- The Dogg 26 560
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- namibia-travel.it 2 431
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- SPCA Windhoek, NAMIBIA 1 986
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- Namibia - Where to Stay 986
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- Namibia Wildlife Resorts… 901
- Namibia Annual Music… 761
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- KTM Namibia 683
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- Update Namibia NBC 549
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- Travelyard: Camping in… 408
- Goethe-Zentrum/NaDS… 404
- Conservancy Safaris… 360
- Vespa Namibia 305
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- Black Economic… 253
- NBIC Namibia 247
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- consumer news namibia 221
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- Namibia National Youth… 138
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- Telecom Namibia 66
- Milton Louw - Namibian… 60
- National Youth Council… 52
- Linux Namibia 50
- Namibia Information and… 41
- Institute of Management… 40
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Namibian Facebook Fan Pages - 16H30 on June 4 2011
We Remember: Before, Now, and Later
The past:
“Those who control the past, control the future.” (George Orwell, 1984)
How do representations of the past affect our understanding of it? How are historical representations incorporated into collective memory? To what degree are ideas of national identity embedded in collective memory, and what role do museums and social online media play in the creation of this collective memory?
Too many times, leaders and nations have dwelled in the past, which has handicapped the immense potential of the present, instead of using knowledge of the past advantageously towards the future.
In conclusion, history has proved that it cannot disappear. Wars can never disappear. Poverty can never disappear. Sickness can never disappear. Corruption can never disappear. Yet our connected history has produced success, happiness, growth, and prosperity. History has shown contrasts, andNamibia, the country we are so fortunate to
live in, advocates the diversity of every individual. In the words of Shakespeare, “What is past is prologue.” Indeed, the future of mankind will build upon what it has already established. As time progresses, the common public memory of the past will continue to fuse and intertwine all nations’ destinies together based on what each individual accomplishes now, in the present.
Now is the time to look at what is our common memory - and include all sides of the wars as part and parcel of one nation. And learn to use our differences to map a path for the future.
In a tight spot of debt
Many years ago in a small Indian village,a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.
He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.
He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
- If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.
- If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.
- But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.
Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?
Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
- The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
- The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
- The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
What would you recommend to the girl to do?
Well, here is what she did…
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.
“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”
Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one.
And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one!
Conclusion of the Story
Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think.
When the mind is alert, sharp and calm while facing any problem, there definitely would crop a good solution to it whereas if the mind is too agitated, depressed and fidgety, the brain loses its ability of positive “thinking” and everything seems blank and bleak with no solution that the mind forces a person to take drastic and negative measures like commit suicide or a crime as an immediate solution.
If we can understand the problem, the answer will come out of it because the answer is not separate from the problem!
Also, the important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution!
Next time you face a problem, consciously make an attempt to think more clearly, cleverly and calmly…and you will surely find the best solution for it.
Many years ago in a small Indian village,a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.
He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.
He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
- If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.
- If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.
- But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.
Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?
Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
- The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
- The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
- The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
What would you recommend to the girl to do?
Well, here is what she did…
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.
“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”
Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one.
And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one!
Conclusion of the Story
Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think.
When the mind is alert, sharp and calm while facing any problem, there definitely would crop a good solution to it whereas if the mind is too agitated, depressed and fidgety, the brain loses its ability of positive “thinking” and everything seems blank and bleak with no solution that the mind forces a person to take drastic and negative measures like commit suicide or a crime as an immediate solution.
If we can understand the problem, the answer will come out of it because the answer is not separate from the problem!
Also, the important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution!
Next time you face a problem, consciously make an attempt to think more clearly, cleverly and calmly…and you will surely find the best solution for it.
Namibian Facebook Fan Pages - 18H30 on May 30 2011
- NAMIBIA 15 254
- MTC Namibia 7 444
- INamibia 4 063
- www.exposenewspaper.com 3 558
- My Namibia 3 200
- Namibian Sun 2 294
- Republikein 2 146
- SPCA Windhoek, NAMIBIA 1 982
- Travelstart Namibia 1 648
- Hilton Windhoek 1 404
- Pneumatix Namibia 942
- Namibia Wildlife Resorts… 883
- Polytechnic of Namibia 416
- Vespa Namibia 305
- Namibia Breweries Ltd 267
- Black Economic… 253
- NBIC Namibia 247
- Herbalife Namibia 225
- consumer news namibia 221
- Milton Louw - Namibian… 60
- National Youth Council… 52
- Linux Namibia 50
- Namibia Information and… 41
- Institute of Management… 40
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