate’s presentation respectfully and allow him to speak and reserve his comments towards the end. This was specifically necessary because the advocate had very little time to prepare.
I was later told that it was the ANC whom brought the urgent application and rushed the proceedings. I was also told that the judge wanted to establish why this matter was urgent. The judge conveniently forgot that a huge part of South African’s were fixated on this case. Is that not important enough?
At first I was puzzled about advocate Malindi standing with his arms folded. It struck me as an uncomfortable pose. Being ridiculed by the judge on numerous occasions, advocate Malindi’s discomfort visibly increased.
I guess this went unnoticed by most, because most people were too fixated on the “spear” and striking the ANC another blow.
What I learnt from this very public display and the playing out of typical South African politics of humiliation is the following:
NOT MUCH IN SOUTH SFRICA HAS CHANGED :
– Court was lead by a stereotyped pre-1994 white judge
– This judge showed very little (if any) respect for the advocate
– The advocate asking for “mercy” was a Black individual
– The advocate was reduced to the level of a naughty school child
– The advocate was unwillingly provoked by the judge to live through a similar past situation(s) where he was the “nothing” and the white “boss” was interrogating him
There may be those in South Africa whom is incapable to understand what I have written here. Maybe they are just like the judge who is so ingrained in their superiority that they have lost the ability to understand other people’s feelings.
This is the dilemma in South Africa. This is what is leading South Africa into the abyss. This is what is causing racism. This is what is causing endless hurt.
THIS WILL BE THE END OF THE WHITE MAN IN SOUTH AFRICA.
President Zuma’s Spear – an analysis
PRESIDENT ZUMA’s SPEAR
Having grown up in the Apartheid era where things were banned for depicting Black and White people together, religious pressure or just because the Apartheid Government did not like it, I usually do not react to controversial things from the gut. I remember that whatever was banned prior to 1994 was seriously in demand, because it was different. One example was the movie “Jesus Christ Superstar.” I got hold of its Sound track and for the life of me I could not find any reason for it to be banned. This and various other incidences of things that were banned made me question why our freedom was taken away at that time.
Zuma’s spear caused ample controversy in South Africa. The reactions were wide ranging from people wanting it banned to just simple acceptance that it is art and a form of freedom of speech. Pieces of art of similar nature were dug up to justify it.
Now what does the depiction of Zuma’s member mean in the context of modern South Africa? I first have a question to Brett Murry, why did he choose a depiction of Lenin for the spear? What is the similarity between President Zuma and Lenin ? At first glance the spear is harmless and manages to evoke a chuckle from most people. When one pauses to think about the spear it immediately brings up President’s Zuma’s polygamy, alleged rape case and his illegitimate children. A saying amongst Afrikaans people also comes to mind that a man whose member hangs “out” is ruled by it. In other words he makes his decisions based on his lust for women.
Examining these thoughts the first answer to the polygamy charge is that polygamy are part of the Zulu culture. The second answer is that the rape case was never proven against Zuma. The third question can be answered by saying that South Africa has many men with illegitimate children. Of course not everybody accept these answers as legitimate. President Zuma has been controversial since the day he was fired by Mbeki as vice president.
The above paragraphs sum up a frame of mind which is quite tarnished by its upbringing. The first reaction is: “Yes, the spear is freedom of speech.”
If one takes a longer term view of the spear it becomes clear that this piece of art work is serving as a watershed for South Africans. The bitter race topic is now brought into plain view: a white artist has painted the spear. Why ? The Jewish owned Goodman art Gallery refuses to take the painting down defying a request from the president of South Africa. In here lies a problem. The spear represents freedom of expression they say.
My take on it is that South Africa is in need of reconciliation. We are at a cross road where South Africa has daily protests against poor service delivery. Most people know that race relations are at a very low point as present. Mostly because the South African economy is still run by the same people it was run by prior to 1994. Some people may think that the poor schooling system is producing no smart black people. They are dead wrong. There are many very smart people out there who now see that the South African economy is still run by whites. Having knowledgeable people and mix it with a disgruntled population you have a tinder box waiting for a match to explode. The spear may just as well be that match. Brett Murray with his art and a single action united the divided ANC. This has come as heaven sent to the ANC, because Mangaung is just around the corner. Never was the ANC in such need to overcome their division.
Thoughtlessness and a lack of vision and insight often lead to exactly the opposite of what was wished for.
Your Brain Needs Quiet time to be Creative
Quiet time – Your Brain Needs it.
Human brains are active with many thoughts at one time. It is busy thinking about driving a car, taking kids to school, thinking about lunch and thinking about a busy work schedule, meetings and deadlines. Often it results in overload which results in an inability to cope with all the activities that has to be done. The first evidence of brain overload is that certain things are forgotten. We are late for appointments. We become short tempered.
What follows is feeling frustrated and unhappy. Our solution to this overload? We need time off. This time off is often spent at home or away on a vacation. Little is realised that being at home can be as busy as being at work. Friends come over, children need schoolwork done and there are pressures from the family. Being on vacation it is actually work to plan what to do every day. Usually a vacation is also packed with activities. Entertaining the kids, going out, travelling and various other activities on holiday that keeps the brain occupied. It is correct that change is good, but if the change involves continued activity, the benefit may be lost. Getting back home leaves you still tired and with a feeling of dreading taking up the daily routine again.
The above is a short and simplified description of a person’s daily life. What I want to deal with is the quality of life. Most people continue with activities year in and year out without asking questions about why they are doing it. All they have is a feeling of being uncomfortable and being unhappy. Creative minds do not just spring to life at any time it is asked to do so. Times of sadness or elation inspire many people to become creative.
There is the small percentage of human beings with a talent to express themselves via art and things they are able to create. I deem them the lucky ones, because they have a natural outlet for what they have inside and what they experience. The rest of the human race do not have such a talent and end up frustrated with many feelings locked up inside.
A solution is to work on what the brain does every day – Become aware of the constant overload of thoughts. The ability to be quiet and let the brain rest while being awake is something that has to be learnt. Yes, one has to acquire the ability to keep the brain quiet while still being awake. The Western culture has very little room for developing this concept. Even when humans sleep the brain is active with dreams- the brain is never at rest. To bring the brain to a quiet state one has to be quiet. Some people drown out external noise with loud music or by concentrating hard on just one activity. This solution still results in a very active brain. One has to find a quiet, peaceful space where one can be really quiet. A place where one can “remove” all thought activity from your brain. It is something that has to be practised. A good place to start is in the morning when you first wake up. Attempt to remain in between the state of being asleep and being awake. It is almost a state of limbo. It is quite a pleasurable experience. Once this limbo state of quiet in the brain is reached and the feeling of pleasure is experienced one realise how much we need it to invigorate our being. Through practice one can learn to find this quiet state any time of day. It results in literally charging your batteries while still awake. What is needed is the will to do it and then find the time to practice.
After a quiet time the brain is refreshed and may spring to life with ideas and thoughts never experienced before. We owe it to ourselves to find a way to cope with daily life and its stress.
Ingrained Racism – Mr. FW de Klerk
Dear Mr. de Klerk.
As a white person, I live with the results of you and your party’s policies prior to 1994.
Your Government’s policies were based on separate development for ethnic groups. You and your party desperately implemented “Homelands” in order to cling to power for one race group – the whites. Under you policies we saw “Bantu Education” which was even worse than the failing education system of today. At least today the education system is producing the “new” Black middle class – to again quote you. Under the pre-1994 system the Blacks and coloureds were in many cases reduced to being non-people. They just did not feature in any development plan you and your party had for South Africa. Under your rule the Blacks were pushed out of main stream society into “town ships,” while the white suburbs lived in affluence, driving expensive cars and owning large pieces of land. The South African Police Force and Army were exclusively used to fight any Black uprising which could possibly be attempted. You and your party even fought a “Border War” which was nothing other than keeping the organised ANC out of South Africa. We the “protected” whites were told that it was a war against communism.
Mr. de Klerk. Under you and your party’s rule South Africa was mined to the bone and our minerals were exported to be turned into goods overseas and then you and your Government bought it back at high prices. What type of development policy was that for South Africa.
Now 17 years later I listen to you on BBC Hard Talk. What strikes me is your ingrained perception that Blacks are not people. After 17 years you have not seen the light. When asked if there are any Black people living in your neighbourhood you say, no here are no Blacks living in your street. Then you offer the information that 2 Blacks actually live on your premises – and you add that their living conditions are good – their quarters were renovated. Now that “slip” confirms to me that you do not see Blacks as people. By saying: “There are no Black People living in my street.”
Now you continue to criticise the ANC. “The ANC has tarnished Nelson Mandela’s heritage already by losing its moral compass” Dear Mr. de Klerk: Are you in any way qualified to talk about a moral compass?
Now back to where I started. I, as a white person live with the results of you and your Government’s policies up to 1994. Your policies of separate development created the biggest failure still haunting South Africa today. Your inaction to develop all the citizens of South Africa equally created generations (millions) of people in South Africa who do not have the education to deliver the type of skills modern South Africa need. How many Black teachers were produced prior to 1994?
Instead of contributing to the greater good of South Africa as a whole, you continue your separate development beliefs. Why not take hands with the ANC and offer help ? Why do you and your foundation work under the auspices of defending “minority groups ? ” Is that not still perpetuating the rights of the already privileged white race you are part of, but calling it a “minority group” ?
To quote the presenter on BBC Hard Talk : “ Is it not time to see people just as people – no colour and no race.”
