To be in a hurry is to be selfish

In community development we cannot be in a hurry for as they say haste makes waste. People in a hurry often are very tied to their own opinions as being right. Rightly so; It is only logical in their minds that they rationalize it to be so because it is only then that they can go ahead with that decision and so contribute to the fast pace they want to create in life and in society. However this attitude of "I know what's best" even by a collectivity of decision makers may not provide a wise decision. Just as many wrongs do not add up to making something right, the result of a collectivity of flawed decisions cannot also be right. The result of such muddled or self-laden decisions would be conflict and impasse. A more practical way, but not necessarily the fastest, for the preferance of many, is the option of dialogue with the community. Ultimately our decisions of community development is for the benefit of society and so it stands rational that we seek their views to be the very foundation of our action - not just a mere sounding board for comparing the degree of fit with our opinions. It is this acceptance by the community that will sustain the actions we roll out. Such consultation will also supply the strength we would need in moving forward that action as many would, by the very fact of the decision being theirs or being involved in making it, give of themselves  -- sometimes in abandon -- for its success. Unfortunately, much of the decisions we make for our community development are made in haste and so lack this important facet of community legitimacy. Given the power of the decision maker and the size of ego involved, such hasty decisions can leave society in tears for generations to come. So how much leeway should democratically elected leaders strive to exercise. The answer is only found in our own reflections about the implications of such decisions we see in our society through a budding awareness of the principles of democracy and what powers it gives to the people. Let's not make haste. While it may bring windfalls of benefit to the perpetrator of the decision in the short run, it can however be a waste and a burden to the generations we hope to nurture in our future.