Murky does not begin to capture this. But it’s not really the tip of the iceberg. It’s more like sticking a finger in the Kola Superdeep Hole. That hole is close to 13 kms deep. And the Russians would have made it deeper too if they had the tools. But our proverbial hole of pollution, corruption and discord grows deeper with every breath.
But the dilemma is simple: did the case of a potentially corrupt judge shock you? Or did you sit back and think: That’s funny, he got caught! The spike in demand for fire extinguisher jokes flooded our Internet. But we are too tired or jaded to be outraged.
Did you read this and wonder: Yikes! Our courts are corrupt? I had so much faith in the system.
My shock is reserved for the rarest of rare clean streets, pretty river, efficient official or politician who says and does what they mean. These things are like Asiatic cheetahs. The actual ones in Iran. Not the ones we keep trying to import for photo opportunities and killing.
Who on earth thinks this judge might be the exception? That he’s the sole potential rotten apple.
There’s a simple reason the traffic out of the country is mostly one way. Anyone who comes back does so for family and affordability. Not for the system or the environment. They come back despite those things.
There’s a reason foreign countries pander to us: the hundred odd million to sell stuff to. It’s not our wisdom. It’s our size and market potential. Jaishankar may be articulate and stand up for us. But they humour him only because they want to hawk coal, cars, weapons and coke to us.
There’s money to be made here. There’s cheap labour to be exploited. A good meal here or there. And a few good deeds to witness once in a blue moon. And that’s pretty much it.
I would say we are doomed. But the reality is much worse: we will amble on in mediocrity, filth, pollution and despair over the violence and mayhem we inflict upon each other. Only occasionally stopping to stare at our order books or portfolio’s to grit our teeth and say it’s worth it. I can manage without the system.
There are some amazing people I am honoured to work with and clients who make my days worth it. And a part of me dies a little everyday that those are the only good reasons to stay. The bet I made that this place would be cleaner, greener and less corrupt in 21 years is one I lost a long time ago.
But the dilemma is simple: did the case of a potentially corrupt judge shock you? Or did you sit back and think: That’s funny, he got caught! The spike in demand for fire extinguisher jokes flooded our Internet. But we are too tired or jaded to be outraged.
Did you read this and wonder: Yikes! Our courts are corrupt? I had so much faith in the system.
My shock is reserved for the rarest of rare clean streets, pretty river, efficient official or politician who says and does what they mean. These things are like Asiatic cheetahs. The actual ones in Iran. Not the ones we keep trying to import for photo opportunities and killing.
Who on earth thinks this judge might be the exception? That he’s the sole potential rotten apple.
There’s a simple reason the traffic out of the country is mostly one way. Anyone who comes back does so for family and affordability. Not for the system or the environment. They come back despite those things.
There’s a reason foreign countries pander to us: the hundred odd million to sell stuff to. It’s not our wisdom. It’s our size and market potential. Jaishankar may be articulate and stand up for us. But they humour him only because they want to hawk coal, cars, weapons and coke to us.
There’s money to be made here. There’s cheap labour to be exploited. A good meal here or there. And a few good deeds to witness once in a blue moon. And that’s pretty much it.
I would say we are doomed. But the reality is much worse: we will amble on in mediocrity, filth, pollution and despair over the violence and mayhem we inflict upon each other. Only occasionally stopping to stare at our order books or portfolio’s to grit our teeth and say it’s worth it. I can manage without the system.
There are some amazing people I am honoured to work with and clients who make my days worth it. And a part of me dies a little everyday that those are the only good reasons to stay. The bet I made that this place would be cleaner, greener and less corrupt in 21 years is one I lost a long time ago.