The TV screens are filled with young, handsome men and be pretty girls. The adverts, the musical clips, the ‘special programs’ name it everything seems to go with good looks. Unfortunately, most of them are anything but good looking. Poor us! Ok, you might be not a particularly good-looking guy. So what! You not be photogenic ad the TV stations wouldn’t want you within a mile of their studios. But, who cares? After all, your spouse or partner thinks you’re the only ‘real man’ around. You know, like you’re the last real man God created! So forget trying to get the applause from every one of Eve’s descendants.
Look, there is nothing wrong in trying to be recognized for the right things. I mean you accomplish something good and you’ve a very right to claim your place on the medal table. But when things go too far, when recognition is sought through the most unorthodox actions well things might have the opposite effect.
These days it is a little difficult to put your hands on your ears and say, “I don’t want to hear a single word on politics ever again,” however noisy the air. Yes, you might try. But believe me, even the very act of putting your hands on your ears could be interpreted as politics! It is a lost cause even before you even started it. There are politicians who could send you running for the thickest pillows, if only to lessen the barrage of rudimentary and largely nonsense politics on your ears.
Of course, there are politicians who know what they are taking about. They might not be fully articulate but at least they seem to have done some research and reading, and they hold a more or less good idea of what they want to achieve.
But, most, sorry to say it, are in politics only for the exposure! Yes, you know like the city’s hot spots where you should frequently go and be noticed to prove that you’re still up and running. Stay away a few days and you don’t exist! The easiest way to the stage, the shortest way to the TV and radio studios, and the ‘green card’ for workshops and the cocktails is, what else, politics! (At one time ye4ars back there was this complaint among people “They make us to see each other as enemies during the day, and the evenings they drink from the same whiskey bottle.
Once I remember during some sort of ‘debate’ in parliament the issue was raised that opposition politicians should come up with alternatives. A prominent opposition figure’s response to that was …”We are not supposed to present alternatives. Our job is to oppose.” What! Was that really said in public? Yes it was. What made interesting was the gentleman who voiced was a real heavy weight and was not some eleventh hour drop-in who acts as holier than the Pope.
We seem to have more than our share of issues, don’t we? And we also seem to have more than our fair share of ‘commentators!’ Well that’s not a particularly bad thing. I mean the more diverse the opinions the better the chances of arriving at informed decisions. Then there are those with ‘expert’ opinions over everything. The last word in everything is with them. Tired, tired, tired of them!
With so many barking up the wrong trees no wonder we’re confused at every corner.
“What the hell is the man saying? A few weeks back he was saying the opposite!”
“Well, the guy has every right to change his opinions.”
“The last thing this guy has is opinions! He probably forgot what he said then. Don’t ‘opinion’ me when what we are seeing is some guy who is in politics for the action.
What makes it weird is that with so many radio and TV channels you might have the most stupid opinions of the last five centuries and still have the media asking for your opinion.
I personally don’t like it when politics is turned into some sort of performing art. Our pain would’ve been softer had there been a few drops of substance in all those words. Imagine the heavy July rains are pounding you and you still have to be wet! Maybe you took the thunders and lightening for rain. As there are those who take lengthy denunciations and Armageddon talk for substance.
Leave the rehearsed performances to the professionals and talk real politics!
The Ethiopian Herald May 16/2021