Page 42 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 21

Leadership
Re-Education

IS THIS NORMAL?

a reflection on what we call normal

he world system is like a fresh pasture elsewhere. spouse did this to them last week.”
stick to which an ele- Conversations between people on “Their boss walked into the office
phant is tethered, grazing social media, mainstream media or the other day and said this.” “They
Tin circles until the grass in person about life’s daily affairs were baking a cake today and this is
near the stick is completely eaten up or even work or business some- how it came out.” “Is this normal?”
and the elephant, unable to com- how end up with people wanting Normal: Usual, Standard, Regular,
prehend its great might and power to compare what they have or what Ordinary, Typical. Meaning they
because of the social conditioning they are going through with others. are not strange or odd or weird or
it received when it was younger, re- “Is this normal?” They will ask, unusual or different. They fit in
mains quietly bound to the tiny twig, having laid out the issues playing out with what is generally acceptable in
unwilling to do something to break in their lives. “Their child’s skin has society around them.
free from its limitations and to seek this thing happening to it.” “Their

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