A book called Masters of the Word (William Bernstein, Grove Press, 2014) gives a new 'sweep of history' lesson and explains how the written word and the growth of media has shaped the world. The conclusion is inescapable - societies that are 'Masters of the Word' have unlocked the secrets of superior nationhood. How does this affect South Africa? Possibly more than you think.In my podcast, I take a look at a recurring lament about the country's current trajectory - that the government is brilliant at plans and intentions but appallingly bad at implementation - and muse as to whether this is not caused by a failure to become 'Masters of the Word'.As a journalist, written words are my stock in trade, and I have witnessed - again and again and again - the importance of writing and record-keeping in every aspect of society.The intention of this podcast is to start the discussion: it is by necessity a superficial overview and can go in many different directions, but the main point is to appeal to people to rethink their own world view.