THE VENEER SYNDROME
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Veneer (ven-eer) n. a thin layer of valuable wood glued to the surface of inferior wood: a thin coating of a finer substance.
(Collins English Dictionary).

Veneer (ven-eer) (Aust.) adj. a thin layer (often inferior) applied to something more inferior to cover a G.A.R.O.
(Sharpen's Dictionary of Cynicism)

G.A.R.O. (gar-row) (Aust.) n. Acronym for Great Australian Rip-off.
(Sharpen's Dictionary of Cynicism)

    The modus operandum of the veneer syndrome is that of 'Justice must be seen to be done' principle, whilst nothing is done of any import, hence the veneer.
    The more bureaucratic a country, the more veneer is applied but not in thickness, only quantity. Hence, the bigger the problem, the more veneer is applied in the need to hide it. Examples of this veneer abound. A good example is the election of committees. Each committee must meet the rules. A deep structure of human resources headed by a chair-person, treasurer, member, associate members and so on. A significant amount of paper must be generated so that the depletion of the rain-forest of the world can go on un-checked. Minutes (often hours) must be kept. But most of all it must seem that decisions, no matter how ridiculous, are being made; even when there aren't any. This is very important to maintain the Veneer Syndrome in all its complexity to keep non-productive people in some sort of job that has the Veneered title of Executive (or whatever).
    This whole structure must be seen to be working, even if the population aren't. It also helps to hide the inefficiency and/or corruption of public servants whom they choose to be called the 'Government'. Since this institution (which they have installed) is so unwieldy, the Veneer Syndrome reaches its highest point.
    Laws, of course, are very important to maintain the Veneer Syndrome. They make it possible for the Political Dictatorship (in their words, the 'Government') to make it seem that things are being done.
    The policing of such laws as 'speeding', for example, is easy. Buy a few thousand dollars-worth of cameras (at the public expense) and zap the buggers. Print the statistics of spurious notions regarding speeding as a worse offence than murder and you have a lovely veneer. It also makes revenue and hides the fact that the under-trained police have little competence to do much else.
    It is the nature of a party political system to hide the real issues of our society with trivia (veneer). As I said, the veneer is not even of good quality; often it is quite transparent (which defeats the object of a veneer).
    The veneer is, of course, often perpetrated by those who are themselves inferior and thus would not know quality if they saw it. Their loud voices and actions cover up their lack of self-esteem and other qualities (which they lack, obviously).
    'She'll be right, mate.' is the surest veneer of all. Whoever 'she' is, won't be right until we overcome the fear of our existence.

    To overcome that fear of existence we must determine who we are and work hard to find ourselves. No stone must be left unturned, otherwise we allow ourselves to be dictated to by others. This is a sorry day.
    It is fear that drives Man, not Freudian sex and aggression. It is fear of ourselves and for ourselves that drives us. We cover it with any sort of veneer that comes to hand, shallow or otherwise; beautiful or coarse.
    This fear must be turned to the positive.
`    No man has a master that he does not decide he wants (if at all).
    Politicians are a prime example of the Veneer Syndrome but they are not alone. We all carry with us the folly of past generations, like it or not. It is up to us as individuals to break the chain of unhappy thought and go forwards.
    If the quality is with us, we do not need veneer. We can be ourselves and I am of the firm opinion that we have the makings (said of people rolling their own cigarettes that they might enjoy).



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