Dear Editor,
It cannot be denied that, generally speaking, Guyanese are among the most friendly and hospitable people in the world. It is so refreshing to ‘bounce up’ with a fellow Guyanese in New York, Toronto, or London, especially on a bitterly cold winter day. A lively conversation is bound to follow coupled with a few jokes to boot.
The bone-chilling cold is still felt, but there is now an unmistakable surge of spontaneous joy and a glow in the heart. Such is the power of genuine human interaction and fellowship, as real and substantial as the power of the atom. It is this type of human interaction, natural, real, spontaneous and carefree, that is so lacking in the metropolitan cities of the world.
The ubiquitous iphone and other related devices have brought face-to-face human interaction to a new low. So often have I witnessed the strange spectacle of a commuter train packed with people (like sardines) but with hardly any human conversation. How can people be so oblivious of their fellow human beings that they can scarce find a few minutes to strike up a conversation? It is so paradoxical that these wonderful devices that have made the world so small (like unto a global village), have also distanced people from each other.
Now we are more connected than ever, but we are also more lonely and isolated. The growing reliance on technological devices rather than face-to-face communication is a very alarming and dangerous situation, and it has already stifled and made empty and superficial our relationships. When we relate to people, especially from different backgrounds and cultures, we become enriched with knowledge and understanding that cannot be obtained from books. We are first and foremost gregarious beings; we can only grow and achieve our destiny by bonding together in love and harmony. Therefore, it is most apt and fitting that our national motto is ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’.
Growing up in a small village, I was exposed to the full spectrum of human interaction and behaviour. But what I enjoyed most were the laughter and jokes of the villagers. Guyanese can easily find the comical and funny side in any situation. We have a natural tendency to laugh without being encumbered by morbid social conventions and rules of etiquette. Guyanese are smart enough to know that life is too serious to be taken seriously. It is far better to laugh at situations (and more often at ourselves) than to carry a baggage of hatred, regrets and animosity. A good laugh is potent medicine for body, mind and soul and is equally accessible to the rich and the poor. When under stress we produce a hormone called cortisol. A good belly laugh lowers cortisol levels and returns the body to a more relaxed state. Norman Cousins in his book Anatomy of an Illness described how he cured himself of a debilitating disease by the use of laughter. As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee, let us also celebrate those good old time laughter and jokes.
Yours faithfully,
Cecil Ramkirath
