Aboriginal Disentitlement
How to protect people from themselves? Governmental authorities can take certain steps to attempt to educate people, to entice them to care about themselves, to make an effort to restrain themselves from doing themselves harm. But what if they don't, actually, care to listen? What if all the best intentions in the world come to naught because the target audience is not convinced and cannot be convinced, and doesn't really care all that much to be convinced?People for whom life is attractive only in the short-term. And only then in short, discrete spurts. For whom life is a painful bore, for the most part. With nothing to do, and nothing to look forward to. Insisting that it is their inalienable right to do as they wish, and they wish to remain where they are, in isolated communities where there is no longer any value to the traditional way of life where their ancestors lived an arduous but satisfying existence.
The way of life has long disappeared. Why should they now hunt and fish as once was done? There is no need to do that, no need to live in traditional ice huts, or animal-skin tents, to venture out to the forests, or on the sea ice to provide for a family's meals; no need to scrape animal hide for clothing; no need to live in that primitive way. Not when more modern dwellings are available, and sugar-and-fat-laden fast foods are so convenient.
And then there is the allure of liquor, and drugs and tobacco. All three of which may diminish health in the most directly deleterious of ways, but in the short run, they are pleasurably mind-fogging. Responsibility to self, to family, to children? Not when everything is provided, and nothing needs to be cared for because it will be replaced. Or not. They can rot, they do rot, and then everything is squalid.
Grounds for complaint. And the general acknowledgement by government agencies that to live in such a manner is unhealthy and profoundly unacceptable for anyone living in an advanced society. Advanced society - maybe over there, not here. Yes, there is television here but not potable water. The houses are in a state of disrepair, decay. Why fix what you don't own?
Pride? What, exactly, is that? Satisfaction felt when exertions conclude with success in achieving a goal? Goal, what is that? Work? Work at what? Band councils receive government money and then allocate it. Employment? Where, exactly, on remote reserves? But this is ancestral land. It is treasured, beloved of the people. And the traditions associated with it as well.
The culture and the language must be preserved. The land must be respected and its integrity defended. Children lacking proper education? This is a new tradition; if the parents are too disinterested to care, why should the children value education, why show up for classes, why make the effort to learn? But they are the new generation, much depends on them...?
They too can take advantage of available liquor, tobacco, drugs. And there are always alternates. Concealment and surreptitious use is fun, a game, an entertainment, a group activity. Does anyone care, in any event? In an otherwise boooring place. Discipline? What's that, anyway? Self-respect? Why respect yourself if no one else respects you?
Is there any end to this viciously circuitous conundrum?
Labels: Societal Failures
posted by Pieface @ Monday, October 12, 2009
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