OPINION

The medium and the message

If one wishes to measure the degree of lawlessness in a country, one only has to take a look at the state of its sidewalks. The rubbish scattered over the sidewalks reflects the lawlessness of a country’s inhabitants. At the same time, the ubiquitous billboards reflect the lawlessness of the state institutions. The former is hard to combat because it originates from ideas and a mentality that are deep-rooted in the social fabric. But it’s the latter that is the most dangerous. The illegal billboards that have sprung up almost everywhere across the land are a constant reminder to the citizens of this country that the laws are meant to be broken. Let’s not fool ourselves. The billboards along the streets do not just advertise goods; they advertise the collapse of the rule of law in this country, starting with the responsibility of its leaders.

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