In one of the many phrases the former US President George Bush ever uttered is the one he said in a joint 2001 address with then French President Jacques Chirac. In his call for nations to provide substantive material support in the fight against terror, he sternly said, “You’re either with us or against us in the fight against terror.”

The line was drawn in the sand. In his mind, the time for neutrality was over. Nations had to decide whether they favoured the US military action against identified enemies or were collectively seen as part of those opposed to the US. Neutrality was seen as indirect support for forces against the US coalition.

Sometimes our experiences put us in the same situation. We either garner strength to be against forces of evil, negativity, polarisation and selfishness or we join forces to advance everyone’s welfare. In other words, we are either a problem or a solution. No fence-sitting. Which side are you on? By Nimroth Gwetsa, 27 June 2017.

In the good old days communities were more united. I lived in a community full of factory workers. Others laboured in mines, some on farms and others were employed as general workers in the former Transvaal Provincial Administration. Many had left high school at Junior College (JC, i.e., Standard 8/ Grade 10) level but very few were professionals with tertiary qualifications. Whenever a matriculant was to leave the community to attend university and stay at its residence, the community was lobbied, gifts gathered and feast thrown to bid the departing student farewell. People rejoiced as if their direct blood-relation was the achiever celebrated. If ever there was anyone envious, such was not easily detected, for everyone really put on a good show and contributed in the celebrations and royal send-off.

Achievements and problems were shared and tackled communally. Of course there is a reason we now celebrate more individualism today than we did then. Today’s goodness about individualism is trumped by heightened levels of ignorance, apathy and selfishness. Extreme levels of these ills may no doubt lead to scheming, exploitation and blatant corruption.

Sometimes when we experience lawlessness, corruption, greed and feelings of neglect, we can trace some causes to the decline in communal spirit.

Fostering a communal spirit need not come at the expense or exploitation of others. No one should feel compelled to do anything against their will. But when we receive generously from others, it would be gracious to consider returning the favour, not necessarily in the same thing, but a different form. Such forms could be as one’s time, ideas, presence, effort, empathy and not necessarily materially.

I do not know if we are born with a selfish mindset and evil streak in us with some conscience to guide us about good and evil, or are born with goodness but learn bad habits later. If we are born with evil in us, I do not know if indeed we then keep it suppressed to show our good nature more and only reveal more of our evil when we gain our independence. Or if we are born with goodness in us, whether we then suppress evil in our earlier lives till later when we gain independence and can no longer keep it suppressed. In which case, we then let off steam tolerating and revealing our evil in bits until overwhelmed where evil begins to define our lives in later years.

It takes active awareness to force yourself to recognise good things done by others for our benefit than the bad we see them doing against us. This active self-awareness makes us appreciate others and starts occurring instinctively and naturally. It’s a behaviour worth investing time and energy for.

Perhaps this is an exception and defines my society, but it is not far-fetched meeting someone and not hear them lamenting how some people are doing them wrong, or do not care about them or are not doing something for them. I am convinced we are a needy bunch of people. Our problems will not go away unless we change our mindset and start doing things differently.

Look at the story of my early childhood community. Many families were not wealthy. Many spent their income on food leaving little for anything else, yet there was more generosity then than I see in our society with more resources.

It might not be Scientifically sound but it certainly makes logical sense that we are fulfilled and enriched by being others-centred than beneficiaries of others’ generosity. It really makes sense that if everyone gave, no one will lack. We do not have to give each other similar things. Giving and being filled with a gracious and appreciative spirit and heart make everyone’s life blissful.

I wish we could see more of this spirit in our communities, business-world, government and households. Relations among people would dramatically improve. There will always be the exceptions preferring to hoard what they have, or demand more from others than they are willing to give. But these can be isolated and the rest can focus on doing good.

Why do we easily get discouraged from doing good by the ungrateful few hoarding and taking from others? We need the same attitude to generosity as we do with knowledge. We do not hate education simply because of those who abuse knowledge to advance their perverse ways. We see them for who they are and continue encouraging ourselves and loved ones to acquire more knowledge for betterment of lives. We must be relentless in doing good and being others-centred than wanting others do things for us.

Having a generous spirit does not mean forcing yourself into giving, but doing so cheerfully. We can all make a difference. Whether we are born evil and show goodness, or are good and suppress evil, is immaterial. As grown-ups, we can make that choice to advance goodness for everyone’s benefit.

Let us therefore no longer see roads barricaded in protest, or property torched because of disagreements, or people killed for choosing a different approach to solving problems. This is wishful thinking for now, but shall come to pass one day. Life goes through a cycle. Today we gather to address momentous needs, tomorrow we disperse for other reasons. And the cycle continues.

Let us hope we have reached the height of selfishness and will soon see seeds of widespread generosity sprouting in the near season.