First Choice, Second Thought

I cannot deny one’s right of belonging to their country as much as I cannot neglect the fact that Lebanon is my own home country. Yet, to some, the sole reason of attachment to one’s roots and persistence lies in the hopes of attaining the far-fetched dreams one hopes to grasp – which, for now or in the foreseeable future, are highly unlikely to be met. It goes without a doubt that even today, through the thick and thin, the Lebanese citizen maintains a sense of engagement and participation in their seemingly rudimentary daily routines as a means of meeting the aloft expectations of their job productivity, the worsening working conditions, as well as the gradually deteriorating living standards. While many have chosen to find ameliorating alternatives to the ever-increasing concerns of meeting the essential life needs – most of which are privileged tactics granted only to the more surviving and fittest populace – , there remains a personal attitude leaning towards the permanent departure from Lebanon should the possibility arise. It is rather unfortunate to say that in the last two years, beauty has forfeited from being within the eye of the beholder.

The Lebanese nation is disoriented amidst approaches which either minimize or optimize the policy formulation in and of itself. It does not faze one to comprehend that Lebanon’s approach toward handling the unprecedented catastrophe engendered by coronavirus fell way behind in meeting the expectations of the economy, given that no effective studies were executed by the executive branch. Additionally, to make matters worse, the official government resorted to only scratching the surface when it came to issuing measures pertaining to crisis management, all of which took form in theory only. Thus, one cannot help but wonder: is the lack of credibility or vision regarding the economic collapse a matter of intentional aversion of liability, or is it genuine lack of structural organization within the basis of the government? Normally, the cultivated politics which should supposedly be undertaken must aim toward forging plans when it comes to finding resolutions for the lack of job opportunities prevalent in the country; however, our leaders only claim mobilization by confessional speeches, all of which center around a rhetoric they utilize to absolve themselves, in two words: “not me”. “Not me”, quite bluntly, is a usual form of speech set into utilization by the Lebanese political party leaders, which they resort to desperately, and to some extent, effortlessly as a means of excavating exonerating excuses rather than unearthing proper solutions. If one were to objectively review what those leaders say, one would come to the realization that these two mere words, by extension, refer to an obscure enemy instead of holding accountability. In a variegated light, it could also be contextualized within two different words: “I and Bye”. The former, therefore, is used to ascertain the election prerogatives they hungrily strive for, and turn toward employing the latter when they begin to lose grasp of the political rules and turn a blind eye to the appropriate regulations as a means of transferring the failure onto someone else. Where are the corrective measures, then?

We, “the Lebanese”, continuously find ourselves subsisting within a maze out of which there seems to be no escape, and at each corner one encounters a tremendous proliferation in the prices of food and services, all of which have fallen victim to the dreadful rates of the inflation. Furthermore, unemployment is also a detrimental occurrence vanquishing the corners of Lebanon entirely, not to mention the struggle of waiting by the hours in bulk so as to fuel one’s cars and motorcycles. It is additionally essential to note the crisis in its entirety when it comes to the situation of one’s cash bank accounts, as well as the veiled truth of the uncontrolled Lebanese Lira rate in comparison with that of the American currency.

Generally speaking, the public officials are known to hold positions for the interest of the public; however, they tremendously fall short when it comes to long term planning, either by outsourcing or privatizing studied cases, both of which are some of many tools or mechanisms that define power politics practiced by those whose hunger for power is almost implausible to quench. In Lebanon, if one were to close their eyes and strictly discern to the narratives woven by the news, what would the outcome of that tactic be? Simply, one would be propelled toward deconstructing the forcefield which the Lebanese rulers have spent years constructing meticulously. Having said that, this wall exhibits no sense of accountability, no planning toward growth, and no vision for a better future; in other words, it is built upon the negligence of enacting good laws or applying new frameworks of prosperity and progress. It is rather unfortunate to clarify that politics has implemented its roots within the business world without any other means of branching outside of it, and it has become a means through which one would resort to get things done; whoever dies, whether that be by committing suicide, starving to death, being unemployed, or rebelling is merely nothing but a speck of dust spoiling the system. It is a whole range of actual steps that does not exist in their mindfulness for a public attitude.

Therefore, the question arises: how can one ease matters and remove the tantamount barriers of change? The answer is: first choice and second thought, which is an aggregate of self-awareness and self-reflection. Let’s imagine X is our first choice and Y is our second thought; the recommended procedure is to pay favorable attention to one’s daily routine, for to generate positive progression, one has to be truthful to oneself as such. X, hence, is encompassed by what is currently happening and Y centers around what the human rights conventions usually call for. To better understand this concept, it is crucial for one to pay further attention to one’s day to day imperative details so as to carefully read between the lines and trust one’s own thinking: be active during the day, experience the choices during the afternoon, and review the endeavors at night. This shows that one has to balance their own self-reflective emotions, reflect on their everyday facts, and bear the burden of yesterday, all of which aim toward driving for a better tomorrow. How, one may ask? Simply by being, in spite of the concept being idolized, a good citizen; a citizen’s inclination is usually to attempt to interfere directly within political party media control as a means of establishing mobilization of political and economic policies; however, that remains rather implausible at times. For this reason, one can relate their rights and obligations to what they have and what they lack in importance.

In short, it is crucial to be a contributor to the change aspired for by being aware and raising awareness. Tangible values can redesign one’s first choice and the selection of one’s second thought and, therefore, easily redefine oneself. Being active is essential to challenge socio-economic stagnation, hold the Lebanese rulers accountable, and become the catalyst by morphing one’s identity from being a receiver to a change achiever.