The
duality of human nature results in either acquiring merit or demerits. If a
person lives his life with righteous ethics and good moral conduct, then he
will accumulate merit. This is of course true for both men and women alike.
Conversely, if they live life committing misdeeds and immoral behavior, then
their demerits will increase. As a result of this duality human society has had
both prosperity and criminal activity since early times.
Our
minds easily fall into temptation and it takes considerable fortitude to adopt
a righteous mind. For prosperity to flourish from the community level up to the
national level, its people must carry out their duties and responsibilities.
Everyone has their own agenda and self-interest while carrying out their jobs
and while some might find fun and satisfaction within the legal boundaries of
society, others choose to break these rules and bring damage to themselves and
their fellow men.
If
a person or organization in power abuses their position then civil unrest
becomes rampant in their proximity. It is generally accepted that no one is
above the law, but certain individuals may exploit the law or twist it to fit
their needs and this weakens the rule of law in society. Thus, these kinds of
activities are a significant obstacle to the government and the people working
towards rule of law.
The
type of mindset people should cultivate is one that is honest, hardworking,
speaks the truth, and practices compassion to other living beings. Nurturing
this mindset serves the purpose of driving the negative de-meriting thoughts
and actions out of us. Only you can cleanse yourself; no one else can do it for
you. It is believed that these negative thoughts spring up due to the four
corrupting influences of greed, ignorance, fear, and selfishness.
In
one of her speeches at the Conference of Justice Sector Coordinating for Rule
of Law between 7 and 8 March, the State Counsellor said, “Most people think
that corruption only concerns bribes and illegal payments for a better, albeit
unfair, gain. We have always believed that corruption is based on the four
negative influences of greed, ignorance, fear and selfishness. If we give
favoritism to those we adore but treat those we dislike with prejudice, then it
is a kind of corruption. So too is doing what we mustn’t do and refraining from
what we ought to do just because we are fearful of other people’s perception of
us, or due to their negative influences. Ignorance is committing misdeeds or
breaking the law without knowing what the law is. So I can say, corruption has
a broader context than what people normally think.”
State
Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi highlighted the elusive and multifaceted nature
of corruption and how opposing corruption should be more than a duty and become
a part of our culture.
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