i haven't posted anything to do my nihilism-tag any justice recently, so here goes:

the myth of ubuntu
according to some ubuntu is a philosophy or tradition inherent to african/ south african society. it basically means that a person is a person through other people. It is based on the notion that communities are nurturing and caring and its core values are tradition and respect.

i don't see much nurturing, caring and respect in south africa. look at the murder and rape rates. look at the way zuma's supporters acted. look at the way some striking security guards acted. look at the posh suits politicians are wearing, the black bmw's they're being driven around in (and then you have to make way for them), the huge lunches they get for free in parliament while a lot of the people they tell us they are serving are still hungry, poor and uneducated.

tradition is often one of the worlds most evil things. it gives people an excuse do stupid, absurd things, serving no purpose and delivering no benefit to society. and in south africa, it often keeps paternalistic, unfair power structures and practices in place. it keeps people from being themselves.

so, seriously, is ubuntu going to improve africa, mr mbeki?