Ten whole years have passed since the world was supposed to end with Y2K. The world didn’t end but it certainly changed dramatically. Changed unfortunately not for the better, but for the worse. Perhaps more so than any other decade in modern human history. And Praetor states this with full responsibility, being witness not only to modern history but to ancient history too, during the glory of Rome. Yes the 1940 to 1950 decade was the most destructive decade in terms of human lives lost, estimated to be some 60 million as a result of the Second World War. But at the end of the decade evil was vanquished and the world came out of it, badly injured but determined to fight back to full recovery.
In the decade just ended, perhaps 60 million people did not die owing to warfare. About a million did though just in Iraq, mostly civilians; victims of a neo-colonial conspiracy. But that’s another story. What is clear is that the geopolitical and socioeconomic events of the decade, ranging from 9/11 to the global financial crisis have shaken the modern world to its very foundations. There is discord and chaos in large parts of the world. There is increasing polarization between civilizations and within civilizations themselves. Evil in the garb of righteousness is perpetuating global gloom unchecked.
But all is not lost. Good people are still toiling away ceaselessly, in every corner of the world and in every field of human activity. Silently and without reward, except for that inner satisfaction of pursuing a cause that needs dire attention.
And you, the captains of industry, the possessors of resources and power, the influential elite, what about you? When you look back 10 years from now, would you be able to honestly say, I made a difference? A difference in proportion to the capacity I had? Your cause has to be CSR. As simple as that. Beyond cheque writing for photo opportunities to engendering a life changing process. Beyond winning dubious awards the worthlessness of which your heart knows, to making the world a better place.
This decade too will fly by. Few can appreciate how time passes us by. Most don’t realize until it is too late. Go to www.lyricsfreak.com and type in Time, Pink Floyd and press enter. I could very easily have reproduced the entire lyrics here, but I won’t. I want you to make the effort. But just as a sampler, consider the following verses from about the middle of the song:
And then one day you find
Ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you’re older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
So download the complete lyrics of this prophetic song and read them over slowly a couple of times. Download the song too if you don’t have it already and listen to it with the lyrics in front of you. Relate to it at a personal level. Doesn’t it sound so very real? And scary?
Consider this a wake-up call for the second decade of the century from Praetor, your well-wisher, and resolve that this decade will see you being a change agent too.
Till next time,
Praetor
