We now can do what we want, and the only question is what do we want? At the end of our progress we stand where Adam and Eve stood: all we are faced with now is the moral question. – Max Frisch
In recent months two beautiful and talented young women, both acquaintances of my family and on occasion visitors at my home, were attacked by robbers. One was killed and the other one paralysed (fortunately she is making good recovery). At the funeral of Estee van Rensburg, my son’s partner at his matric function a few years ago, there were no words to describe the utter sadness and grieve over the loss of a beautiful life full of joy, love and potential. Talking to my sons about these tragedies I am also at a loss of words to describe or give any meaningful perspective on what is happening and what is still to come in our country.
I share this with you because it has become so much part of South Africa’s reality and the society we are part of. There is a good chance that you can tell similar stories from your immediate circle of family, friends, community or colleagues. What is the crime and violence in our streets and homes of recent years doing to our psyche? Apart from the natural response to look for more and better forms of security (including the option of leaving the country), apart from praying for God’s intervention, apart from demanding action from government, how do we respond internally? Can we still take on the roll of ‘dealers in hope’ as Napoleon described the role of leaders? Can we still do so responsibly or is it a matter of blind faith in the future?
Let us for a moment look at the bigger picture of man’s efforts to find solutions to the challenges of life. Even though there is a mixture of pre-modern, modern and postmodern mindsets in South Africa, I think most of us are somewhere between the modern and postmodern mindset. As such we struggle with the after effects of the modern mindset while new ways of thinking are almost forced upon us. Collectively we suffer today from major disappointment and disillusionment if you consider the following explanation of the typical modern project:
The modern project postulated the possibility of a human world free not only from sinners, but from sin itself; not just from people making wrong choices, but from the very possibility of wrong choice. (Zygmunt Bauman)
Relying on scientific solutions, ways of control and our reasoning abilities we believed that legislation and the design of ethical codes for society will prevent evil. Morality will be secured by the law makers, law enforces, state institutions and experts. In effect, the focus of moral concerns has been shifted from the self-scrutiny of the individual to the philosophical/political task of working out the prescriptions and proscriptions of an ethical code. Moral choice is simplified to the straightforward dilemma of obedience or disobedience to the rule.
As we know today, the national and modernist project in South Africa during the apartheid years was in more ways than one also a cover-up operation of evil. (As Bauman says: ‘Modernity did not make people more cruel; it only invented a way in which cruel things could be done by non-cruel people. Under the sign of modernity, evil does not need any more evil people. Rational people … well revited into the impersonal … network of modern organization, will do perfectly). Transformation in South Africa in 1994 and onwards, apart from a new political dispensation, also introduced a major shift from controlling choices to freedom of choice. Are we better off now? More specifically, is there more or less morality? Probably the best answer is yes and no. Yes in some respects and no in other. In whatever way you feel to answer the question, with South Africa’s transformation, we are for all practical purposes increasingly confronted with a postmodern situation.
Amongst other things you will recognise it in the sense of a world that seems less solid than it used to be (or than we thought it to be). It has lost its apparent unity and continuity - when various aspects of life could be tied together into a meaningful whole, and what happened today could be traced back to yesterday's roots and forward to tomorrow's consequences. In this world it would appear as though morality is privatised – no-one is looking over your shoulder to see if you are following the agreed set of moral rules. But does it make sense? Doesn’t morality imply concern and care for others? Bauman asserts:
‘To take a moral stance means to assume responsibility for the Other; to act on the assumption that the well-being of the Other is a precious thing calling for my effort to preserve and enhance it, that whatever I do or do not do affects it, that if I have not done it it might not be done at all, and that even if others do or can do it this does not cancel my responsibility for doing it myself ... To be a moral person takes a lot of strength and resilience to withstand the pressures and the temptations to withdraw from joint responsibilities. Moral responsibility is unconditional and in principle infinite - and thus one can recognize moral persons by their never quenched dissatisfaction with their moral performance; the gnawing suspicion that they were not moral enough.’
It implies involvement and commitment – qualities that are not typically postmodern. The moral question is not going away however and in a sense it is the main question that we are faced with today - as in the quote above: We now can do what we want, and the only question is what do we want? At the end of our progress we stand where Adam and Eve stood: all we are faced with now is the moral question.
It is a question that everyone and in particular leaders need to face with all sincerety and dedication. What is my moral responsibility in this country? What/who sets my moral radar? How do I make sure that my moral conscience is alert and reinforced? What is my responsibility to alleviate poverty? What is my responsibility to criminals? What is my responsibility to fellow citizens who are in dispair?
At Estee’s funeral her parents appealed to everyone to donate to six different organisations fighting crime against women and children. One of them is ‘Alpha for prisons’ (peters@alphasa.co.za) , an organisation who claims that their program succeeds in bringing the percentage of criminals who again do crime after jail down from ± 80% to 15%. I applaud all the wonderful people in South Africa who have committed themselves to make a positive difference. Can we do more? Surely, there is much more that can be done.
I close with an excert from Dave Knowles’ (principal of St Stithians High School) speech that is circulated for its inspirational message:
Finally, here is my resolve and my truth:-
· To be positive
· To stop whingeing
· To stop blaming
· To ignore the doomsday jokes sent out by people who want you to feel as bad as they do
· To read the Good News website regularly
· To join the "stop crime, say hello" campaign
· To find goodness in people
· To commit, regularly, to this beautiful country of ours
· To believe in God's plan for us
I know this – that if I do not work to create the life I want, I will have to endure the life I get.
Warm regards
Gerhard
_________________________________________________
Gerhard van Rensburg (Phd, MCom leadership)
Leadership and Executive coach
Cell: 0834556513/Fax: 0865016020
Email: gerhard@neweraleadership.co.za
Website: www.neweraleadership.co.za
New Era Leadership -
Unlocking potential through leadership
and organisational development
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