LIES and PROPAGANDA CREATING `IDIOTIKOS` or `IGNORANCE` in GHANAIAN SOCIETY

Ghana is moving through a critical period in her political calender-the current Election Petition is a point in question. I think it is time for Philosophers,Historians,Sociologists,Elders and Psychologists to bring forth ideas as to how the Ghanaian populace can best contribute in the political debate in order to live together peacefully.

I wish to illustrate my discourse by quoting Rev Prof David Jenkins,former Bishop of Church of England in Durham.He posits the Greek origins of `community` and `private` as follows:

The Greek for common is `Koinos` and the Greek for both one`s own and private is `idios`. So `Koinos` refers to the common which makes up `Koin-onia`,which is the Greek for `community` and `togetherness`,and `idios` refers to the private or one`s own. What was `common` or `Koinos` went with public duties and opportunities as a citizen,while what was private or`idios` went with one`s own private affairs.Some people among the citizens in Greece,according to Rev Prof Jenkins,who stayed on the side of things- the sort of person who is not `politikos` began to be known as `idiotikos`...they were not concerned with polis(the city) but simply with their private selves.

...people who stayed out of things became IGNORANT of them and incompetent at them.So `idiotikos` came to mean `lay`(not an expert),`ignorant` and not knowing what is going on. As time and usage went on,`idiotikos` went from being a private citizen to being an `idiot`.That is to say `idiotic`-incompetently shut up in one`s own private,limited ways.In short,to be private and concerned with what is one`s own is simply to be an idiot.

The prevailing situation in Ghana is that many politicians and numerous mass media bombard the public with propaganda before they get to public domain.Hence,we have reached a stage that we are encouraged by the numerous mass media and political pronoucements in the Country to be IDIOTIKOS rather than POLITIKOS.

If Politics and Democracy are to flourish in Ghana then People who VOTE need to be better informed about their Society and what is actually going on.We all need wider information(free from propaganda) about what is going in our Society so that as individuals,responsible members of our Society we can make reasonably informed judgement about matters of common public concern.

Without such a basis,democracy in Ghana is but window-dressing-for the manipulation of masses by whoever has the money(owners of mass media houses),the wit or dominance of the Political machinery of the State.

BY OWUSU ANSA BOAFO

(SOCIAL SCIENTIST/SOCIOLOGIST)