Impunity and Trust

I hail from a country known for its corrupt and insensitive officials. Well, who doesn’t? It seems that this world is rife with bad governance from well developed nations to the smallest corporate entity. Anyway, back to my country, there is this air of impunity among persons in position.

The basic building block for this phenomenon, as I have observed, is the acquisition of power. Give someone a little of it, maybe as village counselor or a simple supervisorial or managerial position, and you will soon learn that he can flout rules with little thought that he is displaying a bad example to his family. Sooner or later you’ll see his son or niece defy the same rules which may contaminate even the in-laws and close friends. The results – a whole clan existing above the law while the rest suffer insult and inadequacy in silence.

Bring up children in this atmosphere and in no time a whole generation is bred in twisted values and unhindered lies, and a vicious cycle of impunity has just been spawned.

On the flip-side of the picture are those who are trying to keep clear of the brewing scandal. The few who can see right from wrong in this disgraceful situation have this feeling of insult and deprivation brought about by the inability to right what is wrong - being the underlings in the set-up.

How does one survive this world of impunity and callousness? Solutions are easier said than done, but trusting in God is one indisputable answer in getting over the feeling of helplessness and vulnerability.