In The Dark Ages

About a month ago a client of mine passed away, leaving much to be tended to in the unit he rented just months ago. Mr Anderson was one of the few closer clients of mine, mainly because I had to go supervise many repair works in the place all the time. This morning I went to collect the house keys from Mrs. Anderson, where I was told his story weeks before death.

Mrs. Anderson was back in her hometown during the Hari Raya (Muslim New Year) weekend, when she heard his husband had been admitted to the hospital. She rushed back to town immediately to find Mr. Anderson lying on the hospital bed, badly battered and bruised. The doctors told them many things. His kidney had failed, and there was a problem with his heart. First diagnosis was Dengue. But he was swelled up all over. Then the doctor said it was his failed kidneys that caused the swell. And then there was the heart. Some even speculated he was beaten by somebody in a car accident recently, which caused all these complications. 2 and a half weeks later, he passed away. The doctor walked up to Mrs. Anderson, now weeping in agony over her lost love, and asked,

"Ma'am, do you have any idea what is wrong with your husband?"

She looked at him with mixed feelings. She didn't know whether she should be angry at the doctor.

"What doctor asks me what was wrong with my husband?!"

A friend of mine was admitted to a hospital near Pangkor Island with an allergy attack. They administered an anti-allergy drug banned throughout the world for giving too many fatal side effects, and ended up killing my friend.

It is in this moment when I realized The Dark Ages no longer refer to a date in our history, but a place in the world. This modern age of nano technology opened our eyes to endless possibilities; possibilities to improve humanity's conveniences and cut down time on everything imaginable. In the midst of these provisions we forget to fulfill one of mankind's basic needs: placement of proper working judicial and medical system.

If Mr. Anderson had been treated by some a little less than half as intelligent as Dr. House, he'd probably survived this ordeal. If there was a CSI team, again a little less than, half as efficient as Gil Grissom's, Mrs. Anderson would probably see justice done to the person who beat her husband up over a fender bender. But there isn't. There isn't anyone out there who is capable of pulling even a fraction of these people's abilities. Sure, these are fictional characters. I'd understand if we see Dr. House as entirely fictional. He was, after all, built based on Sherlock Holmes ( House and Holmes). But don't tell me there isn't a person capable enough to at least do the right thing!

Maslow specifically stacked out the pyramid of Needs accordingly, so governments, politicians, business builders, Tom, Dick, Harry and Sally could work with. But why is it that we can now rise up to the tallest building in the world and fly out from the 'Best Airport in the World', but not provide the two simplest needs to out people?

We are now at the age where power no longer side the wealthy, but the many. If the authorities continue to fail in simple provisions to the many, they would never be able to gain respect from the many.