The Moral Fabric In Our Society

The highly regarded philosopher John Stuart Mill once said, “The despotism of custom is everywhere the standing hindrance to human advancement.” Seldom has this phrase been more true than with our dear country Guyana in the last few decades. As citizens we have sat idly on the sidelines and watched as our children have become accustomed to riots in the streets and racial segregation in the government. We have simply sat by and accepted these types of incidents as being a normal course of events, when in reality they are nothing short of a national moral tragedy.

So many times good men and women have called for an end to the depressing status quo attitude that promotes the continuing unacceptable condition of our nation. I applaud the efforts of these good people. Without the courage of such individuals, truly our country would be in a far worse condition.

However, now is not the time to lose heart or shy away from the good fight to better our country and ourselves. Mill also said, “The general tendency of things throughout the world is to render mediocrity the ascendant power among mankind.” Mediocrity has long been the acceptable attitude for many Guyanese. One individual can also feel overwhelmed and like there is nothing he or she can do to change the state of our country. However, the question should not be “Should I try?” or “Why should I try?” The question each Guyanese is obliged to ask them self is “How can I not try?”

We have allowed mediocrity to rule in our hearts and as a consequence, instability has ruled our nation. Any type of growth, whether political, social or economical, has not only been stunted in the wake of our indifference, but has fallen into sad disrepair. Fortunately, all is not lost for we can still be repaired.

If the people of Guyana rise up to their moral and civic responsibilities as citizens, we can ensure a future of hope for our children and for their children. This is our country and it is time to reclaim it by asserting our responsibilities to each other as friends, neighbours, business associates and fellow countrymen.

Truly the government cannot, nor should it be expected, to carry the entire burden of building a community of hope. Each citizen shares in this obligation to the community and to the country. The most obvious obligation is of course voting and participation in the political process. However, our obligations do not stop at the voting booth.

There are children who need tutoring, teen-agers who need structured community activities and young women who need training in child development. The elderly need a caring ear, new drivers need proper instruction and vacant lots need restoration. All of these are activities that will cost little if anything for a single individual to perform.

Just think of the possibilities if a group of citizens banded together to clear a field of garbage so the youth could organize a softball team with the guidance of some adults who would volunteer their time. Now imagine that happening over and over again in multiple neighbourhoods and a league forming for competition – all with little or no out of pocket expense. The community would become stronger, the children would feel more confident in themselves and their community and the area looks better, which raises the real estate value. All of this can be the result of just a few citizens who decide to take matters into their own hands instead of waiting for the government to do something for them.

Mill’s moral theory is based on the “Greatest Happiness Principle.” He maintains that moral decisions should be made by considering the greatest amount of happiness for all those involved in the decision. In other words, when faced with the decision of mediocrity or social and political activism, the moral decision would create the greatest amount of happiness for all involved. In this case, the Greatest Happiness Principle would dictate a moral decision for activism over mediocrity.

For example, single mothers are faced with numerous issues on a daily basis. As a community, we can help these women transform themselves into productive members of society by giving them the tools needed to perform effectively in job, thereby teaching them how to support themselves and their children independent of financial aid from others. By taking the time to teach these women a trade, we are also helping our community by creating citizens who can offer a significant contribution to the community instead of needing contributions to stay alive. This is the Greatest Happiness Principle in action. This is also civic morality at its best.

Community involvement is more than charitable - it is our moral obligation. Mill stated it so eloquently, “A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.” We have the power to turn Guyana into a viable, prosperous, and thriving country - one person at a time. If each citizen does his or her part to carry the load, we can see social reform come to our nation in a very short time.

Together, the citizens of Guyana can change the definition of what moral and civic obligations we have to each other, the community and the country at large. In time, this revamped definition will then become the moral fabric of our society, a standard by which we live and raise our children.

Instead of a nation of jaded citizens who feel exploited and abandoned by their government, we can turn the tide ourselves to ensure the health and vitality of our shared community interests through goodwill. It is time to stop waiting for the government or some other entity to come and save our communities and our country. This is a shared burden by a moral people. It’s time we saved ourselves. It’s time we saved our own country.