Murder most foul: An Oscar in the making

Of recent, my thoughts have been beset by the way people have been reacting to certain emotive news subject featuring Oscar Pistorius. Here is a person, disabled as he may be, that in the wink of an eye, has undergone a life changing experience. The incident in question refers to the ‘alleged’ murder of an up-and-coming female model at the point of his gun. The why it happened is the current furore of public speculation that is being driven to insanity by the media sharks, hungry for sensationalism, melodrama and sales.

In taking the time to read all the news reports on the Oscar troubles and their associated public commentaries, one gets the feel that all is not well in society at large. In breaking down the commentaries into their various headings, which range from Religious pundits quoting scripture and their brand of theological edits to explain or bless the embattled soul, to the downright obnoxious who relish in making what-really-happened extrapolations fact based on mostly yellow-page styled journalism, and their own narrow life experiences.

Of course, in between all the ‘listen-to-me’ commentaries, one does find the down-to-earth type comments that express sadness, disbelief, scepticism, and pose elucidating questions relating to the muddled hype traveling the internet, the printed word, and the airwaves.

To my mind, the issue arises from the inclination we have of putting people on pedestals based on certain of their witnessed above-normal human prowess while casually ignoring, or not taking into account, their very human side. A side that plagues Homo Sapiens across all walks of life. Had Oscar or his girlfriend been one of the average billions, would the dastardly incident have caused a stir or even the lifting of an eyebrow?

What is on the table, although complex in nature is a simple question of a human being, being human. Oscar is a real human being that has to content with real-life fears, aspirations, mental torments: depression; misery; despair; despondency; and bouts of ego.

Although there is a growing faction of activists who feel that the female girlfriend is being side-lined by the attention the fallen superstar is receiving while the victim lies dead, it cannot be denied that while she was an up-and-coming cover-model superstar, Oscar is the newsmaker of the day: he broke the moulds of human perceptions, he made history and he moved the human imagination to greater heights enforcing the new-age ethos that nothing is impossible.

Yet the pedestal was created, assembled, manufactured and cemented in place, firmly affixing the feet-of-clay of the disabled superstar to it. Is this because we need heroes to give credence to our feeble lives? Is this because we need hope to an otherwise humdrum existence? Is this because we need something to grab-onto which seemingly makes sense and affirms our desire to a better life?

There is of course the possibility that all the adoration and adulation that Oscar received over his period of fame played havoc on his frail human psyche which led to the development of the commonly known prima-donna syndrome: a rather common human weakness that has manifested itself in many Hollywood stars, musical idols and political statespersons. 

The way forward for him is going to be tough and brutal. Fortunately he has the money to employ a high-powered lawyer which by all accounts, gives him a decisive edge in maneuvering through the mazes of legalese and jurisprudence processes.

The way forward for the hapless family of the deceased model is likewise going to be filled with much despair, depression, anguish, sleepless nights and questions.

To me, the bottom line to the entire fracas is never to put a human being on a pedestal for in the end, it is only a human being. Yes, appreciate their achievements and accomplishments but there is where it should end.

Bestiality, Doping and Fickleness

So the famed American cyclist has ‘come clean’ to paraphrase the media hype. Really?

Given the American propensity for hype, truth-and-reconciliation marketing and self-aggrandisement, the well-publicised talk show was a beautifully choreographed piece of circus performance complete with a voluble ring-master, obedient slew of lawyers and agile camera shots. All that was missing were the wild animals, dogs and clowns; and maybe they were all present…just in disguise!?

I wonder what the famed cyclist’s appearance fee was?

And speaking of criminal congress, the constitutional court has found that the South African sex offender’s act is unconstitutional in that consenting persons should be allowed to entertain copulation without the fear of being labelled criminals. Of course the section in question is mainly about teenagers engaging in consensual sex and not really about adults but still, given the population growth, there are a lot of young orgasms taking place irrespective of laws, mandates and adult aversions.

Then there is a clip in the South African media about a ‘petite blond’ having been sent for mental evaluation for having had intercourse with a Terrier and a Labrador. Is this because the breeds in question did not give their consent or is it just because she found sex with the loving breeds sensual?

And speaking of defloration, I wonder if SANRAL will also be sent for mental evaluation due to them screwing the public without their consent; or the use of protection?

And on the subject of being screwed by the system, it was reported that some rating agencies have warned the USA that they will suffer a rating downgrade if they do not raise their debt ceiling. If one follows the line of logic, debt is master. In other words go ahead and create more debt i.e. print more money, and all will be well with you. Pity that the same opportunities are not afforded the masses. These will just have to continue to bend over and smile. After all, it is the American way.

Personally I find the whole flaccid affair distasteful. America is still classed as the greatest world economy yet it owes more than it has. What does that say for the people earning in US Dollars? How valuable is their money really? How will this whole sexual affair affect us as outsiders to the whole game play? Maybe our saving grace is the other American invention; Viagra.

As for erections, our dear farm workers down in the Western Cape have once again taken to the streets with whatever they could get their hands on to protest their miserable salaries, blaming everything and destroying everything in the process. What a warm afterglow the SAPS must be enjoying, having had to face the brunt of anything that can be thrown, hurled and chucked. Maybe the SAPS should take a step back, cordon off the area and let the protesters do what they do best. At least this way the SAPS can’t be blamed for hurting a poor protester or innocent onlooker. In retrospect, this type of passive action would also be judged as criminal by public opinion. I find the whole affair offensive and prejudicial to all concerned for winners there will not be; especially not for the workers.

Anyways, while I type in the afterglow of all the excitement I am confronted by the idiocy of it all. 

I am struck by what strikes people as important e.g. Lance Armstrong. Since when is the doing and screwing’s of a sport personality of such importance that it occupies center stage in world news; specially when wars are raging, unemployment continues to escalate, and the financial systems is in tatters?  Oh wait, Tiger Woods…and now he wants to re-marry his ex. 

I am in awe of the general commentaries made by those with access to on-line news sites and the blogosphere. Commentaries that judge and hold in abhorrence human infractions and public incidences without first checking on and ensuring that the facts are correct.

I find it interesting that for every ridiculing article written about dear uncle Zuma, the more the ire of the ANC rise against the press. In the laws of physics, sooner or later the one will disappear for no two forces can occupy the same place, space or time. History will tell.

And now that France has joined the conflict in Mali, all is as it should be: Fucked up! At least I know that the sun rises in the east.

The Poor be Damned!?

The other day while listening to another well-meaning politician sprout foibles on the eradication of poverty, I was struck by the lack of solutions in his speech. This phenomenon is common whenever politicians or people get-together to source solutions to an ever-present, and growing, social ailment.

This lack of presentable solutions is more of an ill than the whole poverty paradox. Poverty is solvable. The problem arises mostly from the reality that solutions are money based and that in itself, will require a mindset change by the way many think about money.

Money or even the mention thereof is a taboo in most languages. Yes, most will talk freely about other peoples money, but their own is a guarded secret.

Many, when confronted by poverty, will jump on the get-a-job horse. Others will look the other way. Some will put some pennies into the begging-tin and drive off in a rush. Few will attempt to come up with short term solutions (meals-on-wheels, shelters, charity drives, etc) but find themselves alone in the fight-to-eradicate-poverty.

There have been many workable solutions put forward by thinking individuals on changing the way society views and thinks about money:

1) The National Dividend. This was invented by engineer C. H. Douglas and has been revived by Ezra Pound and designer Buckminster Fuller. The basic idea is that every citizen should be declared a shareholder in the nation, and should receive dividends on the Gross National Product for the year.

2) The Guaranteed Annual Income. This has been encouraged by economist Robert Theobald and others. The government would simply establish an income level above the poverty line and guarantee that no citizen would receive less. This plan would cost the government less than the present welfare systems, with all its bureaucratic red tape and redundancy factors.

3) The Negative Income Tax. This was first devised by Nobel economist Milton Friedman. The Negative Income Tax would establish a minimum income for every citizen; anyone whose income fell below that level would receive the amount necessary to bring them up to that standard. Again this would cost "the government" less than the present welfare systems. It would also dispense with the last tinge of humiliation associated with government "charity," since when you cashed a check from IRS nobody would know if it was supplementary income or a refund.

My take on the whole eradication of poverty is a simple one.

In South Africa we have a Lotto entity that pays out huge amounts of money in a given year (In excess of 50 Million Rand.) With an estimated population of 50 million persons, a conservative disbursement of 250 thousand Rand per person would elevate all to a liveable economic level and rid the SA society of the terms poverty, poor and the-poor-of-the-poor in an instant

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From the outset, my avaricious money-based common-sense screamed louder than a wailing ambulance siren: the rich would get richer, many would stop working thus creating economic chaos, employers would loose their power over their remaining employees, politicians would not be happy, inflation would shoot sky high, the money markets would suffer, what about the work ethic (did not the ancients say that one needs to work to acquire wealth,) how would the disbursement work, who would oversee the disbursement process, etc, etc, etc.

On the other hand, would people not revert to doing what they enjoy doing, would not their creative potential rise to the fore collectively, etc?

As the global situation stands, the human race future looks bleak. To survive longer than its nose, it needs to elevate itself above clichés of old, do away with wage slavery, embrace humanity and move forward to a co-operative mind-set for the good of all.

Alas, I feel that humanity will remain doomed.

(with thanks to Robert Anton Wilson)