Mimicry for the Wrong reasons – The loss of our Christian Values

Mimicry is in our blood . It is a part of our post colonial DNA. That is perhaps why we have so many social ills and social problems.

When we look at our culture there is hardly anything that is new and original and yes, that goes for our music. Historically, we copied how the English played, how they dress, how they eat, the hours of daily activities, how we bury our dead, and how we worship. No one can dispute that Jamaica is a hybridized society and one with evidence of creole despite our African retention.

As we moved farther from independence we mimic for the wrong things. Before I emphasize the points I want to, let me use a typical example, a classroom example. Last semester my daughter decided to carry her books in a Victoria’s Secret bag. Before the term ended, a significant amount of female students in her class and at one of Jamaica’s finest universities went and purchased Victoria’s Secret  bags for school. This term she decided to change her bag for a Hello Kitty and within weeks several students ordered the bag online mimicking her. It is with this in mind, I observe over and over how we love to “follow fashion”.

So we steal and we steal large because it is easy to mimic. For some they only have to have large funds under their management and in their portfolio and then it is okay to “thief” because it is the commion thing to do. It is easy to do this because no real rich person or politician goes to jail. Our society do not punish the politicians or the rich for breach of public trust. We are the only Caribbean country that where ‘elite’s can smuggle drugs, finance arms, abuse the poor , steal from the public coffer and feel secure that they are untouchable. Yes, we have mimicked the Untouchables but whereas the Untouchables get touched by the event of technology, good governance and law and order, we in Jamaica can mimic and continue to mimic without fear of being apprehended.

The same mimicry happens with regard to murder and violent crimes. Whether watching  Goodfellas, The Untouchables  Bugsy Siegel, Across 110^th street,  Billy the Kid,  Mobsters ,  Trinity, De Jango, James Bond, Posse, Dilinger, or any hard core movie , our people think they can translate visual fantasy into a cultural reality of mayhem.

And so we have  criminals creating havoc  in our society thinking they are untouchables as they create their idiosyncratic personas. Anti social and criminal beahviours that were the characteristics of other Third World or Undeveloped countries are now the makeup of our  people.

Not until we have strong business and political  leadership and leadership with morality, ethics, values , especially Christian values, will this country see a change in perpetuating wrongs to one intent on doing good for their country and fellowmen.

Alas, this will not happen for now so we will sink ourselves in world opinion because everyone is busy taking care of his and her self only.

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