Politicians fear stage plays and not 5G technology

People have smart phones,  but are they putting this device to good use? 

Instead we have a society that keeps complaining. And the politicians like to hear disgruntled voices because it is easy to control dissatisfied individuals who haven’t achieved financial freedom

If the government cannot build houses for the people, they can at least help build a cultural man. But do we see this regime doing the latter?

Sri Lanka is a county where the majority of citizens claim that it’s a blessed nation, thanks to the presence of Gautama Buddha’s teachings. The problem we must address is that the country is not blessed by politicians. This article is based on understanding of the psyche of the present-day law maker from a different perspective. From the era of the peasant working for the landlord, the working class people have come a long way in life. But it’s a matter of concern when the worker does the least and expects government subsidies. When this happens,  the working class people nurture the old corrupt politicians and their wicked systems.

When elections near, people, since recent years, have always wanted another regime change. And with regard to most individuals in power, we have seen the inner devil surface rather than the politician raising his/her competency level. Competency levels can be boosted within when political power grants so much freedom and buying power. Ex-presidents Ranasinghe Premadasa and Mahinda Rajapaksa failed to understand how power could be put into better use. 

Our politicians can only bat well on a ‘wicket’ like Sri Lanka. This is because people have failed to understand that what is earned through hard work and education is much more satisfying than what one inherits from ancestors. A good number of people at present await landslides and floods to receive state funds. This is because they’ve got used to going through inconvenience till the helping hand is extended. 

If the government cannot build houses for the people, they can at least help build a cultural man. But do we see this regime doing the latter? The politician, if given an opportunity, will wish to sponsor a tele drama or a film on the silver screen. In both these mediums,  the actors are under the grip of the film director. Doing a tele drama or film is akin to politicians controlling a country and its citizens. 

Drama a powerful tool

But doing drama on the stage is different. In stage dramas the actors are in full control of the situation (show). We can remember from the times of president Premadasa how stage dramas based on politics were a powerful tool with which one could nudge law makers. That is why politicians fear stage dramas like EkaAdhipathi, Dhawalabheeshana, Uthure Rahula, Dharmishtala and most recently Kataragama Prema. A politician will be reluctant to sponsor stage dramas for this reason. 

Cinema goers are happy of the fact that 2025 was a golden year for films with many worthwhile productions being produced. One film that earned applause was ‘Rani. But does this film accurately point the finger at the person who really killed journalist Richard de Zoysa? If that effort was put into making a drama on Richard and the brutal times he lived in, the ending might have been closer to the truth. 

In Sri Lanka we are obsessed with mass audiences and having a huge followership. But when we look closely at prosperity, individuals have amassed wealth and attained spiritual enlightenment in cult societies. Just study the subject of spiritual enlightenment in Sri Lanka and you’ll be amazed at what exists. The pastor who boasts of great healing power and the dark skinned monk in saffron robes who claims both enlightenment and business success can be achieved work within a ‘gated community’ and not in the open society. 

From small pleasures to bigger

It’s in this environment that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has to engage in something new. It is in this environment that he has to increase his vote base and make people believe in his ideology. It would be immensely helpful for AKD if he helps people transcend from enjoying small pleasures to embracing bigger pleasures. For this to happen, Sri Lankans must raise their income. When you think of the larger picture, what people under the AKD regime must fathom is that if you wish to continue living on Sri Lanka they have to raise their income one or two notches up.

If people are doing well, they can afford to pay utility bills that include taxes. AKD has still failed to drive in the message that people must do well and not overly depend on government aid and handouts. 

Instead we have a society that keeps complaining. And the politicians like to hear disgruntled voices because it is easy to control dissatisfied individuals who haven’t achieved financial freedom. In most private companies there are complaint boxes where you can write your problem in a sheet of paper and slip it in. And the authorities would take care of the problem promptly. Is the regime led by AKD willing to listen to the problems of the people? 

In the past, governments allowed tobacco and liquor advertising in newspapers. But that facility is banned now. Remember the old Carlsberg beer advertisement where its complaints department gets a call? The telephone is in an old room with cobwebs all over. An employee of the company walks in there, picks up the phone and says “Sorry wrong number”. It’s good if this government can have a better system or open a door for people to convey their grievances. 

We remember the old stories of the peasants and their land lords. We remember the slaves in chains who were auctioned by the white man. We do cherish the contents in the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, because we loved to read and educate ourselves and be ready when the ‘hunter’ (in whatever form) came for us. The present generation has the smart phone which is a weapon in itself, but are they putting this device to good use? We are readying ourselves to work with 5G phones, but are we doing enough to transcend barriers that the politicians have placed on our paths?