Page 12 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 8
P. 12
MY AFRIKA
nothing.
In a society that is built on status Once upon a time, Afrika had more than jobs, debt,
and achievement, you fall from stress and frustrations. Her people had more than
grace when you appear to have
no value attached to your name cars, houses, clothes, positions and networks. Once
and are consumed by the obscu- upon a time, we valued life more than money and a
rity where this fickle society casts
you to and unless you – what decision to end the pollution of rivers and other water
is the popular term now? Pivot bodies would not even have been one we were consid-
and reinvent yourself? It’s game ering… because the rivers and water bodies were fine.
over. You will be called upon
only to attend or officiate events
that are being held to reminisce to change the true heart’s posi- everything from government
about bygone days. Once upon tion of the one counseled, but policy, to education policy and
a time… instead equipped them to be content, to legislation, to taxa-
able to master the rules, put on tion, to fashion, cosmetics, you
But what if I told you that being the correct mask, play the game name it, is designed around it. It
‘left out’ is not actually the prob- and get away with it until the is the equivalent of choosing an
lem and that wanting to fit in is? next time they get fed-up with operating system for a phone or
What if in exiting the popular company politics and their true a standard for digital television
scene, you actually stood to gain opinion shines through again. It and then building everything
more from self-discovery and was in that moment I thanked in the market to support that
determination than being one God again for rescuing me from system or standard. Devices and
of those who drive the ox-cart that life. I can see it for what it is components are manufactured,
called modern civilization? now, but in that moment, I just licenses are issued, training is
I had an opportunity to partic- thought I was misfiring. But I carried out, marketing is con-
ipate in an activity that raised had seen something, something ducted, construction for masts
in me great concerns about the that was not right, I just couldn’t is undertaken, applications are
world we are living in and just articulate it then. So I reacted. I developed, shops are stocked,
how fake it is. Someone was now put it to you, what if the par- taxes and duties are levied,
giving another individual some adigm is rotten and wrong? This university degrees are created
very well-intentioned and highly would mean that one can play etc. The universe surrounding
professional counsel about how the game and on the basis of the the operating system or standard
to navigate their office environ- rules be found perfect, but be is established and the train rolls
ment. Believe me when I say utterly misplaced and inaccurate out of the station with everyone
that this counsel was absolutely with regard to what is actually is committed to ensuring its suc-
flawless, bang on and exactly needful. cess. There is a structure to it. Is
what the person needed not Walk with me a moment as I try it necessary to have a new OS or
only to hear but to implement in to explain. The majority of the standard? Someone somewhere
order to survive their workplace world has embraced a Capitalist deemed it to be. Why? The
and remain relevant such that system which is driven large- most popular reason is usually
they can rise through the ranks ly by excessive consumption progress. What was wrong with
and even keep their job. It was (market size), wastage (planned the old one? It’s old. Was the
precise and accurate for the obsolescence), pollution (man- old one even necessary? Don’t
paradigm this person and most ufacturing, packaging) and debt stand in the path of progress! So
of the world believe in. The (financing, loans). In order Capitalism, as a system, created
counsel did absolutely nothing to ensure that the system has a super-structure to ensure that
a modicum of sustainability, it is sustained. That means for
12 | Heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika
