There were times we used to look up at far richer societies thinking that they’ve all that anyone would wish for. The logic of the man-in-the-street was that those who have it all have no reason to trample on moral standards. Their seats in heaven are ‘reserved!’ I mean it is easy to generalize when you have few, if any, options left to explain certain things. But then that’s no more the case; meaning being rich has nothing to do with being on the higher grounds of moral standards. From the point of view of most people in this ancient country these days there is much, too much, moral decadence in the richer countries than there is in the poorer ones. You know the rich who demand you lick their shoes for every Dollar, Euro or Pound they throw your way. “You want us to give you funds? Then do what we tell you to do. No free lunch!”
And many people believe this all-inclusive moral decadence is seeping into our society affecting rich and poor, young and old alike. The stories you hear about, the things you see for yourself etc. could sometimes be so out of place and sometimes out of the world you feel the current of shock down to your toes. This is happening in my own country! How the hell did we slide so low and what the hell was everybody doing when we gilded deeper and deeper into this unending hole! Believe me we already have more than our share of those shocks. The days when only the young are condemned for all the wrongs in society are fewer and fewer. Not that those wrongs have been dealt with or disappeared by some miracle.
No! It means than the young aren’t standing alone in the defendant’s box. More and more the older members of the society are becoming regular presence.
Did I tell you of the very old man whom I saw and heard throw these four letter words at a visibly shaken teenage girl! Never found out the reason behind his diatribe. But whatever his reasons an octogenarian raining four letter words on a girl of not more than sixteen and seventeen couldn’t be justified.
“You know the fellow was very angry and he isn’t aware of what he is saying. No, this one I was telling you about was not only aware he used the words as weapons. Every word didn’t come as if the vocal dams have collapsed. He in fact took his time to emphasize those horribly vicious words which he probably took as his lethal ammunition.
These days we see aggressive behaviors in more places than we’d have been comfortable with. I recently saw an actual fist fight (well, an ‘almost fist fight!’). At least it had all the makings of being actual while lacking when it comes to execution. You might say, “This guy saw a fist fight and he’s giving it column space for such a trivial happening! What is wrong with these guys anyway? Why, we see scores of fist fights all over the place and he expects us to read through his nonsense!” Wait a minute I didn’t yet rest my case. The ‘combatants’ of this fist fight were two grandfathers, probably past their mid-seventies. The cause of the bust up was a traffic dispute where the two almost crashed into each other!
Of course the crash never happened. But both accused the other of being responsible for a dangerous situation which if it had happened the story would have been different down to every comma and semi colon. Of course, some blows were thrown from each side, but not one of them reached anyone’s chin or jaw. Wasted blows, wouldn’t you say! But it would have been the miracle of the decade if any of those blows had connected with flesh and bone! I’ll tell you why. A couple of Good Samaritans were already between them and there is a humble five or six meter gap between them. It might be the safest way out for both for settling the issue and prevent “Did you see those cowards!” bar talk.
“If I had found his chin with this fist of mine he would have been in a hospital bed for the better half of the year!”
“So, why isn’t he already in a hospital bed?”
“Well, I never hit him.”
“But why?”
“He was five or six meters away.”
“And you still threw punches at that distance!”
“What do you think I should have done; put my tail between my legs and run!”
Any ways those two elderly men acting the way they did with scores and scores of onlookers watching is not about being tough or claiming some Rambo genes. It is one manifestation of the crudest form of moral decadence!
Your honor, the defense calls for a recess.
It’s better to leave the Rambo Genes to Rambo himself, wouldn’t you say!
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SPECIAL EDITION 1 JANUARY 2023