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1. Power is at the centre of GOT. But GOT also tells us of the narcissism that comes with it. Those who abuse power actually believe, in their narcissism, that they are doing the right thing. Absolutely convinced. Even those you believe in the most can turn out to be the worst.
2. Daenerys was many’s favourite, willing her to succeed. Few suspected she would turn out to commit the worst atrocity in Westeros. But in his last days, Lord Varys had sensed it. His warnings fell on deaf ears. He was burnt alive. It didn’t take long before his words came true.
3. “Love is more powerful than reason,” said Jon Snow, ruefully reflecting on the calamity. “Love is the death of duty,” he says. Tyrion, ever the quick-witted one retorts “Sometimes duty is the death of love”. The mad Queen has to be stopped. Jon eventually performed the duty.
4. In her murderous short reign, Daenerys had unflinching allies; defenders who performed great atrocities in her name - Grey Worm epitomised this role with brutal efficiency. In real life all brutal rulers have such characters by their side. Cersei before her was no different.
5. I was struck by the reaction to a suggestion of democracy. “Maybe the decision about what’s best for everyone should be left to, well, everyone” opined Sam Talley. After a tense pause they laughed. “Maybe we should give the dogs a vote as well!” one mocked. “I’ll ask my horse!
6. But in the end they did opt for a very limited and elitist “democracy” - one for the elites only. “From now on,” declared Tyrion, “the rulers of this land will not be born. They will be chosen on this spot by the Lords and Ladies of Westeros, to serve the realm”.
7. Not quite a democracy but it marked a change from the hereditary monarchy. It reminds us that the right to vote was not always available. It had to be fought for in bitter struggles. Even today, it’s a big struggle as the powerful seek to exclude others through various ways.
8. Finally, I was struck by Tyrion’s reference to the power of stories in the life & politics of humankind. What unites people?” he asks. “Armies? Gold? Flags? ... Stories. There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story. Nothing can stop it. No enemy can defeat it”
9. Yuval Noah Harari calls them “myths”. That is what binds nations. They are bound by powerful myths. From the the ancient days, great nations are built on powerful myths. When believable and indeed, believed, these stories bind people together. They fight for & with each other.
10. It is this powerful story that we are looking for. The great myth that every single Zimbabwean can believe in. We are people with a territory but not, as yet, a nation. The task of crafting and weaving a great story lies with the leadership. In that we are sorely lacking.
11. It wasn’t always like that. The men and women who left home as boys and girls to fight for independence were drawn to and driven by powerful stories. The great failing afterwards was that this powerful story was not developed. Right now we have a serious crisis of confidence.
