Jaap Huigen
Sep 2, 2018 · 4 min read

Umair, your article once again is fascinating and extremely well written.

It appeals and even tugs hard on ones' own faith in menkind and and both strongly and credibly argues in favour of the notion that the blame of what ails society lies with 'the system' of its society.

In America’s case you suggest that society is cruel. It would be great to have uncovered the cause of ' what exactly ails society and why all Americans' as you suggest are victims of 'the system' in America and countries like it so that the problem could then be fixed?

I don’t disagree that 'the cruelties' as you describe occur, but wonder whether the ends behind these may be different from what you suggest?

Could in stead what you perceive as cruelty be institutionalised defense against a sizeable portion of human beings' natural inclination to 'game the system.' In the process such defense mechanism and one that is not sufficiently discerning results in collateral damage?

You cite a variety of examples of cruelties and indeed what you describe sounds cruel. But I am inclined to believe that what you describe is society’s defense mechanism to nudge people into becoming responsible, hard working, disciplined individuals that contribute to society and their communities. Defense mechanism are common throughout society.

Parents nudge their children to finish their home work before play and the child may perceive this as cruel even though the parent only has the best interest of the child at heart.

Defensive behaviours don't equal cruel behaviour.

Human beings are capable, creative and relentless in their efforts to gain 'the easy way.' The flesh is weak.

When I grew up in Holland, at a time when governments in western Europe were generous with social security ( a failed experiment) such as unemployment benefits.

What was designed as a safety net to help those that through no fault of their own had become unemployed and to tide those people over until they found a job? Problem was that many eventually didn't desire to return to the work force and what was meant as a temporary pay out became permanent as unemployment benefits eventually became a democratic right before it became a popular demand.

Often people on such benefits took on small jobs like repairing cars, or paint jobs, wall papering, cleaning, by the side to up their social security income.

Governments eventually became more 'defensive' realistic and assertive demanding that the unemployed should actively look for a job and when that did not help introduced something like 'three strikes and you are out ' in this case it meant you decline three jobs and you lose your unemployment benefits.

The point is that there is a need to for societies to be defensive against those out to abuse the system.

Employers need to be defensive including the public sector. When Ashley Madison, is a Canadian online dating service and social networking service marketed to people who are married or in relationships, was hacked and with that the hackers seized personal data from subscribers it turned out that many subscribers had used their company’s email address to sign up and that included employees that worked in the public sector. See link below.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/19/ashley-madison-hackers-release-10gb-database-of-33m-infidelity-site-accounts

Employers need their employees to be part of the team and during working hours solely devote their time in support of the business. But that is very often not achieved, anymore. The social media continues to send their notifications to subscribers and and according to available statistics a good number of people visit their social media platform during work hours and think it is ok?

Employers have to respond defensively by introducing the needed checks and balances out of necessity.

Work can be tough but hey there are rewards. In order to face up to the strains and stresses in the work place employees need to acquire a certain toughness and resilience. And nobody suggests that is always easy, but being soft on human beings not ready to face up to the headwinds of life and stay on their feet cannot be the answer.

A functioning society need a responsible, productive, disciplined work force. Society cannot psycho analyse every individual in every instance either.

A society cannot open the flood gates for charity and social security and ever more safety nets. But it seems the above objective is not easy to realise. Take the consumption of drugs. Cannabis as I understand it has meanwhile been liberalised in many parts of the USA and I watch programs on TV and interviews with employers having to subject job applicants to drug tests? Then there is the Opioid addiction epidemic?

To take drugs or not to take drugs is finally a choice.

The consumption of drugs around the world is rising continuously, more appear to take to drugs as a refuge, an escape from the hardships that life presents to all of us.

The question is what will be the final defensive options that remain for societies that like to stay drug free?

Jaap Huigen

Written by

Entrepreneur with colourful history, father, world citizen, ex seafarer, ex boxer, published author, poet, Elvis sound alike, naive, and always trying!

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