Times Of Swaziland: SOUNDS CAN BITE?

SOUNDS CAN BITE?
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Chris Morgan on 18/08/2022 08:42:00


In last week’s article, I exposed myself as being behind the times.
Not, of course, the one down Sheffield Road, Mbabane! But I had greeted my
friend Bridget with ‘Hi Brid’, when, in popular style, ‘hi’ was replaced
some years ago with the word ‘hey’; certainly in America. That’s an
interesting transition to a term that, for centuries, was a summoning call;
often extended to the more threatening version; ‘hey you’! Rest assured,
this article is not dedicated to plays on words. Nevertheless, many English
words are hybrids – the word television is a mixture of Greek (tele) and Latin
(visionem) – while the word hybrid is one word, descending from hibrido –
the Latin for mixture.
Until recently, the word was rarely used outside the science laboratory and
textbooks. It related mainly to plants; hybrid vigour being the enhanced outcome
from a mixture of plant species. Also the animal kingdom, though I doubt the
horse and donkey would agree it happens with their progeny – the mule. Now we
have the hybrid vehicle that runs on petrol or electricity. But why did they
have to create the hybrid golf club, with a broader base to the club head, plus
different material, just to make hitting a ball easier? The great golfers of
yesteryear must be howling in their graves.
The word hybrid can be used in almost every sentence, because it is relevant to
so much. It might even depose, from the top rank, terms such as ‘going
forward’, which are the sound bites of many individuals when at the
microphone. And that’s interesting – sound can deafen but how does it manage
to bite as well (lol)? The sound bite is very popular with politicians; often
more than the politicians themselves. We should judge politicians on what they
do, not what they say they’ll do. Though even what they do may not be the
right thing. Donald Trump led the way and now Nancy Pelosi. Why did she need to
make such a heavily publicised official visit to Taiwan, the latter’s claim to
independence being just about the most cage-rattling issue for Mainland China?
Where was President Biden in that? Perhaps just ‘bidin’ his time before they
escort him into retirement.
Upset
With Nancy perhaps ‘bidin’ her own time for the big day, pulling in lots of
Republicans on the way? But, let’s face it, with the USA being one of the two
biggest boys on the block, it makes no sense to upset the other one unless
absolutely necessary. Without surrender, the two need to get along; talking
constantly, reminding each other that one needs the financial investment and
plastic toys, while the other depends on a peaceful, functioning world across
which to spread its neo-colonialism (lol). Miss Nancy should also remember that
China is only across the channel to the people of the Wild West of America.
The strategic blunder by our dear American friends – I mean it, they are our
big mates – is now endorsed by a follow-up visit by a group from the US
Congress. Otherwise dear Nancy could have reserved a place for herself in the
political dustbin next to Boris Johnson; he of the short, immaculate hairstyle.
Soon to be followed perhaps by French President Macro-n, steadily turning into
Micro-n. That guy must watch his back; and front. Either way, it’s down his
neck that extreme right winger Marine le Pen is breathing. Not literally, of
course; she’s quite well behaved. But Pens are not important today, except for
autographs; though we still await the paperless office that was proclaimed
‘imminent’, way back in the early 1990s.
Admiring
No, the only right-winger we should be admiring is Kylian Mbappé of Paris
Saint- Germain and, going back many years, include Stanley Matthews, the
football hero of the 1950s. I pulled up alongside Sir Stanley, in the 1980s, at
some traffic lights in Johannesburg. Somewhat over-excited at this amazing
coincidence, I waved. He waved back. In modern times, the star would have shot
off in the opposite direction, his security team battering the bodywork of my
car for making threatening gestures at their boss. The trouble with many
politicians is that they don’t have the right experience for leadership, nor
even the right motivation.
Most of the leaders of today have never developed the people-management skills
necessary for such a challenging occupation. Talking their way into promises,
then out of the failures, is the only skill they seem to have. Yet Jimmy Carter,
winning the vote for US President in 1976, mainly because of his management
skills, was one of the least successful American leaders of the last century.
But quality did shine through later, and he is now one of the most successful
past-presidents. Talking of motivation, special among the genuine do-gooders of
the world today are the teachers and nurses. They pursue a selfless career,
dedicated to human development and the saving of life respectively, with
relatively little by way of public acclaim and financial reward.