An underestimation of our intelligence

In recent days members of the government have made ludicrous statements which have furnished a number of water-filter conversations. However, after the initial ridicule of these statements has passed, the Minister’s still continue to defend their claims and further debase the intelligence of the public of this country. They are at a stance where they are unable to admit their mistakes or so thickly surrounded by their own ego and ill advisers that they don’t realize the blunders they have made.

The utopian suggestion that American products be boycotted and their free mail services be banned, has led to much ridicule of the Minister concerned. However there has been no retraction by members of the government about these imprudent statements, instead a high ranking government official claimed that ipad’s and other Apple products could be used due to them being manufactured in China—further endorsing the statement by the Minister. Furthermore it is not beyond the knowledge of the public that a number of the members of the government use American branded products whether it be for consumption, correspondence or clothing. It is likely the ministers are of the view that, in light of the rising cost of living, the general public should communicate via telepathy, ride unicorns to work and wear home spun clothing while our elected leaders type into their ipad’s, travel in their western manufactured cars and branded clothing.

However one must appreciate the fact that the members of the government do provide us with solutions for filling our hungry stomachs: line up outside university hostels for a cheap meal!

These matters are laughable however the more sinister statements made by ministers who do not shy away from using violence have a threatening aspect that has to be addressed. Nevertheless in the wave of a number of impassioned messages during the post-geneva period this statement was buried in the flurry. More gentlemanly ministers when posed with the question of the behaviour of their colleagues, squirm in their seats and present the public with the feeble excuse that the emotional issues of questioning Sri Lanka’s sovereignty have led to this outbreak of passion amongst the Ministers.

The irony is that certain members of the government, not involved in mak- ing these erratic proclamations, call on the media and the public to not take the statements made by their colleagues seriously. At the same time they expect the people to believe the government when they make promises to them during election time. We are expected to reinterpret these statements in order to fit in with the line towed by the government—what social psychologists call “cognitive dissonance”.

Ultimately we are left with the realization that those we elected either have no respect for our intelligence or are lacking in intelligence themselves. Unfortunately collective memory plays tricks on us and in a few months these antics will be overcast by some minute victory that the government is able to overplay.