Of late, there has been a continuous effort by some people to go back to a traditional way of life, by going Back to Roots.
After years of being influenced to use Worldwide products, especially if they are cheap and have a label that says it was made elsewhere. But some people have come to the realization that sometimes, local is better.
Because of low production and scarcity, the cost of meaningful products now come at an astronimical cost. I refer to such products as Virgin Coconut Oil, Honey and Castor Oil for grooming hair (and also a perfect hair tonic), are all ideal for health and medical use. But because of this new interest, not only locally but also of international interest and because of that need and demand, it has created growing business and given some people great reason to make these items available.
However, they are all sold at prohibitive prices above the reach of the common man, so it is those who already have and those with spending power who are the ones able to outsource these items.
We have a situation where everything produced locally seems more expensive than imported products, regardless of the difference in quality. We also have the problems of the high cost of all kinds of commodities on shelves, fueling the need to give life to the concept of raising our own local cost to combat such prices. We have too, the added problem of any type of raw material needed to produce also comes at a high cost. So, it means that nothing is cheap or can be afforded these days.
As to where is the money coming from to deal with this spiraling cost, is still an unanswered question.
We have to help ourselves.
I do agree it is not a bad idea to go back to products of the past that have become necessary again, but if you only cater for one segment of this society you are doing the rest an injustice. I mean to say, not because apples and grapes are highly-priced at the supermarkets, our mangoes and other fresh fruits should automatically follow.
Same way, our local juices should not cost more than soft drinks and other soda pop products. We should not let importers outsource products to flood the market and in so doing being able to outsell our local products, all because we are pricing ourselves out of the market.
The same situation seems to apply to all kinds of services these days, as everybody sells their expertise at a high price, be it legal, medical or technological, pricing their goods and services very highly.
We are sometimes given shabby services and products with the absence of follow-up maintenance, all in the name of making a quick buck and it’s not about being fair any more. As the saying used to be about one giving “a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay”, that is no more. There is so much trickery, bluff, schemes, bad business persons, crocked dealings and constant theft that life has become a gamble and you are never sure what you are buying or bargaining, for there is a lot of false representation.
What we call “getting a six-for-a-nine” and our social establishments, are all part of the big melee. And justice is not even available for redress partly because, as we all know, the wheels of justice grind slowly and usually the outcome is seldom in your favor.
How we will get out of this predicament remains baffling, but until we find a way to be fair, righteous and more realistic, our story will remain grim.
The idea of people trying to outsmart each other will continue to create hurt, as it is from that action that some people rebel and some are forced to take the law in their own hands. Trickery is not the way to go, but if better is not done, worse will surely continue.
We need a cleansing of the mind, a mindset of being our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers because you cannot suppress and fight down each other and still expect to get better. What you sow is what you shall reap.
The society we have today was created by ourselves. Gone are the days when free traditional healings were treated like a gift to help your fellowman, even medicinal herbs these days came at a cost.
I simply hope we all get rich, even though those who reap are not the ones who planted the seed.
(What else can I say?)