DO UNTO OTHERS...

What you wish others would do unto you.

In a special move from normal SUNDAE: INTERLUDE,
DESI indulges a wee bit in preaching from a sort of pulpit. Some recent events, plus others not so recent but easily recalled, maketh me ruminate on this subject because I deem it a serious enough topic for Malaysians to reflect on, especially by the Malaysian adults.

The credo is heard very often, preached about as a universal ethos of living by practically all the major religions of the world. Grewing up as a Christian, I believe this is among the core Christian ethical values ingrained in Desi. So we are taught from young to respect the elders, help the handicapped like crossing the road in public places. It is fairly easy to follow this credo when you are Young&Innocent, because you have been taught IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. The obverse side of the same coin similarly teaches one to avoid commiting the negatives as promoted: "DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT YOU DON"T WISH OTHERS TO DO UNTO YOU." I believe this is a central tenet of Buddhist teachings. (Desi stands corrected. Okay,even while seated in from of my PC!:)

It's when the young ones graduate into adulthood when the practice becomes more difficult -- one joins the ratrace in academia, followed by the madcap run for jobs in the increasingly competitive marketplace. So with adulthood comes adulteration of human values, and with some married ones, cometh adultery.

Members of the Homo sapiens foundation have increasingly enjoyed longer life spans with rising healthcare and better education, but what about the feeling of wellness and wellbeing? Are we faring better in the department of "Being happy"?
To bring human efforts to the most challenging quest most humans are after -- THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS -- does it make sense and logic that if an individual wishes to acheive happiness, he ought to make his fellowmen happy first?

People of the Christian faith also are asked "to love thy neigbour as thyself". This is a highly challenging task! It is also said that if an individual renders a good deed to another, he will be rewarded seven times seven times (I checked this from my bible-well-versed counsellor,Mr Coww).I guess the principle of "karma" also embodies this credo to "do good", but does the expectation of winning Brownie points negate such values? Dear EsteemedReaders who spend more time on such reflection, you tell Desi!


I started pondering over the state of our society -- Malaysia -- as well as the people surrounding me most in my daily life in the few weeks leading up to Malaysia's 50th anniversary of Merdeka last Friday.

I am beginning to feel it's a very small minority who believe in the above credo in going about their daily lives. Society has become very self-centred. I won't elaborate but I think the state of affairs has come abot because of a faulty education system and a worse government in power for the past 50 years since 1957.

A "faulty" system in that the "universal values" such as honesty, charity, goodwill, and doing good plus DOING RIGHT, have not been fostered upon the young. The leaders in Government don't help because generally IT'S NEVER LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE; neither do the leaders Walk The Talk, though both have been flagged off as national guiding principles of governance and commitment to govern.

With just a little extension to this sad state of affairs, are the people at large doing their part to improve things? At the individual level, are we "Doing unto others..." the positive things. And also "Not doing to others..." the negatives? OR are such values no more relevant in this modern age of Internet and IT advances that have impacted lives so drastically just the past few decades. I wonder where are Malaysians headed? Up the ladder of economic progress and more civilised state, or towards The Abyss with rampant corruption? I often hear public reactions in the fight against corruption -- "IT'S TOO ENTRENCHED. WE MIGHT AS WELL GO WITH THE MAJORITY TAKING BRIBES IN THE SYSTEM."Apparently to smoothen any government redtape in doing business. So when do we start to improve?

Can I relate some personal experiences? I had met one boss who would treat his employees as slaves. for one marketing job when an executive closed a sale worth RM18,000, she was just rewarded with RM150. Yes, some modern Scrooges in deed.
My own experience included one socalled friend asking me to become Editor of his Tech magazine, GRATIS! I could use the position to canvass for Advertisments and I would get a percentage of the fees!

Yes, some bosses think the workers live on sunshine, water and air alone. They live in 5-star small houses and have steak, lamb and chicken chop for realy Conned BF, runch and Tinner -- may they choke on the meats!:(

I hope most of my ER can honestly say at the end of day at night:
"I have given of my best to help promote a more civil society. I may have failed sometimes, but most times I have indeed followed the two credos."

God bless such souls able to say this honestly.

May God bless that their numbers multiply as NegaraKu moves into its next decade.

May God bless you too if from today, if you start practising the credos too -- after reading my first sermon from the mound,like Peanuts throwing the baseball and asking "Lucy,come catch with me. "~~ AmenEverybody Loves Lucy!