Resorting to destruction will not help to solve our problems

PROTESTING LORRY DRIVERS SET FIRE TO THEIR VEHICLES… HAS THE LORRY DRIVER SCORED?

IDO NOT know how to make a computer. That sort of thing takes a great deal of knowledge, specialised skill and expensive equipment. do, however, know how to destroy a computer. All that takes is stupidity and a spilled glass of wine. I can say that with the authority of experience.

The fact that I have destroyed a computer does not make me in any way cleverer or superior to the person who built it.

Some years ago, somebody destroyed a multimillion rand nuclear turbine at Koeberg Power Station by dropping a bolt into it.

I don’t believe that made the bolt dropper superior in any way to the engineers who built the turbine – it’s always easier to destroy than to create.

In the early days of the National Party, people routinely broke up public meetings. It was easy. You just need one or two people at the back of the hall shouting slogans, throwing a few chairs and generally making it impossible for speakers to be heard.

It’s not clever. It’s just dumb. The same technique is used by some politicians today. It’s easy to shut down a meeting you don’t want to be held. Destruction is the first resort of the very stupid.

Protesting lorry drivers set fire to their vehicles. Farmworkers destroy vineyards and sheds. Angry parents vandalise school buildings. I suppose it gives them a feeling of power. Afterwards? The driver who burned his lorry wants to be paid more, but his boss is now faced with a huge bill to replace that lorry. The last thing he’s likely to do is reward the driver who burned it. Maybe he will just take the insurance money and invest it in oil shares. It’s so much less trouble. To hell with the transport business. Has the lorry driver scored? The farmer whose grandfather planted the vines and whose father tended them, sees all his family’s work going up in flames. Will that persuade him to increase his workers’ pay?

More probably he’ll look at his family’s work going up in smoke and say: “That’s it. I’m heading off to Kenya or Angola or Brazil – to start again. These vandals can try to fix the mess they’ve created and good luck to them.”

We all want better lives for ourselves.

I look over the garden fence and see my neighbour’s smart new Porsche and wish I had one like it.

I can make us more equal in a temporary way by sneaking over the fence and setting fire to his Porsche.

Or I can make us equal by working harder and getting into debt so I can eventually sell my Fiat Uno and buy a Ferrari and yahboo sucks to him.

Problem is, my neighbour might sneak across the fence and burn my Ferrari while we’re in destructive mode.

There must be a better way to share our country.

Last laugh

Charlie was getting overweight and unfit and his doctor urged him to get more exercise.

“How far from your work do you live?” the doctor asked.

“About two kilometres,” said Charlie.

“Well, I want you to jog to work every morning, rolling a hula hoop in front of you, for intense exercise.”

So Charlie started his routine and every morning he’d arrive rolling his hoop and park it in the staff garage.

One day after work he came to the garage to find his hoop had been stolen.

“I’m terribly sorry, Charlie,” said the garage manager. “But don’t worry. I’ll buy you a new hula hoop tomorrow. “

“That’s not the point,” shouted Charlie. “How do you expect me to get home this evening?”