reduced and recycled

“Woodcutter: It’s a lie. It’s all a lie. Tajomaru’s story and the woman’s.
Thief: It’s human to lie. Most of the time we can’t even be honest with ourselves.
Priest: That may be. But it’s because men are weak that they lie, even to themselves.
Thief: Not another sermon. I don’t care if it’s a lie, as long as it’s interesting.”

– from “Rashomon”.

The thief really isn’t a thief; the thief is a practical man. A practical man acts in the most pragmatic way to satisfy his needs and desires. But I think I shall continue to regard the thief as a thief. Thieves are practical men, too.

If selling you a story gets the thief what he wants, he will do it. Hence we have con-men, we scam-artists. If wresting your property from you is the most expedient route to riches, he will do it. Hence we have robbers, we had highwaymen.

What are practical men, I wonder? I know, it’s weird; I’ve just appended adjective to the noun, and yet I’m asking.

I’m asking because my Prime Minister has asked me to be one with my fellow men (and women). To be pals with people of diverse races. He wants me to support Barisan Nasional because, he seems to imply, only Barisan Nasional can show me the way. Only Barisan Nasional can lead me from the darkness, he seems to say. Yes, very drama.

As far as I’m concerned, what my Prime Minister is telling me to do is…

• ignore the AP scandal.
• listen to Jocelin Tan, who dribbles all over Kerismuddin in today’s theStar.
• shut up about the PKFZ scandal.
• shut up about the MAS bail-out.
• vote for component parties who don’t have the balls to stand up to UMNO.
• be satisfied with buddy-buddy, closed-door discussions with racists and bigots.
• put up with a crappy police force that the government sees no utility in improving.
• live with corruption siphoning off billions of ringgit and putting it in others’ pockets.

If I just believe the PM, if I choose to swallow everything above, I’ll be able to keep my citizenship, maybe. I’ll be able to stave off another May 13th, maybe.

More fragrant bullshit. But people are quick to forget.