Tag Archives: Corruption

Success or Failure: Which is More Destructive?

26 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in Human Behavior, United States

≈ 11 Comments

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Feeding America - Map the Meal Gap - Food Insecurity in Your County

Feeding America – Map the Meal Gap – Food Insecurity in Your County
[Click on link below to view Interactive Map]
Source: Feeding America

Success or failure: which is more destructive? This is a question raised by Lao-tzu in the Tao Te Ching, simply translated as The Book of the Way. For a society that views success as a goal in life, such a question seems ridiculous. Coming from the Ancient Chinese philosopher, it’s a question that merits consideration.

Like me, I’m sure you’ve had your share of failure along this journey of life. The second novel I’m currently working on is inspired by a period along the way when I messed up big time. It changed the direction of my life, eventually bringing me to this place and moment in time.

Through our failures, we learn what works and what doesn’t. We become more discerning in our relationships. We grow. We become stronger as individuals. Sure, we can allow our failures to destroy us by taking refuge in alcohol, drugs, gambling, or some other self-destructive behavior.

In other words, our failures lead us to success. Seen in this way, failure and success are two sides of the same coin. We can’t have one without the other.

We all want success of some sort: the American Dream, financial security, status, fame. For writers, having a novel on the New York bestseller list would be a definite indication of success. The Pulitzer Prize would be the ultimate success! Some of us set our sights on being the next President of the United States.

Success is the pinnacle of a life well lived, of obstacles overcome, of rivals defeated. The scars, losses, and sacrifices along the way are all part of the game. But the price of success can lead to self-destruction.

Success with fame kills. I think of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Robin Williams. I’m sure you can think of many other celebrities whose lives were destroyed by fame.

Success with power corrupts. Corruption among the power elite on Wall Street, CEOs of transnational corporations, politicians, and world leaders has become endemic across our planet.

Humankind’s greatest success story is the progress we have made through industrialization and technological advancements. We have paid a steep price for the quality of life that our successful “free market” capitalist economies afford us. While enriching the lives of a few, our way of doing business has impoverished billions of people worldwide. In the United States, the world’s most successful economy, Feeding America provided 46.5 million hungry Americans with meals in 2014 (see captioned Map of Meal Gap).

Our exploitation of Earth’s natural resources is destroying the ecosystems on which we depend for our survival. Industries that maintain our comfortable lifestyles have disrupted the complex balance of our global climatic system.

The success of our global “free market” capitalist system of continual economic growth has been the most destructive force on our planet, for all living species, including our own.

If we are to change course, we will have to rethink the meaning of success in our individual lives.

Corruption Scandal at Brazil’s Oil Giant Petrobras

11 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by in Brazil, Economy and Finance

≈ 10 Comments

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Petrobras LogoPetrobras Logo

 

On January 1, 2015, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff began her second term marred by the corruption scandal at Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. or Petrobras, the state-run oil giant and largest company in the nation. During her address before the National Congress, President Dilma affirmed her commitment to “rigorously investigate all the wrong done and strengthen [Petrobras] even more… and know how to punish [those involved], without weakening Petrobras, or diminishing its importance for the present and the future.”

The Petrobras corruption scandal erupted in March 2014 with the Federal Police money-laundering sting, codename Operation Car Wash, executed across six states and the Federal District (Brasília). They seized R$5 million (US$1.9 million) in cash, 25 luxury cars, jewelry, paintings, and weapons. Among the seventeen people arrested was Alberto Youssef, a black-market money dealer and suspected leader of the scheme. Continue reading →

Guyana Faces a Moral Crisis

23 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in Guyana, Social Injustice

≈ 15 Comments

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Homeless and Invisible - GuyanaHomeless man asleep on sidewalk outside Parliament Buildings
Georgetown, Guyana – October 2014
Photo Credit: Mark Jacobs

 

On Monday, November 10, 2014, the Guyana government entered into shutdown mode. Facing the threat of a “no-confidence” motion from a combined opposition against his administration, President Donald Ramotar “prorogued” the 65-member National Assembly or Parliament. He invoked a provision from the 1980 Constitution, framed by the former autocratic government of President Forbes Burnham. Such a drastic move could throw the country into a state of limbo for up to six months.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold War, the Indo-Guyanese dominated party of Marxist Cheddi Jagan finally came to power in 1992 and has remained in power since then. Government corruption, unsolved criminal activity, police brutality, and extra-judicial killings – common during the Burnham dictatorship – continue unabated. Continue reading →

Protests in Brazil: The people have awakened

23 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in Brazil, Economy and Finance, Social Injustice

≈ 9 Comments

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Protests in Brazil - Fortaleza - Ceara - 20 June 2013Protests in Brazil – Fortaleza – Ceará – 20 June 2013
Source: tribunadonorte.com.br

 

This past week, the magnitude of the protests across Brazil took me by surprise. On June 6th, I had paid little attention to news about protests in São Paulo against a 20-cent rise in bus and train fares. That happened often in Fortaleza and other Brazilian cities during the sixteen years me and my sons lived in Brazil, and in subsequent years.

My attention was riveted on events taking place in Fortaleza. On Facebook, I followed plans for a mass demonstration against violence. Already a grave concern when we lived in Fortaleza. On June 13th, over three thousand protestors crammed major streets, displaying red-painted hands. Their slogan: Fortaleza Apavorada: Basta! (Fortaleza Terrified: Enough!)

In the meantime, over 1,800 miles down south in São Paulo, the number of demonstrators in the streets had grown from 500 to 5,000. Vandals created havoc among peaceful demonstrations, forcing the police to take action. Their indiscriminate use of pepper-spray and rubber bullets on peaceful demonstrators drove more people to the streets.

By June 17th, years of pent up frustrations were unleashed. Thousands more swarmed the streets in São Paulo and in other cities across Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Vitória, Curitiba, Salvador, Maceió, Fortaleza, Belém, and others. (See Veja for up-to-date Brazilian news on the protests.)

Although the Governor of São Paulo and the Mayor of the capital rescinded the 20-cent increase in bus and train fares on June 19th, the people continued to fill the streets. By evening the next day, over one million demonstrators clamored in eighty cities across the nation.

I struggled to understand this sudden and sustained revolt. Over two decades now, Brazilians have been bearing up with all kinds of abuses and depravations caused by corrupt politicians, cronyism, and impunity. They found ways – o jeitinho brasileiro, they called it – of working around and coping with corruption, inflation, high taxes, inadequate public health and education, poor infrastructure, violence, and more.

Why now?

The economic boom over the part ten years lifted thousands out of poverty and expanded the middle-class. More people working. More people consuming goods and services. More money in the pockets of corrupt officials and the elite. Greater stress on public health services. Greater demand for a decent education. Greater demand for more and improved infrastructure.

With billions being spent – and pocketed – on constructing stadiums and accommodations for hosting the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the Olympics 2016, I suppose something had to give. For an indignant population suffering from abuse and depravations, the 20-cent increase in bus and train fares was the last straw. Basta!

You, the Brazilian people, have awakened. President Dilma Rousseff has heard your demands for change. She is ready to receive leaders of peaceful demonstrations. Are you prepared for the task ahead?

The world is watching. I’m a Brazilian of the heart. I’m rooting for you.

Sou brasileira de coração. Estou torcendo por você.