The opposite of confusion is orderliness. When everything appears orderly and suddenly confusion takes place, the logical thing is to attend to the cause of confusion. Suppose one drives a brand new vehicle which suddenly malfunctions, the logical thing is to attend to the cause of malfunctioning. The driver might not be mechanically informed, but discerns that something caused the malfunctioning. The same applies to our circumstantial environments.
Those identifying causes of confusion in the environment, are agents of order. For instance, a driver who identifies the cause of a malfunctioning vehicle being the flat battery is different from the one who cannot identify the cause. The one having identified the cause might also be stranded, but his problem would be half solved. He, simply, needs to contact the battery source, to be back on the road.
This is different from the one lamenting over the immobility of his car, without knowing the cause. That person might engage in prayers for miraculous intervention, which might come or not come. But that person would be an effect, rather than cause over his own circumstance. Miraculously, he might reach his destination, but having no control over what happened. The starting point is in knowing the difference between controlling and being controlled.
This is just as there is a difference between orderliness and confusion—similar to there being a difference between a slave and a slave master. Under normal conditions, a person who lives well controls his environment. The one living in misery is controlled by his environment. This is not a question of being powerful or dictatorial. But the ability to control the environment. Such control recognizes the existence of order, as compared to confusion.
Putting order in a confusing environment does not need force or quarrel. It requires communication when using the state of orderliness as a stable datum. Communication is established on the principle of listening, or understanding. For instance, the malfunctioning vehicle requires attendance. The driver carefully traces the cause, to pinpoint the problem, which is another method of communication. He does not condemn the entire vehicle, instead of establishing the cause, which, in our example would be the flat battery.
Without taking time to trace the cause, the driver might try to fix other things, unnecessarily. He may, actually, condemn the entire vehicle, as not good enough, instead of attending to the flat battery. In human relations, the methodical approach, necessary for establishing causes of problems is communication. Language could be a barrier. But communication goes beyond language, as it is a spiritual principle needed to establish order.
This is why a good driver is able to communicate with his incommunicative automobile, to establish the problem that needs handling. When tracing the cause, the driver might not even realize that he would be communicating with his vehicle. He suspends all assumptions but keeps his analytical trials in perspective until he establishes the real problem. There would be no quarrel between him and his vehicle.
Before handling confusion one needs to understand what constitutes orderliness. As far as that person is concerned, what is it that constitutes order? If the person does not know what the state of orderliness would be, he would be part of the confusion. This describes a person whose stable datum is a state of confusion. A vehicle that is driven by a confused driver is most likely to be wracked in an accident. This is different from a vehicle that gets driven by an orderly driver.
Our world is characterized in either of these two divergent behavioral patterns. The confusion that exists in any environment is caused by people whose stable datum is confusion. Such people might be aware of, or not be aware of themselves being causes of confusion. The order that may exist in any environment would be caused by those whose stable datum is orderliness. Some may be aware or not be aware of themselves being effects of order. Confusion, on one hand, and orderliness, on the other, are opposed to each other.
Those whose stable datum is confusion, yet without being aware are, simply, the effects of an already confusing environment. They are the weak people conforming to the environment, instead of transforming the environment. They apply the cliché, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” They passively enhance the state of confusion. But not being the authors of that confusion, necessarily.
However, the grandmasters of confusion would be those creating confusion, when fully aware of their actions. Such people benefit out of confusion, as feeling threatened without confusion—which is their stable datum. Any condition of order makes them feel very unsettled. Cast your mind on those manufacturing weapons of war. Without the war, those people have no income. This, therefore, naturally makes them the proponents of war, whose basis is confusion.
The same applies to funeral undertakers. Their business thrives, only when more people die, rather than when fewer people die. This is not suggesting that funeral undertakers should be banned, necessarily. But in a world of commercialization, their wish is for more deaths than survivors. Of course, more people need their services, like any other service, enhancing people’s existence. But, while the relatives of the deceased grieve for the loss of their loved one, the funeral undertaker would be calculating the profits. This is how confused this world is.
The funeral undertaker is only used for illustration purposes. Otherwise, there are many people whose stable datum is confusion, rather than order. The supporters of a fascist government cannot be in need of change, whatsoever. Their desire is, naturally, to sustain the fascist government, for them to continue benefiting. This includes the media industries and their associates. Newspapers make more profits when there is confusion in the environment, than where there is orderliness.
Having given a glimpse of those whose stable datum is confusion, let us now discuss the effects of those whose stable datum is orderliness. These people do not belong where there would be confusion. They insist and sacrifice a great deal, for the existence of ultimate order in the environment. Just as we have weak people who conform to the environment, characterized in confusion. We also have the same weak people who easily conform to the effects of order, as long as orderliness is dominant.
There are those who are quick to assume that all religious people are the proponents of order. That is false data. There are proponents of confusion among the religious people, just as there are proponents of order among the nonreligious people. The most important datum is that the proponents of confusion seek to be understood, more than they seek to understand. Yet, the proponents of order seek to understand, more than seeking to be understood.
The proponents of orderliness are like a good driver who seeks to understand, as a way to establish the cause of a malfunctioning vehicle. Such drivers do not desire to be understood by the malfunctioning vehicle. But they seek to understand the causes of a malfunctioning vehicle. They are good listeners. Unlike the proponents of confusion who resent listening. After paying attention to establish causes of a malfunctioning vehicle, the good driver attends to the cause of the problem to effectively address it.
The environment carries weak people who are pliable to whatever dominates at any given time. If the proponents of confusion dominate, the weak ones would easily comply. However, if the proponents of orderliness are the ones dominating, the weak ones tend to, accordingly, get along well with orderliness. The environment, therefore, depends on the effects of either the proponents of confusion or the proponents of orderliness. Depending on which of the two groups bears more weight.
In this analysis, those who are in the business of putting orderliness in the environment should be regarded as most important. Rather than those in the business of putting confusion in the environment. These are the two forces pulling against each other at all times. This is why it is said evil triumph, basically, as a result of good people choosing to do nothing. The responsibility of any person ought to be advocating for orderliness in the environment, rather than confusion.
The proponents of confusion are self-centered—always focusing on receiving. Their purpose of survival is crafted in finding ways by which they could benefit. This is the principle that needs to be defined as evil. The survival of other humans is not of concern for such people unless such survival has got something to do with their own benefits.
The proponents of orderliness are passionate, only for seeing order prevailing in the environment. This is why the likes of the late Mike Auret are rare species in this world of confusion. Mike Auret could not be on the side of Ian Smith, but neither could he be on the side of Robert Mugabe. He was on the side of orderliness. In a sadistic environment, such people live uncomfortably. They get heavily persecuted for doing the right things, instead of conforming like everyone else.
Mike Auret joins the likes of Gandhi, Martin Luther King (Jnr), Nelson Mandela and others. Such people are propelled by the spirit of no surrender, as committed to the purpose of their calling. Unfortunately, their befitting reward cannot be in this world—deeply sustained in confusion. The only good thing is that they always prevail, in the end. Whether in their life-time or leaving their legacy behind, so that others finish the race.
There is always one answer to the fight against confusion. One wins in this life or the struggle continues even after his/her death, so that others pick up the pieces, to eventually win. The point is that those fighting for order, are the people who really matter in this life. The world maintains hope, only because of their existence. The things that interest them most are to do with value addition, in terms of ensuring that there is orderliness in the environment.
The most amazing thing is that those committed to causing confusion, appear as never getting satisfied with their accumulated wealth. When carefully observed, such people are embraced in capitalism. The idea of profit-making appears as noble. But this is where most of the authors of confusion exist. The mind of a capitalist is more towards making profit, so as to compete in capital gains with others of a similar mindset.
Theirs is not about benefitting others in the environment. They would rather promote the idea of philanthropy, only when they would be the benefactors. This is designed to make them appear good in the eyes of the public. They would feel good being adulated for philanthropy, but such philanthropy would be used as a cover-up for whatever would not be right in their entrepreneurial conduct. Jesus did not mince His words about the behavior of such business moguls:
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight” (Luke 16:13-15 (NIV).
Jesus was addressing the aspect of that which causes confusion. We just covered those embracing confusion, for the purpose of their own benefit, as compared with those seeking to instill order in the environment. Those seeking to instill order in the environment are on the side of the Lord. Whereas, those seeking to maintain things that benefit them alone, are on the side of the devil. That is why Jesus said what they value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
This is a scripture that most of the successful business people naturally detest most. They are not different from the Pharisees who were sneering at Jesus when He said: “You cannot serve God and money.” The love of money is itself, the cause of confusion. This is when considering, for instance, the funeral undertaker who wishes more deaths to take place, for his business to thrive. This includes the arms manufacturer and others involved in business out of confusion.
The bottom line is that the cause of all confusion is self-centeredness, while the cause of orderliness is altruism. Nothing else affects humanity. But as long as there are more people contributing towards confusion, the majority also focus on the confusion. The story turns out differently when every human being is encouraged to appreciate the idea of promoting order, rather than confusion in the environment.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.
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