Ian Boyne, Contributor

The cessation of the political contests gives the country a welcome breather to be able to concentrate on some really important social and cultural issues, such as the under-performance of our males, our dysfunctional family life, the underlying causes of our high homicide rate and our preparedness for international competitiveness.

The overweening influence of politics - indeed, its persuasiveness in Jamaican life - has stifled vital areas of discourse. And it has corrupted those areas which it has not suppressed. It is nigh impossible to have a serious discussion in Jamaica on social, economic or cultural issues without that discussion being coloured or clouded by partisan considerations.

Now that we have a new Government grappling with the same seemingly intractable old problems of crime, high under-employment, a sliding dollar and indiscipline, it might be opportune to begin a conversation about a common approach to solving these problems.

Serious dicussion

I suggest, for one, that we begin a serious discussion on the whole matter of how to build a culture of excellence. The Prime Minister made the observation in his swearing-in address that Jamaicans too readily adopt a "not-so-bad" approach, settling for mediocrity as the standard. Rather than looking at how well Jamaica could be doing, he remarked, we talk in terms of not doing as badly as others or "not being the worst". We set our sights too low.

This is no simple matter, but has everything to do with our prospects for maximising the returns from foreign direct investments, building a quality educational system with desirable outcomes, and building a first-rate workforce which will prepare us for global competitiveness.

Excellence begins with the quality of our thoughts. We must first desire excellence. We must value it and develop an addiction to it.

The ancient philosophers, particularly Aristotle, focused a great deal of attention on excellence. They talked about the good life in terms of the virtuous life; the life lived in pursuit of moral excellence.

In Jamaica we have adopted a philosophy of crude utilitarianism or instrumentalism. It's a matter of what works, what we can get away with; not what is truly and objectively excellent.

Meritocracy

Politics has contributed to this cultural malaise. One of the consequences of handing out political spoils and scarce benefits and catering to rent-seeking interests is that it militates against meritocracy. In other words, if people can get by or do well by virtue of their political connections and 'who know who' links, then why pursue excellence? If you can get contracts based on your political donations, muscle power, donmanship or vote, then why strive to be the best?

It is not just the working class or the lumpen elements who depend on political contacts to thrive. There are many professionals and business people who do the same. Our mercantile capitalist, import-substitution model which was fostered decades ago facilitated this conspiracy against excellence. When the Government was giving out licences for imports and favouring some companies based on subjective criteria, that only institutionalised inefficiencies and dependent relationships.

Today there are significant elements of our private sector who still have that mentality of depending on Government to provide this or that for them, rather than doing things for themselves in a market-driven economy.

There are professionals who depend on the largesse of the state for employment and professional advancement, rather than making the quality of their work speak for them.

We take pride in doing well in sports, and individual athletes are highly motivated to pursue excellence, to put out their best and to be internationally competitive. That's the exception generally, and it is no surprise that this is the area in which we have done well. This is not to say our academics, professionals, business people, etc., have not done well on the world stage. Far from it. But I am speaking as a general rule.

It is not enough to produce a few geniuses or high-achievers who startle the world with their accomplishments. That is fine and we have done that. But you have to boast a culture of excellence.

Powerhouse

India is a fine example of a country which has done very well in certain industries, and which is a powerhouse today economically, yet its educational system is vastly underperforming and grossly inefficient. One would not say India has produced a culture of excellence, though it is today a 'great power' and the world's largest democracy.

Another thing which militates against a culture of excellence in Jamaica is that we are driven by the quest for material acquisitions and status outside of a context which exalts achievement. The early capitalists of Europe were Christian Puritans who believed in accumulating wealth, and who worked long and hard because they believed that they were God's stewards who had a divine obligation to do their best.

Their wealth maximisation was a part of their overall religious philosophy.

Those in the Confucian cultures of East Asia who followed in the industrialisation thrust also operated within an ideological context of belief in the superiority of their cultures and in their greatness as peoples. They have accumulated wealth and chalked up impressive achievements not just for the fetish of having a lot of money and possessions.

The Americans, no one needs to mention, have always believed in a Manifest Destiny. They have always been assured of their special place in the world and of their special responsibility to subdue their piece of earth and to make it into a paradise; which they see as impossible outside of wealth, which is intimately connected with power.

We need a national ideology which would put excellence at the centre. We don't generally take pride in our work. And this is not just in reference to our working classes. Our professionals do poor work, have low standards and generally perform 'so-so' as long as they can get away with it.

No government will be able to move this country forward substantially unless this culture which exalts mediocrity is changed.

Principles

In my own profession of journalism, are the practitioners ensuring that they are operating within and even above inter-national best practice? Are we concerned that we are excelling in the principles of fairness, honesty, justice and impartiality? Are we as well-read on the issues we speak and write about, or do we settle for mediocrity because we can get away with it in this country of the blind?

Are our medical practitioners au fait with the best research internationally? Are they on the cutting edge of the latest research? Do they read the best journals to ensure that their patients are getting the quality of diagnosis and treatment that they would get in the metropolis? Are our MBAs reading beyond their degrees, or do they cram and 'do well' just to get the honours degree so that they can get the fat cheque and the posh house, fancy car and cushy job which their hearts desire? Do they make continuous education a lived mantra?

It does not mater whom we elect to Jamaica House if we are not dealing with these issues. We will five years from now still be outraged by "the senseless and gruesome killings in Jamaica", the dwindling population of males at our tertiary institutions, our sliding dollar and our crippling underemployment rate.

Disservice

I sometimes tell workers who complain bitterly about working for "starvation wages", and who protest about exploitation, that when they underperform because of this they do themselves a dis-service. The employer might, indeed, be oppressing you as a worker( In fact, if one accepts Marx's theory of surplus value, all capitalist enterprise necessarily involves exploitation, else there would be no profit). But if I, as a columnist, consistently write sloppy, under-researched, hastily written articles just because I am paid poorly for my columns, what I am doing is a disservice to myself. I am developing a détente with mediocrity.

The Good Book says in Ecclesiastes that "Whatever thy hands find to do, do it with all thy might." No wonder the Jews, who made a habit of teaching their children the Torah as well as the wisdom books, such as Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, have done so well worldwide. Don't tell me it's just because of exploitation and some global conspiracy why they have done well. (Indeed, they have been persecuted and oppressed in many societies, yet they strive).

I remember Rex Nettleford's saying to me 30 years ago: "We must be like the Jews and value the things we can take with us. Like education." With that pursuit of excellence will come the money, the status, sometimes the power.

But when we seek those things as ends, they become transitory and unsustainable when not grasped with the firm hands of excellence. If only we could teach our children these things, then perhaps tomorrow will be different, no matter who is in Jamaica House.

Ian Boyne is a veteran journalist who may be reached at ianboyne1@yahoo.com.