Obedience is an act of faith; disobedience is the result of unbelief.
– AEdwin Louis Cole, American author
The word “sheeple” seeped into the American conscience and consciousness in reference to people willingly allowing themselves to be led to the slaughterhouse of obedience.
Obedience per se, like blind faith, can lead to disaster when people quit questioning the status quo thrust upon them by the slave-masters.
The Holy Bible makes it clear that there is no punishment for disobeying an unjust law well illustrated when midwives Puah and Sipporah disobeyed Pharaoh (Exodus, Chapter 1).
Sheeple live in constant fear and uncertainty in repressive societies where government muzzles and silences dissent and protest. The Bersih movement in Malaysia proved dynamic and decisive. The people emerged, sheeple got submerged.
People who passionately believe in core values and principles for their intellectual consciousness will stand up no matter the consequences. Sheeple prefer to get dumbed down.
The slave-masters make sure they keep sheeple occupied with a thousand television channels, a five-day working week, mounting debts, doubts, and limited wages.
One sure way to maintain and sustain generations of sheeple is to manipulate the education system. America tolerated this in 1904 when educationist John Dewey jettisoned God, tradition and inherited values from school.
The downward trajectory of education is tragic when subjects like finance, economics and wise dietary habits are carefully kept out of the school syllabus for growing children.
In most institutions of higher learning, sheeple are shaped, honed, manipulated and developed to become obedient working class material.
People should exercise their right to demand reform in education. Parents and teachers, as responsible citizens, should lead the charge. Education must become a crucial election manifesto.
Rights to education in Article 12 of the Federal Constitution must be thoroughly put to the test during elections and in court proceedings without altering its basic structure.
Article 12 is a great source of intended consequences which has long been left in the hands of those who do not really care when summoning the limitations of race, religion and region through rage politics.
Our children – future leaders – are owed the responsibility of a meaningful education. I have spoken to many students who have zero clue as to their nine enumerated fundamental liberties in the Federal Constitution.
The adults fared worse.
Another catchphrase that brings total welcome fear to sheeple is “national security.” It works wonders in America with the introduction of the Department of Homeland Security after 9/11.
There are numerous remedies to the cancerous sheeple dilemma which hopefully will rid our societies of negativity and passivity while encouraging the development and emergence of wakefulness and consciousness.
Top of the list is reform to our education system with the introduction of lifelong career-oriented disciplines where commerce and business is learned beyond becoming groomed as workers and employees.
People should be the actual wheel with all other parts being supplied by the government. Today, it is the other way around, and thus we have fear, doubt, debt, and uncertainty.
The second most important element to rid our societies of shame and blame is to constantly question government policies through community-based Citizens Consultative Committees (CCC).
The CCC must send demands to their legislative representatives who should be required under law to table these collected grievances for legislative debate leading to the passage of responsible laws.
The CCC will be a truly useful tool to ensure our legislative representatives get it done as a primary function to find ways and means to keep the people well cared for through government policies and programmes.
Government of the people, by the people, and for the people is nothing but a well-oiled machine like the CCC to yield a response-able, responsible and accountable government to attain good governance.
The third crucial element is to have voters select and elect judges instead of appointments through the Executive.
After all, MPs and state legislators are selected and elected by voters.
We, the people, should not be fearful of the Sedition Act 1948, as amended in 2015, section 3(2)(b) which allows citizens to point out errors in any government or constitution as by law established.
The Sedition Act, wisely, also does not deny citizens the right to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter established by law – section 3(2)(c) (i).
Remember to stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
