PAKISTAN AND OUR LOVE FOR ABSOLUTES

To love someone, is it imperative for us that we have an option in comparison to hate a one?

Can one be identified as good only against the presence of bad?

In the book “The Art of Thinking Clearly”, Rolf Dobeli has clearly stated that while making critical decisions, never boil down your choices on 2 contrasting options.

This or That. Yes or No. Now or Never – this is farced approach.

The reality is that dichotomy works well in theories or for quick fixes. For strategic decision like to whom we need to marry, which college majors shall I pick or who to support/vote in election, dichotomies never operate.

Here are few cases in point that draw comparison between Pakistan and those with whom we have fetish for comparison:

? US Senators and jury members have been alleged for corruption cases since 1900s and have held offices while being accused.

? US 2020 election has been alleged as rigged. Texas had the highest doctored voting count.

? Bill Clinton has been accused for his unwanted advances during his presidential tenure.

? Tony Blair (PM Britain 1997 - 2007) has experienced a plunge in fortune due to involvement in his corruption cases.

? David Cameron (PM Britain 2010 to 2016) was under the limelight of scandal of lobbying government ministers and civil servants financial services company.

? As per worldbank.org, USA & UK, both were operating on negative GDP growth rate in 2020, which states that despite of the fact that you are among the court of powerhouse, even you will struggle to reclaim your throne.

? Fox News has a declared reputation by their public universities as biased and misled channel. The corporation as big as 10 times more than total media industry of Pakistan. Which means that Geo News, Express and ARY are minnows in front of the mighties.

? As per transparency.org, Saudia Arabia ranks on 52nd position on Corruption Perceptions Index. Even a new age Riyasat – e – Madina is not under clean and clear management.

? The examples we quote for good governance of New Zealand, the country has a population even less than Karachi’s Korangi District. Metaphor to quote, startups and structured scaled companies operate differently. Therefore, scope and span wise, it draws futile comparison to compare a mammoth with mole. Our problems are different.

This all boils down to the fact that the world doesn’t operate in absolutes.

Political Leaders, Countries, Lawmakers & Government Bodies – none of them are either black or white. They are “GREY”.

Incompetent, corrupt, money mongers & prejudiced – they are all around the world, despite of the size of the country you are operating. Every country has leakages, constraints and choices.

We have our own.

Therefore, the song we are singing for “Corrupt Free Biased Free Pakistan” has matured its age.

This is a wishful thinking and pragmatically, this will never work, even for the G8 countries.

Thus, before we draw our reasons and justifications via comparisons, dichotomies and absolutes, we need to remember that doing it will only create a mess for our mental hygiene as we are wishing for a “Utopic Nirvana” that is too good to be true.