Being a Better European
I sometimes get piece work with a catering company owned by a colonialist invader.
Recently he had got a very big job, and took me down to Port Elizabeth to help out. As it turned out, the client was a government department. So we set up a large hall, which took 2 days, and it was magnificently decorated. Then we arranged the food for the 500+ guests, and again, everything went according to clockwork. The colonialist was very particular about how things should be, as he always is. Us workers can often not see his reasoning , or understand why he’ so particular about certain things, but he’s the boss. The evening of the function, there were other service providers, including a brother MC, a band of brothers and sisters (actually sister, but she was so magnificently large you may as well say sisters),and of course, the guys from the govt department who also had various things to organize,such as speeches and prize giving. Now the reason we don’t understand why the colonialist does what he does, is because he’s a white of European descent, an we’re black of African descent. In fact, everything my boss organized went smoothly and professionally, and almost everything else was a disaster – the MC was confused and messed up the awards, as were the govt officials, and most of their organized awards ceremony was in total disarray. The music was way too loud and inappropriate and everyone ate dinner while getting an ear blasting. The speeches were interminably long and boring. And why was this? Because this was a pseudo-European function. We Africans are unlikely to organize or even understand, a European function as well as the Europeans. And when things go wrong, we get jealous of the Europeans, and even blame them. This explains so much of Africa. It explains why affirmative action and racial quotas are such a remarkably short sighted and arrogant thing for us to do. Now let me paint a picture of how we Africans could actually succeed, and beat the world at their own game. First, we embrace the rejection of the 7 deadly sins, teach them to our children, concentrate on the teachings of great people like Biko and Mandela and Tutu. This is important since civilization is based on these norms. You can’t work together without it. There are, of course, many great whites we could use, and hopefully we can find sufficient humility to admit to ourselves how great these people are and embrace their teachings too, but maybe that’s too much too soon for us. Then we become proud of being Africans. We concentrate on our strengths. Then we acknowledge our fellow beings on earth, acknowledge their right to be their, forgive them all their sins, hold no more grudges about past grievances. Most importantly, we respect them! We respect the whites and acknowledge their strengths, same with the coloureds, Indians and Chinese. No more do we think we are better than them. Nor do we think we are worse. However, we can assume we’re better Africans than them. But this does not make us superior, it makes as merely a fellow being.
If we ever get this far, the rest is easy. We have weaknessesand strengths, which differ from those of other nations – obviously generalizing here, but you get the idea. We team up with them to form diverse, but united teams. Now you may say that Afrikaners, for example, are way too arrogant to team up with Africans. That may be so, because they are an arrogant bunch, but then leave them out of the mix. There are plenty of other, more humble nations willing to team up. As an aside, Afrikaners do tend to band together at the expense of their fellow other nationalities, especially in companies such as Eskom. Ever walked up to a group of Afrikaners, and as soon as you arrive a tense silence overcomes them? Then they talk in a stilted way when you’re around. As soon as they think you’re out of earshot, they revert to being pally with each other. Talk about being unable to mix with other nationalities! Understand that this is their problem, not yours.
Take rugby for instance. We have a world class team, and I don’t care how many blacks you put in the team, they will almost surely not match up to a team of mostly Afrikaners. Similarly, blacks are much better at athletics and soccer. Whites at swimming. And so on. And the same can be said for academic subjects and work careers. Blacks make excellent journalists, historians, politicians, negotiators, entrepreneurs. Whites make good engineers and accountants. I have seen how blacks struggle with engineering, when it comes so easily and naturally to whites. Whites are excellent managers and administrators, with less tendencies to be individualistic.
The whites are now in our power. Why not use them to our and (gasp) their advantage? To all our advantage? Make them and us rich and happy. Have vibrant and safe cosmo cities – everyone loves the feel and vibrancy of a mixed area. They’re here – take advantage! In fact, I’ve just thought of how to solve the crime problem – hire the whites as security guards and police. They appreciate security so would probably make a much bigger effort than us. But of course, this is all pie in the sky. I mustn’t forget how nasty the whites are, and how much they owe us, and me personally, etc, etc…
Recently he had got a very big job, and took me down to Port Elizabeth to help out. As it turned out, the client was a government department. So we set up a large hall, which took 2 days, and it was magnificently decorated. Then we arranged the food for the 500+ guests, and again, everything went according to clockwork. The colonialist was very particular about how things should be, as he always is. Us workers can often not see his reasoning , or understand why he’ so particular about certain things, but he’s the boss. The evening of the function, there were other service providers, including a brother MC, a band of brothers and sisters (actually sister, but she was so magnificently large you may as well say sisters),and of course, the guys from the govt department who also had various things to organize,such as speeches and prize giving. Now the reason we don’t understand why the colonialist does what he does, is because he’s a white of European descent, an we’re black of African descent. In fact, everything my boss organized went smoothly and professionally, and almost everything else was a disaster – the MC was confused and messed up the awards, as were the govt officials, and most of their organized awards ceremony was in total disarray. The music was way too loud and inappropriate and everyone ate dinner while getting an ear blasting. The speeches were interminably long and boring. And why was this? Because this was a pseudo-European function. We Africans are unlikely to organize or even understand, a European function as well as the Europeans. And when things go wrong, we get jealous of the Europeans, and even blame them. This explains so much of Africa. It explains why affirmative action and racial quotas are such a remarkably short sighted and arrogant thing for us to do. Now let me paint a picture of how we Africans could actually succeed, and beat the world at their own game. First, we embrace the rejection of the 7 deadly sins, teach them to our children, concentrate on the teachings of great people like Biko and Mandela and Tutu. This is important since civilization is based on these norms. You can’t work together without it. There are, of course, many great whites we could use, and hopefully we can find sufficient humility to admit to ourselves how great these people are and embrace their teachings too, but maybe that’s too much too soon for us. Then we become proud of being Africans. We concentrate on our strengths. Then we acknowledge our fellow beings on earth, acknowledge their right to be their, forgive them all their sins, hold no more grudges about past grievances. Most importantly, we respect them! We respect the whites and acknowledge their strengths, same with the coloureds, Indians and Chinese. No more do we think we are better than them. Nor do we think we are worse. However, we can assume we’re better Africans than them. But this does not make us superior, it makes as merely a fellow being.
If we ever get this far, the rest is easy. We have weaknessesand strengths, which differ from those of other nations – obviously generalizing here, but you get the idea. We team up with them to form diverse, but united teams. Now you may say that Afrikaners, for example, are way too arrogant to team up with Africans. That may be so, because they are an arrogant bunch, but then leave them out of the mix. There are plenty of other, more humble nations willing to team up. As an aside, Afrikaners do tend to band together at the expense of their fellow other nationalities, especially in companies such as Eskom. Ever walked up to a group of Afrikaners, and as soon as you arrive a tense silence overcomes them? Then they talk in a stilted way when you’re around. As soon as they think you’re out of earshot, they revert to being pally with each other. Talk about being unable to mix with other nationalities! Understand that this is their problem, not yours.
Take rugby for instance. We have a world class team, and I don’t care how many blacks you put in the team, they will almost surely not match up to a team of mostly Afrikaners. Similarly, blacks are much better at athletics and soccer. Whites at swimming. And so on. And the same can be said for academic subjects and work careers. Blacks make excellent journalists, historians, politicians, negotiators, entrepreneurs. Whites make good engineers and accountants. I have seen how blacks struggle with engineering, when it comes so easily and naturally to whites. Whites are excellent managers and administrators, with less tendencies to be individualistic.
The whites are now in our power. Why not use them to our and (gasp) their advantage? To all our advantage? Make them and us rich and happy. Have vibrant and safe cosmo cities – everyone loves the feel and vibrancy of a mixed area. They’re here – take advantage! In fact, I’ve just thought of how to solve the crime problem – hire the whites as security guards and police. They appreciate security so would probably make a much bigger effort than us. But of course, this is all pie in the sky. I mustn’t forget how nasty the whites are, and how much they owe us, and me personally, etc, etc…
posted by Mpho Dlamini at
1:50 PM
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