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                         CITIZENS OR ONLY CONSUMERS

               "There is something wrong with our modem society," my colleague said the other day.  "If you
               look at the leaks of docwnents from Wikileaks concem.ing Afghanistan or Iraq, people in the
               1970s or  1980s would have organized huge demonstrations and asked for accountability from
               their respective governments for the damage done to the local population, for accmmtability of
               military expenditures, etc."

               "Today, people have become passive. All they care about is their small world, a stable job and the ability to consume. They are
               only consumers and not citizens, and this is valid for each aspect of life," my colleague added in a vety forceful manner.

               Has it really come to this and is it really universal?

               Whose job is it to blow the whistle when something goes wrong? Journalists? Trade union leaders? Religious leaders? Surely not
               politicians! Who is prepared to stand up and say: "Enough!" Citizens are consumers, and the economy, the militaty, the police and
               government have ways of retaliating against whistleblowers. How often have we read about those who reveal conuption being
               harassed, disbelieved, aJTested, tlu·own into prison, disappeating? People are reluctant to become victims through an act of self­
               sacrifice. We really should take more care of our whistleblowers who take the courage to rock the boat.

               One hope is to teach all students to be critical thinkers and engaged citizens. Among a wide range of benefits, educated citizens
               raise the level of civic values, democratic politics and public culture. Public education, therefore, has a role as a guardian of these
               p1inciples. However,  p1ivatization of public  institutions implies the adoption  of market principles -- this has already beglUl in
               higher education. Under the market-diiven notion of schooling, management has been stripping education of even minimal ethi­
               cal principles and poses a growing tlu·eat to public life and the promise of democracy.
               But there are exceptions. In a small kebab shop, somewhere in the middle of Anunan, sits a corpulent Iraqi. His small shop has
               become a gathe1ing place for his compatriots looking for work, housing, etc. "I do not need money," he says. "What I need is to
               do something for the others, and eventually to do business." He gives out his business card and tells you:  "Please, if you meet one
               of my compatriots in need, tell them to give me a call on my mobile and I will tly to see if I can be of any assistance."
               In this shop you will come across people who live on US$100 a month, who have submitted their applications to different orga­
               nizations in the hope of getting a life somewhere. But the problem is that these international organizations whose main tasks is to
               assist the people in need do not even reply ... One person had sent in his application in 2004 and, up to date, had not received a
               single answer.
               One should not forget the generosity of the Jordanians who are also there to sa·etch out a helping hand for these people, but what
               about the others sitting comfmtably in front of their TVs somewhere in the West, whose political leaders decided to go to war.
               What do we do? Nothing much one could perhaps say,  and the question is ... Why aren't we? Have we become so selfish that we
               do not care any more about the others, those whose voice catmot be heard?
               So, without these individuals who make a small difference, each on their own level, what would these people do? Will they conti­
               nue to be the forgotten ones, among so many others around the world?

               With these thought-provoking words, Diva's team wishes a pleasant day.
               Marit.





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