Now is not forever

November 11, 2008 by rmupfudza ·
Filed under: I was just thinking

“The concept and fact of ‘now’ or immediacy often oppresses people. Every ruling class in history has made people respond to the immediacy as if it were forever…We are trapped by immediacy. The ruling class cultivates such an idea. But ‘now’ is the shortest period of time. While [you are reading this] now is going out of existence. What we have here is three basic concepts: reality, actuality, and potentiality. And people confuse the three. Actuality is what is; potentiality is what can be and reality is what the thing ought to be in its fullness. People often confuse reality with actuality. They say face ‘reality’, but what they really mean is submit to actuality, i.e. to what is now. In a word accept things as they are. But we are not supposed to do that. Human nature is human possibility and thus what we must do is cultivate the human potential in us and dare turn actuality into reality. Again, actuality is what is, but reality is what ought to be to be when a thing or person realises his or her fullness…” Dr Maulana Karenga.

And therein lies the rub. A boil might grow, but it will eventually fester and burst. And heal. But in its “now” it causes such untold pain that its bearer thinks will never end. So too, this state of limbo, days of uncertain hope in which you are not sure whether the light you see at the end of the tunnel is really the opening you crave, or a train coming to squash you into a stain.

So as this country’s political boil festers, its festering takes on a hue of permanence. But really? Today the wheelers and dealers are in ascendancy and it seems as if their reign will last forever and ever. The hwindis and rank marshals are kings and not the customers. When the formal market was ravaged by political and economic blunders it went underground and found the streetwise ready and willing to embrace it – today the parallel market is thriving. And it all seems as if it will never be any different. But really?

This is merely the now of madness where reason has been dethroned and selfish ends rule the day. But: “Human nature is human possibility and thus what we must do is cultivate the human potential in us and dare turn actuality into reality.”

We have to learn not only from our past heroes and heroines but even those who might have wronged us in the past. In his essay, “Institutions: From Plan to Planet,” Haki R. Madhubhuti observed:

“People occupy space. Whether you control the space you occupy depends in part on 1) consciousness, 2) commitment, 3) action, and in some cases, geography. Some of the main reasons the European countries are able to function so well are: their ability to communicate with each other; their ability to define their problem and organise around it; their ability to produce essential goods and services for their people (at the expense of other people), and their ability to distribute such goods and services while stabilising their culture and society by building life- giving and life- saving institutions such as schools, hospitals, places to worship, etc., which are based on a common value system that instils in their people European identity, purpose, and direction. And this European value system functions in this world because of 1) consciousness, 2) commitment, and 3) actions.”

What does it profit a man if he builds a house with a helipad (for a helicopter he does not have) but he drives on a pot-hole ridden road? Clearly what is lacking here is identity, purpose and direction predicated on consciousness, commitment and (positive) action. Because of this yawning gap, you will have your plunderers of ngoda who splash their earnings on endless braais and bling with the latest flashy cars- which they drive on those atrocious roads because it has not dawned on them that their wealth would gain even more value if it was ploughed back into the creation of sound infrastructure, organisation and life- saving institutions.

Of course, it would be folly to expect the wolf to guard the chickens. Thus we need to harness the energy and vision of the good so that we can make better history and build a better future. We need to create the right mindset, an Afrikan mind for, Madhubhuti puts it: “This is critical. One cannot expect change unless one creates a climate for change…We need structure.”

In order to move away from actuality- now- and realise our full potential we have to refine

our ability to communicate with each other;
our ability to define our problem and organise around it;
our ability to produce essential goods and services for our people (the move from excessive consumption without production is critical);
our ability to distribute such goods and services while stabilising our culture and society by building life- giving and life- saving institutions such as schools, hospitals, places to worship, etc., which are based on a common value system that instils in our people Afrikan identity, purpose, and direction.

So amidst all the ash and ruin I do not despair, for I know, now is not forever and no matter the dire nature of our current tribulations we do have in people in our midst imbued with identity, purpose and direction and whose consciousness, commitment and actions will plant seeds for a better tomorrow. After all, as the great Afrikan King of Egypt, Sesostris wrote: “to do that which is of value is forever. A people called forth by their work do not die, for their name is raised and remembered because of it.”

Tell the world: