Thoughts of the week – We could (or we can) ……..

Long time ago I’ve seen a Yugoslav war movie. Kole Angelovski played a brilliant role in the same movie. I do not remember what the movie title was, but the story went something like this.

The action took place during the Second World War, more precisely in the Ustasha (Croatian collaborators with the Nazis) concentration camp. Prisoners there were political activists, but also ordinary, righteous citizens. In addition to all the tortures and injustices, one of the prisoners, we will call him Stanko, as he was physically bigger than the others, he was appointed by the prison manager for maintaining the order among prisoners and he was assigned as warehouseman also. Stanko, with the red ribbon on his right hand and a wooden stick, was cruelly mistreating and beating other prisoners. Normally, the beatings and injustice from “one of their own” hurt so much more, so the other prisoners agreed that they will share their food with the physically biggest one among them and at the same time make him exercise so he will become strong enough to beat Stanko. We will call him Danko. With great joy they feed him and also supported Danko during his exercises, and waited for the right moment when Danko is going to beat Stanko. Day by day Danko got stronger, and Stanko was treating them worse and worse. Never the less, one day Stanko entered the prisoner’s bedroom without the red ribbon on his right hand and without the wooden stick. He did something wrong, stole from the supplies or something, but that was not important, except that he is no longer a guard. Prisoners empowered began to threaten him „Just wait for Danko, you will see your God.” Than Danko enters, but now he had the red ribbon on his right hand and held the wooden stick. He looked at them out of high and told them that now he is the chief.

And what had happened then? The prisoners continued to share their food and give it to Stanko now and forced him to exercise to defend them from Danko.

I’m writing this because this is somehow familiar to me. We are going through the same thing in the past twenty seven or twenty eight years. What do you think?

During my studies, were the beginnings of parliamentary democracy in Macedonia. We were young, bold; we had the ideas how we’ll change the world. The peak of democracy among students was the election for the organs of the student organization, both at the faculties and at the university level. We also had elections for the council of tenants in the student dormitories. What happened was that the main political parties tried and unfortunately managed to influence these councils, organizations and the so on. As a direct participant in the events, then I did not realize what was happening, but from this perspective, a disaster happened. Students who are supposed to be an alternative in the state, were manipulated and bought with a place in a dormitory, in organizations and with promises of future managing positions (some really became CEO’s and deputies, ministers …). What is this saying about our society? I was also a part of student protests against Tetovo University back in the 1990-ties and how much we were right or wrong at the time; there was a movement and student demands. It is sad that more than 17 years have passed since the new student movements and protests in the faculties. Where are the students who studied between? Unfortunately, most of them moved out of the country.

Third, through the years for almost every non-governmental organization that was formed, for each expert who was talking and criticizing against the government, a new NGO was formed. Also there was a new expert talking and defending the government. The membership in the political party became to be the biggest recommendation and the biggest trump card for employment and advancement in career. My dear ones we came out of communism but we fell into an even bigger trap.

And now look what kind of a society we have? The young people are disinterested and apathetic. Quick and false news are on all sides.

Do you know what is worse than poverty in your pocket? That’s poverty in the mind. You can manipulate such a man or a nation in the easiest way.

I sincerely hope that, finally, there will again be a critical mass of people that will initiate a change in social opinion and behavior as a whole. We had a referendum on the states name, why there should be no referendum for the Detailed Architectonic Plan for the city or municipality, the new laws and every politically decision that will affect the quality of life. Let’s us not punish politicians only in the elections. Politicians, take your hands from the young people, NGO sector and the business in general.

Let us not live our life as it was in the movie and waiting for somebody else to fight our battles. In manner that everyone should be author of his own fortune. I hope that more and more people will be encouraged to decide to start their own businesses. For example, the United States as the most developed economy is the country with the largest number of new start-up firms in the world.

I want to believe that the worst is behind us. I sincerely believe that the close entry of Macedonia into NATO will improve the economic, legal and social situation in the country. With full membership, there will be more opportunities for all of us young, younger and older.

Also, we all need to accept the lifelong learning process. Today, there are opportunities for upgrading knowledge and adopting new technologies, through various courses, trainings, online trainings and so on. I am also greeting the banks who are proactive and are showing customer care and train and networking their customers.

I was taught that it’s a shame to steal and lie, but there is no work to be ashamed of. In our country seriously is starting to feel a lack of craftsmen (painters, electricians …), so do not be surprised if I soon begin to advertise myself as a craftsman in Denar.mk web site.

An American psychiatrist M. Scott Peck defined life as a pyramid. At the peak of the pyramid is success, and at the bottom of it is failure. We all need to strive, have a desire, go up, but lack of ambition, and I will add the fear of failure is pulling us down.

Let us be all bolder, to believe in ourselves and not allow to anyone to wash our brains. Let’s not allow Stanko and Danko to continue to manipulate and intimidate us or going abroad will become our only option.

M-r Rade Colovic