I hate using biblical references. I hate them in Shakespeare, I hate them in Elliot, I even hate them in Yeats (which is a bit like saying I hate the Beatles but I love all their songs). But in true accordance with who I am, I am going to use one.
When Adam and Eve took that fruit from the tree of knowledge and emerged from ignorance, they suffered a series of unfortunate events (Ahem) being cast out of paradise and ultimately suffering in ways they had never known. You know what; I don’t think it matters because if they had the chance they would probably do it again. The problem with the whole ignorance is bliss sayings is just that, IGNORANCE IS BLISS, but once you gain a tad bit of knowledge, a little enlightenment would you ever revert to the previous state of ignorant bliss if you could? I would like to think not.
How does this relate? It doesn’t but I thought a non sequitur might keep you on your toes. If you’re still reading I will finally get to my point. Thaksin. Love him, loathe him he’s bound to illicit strong opinions either way. But here’s where I come in, I am completely sat on the fence on this one. I dislike him as a man and as a leader. He is arrogant, brash and offhandedly offensive. He masterminded one of the worse civil rights abuses in Thailand recently first with his extra judicial drugs program and then his horrible campaign in the South. He probably has done more to harm and widen the gulf between Buddhists and Muslims in this country than anyone else before him. That being said, what Thailand will become, be it for better or worse will be due to him. His policy of empowering the poor in this country is visionary and amazing. Maybe it was BECAUSE he is a brash arrogant twat that he was able to achieve in a couple short years what no government has been able to since...well, ever.
Just because a man is fundamentally flawed does not mean he is limited to his flaws. Maybe it was inadvertent, maybe it was accidental, maybe Thaksin is a bumbling old fool who just happened to defecate and fertilise the right track of land. But the seed has been planted. Change is upon us. The old guard is scared and a storm is brewing. It might not happen today, nor tomorrow, but mark my word it is coming. When it does it will not be peaceful, the poor of this country have tasted from the tree of knowledge and they just aren’t going to slip back into that obscurity of ignorance.
The Good Doctor.
Blogger's Note: The good doctor will periodically contribute political pieces to this blog. Who he is? I cannot tell you like. He might be me, he might be someone else. What is certain is that you'll never know.
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