DUNDEE KZN: It seems like it no longer takes a village to raise a child
Times have changed. As we speak I can say that the situation of our country is critical but stable
Any observant person can tell that times have changed and such will continue to be the case as long as we are still living in this planet called earth. I have no doubt that the generation before us grew up in a better space but at that time they didn’t realise that because they were also convinced that they are going through a lot. Indeed, one cannot compare the present era with that of the past and end up concluding that the past era was the best. If I look back at the time when I was still a young boy growing up comparing it with this present moment where I’m now a young adult, a lot has changed. Growing up as a young boy I wouldn’t worry about anything but just few concerns that would just come and pass. Love made sense, caring and kindness was a norm, the acts of brutality were nothing but a shame.
In nowadays people would conduct themselves in a manner that is inhuman, only to find that their justification becomes enough for them to be understood as to why such act was committed at the first place. I’m in no better position to pass judgement but some other things are not worthy to be justified. In the past weeks, I have been following the case of the former policewoman who was found guilty of killing her relatives just because she wanted to enrich herself. She was greed, cruel, inconsiderate and evil; that is the only way I can describe her actions.
Gone are those days where it was said and known that; “It takes a village to raise a child”. Indeed, such idiom came into practice; as back in the days’ people had Ubuntu. If you look around today, it seems like people have given up on the thought of caring for one another. It is not that we owe other people love, kindness and generosity but the world would have been a better place if we were to be kind and be able to tolerate each other. Maintaining goodness has been the major problem we are faced with at the moment in our communities. We now live in a space where hatred, jealousy and unnecessary competition floods our thoughts in a bad way.
Times have changed. As we speak I can say that the situation of our country is critical but stable. Why should I waste my time talking about the effects of load shedding, high rate of unemployment, unstable food prices and the insane price of petrol, diesel, paraffin per litre? Such conditions that we are forced to live under, have managed to cause emotional illness to everyone. Indirect or direct but we all get affected about what is happening in our country and that alone causes a huge disturbance to the people’s lives.
“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but shall love your neighbour as yourself”. Perhaps when it was still a norm for a village to raise a child, such commandment was perfectly applicable but not at the present era. What I have observed is that; we do take vengeance every day, we bear grudges and we love and care about ourselves more than anything and everything around us. We even care more about the ‘likes’ we get on our social media platforms more than our friends, relatives and neighbours.
Looking around, people are slowly losing their morals and principles but then who am I to judge and question such behaviour because honestly, the writing is on the wall. It is a struggle to make ends meet. It is just a matter of time before we will witness people proudly normalising things that were known to be against the humanity, actually it is not that we haven’t reached that phase but we haven’t fully reached the boiling point where people will totally stop caring. Are we a sad generation? I don’t know but I can tell you that we are frustrated, we are questioning a lot of things happening in our lifetime but unfortunately no one is willing to give us answers.
I won’t say all is lost. We have been optimistic, positive and we have the strength to keep on fighting. This is the right moment; we go back to the drawing board, even if it will be for the last time. It might seem like it no longer takes a village to raise a child but either way a child must be raised. Shine wherever you are, never be discouraged to do good. Be good, be kind, show love not just to draw attention and gain popularity but do it for yourself.
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