AS I START WRITING this guide, take a look out my window with me. There goes the starving beggar child; and look even the kids passing him by on their way to school seem malnourished. What will they learn on an empty stomach? Well, even if their teacher decides to turn up today, not much. That smell that cringes your nose, what is that you ask? It's from the open sewer overflowing with human waste and garbage. You can't hear yourself think, you say? Well of course, every single vehicle, from busses to trishaws to tractors, are blaring their horns. Whew, close call, but don't worry: pedestrians are used to almost getting run over, the lucky ones anyway. And yes, amidst all this, that's a convoy of brand-new Benzes, and those are police officers shooing people away. To think we voted him in because he promised to be better than the last guy! But the dirty looks are not entirely out of disappointment, they owe just as much to envy. For as much as we suffer due to corruption, the moment we get even a sniff of a chance we would do exactly the same.
Welcome to the Third World. A place where most people on planet Earth live. A place where chaos and misery are the norm.
One of my previous books—Colombo: A Critical Introspection—asked the question: What are the causes of this typical Third World chaos and misery? In the broadest and briefest sense, the answer was culture. Here in Citizens' Guide to the Third World my aim is to provide a self-help book for culture—a practical guide to assist the billions of the Third World in their great crawl out of the abyss. As such this guide offers no specific 'Whys' to justify each and every rule and guideline contained within it, but only the promise that if these rules and guidelines are faithfully and widely followed, a vital contribution will be made to the great crawl of the Third World toward development.
To maximise the contribution of this book toward this mission of utmost importance, keep the following in mind:
THIS BOOK IS FREE. Where possible this book will be free to any and all. This book will only have to be purchased in two circumstances: If you or your organisation wishes to have a print copy or where a particular eBook vendor does not allow free distribution.
THIS BOOK IS INTENDED TO BE PART OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. In the Third World we have extremely meagre resources available for education. An overwhelming share of these resources should be allocated to primary as opposed to tertiary education since it has been proven that primary education has the greatest rate of social return in the context of the Third World. If a few have theoretical physics degrees while most do not know how to cross the road, both groups will suffer. Syllabuses can and should be designed that take these rules and guidelines and instil them as habits in young citizens. Assistance in this regard can be received by contacting me (see below).
THIS BOOK SHOULD BE TRANSLATED. Translation into your local language is strongly encouraged. To start this process, contact me (contact information is available at the end of this book).
THIS BOOK IS A WORK-IN-PROGRESS. Upcoming editions will feature new rules and guidelines that have somehow been left out and ones that due to changing circumstances require inclusion. Moreover, I welcome any rules and guidelines that you as conscientious citizens, parents, educators and policy makers can suggest to improve Citizens' Guide to the Third World. On receiving your suggestions, I will carefully assess them, and you might well find them featured in subsequent editions.
Now let us embark on our long journey. It is not going to be easy. Along the way you will find that you have to make many sacrifices and that you will often have to take the longer route instead of the shortcut that you are used to taking; you very well might ask yourself—can I afford this? Is it worthwhile? The answer is yes. Stay the course. No matter what those around you are doing—stay the course. If it is difficult to stay the course while those around you are obviously not—stopping looking around, put your head down and become an inner-directed person. Keep telling yourself this: 'No matter what those around me do, I am determined to become a modern and progressive person. I am determined to become a good citizen.' For if, no matter what, you stay the course and manage to convert these rules and guidelines into values and habits, you will see, almost by magic, your life and that of your community and country transform. Soon, around you, the chaos will become harmony, corruption will become integrity, injustice will become fairness, war will become peace, and poverty will become prosperity.
“No matter what those around me do, I am determined to become a modern and progressive person. I am determined to become a good citizen.