The ‘four questions’ and how not to raise your kids
Although it’s understandable that General Prayut, anxious about the outcome of the upcoming general election, posted the “four questions” which have since become the talk of the town, those questions reflect a misguided view of how to nurture true democracy in this country.
To use the analogy of raising children, it would be unrealistic for the parents to anticipate all that could go wrong once their kids are strong enough to go out and face the world on their own. The best they can hope for is to instil in their kids correct attitudes and the courage to face up to the realities of life.
How can we expect our democracy to mature if we don’t let it grow up on its own? Only through experiencing negative consequences from choosing a bad leader can a democracy mature. Maturity means learning from mistakes and accepting the consequences – firsthand. Our country has shown that it’s resilient enough to survive occasional lousy leaders.
By always having a “white knight” come to our rescue, how can we expect our democracy to mature? It can only grow old – but never grow up.
Anan Pakvasa
