The maxim that can heal the world.

A century ago when, "Love thy neighbor," was the maxim that most people followed in their day to day living, the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. Only a third of the huge ship's passengers survived. Most were women and children. Several male passengers refused to enter lifeboats because they wanted to make sure that women and children were safe first. Such chivalry and unselfishness is greatly applauded but unfortunately it is rarely found these days. A few years ago, on the 4th of August 1991, to be precise, the Oceanos sank off the Transkei coast and the Captain and his crew were first to abandon ship and sail away in a lifeboat leaving the passengers to fend for themselves. The credo that the captain and his crew allowed to lead their lives was, "Every man for himself." The "me" generation had sprung up and their goals are always inclined towards self, self-preservation, self-gratification, egoistic self-love, selfishness, self-etc, the list of words prefixed with self would have filled this page if I had continued. Their lives are so centred on self that they have no room left to think of other people. They have this wrong notion that the world revolves around them and every other person in it is a pawn placed there for the soul purpose of being used as stepping stones to serve their needs. Gone are the, "I am my brother's keeper," credos that used to encourage the humanity in people to come out.

Am still trying to figure out what brought about the change in people from the time of the Titanic to now. Where did grandparents and parents go wrong when they were bringing up the, "me" generation.? Or was it the movie industry that bombarded screens with movies that had themes celebrating self more than the love of neighbors.? Or was it the teachers and lecturers who concentrated on giving pupils knowledge only and not ethics and wisdom.? Or was it the pastors, priests and bishops at church who failed to instil enough Christ-like behaviour into their congregation? Or was it the concentration on business and sports competition that made people value winning for themselves and not for others.? Whatever the reason is, it has diluted the humanity in most people's hearts if not completely killed it, from lack of practice. I shudder at how people in this generation choose to be indifferent to other people's suffering. Think of the lives that could be saved if we all looked out for each other instead of just looking out for ourselves. Think of how the present economic depression would be such a light burden to carry if we all helped each other carry it. Think of the lives in the hyper-inflationary environment in Zimbabwe that could be saved from hunger if we were to let our lives be ruled by the maxim, "Love thy neighbor."

Talking about Zimbabwe, it is this same, "me" syndrome that has seen Grandpa Mugabe clinging on to power at an age when he is supposed to be enjoying old age quietly and peacefully without the burden of ruling a nation. It is a public secret that his reason for clinging on to power is motivated by self-preservation from being charged for his acts of atrocity against humanity during his reign as well as self- gratification. If instead of thinking of himself only, he were to think of the ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe who have suffered enough under his rule he would have done the right thing and gracefully resigned. It is also this, "me" syndrome that has seen Tsvangirai hiding in Botswana motivated by self-preservation from being accused and charged of insurgency. Somehow Tsvangirai's continued stay in Botswana reminds me of the captain of the Oceanos who abandoned ship when it was about to sink leaving passengers to fend for themselves. I am sure the captain of the Oceanos when asked why he abandoned passengers also gave a similar excuse as Tsvangirai is giving, something like, " I felt the passengers were better of with me out of the ship controlling the ship remotely than with them in the ship showing them how to manouver to safety." Mandela is one heroic man whom Mugabe and Tsvangirai should emulate. His life history stands out in stark contrast to the way these two Zimbabwean leaders are carrying on. Mandela did not cling on to power like what Mugabe is doing, but then again Mandela's hands and conscience were clean and he had nothing to haunt him and threaten him from taking the much needed rest. Talk about living hell on earth, forced not to rest when one wants to because of one's sins is what I would call a hell on earth. Also unlike Tsvangirai, Mandela did not mind being wrongfully jailed for a good 27 years as he worked towards saving South Africans from apartheid. He could have run away to a neighboring country if he wanted to but he decided to stay in his country through thick and thin. Mandela's life history shouts out to all leaders that when one is a leader it is imperative that his/her life be governed by the credo, "Love thy nation's people above your own selfish interest," instead of, "Every man for himself." But do our Zimbabwean leaders care to listen to the shout, no, they are busy concentrating on their own welfare.

To all you readers I say, "Lets heal the world by once again making the maxim, "Love thy neighbor," rule our lives.