There is an ancient story about a man named Jacob. He was known as a liar and a cheat. In the ancient language this name also means to grab by the heel, thus from behind, as a last grasp and even desperate attempt. His life was charaterised by this: always being desperate and having to lie and cheat, because lies usually breed more lies in order to cover the previous lies.
Jacob did this in order to on the one hand promote himself and on the other hand protect himself. The constant was Jacob.
Eventually Jacob was able to get out of this cycle of lies. He made ammends with some of his victims and repaired some of the relationships that broke down as a consequence of his lying and cheating. But unfortunately the cycle continued. His sons fell into the same cycle. It started with self-promotion and self-protection that ended up in polarisation of the brothers, lying, cheating and broken down relationships.
There is a current story about a man named Jacob. He is known as a liar and a cheat. His favorite lie is "I didn't know." His cheating is most evident in his relationship with women, but the suspicions are rife and even evidence mounting that he cheats even his own supporters.
He lives in constant desperation, because of his lying and cheating. Due to his desperation he grabs people by the heel, in order to get himself back up. He brings good, responsible and able people down and repleaces them with spineless lapdogs who direct power and resources back to him, in order to promote and protect himself.
Even if he was to be removed today, he perpetuated a cycle that has spun people into polarized groups, stacking them up against one another. The different groups follows in this same pattern of lying and cheating for self-promotion and self-protection. Some do it more socially acceptably than others, by abusing the rules, but with the same consequences. Honest, able and responsible people gets sidelined. The poor and sidelined are stepped upon.
If we think about it carefully. Everyone of us are Jacob. We all lie and cheat for self-promotion and self-protection. We all grab others by the heel in desperate attempts to prevent them from getting ahead, to keep them at our own level and others lower than ourselves.
To het out of the cycle of Jacob, we have to start at ourselves. I have to recognise Jacob in me. I have to recognise the ways in which I am lying and cheating for self-promotion and self-protection. I have to recognise my own desperation.
The desperation will only subside when we are at peace in relationships; when we work to promte each other and help each other flourish.
#ZumaMustFall is still only self-protection and self-promotion. Jacob will live in each of us.
