The Collective Surpasses the Individual

There are many elements to leadership. We as the BLS being one of the most prestigious student societies in South Africa realise the importance of leadership in its many elements. Most students are not aware of the influence, power and the intellectual ethos of a collective thought and movement (organisations). They seem to be unaware to the fact that you “either work for them or they work for you.” Many presidents and world leaders within business and politics have been groomed in student organisations.


Of course there are a few dominant secret societies in the world that have tremendous connections with very influential business people and politicians. The reality is that a small part of the total collective has dominated for a very long time.

The question that may be asked is that of: Why is there a trend of the minority imposing their worldview (economically and governmental) on the majority of people with most of the majority not even realising the fact? The answer lies in laziness or fear or ignorance or a combination of the three. That tends to plague the majority of people. We are sometimes to lazy to get involved in a society, reading, debating, etc or we fear to get involved and active or perhaps we have never been given the chance to be enlightened to the realities of business and leadership within this world.

The secret is in getting informed, involved and active in an intellectual way and that starts in the BLS. A few people have told me that a student society can not be compared to the challenges of the ‘real world’. I say to those that it is perhaps wise to rather make an informed comment as the reality is that tomorrows world leaders are today’s student leaders. The reality is that business practices can and are practiced within the BLS, leadership is practiced in the BLS. People are people and leadership is leadership. The BLS provides members the opportunities to get involved in business and leadership in all its elements.

Here is a sobering statement made by President Wilson, 1913:

"Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men's views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the U. S., in the field of commerce and manufacturing, are afraid of somebody, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it."
Individuals have limited influence but a group has unlimited influence. The way a group uses its influence whether that be for good or for bad purpose is up to them, but the fact remains, the group surpasses an individual.

TO THE SUCCESS OF THE BLS!

Shaun Pritchard
PRESIDENT