They seem to think that we should all be allowed to make bad decisions about our health and welfare while the State is left to pay with money that could be better spent helping folk who are in serious trouble through no fault of their own.
My years living, working and sharing with low decile communities tells me that, by pandering to the every utterance from these pointy head, social ignoramuses, we are making a rod for our own back that is, in turn, limiting the funds that are critically needed in other social areas.
It would appear that, as we have developed as a multi cultural society, these righteous pontificators have struggled to justify their own existence. We are being repeatedly told that we are a nation lacking a social conscience, especially when brandishing the “so called” homeless and destitute numbers who turn up to food banks each day.
Society as a whole is being portrayed as a heartless creation, hellbent on destroying the social fabric of our communities.
That may be so in other countries living under dictatorships but it couldn’t be further from the truth here in New Zealand.
It is true that many families are struggling to make ends meet as we emerge from the combined effects of climate events, pandemics and international economic slow downs.
But each time we emerge a little wiser in making political choices that will creat a platform for economic growth - the one thing that will help lift the population out of poverty and poor health.
In modern times, reiterating the biblical verse “the poor you will always have with you” is a statement of fact that shouldn’t be ignored but instead should be used to put the problem in perspective..
Yes, we are “our brothers keeper” and have responsibilities towards our fellow man but our concerns should be limited to introducing systems that will positively change the numbers by attrition rather than blind acceptance of an insatiable demand that in many ways is a dishonest reflection of who we are.
My assessment of modern Kiwi society is that we are a caring mob who have inherited family values from forebears who suffered the consequences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time on more than one occasion.
Yet the current generation, having not experienced those life threatening events, often forget they have responsibilities that transcend an individual’s place on the social ladder or vulnerability to pressure not of their own making.
Therefore for those who don’t know what it is like to “run on empty” for weeks, months on end, it is hard to keep hardship and genuine poverty in perspective.
My community experiences suggest that the way to fix some of these social and health issues is by applying common sense value systems to how we administer our health and welfare budget.
If we are genuine about making a difference, we will find there are already systems in place that cost virtually nothing but are capable of being real game changers when adopted in a receptive community - the principals of Whanau Ora etc.
It beggars belief that we continue to allow people in high places who should know better, an emotional platform that will solve nothing in the areas where help is genuinely needed. In search for answers, we clutch at straws that at best are just short term often expensive fixes but never solutions that are based on reality.
Nothing will change for the better until we stop convincing ourselves that the escape vehicle needs to be based on a formula that lacks common sense.
Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and community leader, who lives in Tolaga Bay.
4 comments:
As long as I can remember the East Cape has always felt the brunt of tropical weather systems venturing down to our fair land; from time to time. For example Cyclone Bola and other storms. These are weather events, not climate change.
The covid years taught us that there is no such thing as accountability from those in authority. Shortly into the pandemic, some commenters were suggesting that closing down our country was too extreme. Businesses were suffering, tourism became non-existent and jobs were lost. Citizens were refused entry back into the country and we were required to carry "vaccine passports". Not one party in parliament opposed this. However, there were many, many ordinary citizens soon questioning the ultimate outcomes of the policies. This has greatly affected the country both economically and socially. Accountability for their actions might make those in power more careful. Instead, they often receive knighthoods or other well-paying jobs. I would prefer a governmental system more like the Swiss, another small country, where the people have more say.
We are obviously of the same vintage Clive. Couldn’t be more honest appraisal of the younger generation.
It is so easy to blame others for your misfortunes instead of examining yourself. T his is the primary destructive tenet of Marxism .Victimhood. Christianity instead demands personal responsibility and accountability. The result of Marxism is bitterness and anger
and entitlement. Certainly there are factors out there that need addressing like our rotten education system infiltrated , incidentally by Marxism now , and which achieves the exact opposite of what it proclaims to be achieving in equity Christianity also encourages us to address these inequity issues in society but at the same time acknowledging personal accountability.
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