I’m sure many of you have at some time or the other heard of the saying “In the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is king”. It’s one of those easily understandable sayings that make perfect sense the very first time you come across it ya?
I mean what could be simpler than imagining a country full of blind people who naturally make the one person who can even partially see their king?
But as of late, I’ve been thinking that whoever came up with this saying was in a way foretelling the future of our beloved paradise isle. After all, people would have to be blind (And stupid too) to continue to vote in and defend candidates who have openly flouted all rules of law and order ya?
But that’s exactly what happened in the most recent elections that we had. Candidates who made death threats, burnt down campaign offices and even one who cost the country billions of rupees by trying to fly, were felicitated with a fervor approaching mass hysteria and then given the majority mandate to govern this country!
In fact, judging by the results of the elections, it seems the majority of this country’s voters are more than ready to be blind to the violence and corruption that has become part and parcel of the present political climate of Sri Lanka.
But what about the one eyed man who was supposed to be king of this land? If the saying were to be complete, he would be on the throne and leading the people towards safety and prosperity ya?
Unfortunately, this is where the saying went wrong as far as Sri Lanka goes. Because in the ‘Paradise Isle of the blind’ being able to see, even with one eye, is the most dangerous thing. Anyone who has the ability to see and comment about the violence and corruption, who can see the yawning precipice at the end of the road, is at risk of being branded a liar and a traitor.
So, in today’s context, I think the age old saying needs to be modified a tad to be passed on to our future generations, “In the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is a traitor”.
