May Editorial
During April we appeared to be in a vortex of crime and violence. This led me to thoughts of why such anger and violence erupts.
When I speak of `we’ I mean people within my circle of interaction. Closest to each of us is, our inner circle, usually made up of close family and friends. Then there is an increasing group of people with whom one interacts, usually at work, on a daily basis, the middle circle. And finally an outer circle of people one sees occasionally for different reasons, some of whom one never really knows. At different stages people move in and out of our circles of interaction and influence as circumstance and life dictate.
We are affected most deeply by crime when the violence is to our core circle and the impact this has on our own life.
In one month I had two burglaries at my business premises with damage as well as loss of property which has impacted on me as well as on those involved in our work. But we considered that minor when compared to the violence inflicted on those in our inner circle.
What kind of mind pulls a gun on a nine year old, her two year old sister and their nanny on the way to school? Why attempt to attack a harmless young student sitting on her own in a class room, trying to study and who would need to beat two defenceless women senseless in their own homes for the sake of a few items?
Violence not only crime is at the core of our society. It is nothing new to any period of society. One only has to look at art work in many art galleries around the world to see this. Superb artwork in many cases but nevertheless a recording of violence inflicted throughout the ages. And what brought that about? Political instability, a desire for improved living conditions coupled with lack of work opportunities. Is that not exactly what we are experiencing today?
But there is a difference. Has this not got to do with the advancement of technology and the speed with which everyone wants their needs gratified? Not everything one needs to learn or do can be achieved in the short term. Patience should perhaps be something we should be concentrating on in our training in all matters.
Think what happens to you when you are rushed to complete things? Irritability, lack of concentration, lack of emotional control and then think how much this will be magnified if the person concerned is hungry, worried or sick.
Competitiveness! Again nothing new to society and not all bad if correctly and appropriately applied. But is this too not something many are going overboard about attempting to instil that killer instinct. Is this something we really want to impart to future generations? Be at the top of the heap no matter the cost to oneself or those around you?
Poverty can lead to crime as do drinking and drugs but it is the level of violence that is the most disturbing. Are we as fellow human beings losing our so called `humanity’?
Hearing and seeing the creativity that abounds in our country gives me hope but this apparent obsession with winning at all costs and beating the other side is very disturbing.