By: Toni Parsons
The privileged and generally educated numbers in the world have, on a whole, been tarnished with the brush of apathy on an increasing scale with the continuous development of a comfortable middle class. It is a phenomenon which is present at home in South Africa and the world over. As adults we live in a culture of people who, on a large generalisation, do not feel privileged and excited to vote democratically and do not take an active role in their communities, not feeling duty-bound to do either.
South Africans are not alone in this. In some ways we have been luckier than most and were given an extra shot at changing our attitudes. The power change in South Africa in 1994 ran a current like electricity through the population, making people feel a range of emotions from believing that the end of the country truly was nigh to feeling like the country had just been reborn.
America and England, the two countries that have had the most marked influence on South Africa through various mediums did not have the privilege of this shake up, and consequently their melodramatic yet apathetic trend within society persisted, with young adults becoming decreasingly concerned with the breakdowns evident within their communities.
All of this was considered both normal and acceptable until the Barack Obama saga began in America. Suddenly, being knowledgeable and having an opinion became cool. Outside of the States, large portions of the population were swept up in the story and developed an interest in how the voting system works.
Suddenly, all the anti-establishment under 35s, with a marked distaste for ‘the man’, became fervent believers in the system of democracy and in the relevance of change – whether they were for the change or against it.
At Obama’s inauguration, despite admitting that he may fall short from time to time (‘We may not always agree on things’ Obama 2008), he stood in front of a record audience in the midst of a disastrous economic climate, admitted that tough times were ahead, and yet still faced an optimistic, ebullient crowd.
Why? For the same reason he won the election – he has no fear of standing up in a crowd, being accountable, taking charge and forging ahead. Decisions and policy changes since his inauguration hammer the point further home.
People respond to a strong leader. At a time when the economic climate is dismal, HIV rates are horrendous and crime and varying other societal atrocities are rife, what everyone wants to hear is good news – that it will be okay eventually, or encouragement to do something about it. Obama stood up on day one and took charge in the US – ‘From today, we need to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off’. He recognized the sentiment within the people, admitted it and proceeded take charge.
As a South African, one cannot help but look at that situation and transpose it onto a South African landscape. Make that enthusiasm South African; the hope and the belief in change make it ours – imagine the possibility if everyone began to take an active interest in the running of their country.
And why not? We have a democratic constitution (one of the best in the world), and we have already proved that anything is possible – an ex-convict was our first democratic president, and we overcame one of the worst systems of oppression in the world without a civil war – we can do it!
Except that we aren’t sure that we can, and we certainly cannot do it without a leader. We have more political parties than we do different languages, and more government committees than we have skin colours, yet we sit at a time where south Africa is either going to fly or falter along the runway, and at present we sit without a definite pilot. I can’t tell you whether Obama is good news long term for America, but I can tell you that I want what they have. I want to be passionate about my government again, and feel a bond with my countrymen about it. I want to look at our leaders and know they worked hard to get where they are, and are accountable for what they do. I want to feel as though they are listening to me, and making decisions with me as a citizen foremost in their minds.
Until we have a strong, true leader in South Africa, I feel that we are missing a vital ingredient in the recipe for a thriving country that fulfils the maximum of its potential.
Will the real Slim Shady please, please stand up – your country needs you.
The privileged and generally educated numbers in the world have, on a whole, been tarnished with the brush of apathy on an increasing scale with the continuous development of a comfortable middle class. It is a phenomenon which is present at home in South Africa and the world over. As adults we live in a culture of people who, on a large generalisation, do not feel privileged and excited to vote democratically and do not take an active role in their communities, not feeling duty-bound to do either.
South Africans are not alone in this. In some ways we have been luckier than most and were given an extra shot at changing our attitudes. The power change in South Africa in 1994 ran a current like electricity through the population, making people feel a range of emotions from believing that the end of the country truly was nigh to feeling like the country had just been reborn.
America and England, the two countries that have had the most marked influence on South Africa through various mediums did not have the privilege of this shake up, and consequently their melodramatic yet apathetic trend within society persisted, with young adults becoming decreasingly concerned with the breakdowns evident within their communities.
All of this was considered both normal and acceptable until the Barack Obama saga began in America. Suddenly, being knowledgeable and having an opinion became cool. Outside of the States, large portions of the population were swept up in the story and developed an interest in how the voting system works.
Suddenly, all the anti-establishment under 35s, with a marked distaste for ‘the man’, became fervent believers in the system of democracy and in the relevance of change – whether they were for the change or against it.
At Obama’s inauguration, despite admitting that he may fall short from time to time (‘We may not always agree on things’ Obama 2008), he stood in front of a record audience in the midst of a disastrous economic climate, admitted that tough times were ahead, and yet still faced an optimistic, ebullient crowd.
Why? For the same reason he won the election – he has no fear of standing up in a crowd, being accountable, taking charge and forging ahead. Decisions and policy changes since his inauguration hammer the point further home.
People respond to a strong leader. At a time when the economic climate is dismal, HIV rates are horrendous and crime and varying other societal atrocities are rife, what everyone wants to hear is good news – that it will be okay eventually, or encouragement to do something about it. Obama stood up on day one and took charge in the US – ‘From today, we need to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off’. He recognized the sentiment within the people, admitted it and proceeded take charge.
As a South African, one cannot help but look at that situation and transpose it onto a South African landscape. Make that enthusiasm South African; the hope and the belief in change make it ours – imagine the possibility if everyone began to take an active interest in the running of their country.
And why not? We have a democratic constitution (one of the best in the world), and we have already proved that anything is possible – an ex-convict was our first democratic president, and we overcame one of the worst systems of oppression in the world without a civil war – we can do it!
Except that we aren’t sure that we can, and we certainly cannot do it without a leader. We have more political parties than we do different languages, and more government committees than we have skin colours, yet we sit at a time where south Africa is either going to fly or falter along the runway, and at present we sit without a definite pilot. I can’t tell you whether Obama is good news long term for America, but I can tell you that I want what they have. I want to be passionate about my government again, and feel a bond with my countrymen about it. I want to look at our leaders and know they worked hard to get where they are, and are accountable for what they do. I want to feel as though they are listening to me, and making decisions with me as a citizen foremost in their minds.
Until we have a strong, true leader in South Africa, I feel that we are missing a vital ingredient in the recipe for a thriving country that fulfils the maximum of its potential.
Will the real Slim Shady please, please stand up – your country needs you.
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