I think it was a former PM who once referred to T&T as "a little black speck" somewhere in the Atlantic? A speck of little importance, despite having a transient advantage in petroleum and gas, now fast fading, to the world's major countries.
Reading some of the articles in the press or maccoing local social media, one would be forgiven for believing that many, if not most Trinis, think we are big stuff, important strutters on the world stage. Hence the dislike other Caribbean people have for us. We are known up and down the islands as "Trickidadians." Most believe we are a superficial people, full of bluster and air, good for a fete and little else, "a tale, Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing." (Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19-28)
It's bad enough being small-time islanders pretending to be important. There is a spectacular video show available on the Net (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Eh5BpSnBBw), that furthers the image of how inconsequential we are.
It shows in succession, the place of our planet in our solar system, then the place of our solar system in our galaxy, the Milky Way, with its billions of stars, then the place of, really, our runty little Milky Way's place in our local galactic group, then the local galactic group's place in the Virgo supercluster of galaxies, then where that supercluster of galaxies is positioned in the universe.
Now we have Stephen Hawking telling us that black holes are portals to other universes. At the end of the presentation, you are left with the feeling that T&T and its problems, including the present political charade, are "small ting."
By the time we are teens we should have a sense of our planet's place in the universe and of Trinidad's in the world. It might be an advantage if our legislators (and the rest of us) took time to study astronomy.
People ambitious to have power-holding roles in government should be required to pass exams in any subjects that would suggest they have an understanding of how best to help a democracy function.
Included in these tests might be a freshman course in evolutionary biology/general ecology; questions on the historic use of basic science in making best use of our resources and keeping our infrastructure safe and sound; on the importance of various transportation systems and how best to help realise their usefulness; on our record of economic booms and busts and what might provide the way to employment for the most people; on the importance of ongoing genuine civil debates and how they might be encouraged; on the candidate's understanding of philosophy's formation of ideas, as well as a grasp of astronomy.
The astronomy course should be mandatory for anyone running for office. That may not happen any time soon, but a small step would be to replace astrology columns in newspapers and magazines with an astronomy one.
Could that trigger more rational thinking over the long run and stem some of the anger, frustration and disenchantment that is so evident in this election because of the poor showing of our politicians.
Who now believe that politicians care about us? In 1962, 90 per cent of the people would have said yes. Even if they did not always agree with results, people felt elected officials had their interests at heart.
Today 90 per cent will say no, a complete reversal. They don't think politicians give a penny's worth of gobar for anything except making money. They don't perceive a difference between the two main parties. They're fed up and angry and what is just as bad is that the press does not get it.
With rare exceptions, the media continue merrily along its way and do not comment on this frustration and exhaustion that politicians have the country in.
The election cover is the same as always. The same stale quotes. Same tedious articles. Same pictures of politicians holding babies. Same mauvais langue on the talk shows.
Last week I tuned in to one of the better radio stations. The talk was about some bimbo who had accused a politician about something or the other and was now backing back and claiming she wanted to get on with her life so the gossip, old lady gossip, was why she was doing that and that she had not denied that the putative incident had indeed taken place, "heh heh heh!" but both gentlemen agreed that the lady had a right to her own life, heh heh!
You scan the papers in vain for some rational discussion about policies and all you get are media releases from political parties or frightening claims that are never substantiated about death threats and sexual innuendos or trite talk about how the "people" must decide on certain questions.
All of a sudden the "people" become important when difficult questions are asked. This passes for leadership in T&T.
You watch a question-and-answer session with the PM and all you get is fawning questions and puppy-dog expressions of love and respect for "the honourable" title.
Be nice and you might get something to "eat ah food."
Towards the end of the second world war, the social philosopher Karl Polanyi pointed out that when politics offers little choice and little prospect of solving their problems, people seek extreme solutions.
We are in for a couple of very rough years.