Worzel's World: Asking the question

I resolved that this year instead of appearing as an arrogant know-it-all pointing out the obvious, I would instead assume a mask of humble naivety and ask questions instead.

If you’re the sort who is keen on quizzes you may wish to answer the following yourself. I started with last year’s election and asked many not about who they voted for, but about what policies persuaded them to vote that way. Not only did the vast majority not cite any particular policy, only two could reference any policies at all. There was no shortage though of ‘I like so-and-so’ or ‘what’s-his-name has some good ideas’. I can assure you no politician can ever be held accountable for public popularity or good ideas. At least John Key had the gall to actually promise things he couldn't and didn’t deliver. These days they don’t even take the trouble to lie. They simply avoid saying anything of substance at all.

The next question I asked was in relation to the signs on the front of every business saying ‘Sign in – Stop the Virus’. My question was the most obvious one that everybody should have asked before pulling out their smartphone tracking device and scanning the Q code: ‘How does signing in stop the virus?’ Almost everyone had a go at this one. Most realised almost as soon as they began to answer that there was no way that signing in could stop a microscopic contagion from spreading. A few stumbled out an answer of sorts.

When I pointed out that at best all contact tracing could ever achieve was to identify those who had already caught or spread a disease, they shrugged their shoulders and obediently scanned the Q code anyway. Only once did I receive an authoritative answer in response to this question. A staff member at the White Cross medical clinic in Whangarei, in true Socratic fashion, answered with another question: “Do you mean administratively or medically?”

It was my turn at confusion.

“Both, I suppose,” I returned.

“It doesn’t,” she said.

Being the kind of person I am, I couldn’t leave it there, especially as I was feeling the warm glow of actually encountering intelligent life on planet earth.

“If that is true, and I believe you are right, why do you think our Government is lying to us on every shop front in the nation?”

It was her turn to shrug her shoulders. I might add that neither of us were wearing masks and we were both smiling throughout the entire exchange.

The next question that it occurred to me with which to annoy friends, family and the

general public came to me around ANZAC day. Every year we hear the same sound bite repeated, ‘Lest we forget’. I expect it is very difficult to forget something you never knew in the first place. I have never been certain exactly what it was that we were supposed to remember. Was it perhaps not to invade a foreign country when they hold the high ground, have built an extensive defence network and are waiting with machine guns and artillery? Or was it to remember not to trust self-serving politicians and generals who have no qualms about throwing lives away trying to occupy an obscure Turkish peninsular of little or no strategic value?

I do not know the answer. My question was: ‘What was the first world war actually about?’ Most had no idea. They either never knew or had already forgotten. A few of the better informed muttered something about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and freedom. They were however stumped by my follow-up questions of ‘who won?’ and ‘what was the winner’s prize?’ Not a single respondent gave me an answer that would inspire a couple of days thought let alone the sacrifice of over 18 million lives.

So how did you my readers go? I expect some of you may have done okay. I also expect the vast majority of you have little or no idea. This is a shame because during the 14 years I have been writing this column I have tried to give you answers to these and other questions. Much like a young fellow I tried to tutor in mathematics some years ago, I can do my best to explain something but if someone doesn't want to get it they won’t get it. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

If I don’t know the complete answers to the above questions, I do at least have some informed opinions as to what they might be. The last question, although I have some ideas, stumps me. I give it over to you, my long-suffering readers, in the hope that together we can put the shoe on another foot. Instead of me trying to inform you, perhaps you can enlighten me? You may email all answers to me using the address below. The last question is: ‘Why are so many people these days so stupid?’

n FEEDBACK: profworzel@gmail.com

Instead of me trying to inform you, perhaps you can enlighten me?