The common, like an angry hive of bees

That want their leader,

Scatter up and down

And care not who they sting.

– Shakespeare,2 Henry, VIII, 2

The bitter irony is, bees die after they sting, because their stingers are attached to their innards, which are pulled out with the sting. So, in effect, their action to defend or offend results in their own disemboweled destruction. And yet, bees are among the most civilised of insects, organised and disciplined.

Throughout history, man has achieved more than a modicum of civility, honour, integrity, moral values and laws, and in essence became civilised. Mark those words. No longer were we living in caves, eating raw meat and dressed in the pelts of the animals that we killed.

We formed societies and built towns and cities with leaders, organisations, followers who adhered to rules and manners and social mores, combined with etiquette and social order. We had laws and governance and were no longer behaving like the wild beasts that we hunted.

But to everything there is a season, and civilisations rose and fell just like the seasons that came and went. The glorious summer doesn’t last forever, for winter is coming. Civilisations declined and we’ll see how and why right after these civilised responses to ‘Trapped by trappings’.

Hi Tony,

You got it right when you said that many people were trapped by the very things that they hold dear. As the hippies of the 60s used to say, “We’re all trapped, man, we’re all locked in.” Maybe it’s just the nature of people to be enslaved by what they believe to be important. Wives are trapped, husbands are trapped, bound to each other and by the things they have acquired. Very few can let go and be truly free.

Barbara

Hey Tony,

Maybe only the cowboys of westerns and the aborigines of Australia weren’t trapped by trappings. Similarly, the Nomads simply got up and left for somewhere else when they felt like. Cowboys jumped on their horses and rode, and aborigines casually went for a walkabout, sometimes for weeks, with no aim in sight. That’s freedom. The rest of us have no such luxury and have to make the most of our cages.

Norman

When you read history and see how many civilisations have risen and fallen, you should take heed. History does have a way of repeating itself, but sadly, those who do not learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them.

There was a time when Egypt, with its pharaohs, was the civilisation of the era. It was feared, admired and revered as it ruled supreme. Then there was Rome, which was the central hub of the then modern world and was a model of civilisation. There were the Incas of Peru, the Mayans of Mexico and, let’s not forget, Britain that once ruled the world. Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the world, went the ditty.

All had their glory days, their heyday, their halcyon days. Some have slipped from glory while others have vanished into obscurity with nothing to show but ancient ruins and decay. The Mayans and Incas simply ceased to exist as their civilisations declined and crumbled, relegating them to footnotes of history. Britain no longer rules the world, and now with Brexit may stand alone like the cheese from that nursery rhyme.

All this does not happen overnight, but over a period of time. The signs are always there, always the same: the people lose discipline, leaders become arrogant and believe that they are appointed to rule forever. Anarchy takes root, the bees scatter up and down and care not who they sting. Civilisation declines.

These civilisations come in different forms, ranging from dictatorships where one man rules supreme, kingdoms where the king’s rule is the law of the land, communism where it’s supposed to be equality for all the people, and democracy, where leaders are elected by the people, for the people, to serve the people. All are flawed.

They say that people get the partners they deserve and the government they deserve, so we should not be dismayed by who chooses whom to marry or to govern. In most cases, it’s a question of choice. At least it’s so in a democracy.

“As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron.” So wrote HL Menken in The Baltimore Sun, July 26, 2016. Many presidents have occupied the White House.

But a house divided cannot stand, and perhaps like other great civilisations before, we may be seeing the cracks in the carapace, the fissures in the foundation, the crumbling of the walls of a great nation.

Back home, we see the roots of anarchy taking hold in our so-called civilisation. This is reflected on our roads where it’s every man for himself and devil takes the hindmost. There are no rules, and civilised drivers traverse our streets at their peril.

We see it in our schools, where children are a law unto themselves, and adults cower in fear as no one dares put them in check. The inmates have taken over the asylum; all forms of discipline have been taken away, so the children are accountable to no one.

The crimes have reached a level of depravity never seen before where even women, the old and infirmed, the disabled and even infants are not spared. Pregnant women are fair game. The measure of a civilisation is how we treat our children and our old people. We are a civilisation in decline.

On Thursday, November 10, I watched CVM’s news broadcast and was amused, horrified and taken aback by what I saw unfolding at the Norman Manley International Airport as the football team from Suriname arrived. Right there at the front, a man, his estranged wife, his daughter and his companion got into a brawl of epic proportions.

They were like Tasmanian devils, kicking, punching and rolling around on the ground like massive hippos fighting in a mixed martial arts bout. When the portly foursome had finished their war, the once -dreadlocked man had lost almost half of his locks, strewn like black entrails on the sidewalk, plus a portion of his finger was bitten off and lay beside him.

It seemed as if he came out the worst, as his daughter and estranged wife really gave him a beating, raining kicks and blows worthy of any karate tournament. As a witness said on camera: “Him cudden manage dem as dem beat him bad.” As they were all led off by the police I thought, “We are really a society in decline. imagine, daughter, father and mother brawling in public at our international airport. I can only imagine what the Suriname football team must have thought.“

Some people think that they are entitled and just do what they want, when they want and where they want, and no one dares tell them otherwise, for, “Is hustle mi a hustle, boss. Mi haffie live somewhey and mi haffi eat a food.”

There was a time when a youngster would give up his seat to a pregnant woman on a bus. Now, he’ll jostle and push her out of his way to grab the seat. Either that or he’ll sit in his seat while she suffers before him. The sad truth is, he knows no better and knows not that he’s being uncivilised.

The same goes for the treatment of the disabled, as the young and hearty show no compassion or charity towards them. Children have no rules or boundaries, and parents are afraid to admonish or discipline them. Even the authorities have taken away most of the methods of discipline for our children as they take the modern approach to discipline’. And then they wonder why the children behave the way that they do. There is no consequence for their actions.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, but for every lack of action there can be devastating consequences.

“The people muddied, thick and unwholesome in their thoughts and whispers.” – Hamlet.

We are a civilisation in decline but many are blinded, refuse to acknowledge it or are in denial.

More time.

seido1@hotmail.com

seido1@hotmail.com

Footnote: The USA has had many presidents, some good, some bad, others forgettable. President Obama was the first black president, although it’s reputed that there were others who had negro blood but kept it hidden. He brought a refreshing difference to the presidency against all the odds, as he was defied and opposed relentlessly, but fought and achieved so much in his tenure.

He served his time with grace, dignity, honour and class, complemented by his brilliant wife who is as classy as she is bright. No one could find any scandals to tarnish their tenure and legacy. I am grateful that I was born in this era to witness and experience this time in the world’s history. They’ll be a hard act to follow. Let’s see what the next president has to offer.