Hmph ... corruption ...

Yes, I know … this is one of those topics that never seem to go away. Not with all the hype, all the articles, all the investigations. Not with anything … and surely not with me writing about it.

Just look in any of the papers these days and you will find stories on corrupt practices. Local. Abroad. The only difference is the currency used. What’s happening to the world? Or was it always like this, with people just being smarter in the past and not blowing their cover.

Of course, I probably wouldn’t be complaining if I was one of those ‘lucky’ ones who had access (or rather the opportunity) to be corrupt. What? You can’t believe what you’re reading? C’mon … honestly now, the thought must have crossed your mind at one time or another. The simple wondering of ‘I would have done the same …’

Just a wee bit to grease the joints. Make the rolling slightly smoother. In an equal position, who knows what might tip the balance. You know … those thoughts.

OK, fine. So you aren’t one of those from the majority. You are immune to worldly cravings and figments of imagination reserved for those with big eyes and small heads. I get it.

But for lesser mortals like myself (or to those who believe that the world is predominantly good, the lesser minority mortals), then the thought of living the high life without having to work for it … ah, that’s what life was meant to be like.

A steady flow if income or a one off payment. Doesn’t really matter does it? As long as the dough keeps rolling.

Hold on … now who said that corrupt people don’t work for what they get? Hmmm … interesting thought, huh?

Yeah, like being smacked on the back of the head with a baseball bat, realisation that those corrupt people actually worked to get to where they are.

And now you must be thinking that I’m pro-corruption. Oh my god, you couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m not pro-corruption at all … although I do understand (and sympathise) that sometimes it’s just a cost of doing business in this lopsided world we call home.

Back to those ‘lucky’ people who have the power to decide and get people to pay them for a job that they are already being paid for …

Working so hard to get to where they are. They sacrifice family, friends and pet goldfish. Nothing is ever enough, that’s true. Unless of course you chose to devote your life to a higher cause like saving the trees or something like that … oh yeah, religious people too. And before you even try to accuse me of equating tree savers and spiritual devotees, just ask yourself if you are in a position to reprimand me on such an innocent comment. Lighten up guys, didn’t mean any disrespect J

So now you are a high ranking official. The ball is in your court. The opportunity comes tip-toeing along … just ripe for the picking, they say. What do you do? What’s that? Just ignore it without even considering the possibility? Yeah, right!

Consider it all you want. What could be an appropriate sum for ‘services rendered’?

It’s easier to think with a clear conscience. Free of guilt. So, try not to remember all those late nights in the office rushing your butt off just making sure that everything has been done; those same late nights that your pet goldfish went to sleep alone, all hungry and sad.

And since you don’t have a conscience, then there would be no problem in deciding what course of action to take – for goodness sake, you can always get a new goldfish with those gazillions that would be made from the transaction that you … ermm .. facilitate, so to speak.

What was that? Not thinking about your pet goldfish? Oh, that son of yours who would be taken care of by his on-the-verge-of-senility gramps when the cops eventually drag you off to jail when the case gets cracked.

A matter of cost-benefit analysis I suppose. Didn’t know you could put a value on things like family and the pet monkey (hey, not everyone has goldfish you know!).

Those who do it for millions, I can at least try to understand. I said understand, not agree with nor approve … but those who do it for just a few extra bucks? (and yes, I’m so filthy rich that if the figure isn’t spectacular, then it’s just for ‘a few extra bucks’ … yeah, right …) Risk losing it all for an amount that would be gone in a week or two?

Perhaps my small head isn’t making sense of all this because I lack the cranial capacity of an over-boiled oyster, but it does make you want to re-examine some of those cases you’ve heard about recently. Doesn’t it?