No absolute goodness<\/p>\n
I always remember the people of our country to be warm and
\nwonderful. Once, far from home, as evening neared, I became
\nworried as nowhere in the village was there a country inn.
\nFortunately, a peasant gladly took us -- my wife, two little kids
\nand me -- into his home for the night and even shared his food.
\nIt was dark in the room, we had only one bed for the whole
\nfamily, and had to go to the bank of a rushing river in the night
\n-- there was no toilet -- and yet we all felt fine. It was an
\nadventure and we really were very grateful.<\/p>\n
Another time I dropped by to watch a very old toothless farmer
\nwork in his field, when a young woman, perhaps his granddaughter,
\nbrought him food. "Just come and sit down, have a chat and let's
\nshare this food together," he invited me. And I imagine how good
\nit must be, to have one's food almost every day served as though
\non a picnic. Or what about being surprised with a bunch, like
\nflowers, of fresh, red rambutan by two young girls when I was
\ntired and thirsty after running in the country? That was
\ncertainly the most refreshing of the most refreshing drinks.<\/p>\n
I don't believe Japanese, European, American people to be
\nbetter than we are. Who can pride himself on being without fault?<\/p>\n
I remember arriving too late at the office and going home
\nearly, or chatting or reading a newspaper instead of doing my
\nwork. Who has never felt the obligation to satisfy someone's
\nrequest, to repay a debt of moral goodness, as Indonesians say?
\nIf by chance we receive a gift of bananas, we certainly won't
\nforget to return some oranges or a pineapple. And who has never
\ntreated his children first, before others? What is wrong with
\nthis? A mother hen would rather forgo her food for her chickens.
\nIt's natural to think of our children before our relatives, our
\nclose friends, community and the nation.<\/p>\n
I even can't trust myself to resist the offer of those luring,
\nluscious forbidden fruits. Why search so ardently for someone who
\nis without a moral stain? This is merely for those who believe
\nthemselves to be above a fault to prove their own superiority.<\/p>\n
When we have a bad system and flawed rules, people are prone
\nto bribery, collusion and nepotism. Rather than force moral
\neducation upon people and watch over their secret unlawful deals,
\nit would be better to devise better methods, a better system, to
\navoid the corruption. For example, suppose payments could be
\narranged through bank accounts, perhaps there would be fewer
\noccasions for bribery. If the president is limited to a short
\nperiod in office, he would have less opportunity to abuse his
\npower and authority.<\/p>\n
In a system with a free exchange rate, possession of foreign
\ncurrency does not make a person an outlaws, but in a rigidly
\ncontrolled system, foreign money savings are forbidden. Anyone
\nwho keeps hold of his foreign exchange is seen as a criminal and
\na scoundrel. This system is fertile soil for bribery and open to
\na black market in foreign exchange.<\/p>\n
I remember Sir Talfourd's saying: "Fill the seats of justice
\nwith good men, not so absolute in goodness as to forget what
\nhuman frailty is." Man is certainly not a divine being, nor is he
\na superman when he fails or falls to some temptation or forbidden
\nfruit, except perhaps if he is made of air, wood or stone.<\/p>\n
CHEW G.H.<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-absolute-goodness-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }