Freudenfreude describes the happiness an individual feels when someone else succeeds, even if he/she is not directly involved in the cause and/or circumstances which precipitated the joy. Incidentally, some linguists say, freudenfreude is inspired by the German word for joy

Schadenfreude is the opposite of freudenfreude — it refers to the pleasure derived by someone from witnessing another person’s misfortune.

“Bad mind is active,” is a popular saying in our country. Those who doubt that a premium is placed on bad mind by scores of individuals in this country, doubtless, have just landed here from Mars, or maybe suffer with advanced amnesia

I believe a big hindrance to our progress is an oversupply of envy for the success of others. I am not here talking about a necessary and understandable unease for the ‘success’ of those who achieve meteoric rise up the social and economic ladder in the glaring absence of evidence of personal industry and/or known financial inheritance. I am talking here about people who literally hate the fact that individuals who have invested blood, sweat, and tears and, as we say in local parlance, burned the midnight oil can and do reap the good rewards of their honest labour and industry.

Advanced sickness

A general and despicable aversion for honest achievements by far too many of us in this country, unsurprisingly, is deeply reflected in how many of us treat with national success. Too many believe that a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) or People’s National Party (PNP) barometer is the only credible device to measure social and economic mobility.

Some among us even completely reject mountains of evidence from organisations and agencies which are accepted as global authorities for measuring a country’s growth and development. This is wrong!

I quite understand the feeling that many have for wanting to see Jamaica advance while the PNP or the JLP is in office. That is a natural consequence of the competitive nature of our politics. I get that. I part company, however, with those who are inebriated with a kind of corrosive hate for the objective achievements of Jamaica because their party is not in Jamaica House.

As I see it, this is a political cancer which has systematically retarded our development. The awful sickness is far advanced. Those afflicted need to get help, and fast.

On the point of speed, let me hasten to add that the affliction of which I speak is not a malady that is peculiar to individuals who live below Cross Roads. There are indeed some lettered people among us who are suffering with this great sickness. These kinds of individuals are active participants in an elaborate scheme of betrayal. Many consciously pull wool over the eyes of those who are less discerning because they are seeking to recapture relevance.

There was a time in Jamaica when a relatively small group of people had a monopoly not just on what people thought, but how often they thought it. The fact that that is no longer the reality is very irksome to them. They are yet to get the memo that we are living in a Jamaica in which anyone with a smartphone and Internet access can fact check their utterances in the twinkling of eye. Thousands can free themselves at the press of bottom. The erstwhile enslavers are vexed. They are angry that a reorientation of how citizens understand their roles and the functions of a Government is taking place right in front of their eyes. I believe we must not detain this process to suit their conspicuous upset.

Check the facts

Upset is an understatement to describe the bile that some spewed onto various social media platforms last week when they read an insightful piece, entitled ‘Jamaica is doing great, thanks’, in the internationally respected Financial Times.

Quoting from the most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report on Jamaica, the Financial Times article said, among other things: “Over the past few years, Jamaica has been buffeted by a difficult global environment — from COVID, the war in Ukraine, and the ongoing tightening of global financial conditions. Supported by sound policy frameworks and policies prioritising macroeconomic stability, the economy is now recovering strongly.

“As COVID waned, stopover flight arrivals had rebounded to pre-crisis levels, and 2022 real GDP [gross domestic product] growth is expected to be around 4 per cent. Pushed by global factors — in particular, the impact of the war in Ukraine on commodity prices — inflation has risen above the central bank’s target band, but is expected to decline during the course of 2023. High commodity prices have resulted in an increase in the current account deficit. However, international reserves remain at healthy levels. The financial system is well-capitalised and liquid. The outlook points to a continued recovery in activity and inflation falling back within the Bank of Jamaica’s target range by end-2023.”

Some, including people who have declared an interest in national political representation, took to social media to try and minimise and delegitimise the facts presented in the piece. They seem to foolishly believe that if they inveigh against facts they will win significant favour with the electorate and their chances of gaining access to State power will be enhanced. They are greatly mistaken.

Facts matter! The fact is the prudent management by the Andrew-Holness-led Administration during the last seven years has ensured relatively low inflation and a stable dollar. Interest rates are low; business and consumer confidence are at record highs; and the major international rating agencies, including Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s, have either affirmed and/or upgraded their outlook on Jamaica from stable to positive. Jamaica is meeting IMF benchmarks with relative ease while not imposing brutal austerity upon the population.

At present, Jamaica has just over US$3.8 billion in reserves in our central bank as at January 31, 2023.

The country’s debt is being paid down: Jamaica’s debt is steadily decreasing as a result of increased payments being made by the Government.

Some want us to buy into the nonsense that the Jamaican people are not benefiting from the obvious improvements in the economy. They want us to believe we have lost our sense of touch, along with other senses. They need to recognise that, try as they may, they cannot beat the facts.

Our economy is in the best state it has been for 50 years. Still, individuals whose political antecedents are well known continue to argue on social and in traditional media that the people of Jamaica are not feeling the benefits of the improvements. The unemployment rate at the end of last year was 6 per cent. This means that for the first time since Independence we are close to a situation of near full employment. Are the employed tactile-less Jamaicans?

Some try to delegitimise the obvious improvements in employment by saying, “Oh, the Administration is busy creating all sorts of low-paying jobs.” I believe they need to stop consoling themselves with this most tiresome falsehood. I recommend that they develop an appreciation for the local saying, “Half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.” An understanding of the adage, “the devil finds work for idle hands” might also be very helpful for these miserabilists.

Folks are not stupid, as some seem to think. They know that it is extremely unlikely that their first job will be that of a supervisor, manager, or chief executive officer for a fortune 500-type company with the attendant salary and benefits. Folks know too that they have to “walk before you creep”, as we say in local parlance. In order to suit their caustic political agenda, some among us prefer to see thousands of our especially young people remain seated at home with their hands at their jaws. Those who wish this mean this country no good.

Don’t be a hater

No well-thinking Jamaican should be irritated by the fact that murder has declined by 34 per cent, and other major crimes by 31 per cent, in January and February of this year compared to a similar period last year. Those who are saying ‘bad prayers’, as we say in local parlance, for the murder figures to shoot back up are con artists. We must resist their trickery on every occasion.

We all should be happy that murder is on the decline. Instead, some are shouting in the highways and byways, “Cho, dat nahh last,” when they should be joining hands and hearts with the authorities to ensure that the numbers decline even faster. I do not feel any joy when I travel abroad and persons ask me, “So what is causing all the murders in your country?” I tell them the truth, domestic disputes, inter gang feuds, contract killing, robberies, etc. I long for the day when I will be asked: “So what miracle did you all perform in your country to bring down the murder rate?” Some of us do not seem to get it that Jamaicans who are murdered are real people and not mere statistics.

Since 2004, over 1,000 Jamaicans have been murdered every year. We all should be mortified by this reality.

We also should be frightened, extremely frightened by the fact that in the last many years over 400 Jamaicans — most in the prime of their lives; 20 – 49 years — have died in road crashes. This banner headline ‘No deaths from traffic crashes for five parishes in January, says RSU’ did not excite those who want terror on our streets to continue unabated. The news item said, among other things: “Five parishes recorded zero road deaths during the month of January while all others recorded single-digit fatalities as the country saw an overall 30 per cent decrease in the number of people killed in road crashes this year, when compared with the corresponding month in 2022.

“Thirty people were killed in 28 fatal crashes during the month according to the Ministry of Transport’s Road Safety Unit (RSU). The statistics which were released on Friday, February 10, also show that fatal crashes have decreased by 24 per cent when compared with similar period in 2022.

“A breakdown of fatalities by parish shows that Kingston; Trelawny; and the eastern parishes of Portland, St Mary, and St Thomas were the safest — recording zero road deaths last month. St Ann had one death attributable to a road traffic accident, while two deaths each were recorded in Clarendon, St James and Westmoreland. Hanover had three road traffic victims while four people were killed in St Elizabeth and Manchester.

“Five people perished in road crashes in St Catherine, while St Andrew was the most dangerous parish for road users with seven fatalities recorded in the first month of the year.” (Jamaica Observer, February 12, 2023)

I am overjoyed that road deaths are trending down. Those who believe that Jamaicans do not have the ability and or proclivity for anything except chaos and self-immolation have a view which is consistent with advanced self-hate. We need to stop the hating and ‘build’ as is said in the streets. The entire Jamaica benefits from law and order. We are seeing some real signs for real hope. I think we all should be embracing freudenfreude and less schadenfreude.

All connected

Far too many of us are short-sighted. Too many do not see a ready connection between the terror on the roads and our abnormally high murder rate. Too many do not see an obvious connection between thumbing our noses at the rule of law, high levels domestic violence, and general social decay. I could go on and on. We often fail to see the obvious dots which connect critical things, which are sometimes right before our very eyes.

I do not think it is a coincidence that while we are seeing a 34 per cent drop in murders and a 31 per cent reduction in major crimes that we also seeing a 24 per cent dip in road fatalities. I am not bringing out the champagne just yet; for, like the American poet Robert Frost said in his seminal poem Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening: But I (we) have promises to keep, And miles to go before I (we) sleep. I agree.

Garfield Higgins is an educator, journalist and a senior advisor to the minister of education & youth. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.