Culture of entitlement

[Dave A]

This piece on entitlement mentality by Phorane King Thokoane does a great job of painting the problem:

First we got equal rights, through our national constitution (one of the best in the world I hear); later in the day we received Affirmative Action in the workplace, followed by BEE (later B-BB EE). Then we came back and received a variety of grants to a whole bunch of deserving citizens. To top it all up, we started enjoying government tenders which were given to deserving previously disadvantaged groups, with the view to re-distribute the country’s wealth and equalise the economic wealth floating around.

As if on cue, a certain mentality started to appear within the black communities: the entitlement mentality. The ideology that black people are entitled to a host of benefits and some misbehaviour, just because in the past benefits were given to non-blacks; for example:

Public servants are entitled to hold on to positions in government (even if they are unable or willing to do the actual job), people are entitled to get grants, people are entitled to act above the law; just because they were oppressed during the apartheid years. In my opinion this is a nation destroyer of note.
Police are entitled to bribes, because they earn ‘low salaries’. Nurses are entitled to strike, at the expense of patients, even though this should actually be an essential service. Teachers are entitled to abscond from their teaching positions even while present at work just because they can and the government is powerless to put them in their place.

People are entitled to be in positions in the public sector (cadre deployment) because they are of the colour skin that was previously segregated against, but also because they belong to the party that fought for the liberation of the people. As a result, we ended up with a public service that is a dismal failure in action.

But what is the solution?

[adrianh]

Leaders that lead by example that one and all can look up to.

To quote something I once read "Ethics and moral values adhere to the law of gravity, they flow down, not up"

[ians]

civil war?

[SSS100]

Umshini wami....bring my machine

[Blurock]

This piece on entitlement mentality by Phorane King Thokoane does a great job of painting the problem:


But what is the solution?

The solution is to fire the so called "freedom fighters" and revolutionaries and to vote for real political freedom. Nowhere in the world has a terrorist group, freedom fighters, revolutionaries or any one who took over a government by a coup, been able to form a successful government. There are many examples in Latin America, Africa and all over the world to confirm that former revolutionaries are just not fit to govern.

Political freedom is when a populace can vote for their own candidates, not someone deployed by the party. Political freedom is when people can vote without fear of intimidation, freedom of speech, right to information and freedom of association.

Political freedom is not having to belong to the ruling party in order to get government tenders.

Political freedom is not having to be embarrassed by your president and his cabinet.

[Miro Bagrov]

In France, the general dissatisfaction of the mass population led to a rebellion in 1780s. The result was the king and his wife were executed. The next leadership was able to get rid of the people who the people blamed but were unable to create a worthwhile government or really bring any change. Napoleon then usurped power from the revolutionaries and brought some order with more force. Finally after draining the entire nation of resources for his wars, he was also deposed and the kings came back to power in 1815.

In Cuba, the US "assisted" the liberation and freedom of the island from the Spanish. Later only to effectively enslave the Cubans and capture their sugar plantations. The Castros then 'liberated' the cubans from the US and so liberation after liberation and are now sole rulers of Cuba. Neither one of them managing to make any substantial difference in the lives of the poor.

Revolutions are countless in human history:
- Philip, Alexander the Great's father, is hired as a mercenary, but seizes power in Macedonia.
- Sulla, becomes a dictator in Rome after a civil war against Marius.
- Julius Caesar, becomes dictator of Rome after a civil war against Pompeius. He is assassinated in an attempt to free Rome.
- Cromwell in England, executes the English king. Nevertheless the kings regain power after his death.
- The Turks depose their Sultan after almost 1000 years of rule under the Sultans.
- The Irish rebel against England less than 100 years ago.
- The Indians rebel against the English.
and so forth...

General dissatisfaction breeds rebellion, but rebellion rarely breeds general satisfaction (except for the select few who were involved).

[Dave A]

The problem I see is some of these entitlement ideas have become very deeply imbedded into society, and are not going to be easily removed even where there is damn good reason to see them removed. It certainly is going to be nowhere near as simple as a change in political leadership.

There is a fundamental difference between "right of tenure" and "free houses".
Stop the free house giveaway and watch the fireworks.

There is a fundamental difference between "freedom of association" and "collective bargaining."
Take away collective bargaining and watch the fireworks.

There is a fundamental difference between the "right to withhold work" and "protected strikes."
Take away protected strikes and watch the fireworks.

Free water on tap, water born sewage (only applicable in the Western Cape, it seems), electricity supply, roads, the definition of a living wage, who really should be getting social welfare support, who should be the beneficiaries of preferential procurement policies...

It's a long list and getting longer.

And how do we undo the bureaucracy?

Thabo Mbeki introduced strictly regimented and documented procedure in an attempt to compensate for gross incompetence. The momentum of this approach is sill gathering to this day, to the point where it's stifling competence, tripping up accountability and absolutely killing competitiveness.

But how do you reverse the tide without first going through a stage of total collapse - where you're grateful for any semblance of order, service or return - no matter how small or primitive it is?

[desA]

The sense of entitlement can, & should, also be directed towards the formerly-advantaged portions of SA society.

This sense of entitlement covers:
1. The right to steal intellectual property from whoever;
2. The right to steal/covet a new idea - without compensation to the idea-generator;
3. The right to have a large home & extravagant lifestyle- despite being in debt to the hilt;
4. The right to believe that their grouping is superior to everyone else.
5. The right to blame everyone else, for their ills.
...
Add as you will.

In my humble opinion, the new rulers of the nuthouse, have merely taken the house-rules & adapted them to suit their own selfish interests. SA is an extremely sick society.

[Blurock]

In my humble opinion, the new rulers of the nuthouse, have merely taken the house-rules & adapted them to suit their own selfish interests. SA is an extremely sick society.

The ANC is very good at blaming apartheid for all their shortcomings, yet they are following the old Nat government's agenda almost to the letter. Entitlement, cadre deployment, racial profiling, eliminating critics and opponents, controlling the press. The list goes on and on....

Why can we not just put South Africa first and all work together for a better future? Why are certain people and groups more important than others? Business also has a part to play in stamping out corruption and setting an example. There is a good article in today's business section asking " how do you justify cartell forming and corruption in your own company?" How do you explain it to your board and to your shareholders? What do you tell your staff, your wife and your kids?

Just blaming others does not change anything. Change starts with ME.

[Miro Bagrov]

This culture of entitlement is old news, presently there is just a marauder culture. Meaning everyone is out to rip out what's left of any value and profit out of it.
The need for entitlement, eventually led to entitlement (to the very few), which of course led to everyone else feeling there is no future for them or any hope of ever overcoming the barriers of society and regulation, and that led to a mass amount of fraud and lawsuits because most people with no morals turn to these for a quick buck.

I have not seen anyone amass substantial wealth in South Africa without either fraud at some point in their life or some lawsuits in the last decade...

A spares shop was recently taken over by a new owner who paid the first deposit and then grabbed the company funds after a month and fled the country leaving employees and rent unpaid and the business on the verge of collapse.
For another example, there was a businessman who borrowed from the bank and then liquidated his front companies not to repay it.
He then bought several cars and properties and started selling cars with the bank's money so he doesn't have to work again.
also shame on those incompetents who plotted on their uncle, cousin's, father and mother's inheritance and seizing property and assets ran of to live off other people's success...

The other method I mention involves capitalising on the incompetence of large companies and government by laying law suits where ever they are found to not follow procedure for whatever reason. One example is the that each police station in South Afrca has at least 100 000 false arrest cases against them. Each one is worth about R100 000 - R600 000, sometimes more. A foreigner once sued and defeated the Department of Home Affairs in court because they did not follow the correct procedure for issuing a refugee status residence.

This is the state of affairs which arise from the feeling on "non-entitlement".

I like to use numbers to factualise my argument:
http://www.fm.co.za/fm/CoverStory/2013/05/16/signs-of-danger
This article summaries the changes in credit loss ratios of lenders in SA, a good indicator of that the bank's clients are doing. Private lenders such as business partners and investors have suffered much worse and in fact, I see this country as un-investable... It's fees are too high, it's taxes are too stiff, and it's people can be trusted with a roll of toilet paper...

[Chrisjan B]

Sad but true unfortunately!

[Dave A]

Quite a bit to chew on there that I personally wasn't putting in the area of "entitlement"

[Miro Bagrov]

What I mean is, it's just hard for a businessman to succeed, and just run his shop in isolation. Someday someone will walk in and blow his brains out for the little bit of cash in his till.
It's just not worth it. I think a lot of people have figured that out.

That's why no one wants to try make anything really productive, they just want to "spoon off the corners" so to say...
It's not because education is low, they just are rightly scared and would rather produce pot-plants than to forge steel because no one will kill them over a plant. But with steel, some angry worker will one day come and zap them with a knife, quick quick, and no one will do anything about it.

Edit: It does link with entitlement - because every criminal out there thinks he has entitlement to my property.

[Dave A]

It wasn't just your post I was referring to, Miro.

And yes, I concede the problem may well have a wider scope than I had originally perceived.

[desA]

I see this country as un-investable... It's fees are too high, it's taxes are too stiff, and it's people can't be trusted with a roll of toilet paper...

That's why no one wants to try make anything really productive, they just want to "spoon off the corners" so to say...
It's not because education is low, they just are rightly scared and would rather produce pot-plants than to forge steel because no one will kill them over a plant. But with steel, some angry worker will one day come and zap them with a knife, quick quick, and no one will do anything about it.

Kudos, Miro Bagrov. These are some of the most astute & accurate perceptions I have come across. Brilliant.

The progression of the argument from entitlement to marauding is an eye-opener, you are correct, Sir.