Magical mirror and the merchant of light

The undoing of the accelerating social degeneration warrants a magical mirror and the merchant of light

In ancient times, there was a society living on the bank of a river. Housed by a vastly diverse population, it was notoriously prominent for deception and dishonest dealings. Most of the people were parasites feeding on each other, common heritage and assets of society. The land had promised prosperity only for those who dealt with deception or strike deals with the deceptive. All people, particularly the revered and empowered ones aimed at managing the affairs of people, were venal, dishonest and hypocrites of an epic nature. They comprised clergy, chieftains, Qazi, guardians, viziers and the so-called watchdogs and people tasked with managing public affairs.

The powerful group was duplicitous par excellence, so much so that no one, except for their accomplice and beneficiaries, would have ever come to know the reality and the theft. They had cloaked themselves under the guise of piety, sanctity, nationhood and loyalty. They did carefully make people believe that only these empowered and respected few were their ultimate benefactors and saviour. Most of the public used to revere their leaders not because they were honest and empathetic towards the public, but because the latter was cunning and crafty in manipulating public opinion in their favour. This helped them capitalise on public innocence with impunity.

However, there was a victim and sceptic merchant who used to do business with people in that society. Since he was frequently subjected to cheating, he became distrustful of the people there. After repeated losses, he decided to find a way out of the deception. He, thereafter, travelled to distant areas and finally met a shaman, a spiritual figurehead, in a valley. He narrated his painful story to him and requested him to tell him how to identify true coins among the fake ones. The shaman, however, gave him a magical mirror that could show the real intentions and the faces of people. The trader thanked the shaman and returned to his dwelling, happy that he would no longer face deception.

On his way back home, he committed to himself that he would contribute his due in laying down the foundation for justice and fair play. However, it was not easier an undertaking, as challenging the ossified status quo was fraught with horrifying risks. A society where being cunning, deceptive and crafty was most rewarding; where being sycophants and corrupt had the most recognition: where truth, sagacity and steadfastness used to suffocate; where shortcut stunts and improvisation promised a promising career; where law bowed to the knees to the corrupt; where honesty, integrity and diligence died of deprivations: questioning the system was tantamount to calling for frightening furry.

However, for him, the exalted values of honesty and fair play outweighed his life or the losses he was supposed to suffer by challenging it. Thereafter, he witnessed and displayed to the general masses the real oppressive faces of the most revered and empowered. He used to see and mark the real intentions the powerful held for the masses. At first, the people were unlikely to believe in his account; they did, however, gradually begin to pay attention to what he professed. This way, the merchant’s mirror risked the long-held perks and privileges of the so-called revered lot. Frightened, the figurehead from each powerful section huddled on the question of the mirror and decided to smash it. Though the mirror was smashed, it had left a beacon of light good enough to enlighten the masses about their rights and identify their real saviours. Within a span of two decades, the public enlightenment overwhelmed the shadows of darkness once and for all.

The existing plight of our society strikingly resembles the sorry state the said society suffered from. The undoing of the accelerating social degeneration, therefore, warrants a magical mirror and the merchant of light.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2022.

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