In the dark, a coiled snake lies still, mistaken for a rope. It neither hisses nor strikes, it just sleeps. So, we pass it off as harmless. But the truth is that it remains a snake. The danger is real, whether or not we choose to see it.
This simple illustration mirrors a troubling truth in our society: the normalization of corruption, particularly in government employment. What is actually real corruption is now spoken of as an accepted, even expected, reality.
For securing government jobs, subtle transactions—whether in cash, kind, or influence—have woven themselves into the very fabric of the system.
The more often these acts go unchallenged, the more they blend into the background. They lose their sting, like the snake mistaken for a rope. Candidates and families speak in coded language about “getting things done,” as though bribery were just another administrative step. Even those who resist the practice often find themselves cornered by a system that punishes honesty and rewards pliability.
The tragedy here is not just in the act of corruption, but in its quiet acceptance. It is no longer a deviation from the norm; it is the norm. And that shift in perception is the most corrosive aspect of all. What ought to cause outrage now draws only quiet participation. A society that no longer sees corruption as corrupt has already begun to rot from within.
Corruption has become so entrenched in the system that it no longer stirs the conscience of the masses nor does it prick the moral fabric of society. But perception does not alter reality. A bribe remains a bribe. Nepotism remains nepotism. And each act, however small, undermines merit and fairness.
Just because we have grown used to the darkness does not mean the snake is gone. It is time we reach for the torch of truth, however uncomfortable it may be. To name the snake for what it is. It is not enough to say “this is how things are.” We must ask, “Is this how things should be?” Accepting corruption as normal only deepens our complicity. Like mistaking a snake for a rope, we may avoid discomfort in the moment; but sooner or later, the consequences will strike.
The first step is to see clearly. To call out what we have learned to ignore. Because until we confront the snake for what it is, we will continue to live in the illusion of safety, unaware that the real danger lies in our silence.