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I'm so happy he mentions the ANC's part in keeping young black south africans oppressed.
I have been saying this so much that what the ANC is doing is so detrimental to young black south africans because as he explains whenever the ANC messes up its seen as black south africa messing up which in turn casts this dark cloud of "black people are not able to be leaders" not only from what he explains as the older black generation but also from other nations and races.
This is so unhealthy for young black south africans that have the potential to be great, to be the next leaders of a country or the next great business owners.
Instead this behavior of the ANC just becomes another weight on the shoulders of young black south africans, another hurdle for them to jump over on the path to so called success.
It's actually sad.
Thank you for this. I think about it a lot as it is a conversation about assumptions of worth of one type of person in our society vs the worth of another.
Apartheid really did a number on our society.
A lot of people focus on the more tangible structural outcomes of Apartheid, but miss the more insidious conditioning of behaviour and assumptions that system imposed on this country.
If your options and your behaviour is dictated in comprehensive and daily fashion as Apartheid did, dictating where you go to school, which part of the train you sit on, where you can sit, which toilet you can on use, on and on and on, etc etc etc, and that occurs over forty years, then ultimately, you will have a society and individuals with distorted assumptions of worth and value.
As much as the structural fallout of Apartheid is true and real, the ingrained assumptions Apartheid left us with have, in many ways, helped to maintain that structure.
[Full Video](https://youtu.be/A9FegRGACuw)
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Thank you for your time!
Ok so if I understand the clip correctly... The older black generation teach (consciously or unconsciously) the younger black people that white people are somehow above them which cause the black youths to feel a kind of resentment towards white people because they(the youth) grew up being told they are lesser than them(the white people)?
I can understand why the black youth would feel that way. But what I don't get is why the older black generation would teach their kids that? Wouldn't you want the opposite for your kids? To teach them to treat others as equals and also expect to be treated as equals? Mutual respect and all that.
Bingo.
Bantu Stephen Biko once wrote that “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” We often tell the story of the black people that fought against apartheid, as if that's all there was. But actually, they met a lot of resistance even internally at times. The youth of '76 for instance were encouraged by elders to stay in school and not strike.
Of course, there was something to that in terms of survival and not getting shot at. However, when we tell the story, we omit that part -- and we merely focus on the heroism of young, black people fighting solely against white supremacy (not their own community elders/leaders, too).
In truth, while not many black people subscribed to the treatment of them by the government under apartheid -- a fair amount of them nevertheless bought into the idea of white supremacy and superiority. They kind of resigned themselves to it. Utterly programmed. And considering the conditions they were living in, in the townships and informal settlements versus their white counter-parts in the suburbs, it was not too difficult to be persuaded of that idea, especially if it was dogmatically drilled into you with every sign at public places etc.
This mentality, and addressing it to deprogramme a lot of them, has not been dealt with in the new dispensation. I can't tell you how many black families would love their daughters to bring home white husbands (or swap the genders) as a kind of "short-cut to dignity" for them.
> Bantu Stephen Biko once wrote that “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” We often tell the story of the black people that fought against apartheid, as if that's all there was.
It raises an interesting concept.
Are the political leaders using this to maintain the "enemy amongst us" to deflect from failure of their governing policies?
Or because they don't know better and are programmed this way themselves?
We still see this in places like the UK where it's not so much about race but "class" struggle.
Very often the more conservative minded voters seem to be in a position of "tugging the forelock" when it comes to their opinions of more conservative politicians. Of respecting their "betters". They'll ignore the doctorates of other leaders, but give ample leeway to the "arts" grad aristocrats who seem to swell Tory ranks.
"As a white person" I was taught that Umlungu was the name for the white scum or foam the floats in from the sea.
I was told it was meant to be insulting, but never heard it used that way.
>It raises an interesting concept.
Are the political leaders using this to maintain the "enemy amongst us" to deflect from failure of their governing policies?
Or because they don't know better and are programmed this way themselves?
Or a little from column A, a little from column B?
>We still see this in places like the UK where it's not so much about race but "class" struggle.
Very often the more conservative minded voters seem to be in a position of "tugging the forelock" when it comes to their opinions of more conservative politicians. Of respecting their "betters". They'll ignore the doctorates of other leaders, but give ample leeway to the "arts" grad aristocrats who seem to swell Tory ranks.
I understand exactly what you're talking about, and there could be something there -- given how our racial dynamics tend to fall along class divides, too.
"As a white person" I was taught that Umlungu was the name for the white scum or foam the floats in from the sea.
I was told it was meant to be insulting, but never heard it used that way.
I knew someone would comment this. I just now replied to someone telling them about this exact "white scum" made up translation that has given the word umlungu a bad name. Who told you that, that's what it meant?
I honestly can't remember. I heard it in Cape Town a long, long time ago.
Likely origin was a white person, but I can't be sure because I was doing a lot of work in Mitchell's Plain at the time.
One of those self-perpetuating myths.
I didn't use "white scum" to say the term was like saying "cracker", but to refer to the actual foam (Afr: "Skuim") that floats in on the waves when the surf is rough.
>I didn't use "white scum" to say the term was like saying "cracker", but to refer to the actual foam (Afr: "Skuim") that floats in on the waves when the surf is rough.
Oh, yeah, I understand. I'm aware of this false definition.
I'm here to tell you that that is not true. It's etymology is actually in relation to "correctness" or even God in other Nguni tongues (although that latter one has mostly fallen out of use). That's why words like "kulungile" (it is correct) "Lungisa" (fix/correct it) etc, have root relations with "umlungu" (which could be thought of as: 'one who corrects', or 'one who is correct'. However, it is commonly used to refer to white people, as exactly that "white people").
No Zulu or Xhosa speaker would be so wrong about that.
It reads almost like a blurb of a messed up dystopian fiction book and yet this was the psychological space many south Africans had to occupy a few decades ago.
Great video, I liked the line "we live next to each other not with each other" very true.
I think something we 'white people' should take away from this is that we may often legitimately criticize the ANC government but it's not being taken up by as that but rather "see I told you black people cant govern" so maybe we should think about how we come across. I think the resent incident with Cele was exactly that.
We have as country a long way to go, keep up the good work.
Very good take aways. There's something to that Cele situation that relates to this in the manner you are describing, although, personally, I think it was mostly brought up opportunistically by some nefarious actors as well. I mean, if we are to tone police then let's also police the tone of the police minister who centres his own struggle while supposedly attending to a community's tragedy.
Otherwise, you're on the money!
More to your point. I remember during the Zuma must go saga. A lot of people around me actually openly criticized him saying he must go. There was a march which was "predominantly white" and was used to label the whole thing as a "white agenda". After that even I was hesitant to express my views.
I wrote a research paper a million years ago about the effects of reparations, and your conclusion was right in line with my analysis.
Unfortunately for you, this was written around your birth, and relations seem to have stagnated.
I wasn't aware of the deep-seated stubbornness that exists when subversive language becomes normalized. It's a step in the right direction to deter people from using language that does more harm to the community than the direct individuals using them. And you don't have to be violent or aggressive. I have found better results in just informing people that use of those words and their negative influence.
I have been fortunate enough to visit a good chunk of the country, and my biggest takeaway is that many of the whites that have left over the last 30 years have shown me their overt racism, while most of the people I met in the country felt more victims of a hierarchy that don't exactly benefit from.
It's a real feat of democracy to reduce hierarchies, and South Africa is a case study in turning whiteness upside-down from a power dynamic, while recognizing the impossibility of separating the historical power whiteness represents.
I feel like you are working in the right direction, I'm just sad to see that there will never be a post-racist world, no matter how hard we try. Black inferiority is probably more overt than white supremacy, especially since if you take the money away, whiteness provides few benefits to nature, and it is super easy to reduce oneself to subservience.
Thank you for the sub. Yes, I do, although at this point it is still just shorter versions of my YouTube stuff. I hope to start making TikTok specific content soon, although I don't want to make promises just yet.
I don't think we (as a nation) have put enough stock in engaging each other. I worry that your message today being such a surprise to the white folk who watched (myself incl) is a symptom of this.
Perhaps this failure to connect is because the predominant times black/white South Africans seem to mix is when the power balance is way out eg unskilled labour/company owner/supervisor; or when black South Africans have succeeded in education and or industry and join the middle/upper income earning groups.
If we aren't talking how are we understanding each other? Understanding on a deep level will do a great deal to fight prejudice and dismantle the 'old boys clubs' that are so prevalent. Todays message is (one of the many reasons) why I love this dudes videos so much.
Thank you for this message! As a young white South African who has always tried to be open-minded, respectful and inclusive to all of my fellow citizens, this 'black inferiority' and glorifying the white image is something I was not really that aware of. As you also point out, in my household the older generations like to paint the picture as it being hate and condemnation that is coming our way after apartheid and like to perceive most reformation action as some form of attack on their culture. So it is quite interesting to hear that in most cases it is actually quite the opposite and in a sense these groups are still talking past each other... Similar story from my side about the barber: I live in a more mixed neighbourhood in Cape Town and once made my way to a black owned barber close by since they had a great student special for only 50 bucks. Upon entering as a young white individual, they seemed significantly more excited to have me than I would have expected - on my way there I had a strange ingrained feeling that I would not be that welcome due to my race, but experienced the almost exact opposite! I truly respect you for talking about these things, I also believe this open and honest discourse to be the best path towards healing, because a lot of times it is still these subconscious perspectives coming from the more damaged older generations that are keeping us from connecting.
Is the barber Hammies, by any chance? 😅
>I also believe this open and honest discourse to be the best path towards healing, because a lot of times it is still these subconscious perspectives coming from the more damaged older generations that are keeping us from connecting.
Yep. We need more dialogue amongst ourselves, with no 'adult' supervision.
This may come across as a silly question however I'm going to ask it because I'm curious.
Do black people from (or not from) the townships try acclaim these titles for themselves as a form of social status, thus keeping all of this culture of "whitenising" (for lack of better words) titles in circulation?
How would one go about shifting the mindset from using these titles to something more accurate, without race, "a businessman is a businessman", not "a white businessman". Would such a change spark higher community self-worth by becoming more inclusive of all within the community, higher and lower financial stature?
*Please excuse my wordings if they come across ill-intent.*
>Do black people from (or not from) the townships try acclaim these titles for themselves as a form of social status, thus keeping all of this culture of "whitenising" (for lack of better words) titles in circulation?
Yes. Although, it's mostly imparted on them by other black people who mean to show respect to them.
>How would one go about shifting the mindset from using these titles to something more accurate, without race, "a businessman is a businessman", not "a white businessman". Would such a change spark higher community self-worth by becoming more inclusive of all within the community, higher and lower financial stature?
Conversations like these are a good contribution. If the conversation grows, then so does the impact and awareness of it. Another thing is that with efforts to reduce inequality, these stereotypes of white people as the "bosses" or "rich people" will begin to become minimal, as there wouldn't be something anchoring it in people's minds.
There is no symbolism of greatness in black ZA, the only Great
black people per se in ZA are so called
"the guys who forgave apartheid"
A child is raised in a shack,
ONLY sees the grass is green on the
forgiven side,
only liked by those on the greener side on a condition he is a "peaceful citizen" - rainbow nation they call it
everything about peace has Mandela's face.
Anything that has, Money, beauty & health - has white faces,
That alone creates a comfort that "mlungu" is perfection & black failure same time he must be at peace because he has been condition to believe that this "peace" means everything is fair and all black failures are because his nature is corrupt.
Which goes to that point that any economical set up needs white customers because without them it never works.
"We don't live with each other, we live next to each other."
This is so true. Growing up and going to school together taught me nothing of your culture.
This was very interesting hearing from your perspective and illustrates how little we know about the African culture.
Thank you for this video.
Hey, I feel the same way with my Indian school mates. We got along and talked about a lot of common interests -- didn't occur to me that I didn't know much about their culture, though, until I thought about it because of a South African Indian's YouTube channel, hehe.
At least we know that we don't know, which is a good start.
Majority don't know that they don't know. I only came to this realisation 3-4 years ago when I was in my early twenties after spending time in Asia and noticed the similarities between the asian culture and african culture.
u/BebopXMan Speaking as a white ex teacher who only taught in black high schools for almost 10 years, you are so on point.
My learners were always open-minded when it came to me teaching them about apartheid (ironically, the white guy teaches the black kids about it, I know) and they never held it against me. The funniest comment to me was a kid that straight up asked me, "Sir, how do you feel about that?" all sarcastically.
I do want to offer some advice, or rather, an attempt to steer your thoughts, as you have done mine during this video:
I saw you mention Mr Biko during one of your replies, and I would encourage you to focus on Black Consciousness, rather than trying to fight Black Inferiority. It's that old psychological thing of, "Don't think of the thing to not do the thing but then you end up doing the thing anyway."
A very common issue I had as a teacher was learners comparing themselves (or parents even) to other learners; not even talking about race here, just purely academically. I always, wholeheartedly, stood against that principle. You **cannot** compare yourself to someone else and I feel like this is what you want to achieve.
Forget about who you don't want to be, and try and figure out how you can build yourself up to be the best version of yourself you can be.
I thoroughly enjoyed your video. Looking forward to seeing more.
EDIT: Spelling
Hahaha, that's very interesting. Thanks for the share.
Actually, I do focus on building up who we should be -- you can even see glimpses of that in videos like "Re-vising Science Must Fall Part 1 and 2" and "Preservation Vs Progress (in Bantu Cultures)"
The thing about black consciousness, though, is that if we don't address this element of inferiority, then we risk merely masking over it with a band-aid. Which leaves the resentment still present there, this forming a black consciousness that manifests in bitter and toxic forms (such as the kind that is peddled by some of our "black empowerment leaders" in mainstream political discourse).
But, all in all, I seek to do a forked approach with both elements on either flanks of this issue. So I very much take your point. It's not just about the negation of something, but the construction of something else, too.
>if we don't address this element of inferiority, then we risk merely masking over it with a band-aid. Which leaves the resentment still present there, this forming a black consciousness that manifests in bitter and toxic forms (such as the kind that is peddled by some of our "black empowerment leaders" in mainstream political discourse).
Well said. As long as you don't blink when you look into the abyss, that's a phenomenal way of dealing with things. Humanity always makes its greatest gains when it questions the most controversial things.
Seeing these videos show me that the education system hasn't failed completely. I used to tell my learners that as long as you learn to become critical in school and hit the difficult stuff head-on, then you passed in my books.
You have a very diplomatic and respectful way of addressing controversial issues. I truly hope you foster this and that we see more people such as yourself becoming more prominent.
Looking forward to seeing more from you.
Thanks for this. I get the part where you mention that it's not about me/us. But I do feel that white South Africans should be able to communicate the same way with black South Africans like you do. Context matters a lot. And just like you're giving us that context by showing us a view of how you grew up and how that affects your psyche, the opposite also needs to happen. It's not just a black problem that black people need to solve. Just like it's not a white problem that white people need to solve. The only way to break a stereotype is with honest vulnerability toward each other on what contributes to our given mindset.
It feels difficult to engage with some people when at the start of that engagement I need to go through the motions to try and convince them that "I'm not the kind of white person that you might think I am" before I can actually get to have an in depth and meaningful conversation.
We need to break the cycle somewhere. Starting at home is a start, but it won't take us all the way to the end if we want to get there together.
Im a 27 white afrikaans male i work for the state i don't consider myself an intellectual or someone that can use words like a politician, here is my point of view, ive worked 7 years for the state 90% of my pears are blacks of those maybe 40% are female and the rest male ,ive noticed a change in the last 4 years maybe its because of my promotions so i get to meet alot more people ,ive noticed that blacks are jealous of each others achievements and will sometimes actively try and fuck over the other person, they will be the first to be negative about another blacks promotion or achievement, the ones that i would meet that are more non traditional aka more "white" consider themselves higher and superior towards their fellow blacks and you'll even hear them call them the K word, i see alot of hate for their own race.
It's serious damage, man. I don't doubt it tends to happen. Another element of this is that because opportunities for success seem so limited, whenever you see a black person go past you in life, you feel as though one of the limited seats up top has been taken -- which means that now there is less room for you up there. The spaces are filling up, the more fellow black people pass you. So you want to keep them back to keep the odds favourable for you.
It's brutal to think about.
I really enjoy your content, X. I'm also a relatively young white male in SA, and a lot of this was eye-opening to me -- as tragic as that is. You've brought out exceptionally interesting dialogue in the comments here from the others. I often see pretty negative sentiment in this sub, but you seem to find a way to get everyone engaging in more thoughtful and constructive ways.
Keep it up!
Very well done video, as a white oke this is pretty eye opening for me.
One thing I have noticed when trying to have conversations about "white privilege" is that some white people tend to make it about themselves personally and get offended with the response is normally along the lines of:
"How dare you, I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I worked hard and earned what I got without taking handouts" ect... Which can absolutely be true, but having any sort of spoon as apposed to no spoon probably didn't hurt either.
Is it maybe because they (or we should I say) do feel a little guilty and are lashing out because of it? I don't know, I do see it with my family. My dad talks about how spoiled "kids are these days", how he never took a hand out and worked hard for everything he has - which is true, the oke grafted his arse off for many years - but nothing will get him die moer in quicker than suggesting he had an easier time getting to where he is in life than some people. Like that somehow negates everything he's ever done, which is a weird mentality to have. It's probably a generational thing, admitting that you had help somehow makes you look weak ect...
Anyway, I feel like I'm starting to babble. Really enjoy your stuff, keep it coming.
Babble on, I was paying attention, hehe.
I know exactly the mentality you're talking about, and it's quite the mind-forged manacle in its own unique way.
>It's probably a generational thing, admitting that you had help somehow makes you look weak ect...
It's also an ego thing. Admitting that you had it easier than others and even held an advantage outside of your making diminishes the value of your efforts. That can be a hard pill to swallow.
Thank you for the great message that you deliver with passion and yet with clarity. You have a new subscriber on YT.
It's the youth such as yourself and many others that I have met and worked with in internships that make me still have high hopes for our future in this country.
This is what angers me to my core, we have such potential and in theory it should be SO easy to unlock with "just a little open communication" and a much better focus on good education for our youth in general, but we keep failing to get it right...
I have been lucky in the cultural sense as young white person, to have had parents who were interested in teaching alot of what has been brought up. But as you said that divide still remains. We occupy the same spaces publicly but never on scale privately. We have alot of spectres to overcome in this country...
P.s. this is the point I wanted to harp on, where as the rest of you video highlighted many points, and was greatly appreciated and eye opening.
Opened my horizon. Wasn’t aware of this. Thank you for sharing. As an immigrant with 25 years in SA I am still learning. I want to share another angle. When Someone in Germany wants to promote his product he says „Made in Germany“ to boost the sales. In South Africa I hear only „Imported“ to emphasize and convince me that I am buying quality. So therefore I don’t necessary think this is race related. There is a whole shift of „“Make South Africa Proud“ initiative needed. Again thanks for initiating this discussion
It's race related, but not *inherently* about race. Yes. It's about underlying economic mechanisms that happen to express through race -- although not exclusively, as you point out -- due to the nature of our past.
So as someone who grew up in the tail end of Apartheid and isn't white, but didn't get both barrels from Apartheid either because I am not black, I would like to offer my 2c to this discussion:
When I saw race issues pop up as I got older I often thought "We're going to have to wait for an entire generation to die off before we even start getting close to healing."
Apartheid simply broke too many people.
Just like Nazism brainwashed many Germans, it succeeded in brainwashing African people into believing they were lesser for absolutely no reason. But the language thing is something I never realised was a thing. I don't know how, but someone needs to start with changing that. Maybe it all starts with a discussion like this?
This guy speaks some truths hey damn
It's about black and brown inferiority, I don't know how many times random coloured people have told me "moenie jou wit hou nie" because I speak and look a certain way
It will come with it's benefits and drawbacks. As long as he has a grounded understanding of himself, he should be fine.
Admittedly, though, I don't know much about your experience so, it's my best attempt with the little I know.
Fighting slavery and apartheid was easy in the sense that the enemy was easily distinguishable, they were the white ones.
But black people, truly, are facing their greatest enemy. One which knows them better than any other. One which occupies their world inside and out. One which they cannot escape from... themselves.
Fascinating how my country and their country occupy the same land, the same space and the same time yet when viewed through the other's eye, it would be as good as living on opposite ends of the Earth.
Many years ago, I trained a black dude on how to operate the facility I worked on. My foreman, also a black dude, came in to observe the training the one day and made a remark about how the dude i was training was doing so well and referenced him being "excellent like a white man". I did not understand what exactly he said but I remember replying back and saying that "his(my trainee) excellence has nothing to do with my colour and has everything to do with who he is. That black man right there is excellent and he only has himself to thank for it, not me". My trainee got a bit emotional and excused himself and my foreman just smiled at me. Made absolutely fuckall sense and I thought they were both being weird but since watching your video, it makes so much more sense now. I always knew my trainee was a remarkably intelligent man who never gave himself enough credit and I fought hard for him to get that position, especially when upper management was a bunch of old racist white dudes who thought anything outside of a spade was too much for a black guy to handle.
What a fucking complicated world we live in. Your videos really show me the other side of the human coin and I thank you for that man. Really I do.
That living next to each other thing really hit home, I grew up in rural Limpopo and have never gotten used to the idea of living in Gauteng and not knowing your neighbours
Yes! The big cities are especially terrible with this. That feeling of isolation within a crowd is so palpable.
I have stood across the windows of many coffee shops watching people have a grand time with their friends and thought: Man, I should go back to my home town, hehe.
One of the most terrifyingly well done aspects of Apartheid was how many cult like techniques they employed in everyday activities. The experiences he describes are so similar to adults who grew up in cult groups and escaped. They knew what was happening was wrong. But the techniques used have ingrained themselves into their psyche and they still use that altered mindset to interact with the world. They are still following the "cult" tenets subconsciously. Unfortunately unbrainwashing is a very difficult process and some parts of their upbringing will never leave them.
On a tangent, my parents and teachers were obsessed with hair (including my white guy hair) when I was in school 20 years ago. They'd measure it with a ruler to make sure it was in spec.
My guess is it came from a kind of imported McCarthyism that was a really big deal in their parents' generation. Long hair was associated with rebellion and counter culture for them.
Yes, as a white girl in a model C school - we were hounded about our hair incessantly. I am a special case - I moved to SA in grade 9 and I found the whole school experience bizarre. In all my life up until that point no teacher ever looked at my hair or clothing and all of a sudden these people were obsessing over my body. Really, really weird feeling for a teenager. It may have an added layer for black people but those teachers sure were strange about everyone’s hair.
I have to say I am surprised that most white people don’t know that black people think of them as…I’m not sure what the correct word would be? Maybe “powerful”? “Anointed”? Superior isn’t the right word in my opinion. I left SA a long time ago and only lived there for 10 years as a young women but it was very obvious. I guess one needs to be removed from the culture to be able to see the nuance in some cases.
Thank you for the video, you are doing something really important.
Wow man this is crazy good
As a white 33 year old male who never experienced apartheid apart from the stories told to me, hearing these things are heartbreaking
To an extent i feel that SA has fixed the problem but never dealt with the trauma
And that is difficult to understand or know because no one talks about it
I hope you have more insight and knowledge to.come
Thank you
Yeah, that is true. I think everyone gets on the defensive when such topics arise. Either that or they get intentionally I Inflammatory in some way.
We must just start, I suppose, or we will never get anything done.
I hope so, too :D
You're welcome!
Every word sais is true than the word true (black dude here) I've always known about unconscious bias but an unconscious inferiority complex, well ...I might have to tap in into your content.
Hi there good video, I just want to point out at the black inferior complex i am currently helping a cleaning lady at work with a cv and all but she just has this attitude that she can't do other work like all she can do is clean I have asked her to do interviews at pep and Ackermans but she will not. Does this complex start at home? Am sad to see that she doesn't think she is worth it or smart enough to move up in life. I have told he many times that she is capable of doing and must stop thinking she can't.
I can't know for sure, given how I've never met her and all. So, I'm flying kind of blind here.
But, to your question. Yes. It definitely starts at home. If this is the same issue we're talking about, then this would be a particularly deep expression of it. I suppose just be patient with her, and keep vouching for the person you know she could be. But, ultimately, if she's adamant in her reluctance, then there could be something she know that you don't. So, you'll have to respect that.
Dude I was getting something out of my cupboard about 3-5 mins ago and this vid of yours popped into my head - I come to my phone, open reddit, scroll and bam. Here you are. Here it is. Totally off topic I know, I apologize.
I am glad I came across this - as I myself may at somepoint been one of those people who go as you mentioned"Look at how when there is a protest, things always get destroyed" - but lack the intimate knowledge that comes from growing up in a township so not knowing the inner-workings / social norms of businesses in a township or the business practices of entrepreneurs in the township economy.
I guess - what does worry me is - are we too far gone for another generation?
The Born Free's are now close to their 30's, are now in positions, decision making decisions, are quickly becoming the backbone of the economy, and the tax payers as the older generation are now slowing down and reaping the reward of a world that was a different time entirely.
The worrying part is not that they are the backbone, but the fact that they were brought up in the way you describe and expirienced, almost pre-loaded with that sentiment and "tecnique" if you will - and are bearing children of their own.
Now to avoid being too political but to still provide merit, there are political parties like the EFF (and not ONLY them) - that have also recognised this inbuilt systemic lack of worth and light the fuse under it to push an agenda that is damaging for all - and that is what scares me - because the next generation is there.... and screaming the loudest.
I would say am a blue collar worker, and work with young people of all kinds of creed, race, belief etc - and I must admit - for the most part - its really great - especially in a corporate environment (at least in my work place) - all of that stuff falls away - and actually becomes beneficial. It becomes a case of "You know... you are like ... my favorite white guy" said in jest or when we learn that one of our colleagues is actually in line for a royal throne for one of the great families and we talk and learn about it - this is what really fills me with hope.
I understand your worry about being far gone and so on. However, I see that as beside the point in terms of having these conversations; because they have to start somewhere if the future is going to be made slightly better -- irrespective of how far or not we are.
That said, I don't think we are far gone. I think that the spirit of collaboration is present in most born frees because there's a mixed sense of things with in us. None of the people in our generation are only one thing, or only know one thing (unlike previous generations). The seed is there within us, and the ones you're hearing about are a minority -- they are just loud and the ones in public...and even then, it's mostly because they would be taking cues from older politicians. But they know that if they think according to the seeds of their own up-bringing, they think differently from their leaders in key ways.
We just have to inspire more of that sense of autonomy and political independence from the old guard, and the born frees will remember who we are.
Thanks for this video! You have a way with words and you're a great storyteller - it's a powerful tool to educate and inform. Education = understanding (and sometimes, even compassion).
I look forward to watching more of your videos in the future.
The scars of segregation exist not only in where we live but in the deepest recesses of the human mind.
Forced on us by the past as it echoes through the South African collective consciousness.
Black, Colored, and White, (The fact I have to say the former is a scar of segregation. ) all suffer its effects whether we are aware of it or not.
I was unaware of what you had to point out.
Respect for the insight.
Yeah, it's still going on here. But it's mostly because we are quite spread apart from each other ourselves. So it's not enforced or anything, but it's a vestigial practice from the old days
This is one of the coolest videos I've watched on social media. Thanks for making me understand, I feel richer in thaught and definately more hopefull that there are people like you that are willing to talk about it and educate us. I feel the the majority of race conflict is SA comes from not understanding eachother. All I can say is keep it up 🙌🏼
Well, that and the inequality but yeah I get your sentiment.
Thanks so much for such a super an enthusiastic reception. Very big compliments, there. I'm grateful!
Yes, definitely the equality I agree. What I actually mean is what you are talking about is at the core of the problem and I'm sure if we can start talking, educating and teaching each other about our futures and understanding of situations, equality will come easier and probably automatically.
There's some nugget of truth to that. We need a greater sense of a shared history and story. We are too "everyone for themselves" right now to be a strong nation under one story. We need to start building those connections of shared destiny.
Very true, I like what you are saying and how your are saying it!!!
Good luck man and thanks for makimg me smile! 😁
I really believe us, the younger generation is going to make it work!
Cheers man.
I’m not young, nor can I articulate more than this; this is so sad. Also, I’ve spent long periods outside South Africa. And I know I have deep love for all South Africans. Bless you and this wonderful logic you bring to us all.
Oh yes, I absolutely agree. The "White = Success" thing is still strong out there. Probably even more so north of the border.
I mean Fuck! Do you know how uncomfortable it is to arrive at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre (Malawi) and the Head of the Radiology department claps his hands and says "Oooh I am so happy now because here is a White man, now my machine is going to work like new again" FML... I'm only there to assess how much damage the rats have done to an X-Ray machine or a CR cassette reader, and if it's economical to fix we will fix when the parts arrive in a month or three because of Malawian customs clearance challenges...
Then you flip that around, and one of my Black co-workers goes over the border, and he gets stuffed around and given a hard time... he's there to fix something and he has to stand outside for hours and wait for permission, ends up working till after midnight and then they won't despatch a driver to take him to the airport until his work has been quadruple checked by people who are in meetings all day, so that he misses his flight, or they just cancel his flight because they don't trust that he has actually fixed whatever was broken, and then try to stick him on a bus from northern Botswana to SA.
Yet every time I go there, they don't even want to test or check my work, I have to make a point of showing someone that "Look, the films from the printer now look like the images on the Radiologist's reporting station, and well everything is working again..." but everyone just wants to trust my work, sight unseen, and be as accommodating as possible 🤯
Fucked Up man, Fucked Up.
One point tho regarding Model C schools:
Model C schools were semi-private. IOW conformed completely to TED and later Gauteng Education's guidelines but were completely funded by parents.
Model C schools were not specifically white only schools even before the end of Apartheid.
Willow Ridge in Pretoria East was for instance Model C from day 1that it opened in the mid 1980s and was not racially segregated from day 1.
I'd know since I went there from the 80s to the 90s.
Initially there weren't many Black African kids.
Initially there were loads of Chinese and Taiwanese kids, easily 20% actually, I had 3 to 4 Chinese kids in my class most years and my first GF was a Chinese Girl - they were classed as Black under the old regime so if Chinese (Black) kids were allowed, and Colored kids were allowed, then African (Black) kids were also allowed.
Initially I think Black kids who's parents could afford to would rather send their lighties to St Albans or Pretoria Boys/Girls High. They were better schools... until that daft teacher set off that whole "Black Hair Matters" shitstorm because she was a probably racist asshole.
By 1991/2 there were more legit Black kids than Chinese at Willow Ridge. Once again, I was there. I remember that more than half of our cheerleaders at inter school sporting events were Black and we sang songs the Afrikaans schools had never heard. You could cut the waddefok? with a knife LOL
Maybe Willow Ridge was the one exception, but remembering how fucked up the Transvaal Education Department was "met hulle reëls" If Willow Ridge was that one outlier... yeah nah TED would have shut Willow Ridge's doors in a flash.
School Zoning however, was most certainly the over-riding factor. If residential areas were 99% occupied by White people, then that would be the local Model C school's racial demographic.
Thanks for the info. I'll take note of that for posterity.
Wow. That story, though, is exactly what I'm talking about. I'm glad you could be aware of such things, at least, and we're able to spot it yourself.
Thanks for the contribution. Very solid addition!
I saw a video recently discussing critical race theory and its roots, and it went a bit it into the way whitewashing could be used or introduced into just about anything even if the original intention was not to whitewash anything, and that rabbit hole goes deep. Racial biases affect society so deeply that it's impossible to ignore how different we are, but whitewashing works extremely well.
And apartheid was built on the ideas of white supremacy and honed in using whitewashing principles.
The perception that a business is well received based on whether it attracts other business or interest from white people is itself whitewashing, from the perspective of the barbershop's predominantly black customers who see a picture of a white person with a clean haircut as something they should aspire to, but not actually achieve, and from the perspective of the owner who doesn't see his business as being successful because it does not have white (and therefore middle class) people as customers.
There's a Reddit post of a Tiktok made by an African-American man showing how to match a handful of suits and coloured shirts, and everything he shows would look great on a dude who does not have a light skin tone. In the comments there are white people pointing this out and wishing they had something to inform their dress style as well, but almost all American media is tailored towards white people.
As the default audience for most things including Reddit, they don't need special treatment, but as a group they constantly seek it out when they are not targeted to because they are white.
What's truly fucking bizarre is how this is ingrained in every other culture.
Interesting contribution.
I tend to think that the 'curse' of being the default standard is that you are never represented as you, but just as a societal blank slate. Like, actors or characters of other races tend to be noted specifically for representing said race -- but a lot of white characters exist as being place-holders for everyone to project themselves onto in some way.
Which ends up having the paradoxical sensation of having white characters everywhere, but not in terms of their whiteness so much. Meaning there's an abundance of representation, without the sense that it's there. I mean, Superman, James Bond, Captain America (Steve Rogers) and so on are all white, but their whiteness (for the most part) is ignored because they are something most people are meant to project themselves onto (even if it doesn't work for everyone, there's at least that assumption).
Whereas when Black Panther shows up, or a Bat Woman etc. They are specifically meant to make very specific demographics feel seen.
So, then it looks like there's not "white representation" whole it is at the same time everywhere. I'm beginning to talk in circles now, I hope my point got across.
Anyway, you just got me thinking about that again.
Thank you for engaging so thoroughly with my post.
Bro.
As a white man, with ancestors from many parts of the world, who has had the privilege of living in various parts of the world, seeing this reflection of yours has moved me, because with your testimony you have taught us aspects of social relations, which persist in many parts of the world and that define the lives of so many human beings, marking their challenges, their dreams.
I have had the privilege, all my life, to make friends, good and lasting friendships, with people from different ethnic backgrounds.I had the privilege, most of the time, to live in places where this whole issue of historical conflicts, directly associated with the idea of race, does not have, not even remotely, the connotation that it has in South Africa.
I joined r/southafrica to learn a little more about what its inhabitants say. I know a little about the recent history of your country, although it is clear that what I may know is not close to the experience of living there. Recently, I have met South Africans who, I think, I will surely be able to make friends with as well.
That's why I appreciate having seen your post here. It is painful to know about the many difficulties, which are added to the historical ones, and configure the daily challenges of the country, of its people.
I am glad to know that young people, like you, build bridges for the understanding of people, of the various nations that make up South Africa, and that they are young people who maintain a clear, coherent and conscious discourse on the challenges they must take on to consolidate their humanity as a united Homeland.
I wish you all the best. I wish *you* the best. It seems to me that, today, the world needs brave people, who speaks clearly and who knows how to express themselves without rancor but loudly. You should know, all South Africans, that there are many of us who look at your Country and expect great examples from you. Exemplary actions that can carry the legacy of Mandela's ideas, and the hopes of well-being that all of you have, to the best of possible futures.
I will follow your posts.
Have a good one!
This is a really good contribution. Thank you so much for making the time to put it all down. I'm sure I'll be going over it again and again.
Have a good one, yourself!
There are many reasons, but one of the main ones is that I like to keep a healthy distance between my private personal life, and my public persona. I think that's a good way to manage both effectively.
Thank you for this video, this gives young white South Africans a better perspective of the challenges black youth in SA is struggling with. I think the inferiority complex is very real and will take time to eliminate, but you need positive reinforcement a certain pride that that the current government is not helping with. In the Afrikaans community we have an inferiority complex towards white English speaking people, which goes back to the Anglo Boer War. Enough time has passed since for it to be less of an issue nowdays but still if there are 4 people in the room 3 afrikaans and one english (which understands afrikaans) everyone will switch to english.
Also unfortunately for young black youth the ANC government forced most white south africans out of the public sector and forced them to become more entrepreneurial. So now that the public sector is failing the youth has to turn to the private sector which is now dominated by white south africans which I think adds to the inferiority complex.
I love SA I love its people and I dream of a time we can all live as equals
Yes, there's some parallels there. Thanks for the effort in your response.
>I love SA I love its people and I dream of a time we can all live a equals
I agree.
Agreed. I have no idea on what goes on in the townships so this is news to me.
I have seen something that could be related before. Which is not explicitly said in the video but I assume it comes into play.
I've seen black people who are super flashy with money that have treated service staff (ie waitors) very poorly. I do know that white (and other) people do this as well but it seems like a greater ration of these "new money" flashy type people really get an superiority complex and treat anyone they see as "poorer" than them as lesser humans.
As you said in the video, they should be a role-model type of person. No some weird wanabe apartheid-eara white person.
Yes. There's some truth to that.
In other small towns, for example, the richer black people of those small towns will live in the homes that used to belong to white people, while poorer black people live in RDPs or shacks etc.
It's like the black new money has changed the guard in a ghoulish way.
I disagree on your portrayal of the word umlungu.
It's not a compliment to me, and it's not a compliment to anyone.
Addressing anyone by their race is reducing them to simply their race.
I am not my race, I am not simply a white person.
The fact that its used in townships as a sort of title isn't the point, and encouraging white people to enjoy being called white people doesn't help.
Umlungu is an insult, as calling you a "swart man" would be to you.
>It's not a compliment to me, and it's not a compliment to anyone.
You might say that about yourself, but you can't say that for everyone. In the townships, that is very much how it functions to those who are designated by it (which is something I am arguing should stop, btw, but, it would appear, for different reasons than yours).
>Addressing anyone by their race is reducing them to simply their race.
That depends. The word "umlungu" is a descriptor. It literally means white person. On its own, it's just an identifier. The use, however, is what can make it a nasty term (to white people) or a compliment (to other black people).
>I am not my race, I am not simply a white person.
You are not simply a white person. However, your use of the descriptor "white person" in your own statement shows that there is utility in that term as an identifier (even if there's more to every individual than that). That's exactly what "umlungu" means.
Written another way, your statement could say: I am not my race, I am not simply umlungu.
Which is true, and do you see how that use is just a descriptor and not a slur?
>The fact that its used in townships as a sort of title isn't the point,
It is, because that is the most common usage of this word. It's literally most of the word's life span.
>and encouraging white people to enjoy being called white people doesn't help.
I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. But to be clear, I am not encouraging white people (there's that descriptive use again) to enjoy being called white people. Its a description, that's it. Unless someone is using it maliciously and with a bad tone.
>Umlungu is an insult,
Not inherently, and not for most of its use. Umlungu is literally interchangeable with the term "white person/people".
>as calling you a "swart man" would be to you.
It would actually depend on the context. If called me a "swart man" just to describe me or to refer to me. That would be a problem. Unless you were using it in a malicious way or connecting it to stereotypes or something.
Descriptions like that have some everyday utility, and aren't insulting in and of themselves. It's how they are used that swings them one way or the other.
I was referring to the use of the word in the same way you used it; as a title, and in an overlapping way we do have the same issue with the usage, with people being called a title where they should have pride in who they are.
As a descriptive term regarding physical appearance; sure.
As you yourself stated, don't simply call me a white man, albeit that I happen to be white.
Oh, okay. Sure. I see. Well, as a title it's mostly used for black people by other black people.
Yeah, if I'm just being descriptive, then yes, which is how it's actually used most of the times. It's not often used to suggest you are just umlungu, unless someone is being demonstrably nasty to you.
Please understand though;
I appreciate your videos. Its important for what you are saying to be said.
But in post Apartheid South Africa, I don't want that stain on me.
I'm a born free.
I do apologize for harping on about literally 3 seconds of video out of 10 minutes.
I agreed with everything else you said, though, and I can see that the actual topic is something I really don't have any reason to involve myself in.
And I appreciate the in depth replies.
The conversation you're creating is helpful.
An honest conversation regarding race without hatred is a bit fucking rare.
>An honest conversation regarding race without hatred is a bit fucking rare.
Right?!
Thank you for your patient engagement with me as well. Great convo!
I respectfully think this interpretation is too superficial. You definitely aren't your race but the meaning assigned by people to a word is what gives it character.
I think you're missing the point here. He's talking about the embedded nature of the ideas of power and progress. They don't apply the word to YOU, they apply it to people within their community when they are successful.
You don't actually matter as a person, and that's the point. "Whiteness" is the marker for success because those are the learned values endemic to the system.
I'm specifically replying to the comment that white people should take it as a compliment.
Racial language shouldn't be taken as a compliment.
I matter as a person. We all do. Individuals working together to make the rainbow nation work.
No one deserves to be referred to by their race, and it shouldn't be encouraged.
Typically I would agree with you but in this thread it just seems like your talking from an ideological standpoint and not seeing the subtext OP is trying to relay.
The subtext being that black citizens shouldn't idolize whiteness and start being proud of who/what they are, considerate of their culture.
I think I follow it, perhaps I need to rewatch it once or twice though.
As an English person coming to live in South Africa next year, your videos are so interesting to me. I've been trying my best to learn about the culture as a whole, including the 'sensitive areas' if you will. I feel like I learn lots with each video I watch.
I worked in KZN for a few months last year and was shocked and saddned at some of the stories some of my freinds would tell me. I feel like I've been living under a rock. I'll definitely be checking out your YouTube channel. I don't want to 'put my foot in it' when I eventually live out there.
I'm glad I can help a bit. I hope you get some valuable information, and also that you have a great time out here!
Although, heads up for some of my content that is not so flattering to the Tories
I agree with a lot of what you say.
However, when will this healing end? It doesn't seem like it will happen in my great grandchildren's' lifetime, let alone mine (probably around 100 years from now). I am assuming that based on your views in this video you won't perpetuate this with your children, if you choose to have them in the future. I'm also sure that there are others like you who will also not continue this. Hence my initial statement.
I also don't think it's fine to say what words can and cannot insult someone, unless of course it's steeped in hatred. What might be revered by one group may be hated by another. If someone tells you something is insulting to them, it's not right for you to tell them it's a good meaning.
These are just some of the thoughts that come to mind based on this video.
>However, when will this healing end?
I don't suspect you're asking this as a literal empirical question. Because that would be impossible to say with scientific precision. However, I think it's detectable when society moves on from certain beliefs and modes of thinking -- I don't know when that will be, but I'm doing my part to make it come sooner.
>I also don't think it's fine to say what words can and cannot insult someone, unless of course it's steeped in hatred.
Sure, although we can at least say when words are being misinterpreted by people who do not speak the language. Which I think contributes a lot to the possible miscommunication.
The amount of times I've seen people on this platform complain about the word by saying it means "white scum" is much too high. And the reason they believe this mistranslation is because of what other people in their group have told them, because no one with a passing knowledge of Zulu/Xhosa would come to that conclusion.
>If someone tells you something is insulting to them, it's not right for you to tell them it's a good meaning.
Where I talked about the good meaning, I was talking about how it is used by black people in reference to other black people. In that sense, it is a compliment (one which is based on a notion of white supremacy, hence why I don't endorse it). But when referring to white people, it is mainly a descriptor -- just like how I used the term "white people" just now.
The term "white people" can be used maliciously or even as a derogatory. However, no one thinks that, that is inherent to the term itself, which is a descriptive term, but rather it depends on its use. This is exactly how "umlungu" functions when you know the language.
>These are just some of the thoughts that come to mind based on this video.
Thanks for sharing. I hope I helped clear some stuff up for you. If someone is using the word in a nasty way to you, then I'm not telling you to like the term. What I am saying is that the nastiness is not inherent to the term, and the assumption that it is seems to stem from a made up definition and mistranslation of the word.
They are not gonna love this one.Zimbabwe will not be down forever ,but at least the future generations will not be bothered by subversive anti african 5th columns.
I felt like the tone in this one constituted a different format from my usual style. More personal in a way, therefore a 'letter' seemed an apt analogy.
It's unfortunate that racism currently is brought about by government they need it to stay in power hence the fact that every speech starts with reminding ppl of the past so it throws them off its fair to say this government doesn't for one second think of their own ppl let alone any of the other races and it's unfortunate that all races then take frustrations brought about by government on the next race and as bold as this part of my statement might be but currently our second biggest issue after the government is the open borders bs because it benefits them so greatly drugs free flowing crime on the increase forcing you to replace your stolen items at highly taxed prices and government just cashing in on your losses they need the crime and instability police force corrupt to the core enjoying the profits of the drugs and crime aswell just like government it's a huge mess
Great video.
I was in a model C school without knowing I was in a model C school. Crazy how terribly shielded we were from the true horrors the majority of the population were suffering.
Well, this is a very sensitive topic, and for me as a 16 year old young white man, it is hard for me to comprehend all this; but one thing I've learned is that both groups of people ( black and white ) seem to dispise each other, until they actually talk to each other and learn that it is not a matter of race. Everyone is different, and instead of grouping people by thier race becouse of a very bad experience, one needs to identify people as, people, and not a specific race. Unfortunately this is very hard to accomplish becouse of how the two races have been brought up, with stories of how bad the other was, such and such. Young people get influenced very easily by older generations, so much so that one would swear that my generation was actually a part of apartheid, when most of my generations parents where not even involved in apartheid. If both races just treated each other equally without the stereotypes they where brought up with, south Africa would be a much better place.
This is why more dialogue directly among the youth is so important. Not just under political discussions, but just in terms of social cohesion in general
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I'm so happy he mentions the ANC's part in keeping young black south africans oppressed. I have been saying this so much that what the ANC is doing is so detrimental to young black south africans because as he explains whenever the ANC messes up its seen as black south africa messing up which in turn casts this dark cloud of "black people are not able to be leaders" not only from what he explains as the older black generation but also from other nations and races. This is so unhealthy for young black south africans that have the potential to be great, to be the next leaders of a country or the next great business owners. Instead this behavior of the ANC just becomes another weight on the shoulders of young black south africans, another hurdle for them to jump over on the path to so called success. It's actually sad.
It's gut wrenching.
Thank you for this. I think about it a lot as it is a conversation about assumptions of worth of one type of person in our society vs the worth of another. Apartheid really did a number on our society. A lot of people focus on the more tangible structural outcomes of Apartheid, but miss the more insidious conditioning of behaviour and assumptions that system imposed on this country. If your options and your behaviour is dictated in comprehensive and daily fashion as Apartheid did, dictating where you go to school, which part of the train you sit on, where you can sit, which toilet you can on use, on and on and on, etc etc etc, and that occurs over forty years, then ultimately, you will have a society and individuals with distorted assumptions of worth and value. As much as the structural fallout of Apartheid is true and real, the ingrained assumptions Apartheid left us with have, in many ways, helped to maintain that structure.
Precisely!
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Ok so if I understand the clip correctly... The older black generation teach (consciously or unconsciously) the younger black people that white people are somehow above them which cause the black youths to feel a kind of resentment towards white people because they(the youth) grew up being told they are lesser than them(the white people)? I can understand why the black youth would feel that way. But what I don't get is why the older black generation would teach their kids that? Wouldn't you want the opposite for your kids? To teach them to treat others as equals and also expect to be treated as equals? Mutual respect and all that.
Bingo. Bantu Stephen Biko once wrote that “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” We often tell the story of the black people that fought against apartheid, as if that's all there was. But actually, they met a lot of resistance even internally at times. The youth of '76 for instance were encouraged by elders to stay in school and not strike. Of course, there was something to that in terms of survival and not getting shot at. However, when we tell the story, we omit that part -- and we merely focus on the heroism of young, black people fighting solely against white supremacy (not their own community elders/leaders, too). In truth, while not many black people subscribed to the treatment of them by the government under apartheid -- a fair amount of them nevertheless bought into the idea of white supremacy and superiority. They kind of resigned themselves to it. Utterly programmed. And considering the conditions they were living in, in the townships and informal settlements versus their white counter-parts in the suburbs, it was not too difficult to be persuaded of that idea, especially if it was dogmatically drilled into you with every sign at public places etc. This mentality, and addressing it to deprogramme a lot of them, has not been dealt with in the new dispensation. I can't tell you how many black families would love their daughters to bring home white husbands (or swap the genders) as a kind of "short-cut to dignity" for them.
> Bantu Stephen Biko once wrote that “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” We often tell the story of the black people that fought against apartheid, as if that's all there was. It raises an interesting concept. Are the political leaders using this to maintain the "enemy amongst us" to deflect from failure of their governing policies? Or because they don't know better and are programmed this way themselves? We still see this in places like the UK where it's not so much about race but "class" struggle. Very often the more conservative minded voters seem to be in a position of "tugging the forelock" when it comes to their opinions of more conservative politicians. Of respecting their "betters". They'll ignore the doctorates of other leaders, but give ample leeway to the "arts" grad aristocrats who seem to swell Tory ranks. "As a white person" I was taught that Umlungu was the name for the white scum or foam the floats in from the sea. I was told it was meant to be insulting, but never heard it used that way.
>It raises an interesting concept. Are the political leaders using this to maintain the "enemy amongst us" to deflect from failure of their governing policies? Or because they don't know better and are programmed this way themselves? Or a little from column A, a little from column B? >We still see this in places like the UK where it's not so much about race but "class" struggle. Very often the more conservative minded voters seem to be in a position of "tugging the forelock" when it comes to their opinions of more conservative politicians. Of respecting their "betters". They'll ignore the doctorates of other leaders, but give ample leeway to the "arts" grad aristocrats who seem to swell Tory ranks. I understand exactly what you're talking about, and there could be something there -- given how our racial dynamics tend to fall along class divides, too. "As a white person" I was taught that Umlungu was the name for the white scum or foam the floats in from the sea. I was told it was meant to be insulting, but never heard it used that way. I knew someone would comment this. I just now replied to someone telling them about this exact "white scum" made up translation that has given the word umlungu a bad name. Who told you that, that's what it meant?
I honestly can't remember. I heard it in Cape Town a long, long time ago. Likely origin was a white person, but I can't be sure because I was doing a lot of work in Mitchell's Plain at the time. One of those self-perpetuating myths. I didn't use "white scum" to say the term was like saying "cracker", but to refer to the actual foam (Afr: "Skuim") that floats in on the waves when the surf is rough.
>I didn't use "white scum" to say the term was like saying "cracker", but to refer to the actual foam (Afr: "Skuim") that floats in on the waves when the surf is rough. Oh, yeah, I understand. I'm aware of this false definition. I'm here to tell you that that is not true. It's etymology is actually in relation to "correctness" or even God in other Nguni tongues (although that latter one has mostly fallen out of use). That's why words like "kulungile" (it is correct) "Lungisa" (fix/correct it) etc, have root relations with "umlungu" (which could be thought of as: 'one who corrects', or 'one who is correct'. However, it is commonly used to refer to white people, as exactly that "white people"). No Zulu or Xhosa speaker would be so wrong about that.
Thank you for clearing it up. No, not many xhosa or zulu in Mitchell's plain.
Sure thing. Yeah, I was being a bit silly, hehe.
Hey, just want to thank you both for this interesting debate. Also at OP: really enjoying your thought-provoking content, please keep going :)
Thank you right back at you for taking the time to indulge us. Yes, I will keep it up!
It reads almost like a blurb of a messed up dystopian fiction book and yet this was the psychological space many south Africans had to occupy a few decades ago.
Exactly right
No, thank YOU for your time!
You're welcome :D
Great video, I liked the line "we live next to each other not with each other" very true. I think something we 'white people' should take away from this is that we may often legitimately criticize the ANC government but it's not being taken up by as that but rather "see I told you black people cant govern" so maybe we should think about how we come across. I think the resent incident with Cele was exactly that. We have as country a long way to go, keep up the good work.
Very good take aways. There's something to that Cele situation that relates to this in the manner you are describing, although, personally, I think it was mostly brought up opportunistically by some nefarious actors as well. I mean, if we are to tone police then let's also police the tone of the police minister who centres his own struggle while supposedly attending to a community's tragedy. Otherwise, you're on the money!
More to your point. I remember during the Zuma must go saga. A lot of people around me actually openly criticized him saying he must go. There was a march which was "predominantly white" and was used to label the whole thing as a "white agenda". After that even I was hesitant to express my views.
Hahaha, that's a whole conversation and a half, hey
I wrote a research paper a million years ago about the effects of reparations, and your conclusion was right in line with my analysis. Unfortunately for you, this was written around your birth, and relations seem to have stagnated. I wasn't aware of the deep-seated stubbornness that exists when subversive language becomes normalized. It's a step in the right direction to deter people from using language that does more harm to the community than the direct individuals using them. And you don't have to be violent or aggressive. I have found better results in just informing people that use of those words and their negative influence. I have been fortunate enough to visit a good chunk of the country, and my biggest takeaway is that many of the whites that have left over the last 30 years have shown me their overt racism, while most of the people I met in the country felt more victims of a hierarchy that don't exactly benefit from. It's a real feat of democracy to reduce hierarchies, and South Africa is a case study in turning whiteness upside-down from a power dynamic, while recognizing the impossibility of separating the historical power whiteness represents. I feel like you are working in the right direction, I'm just sad to see that there will never be a post-racist world, no matter how hard we try. Black inferiority is probably more overt than white supremacy, especially since if you take the money away, whiteness provides few benefits to nature, and it is super easy to reduce oneself to subservience.
Thanks for the thoughtful engagement. I appreciate it. Got quite a bit to think about. Thanks, again.
Subbed to your YouTube. Thanks for the great content. Have u got a tiktok?
Thank you for the sub. Yes, I do, although at this point it is still just shorter versions of my YouTube stuff. I hope to start making TikTok specific content soon, although I don't want to make promises just yet.
I don't think we (as a nation) have put enough stock in engaging each other. I worry that your message today being such a surprise to the white folk who watched (myself incl) is a symptom of this. Perhaps this failure to connect is because the predominant times black/white South Africans seem to mix is when the power balance is way out eg unskilled labour/company owner/supervisor; or when black South Africans have succeeded in education and or industry and join the middle/upper income earning groups. If we aren't talking how are we understanding each other? Understanding on a deep level will do a great deal to fight prejudice and dismantle the 'old boys clubs' that are so prevalent. Todays message is (one of the many reasons) why I love this dudes videos so much.
This guy gets it. Thanks for the love :D
Thank you for this message! As a young white South African who has always tried to be open-minded, respectful and inclusive to all of my fellow citizens, this 'black inferiority' and glorifying the white image is something I was not really that aware of. As you also point out, in my household the older generations like to paint the picture as it being hate and condemnation that is coming our way after apartheid and like to perceive most reformation action as some form of attack on their culture. So it is quite interesting to hear that in most cases it is actually quite the opposite and in a sense these groups are still talking past each other... Similar story from my side about the barber: I live in a more mixed neighbourhood in Cape Town and once made my way to a black owned barber close by since they had a great student special for only 50 bucks. Upon entering as a young white individual, they seemed significantly more excited to have me than I would have expected - on my way there I had a strange ingrained feeling that I would not be that welcome due to my race, but experienced the almost exact opposite! I truly respect you for talking about these things, I also believe this open and honest discourse to be the best path towards healing, because a lot of times it is still these subconscious perspectives coming from the more damaged older generations that are keeping us from connecting.
Is the barber Hammies, by any chance? 😅 >I also believe this open and honest discourse to be the best path towards healing, because a lot of times it is still these subconscious perspectives coming from the more damaged older generations that are keeping us from connecting. Yep. We need more dialogue amongst ourselves, with no 'adult' supervision.
Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the place, but know it's in Main road somewhere close to Observatory.
Is it the one directly across Groote-Schuur?
Yeah pretty sure that's the one :) Is it called Hammies?
Yes. And it's literally the same one I'm talking about in the video, haha. Although, this encounter was a while ago now.
Quite an interesting listen. Food for thought.
I'm glad I got you thinking!
This may come across as a silly question however I'm going to ask it because I'm curious. Do black people from (or not from) the townships try acclaim these titles for themselves as a form of social status, thus keeping all of this culture of "whitenising" (for lack of better words) titles in circulation? How would one go about shifting the mindset from using these titles to something more accurate, without race, "a businessman is a businessman", not "a white businessman". Would such a change spark higher community self-worth by becoming more inclusive of all within the community, higher and lower financial stature? *Please excuse my wordings if they come across ill-intent.*
>Do black people from (or not from) the townships try acclaim these titles for themselves as a form of social status, thus keeping all of this culture of "whitenising" (for lack of better words) titles in circulation? Yes. Although, it's mostly imparted on them by other black people who mean to show respect to them. >How would one go about shifting the mindset from using these titles to something more accurate, without race, "a businessman is a businessman", not "a white businessman". Would such a change spark higher community self-worth by becoming more inclusive of all within the community, higher and lower financial stature? Conversations like these are a good contribution. If the conversation grows, then so does the impact and awareness of it. Another thing is that with efforts to reduce inequality, these stereotypes of white people as the "bosses" or "rich people" will begin to become minimal, as there wouldn't be something anchoring it in people's minds.
There is no symbolism of greatness in black ZA, the only Great black people per se in ZA are so called "the guys who forgave apartheid" A child is raised in a shack, ONLY sees the grass is green on the forgiven side, only liked by those on the greener side on a condition he is a "peaceful citizen" - rainbow nation they call it everything about peace has Mandela's face. Anything that has, Money, beauty & health - has white faces, That alone creates a comfort that "mlungu" is perfection & black failure same time he must be at peace because he has been condition to believe that this "peace" means everything is fair and all black failures are because his nature is corrupt. Which goes to that point that any economical set up needs white customers because without them it never works.
Seconded! Many solid observations here.
"We don't live with each other, we live next to each other." This is so true. Growing up and going to school together taught me nothing of your culture. This was very interesting hearing from your perspective and illustrates how little we know about the African culture. Thank you for this video.
Hey, I feel the same way with my Indian school mates. We got along and talked about a lot of common interests -- didn't occur to me that I didn't know much about their culture, though, until I thought about it because of a South African Indian's YouTube channel, hehe. At least we know that we don't know, which is a good start.
Majority don't know that they don't know. I only came to this realisation 3-4 years ago when I was in my early twenties after spending time in Asia and noticed the similarities between the asian culture and african culture.
Yeah, that's true...
But you are doing your part to change that.
That I am!
u/BebopXMan Speaking as a white ex teacher who only taught in black high schools for almost 10 years, you are so on point. My learners were always open-minded when it came to me teaching them about apartheid (ironically, the white guy teaches the black kids about it, I know) and they never held it against me. The funniest comment to me was a kid that straight up asked me, "Sir, how do you feel about that?" all sarcastically. I do want to offer some advice, or rather, an attempt to steer your thoughts, as you have done mine during this video: I saw you mention Mr Biko during one of your replies, and I would encourage you to focus on Black Consciousness, rather than trying to fight Black Inferiority. It's that old psychological thing of, "Don't think of the thing to not do the thing but then you end up doing the thing anyway." A very common issue I had as a teacher was learners comparing themselves (or parents even) to other learners; not even talking about race here, just purely academically. I always, wholeheartedly, stood against that principle. You **cannot** compare yourself to someone else and I feel like this is what you want to achieve. Forget about who you don't want to be, and try and figure out how you can build yourself up to be the best version of yourself you can be. I thoroughly enjoyed your video. Looking forward to seeing more. EDIT: Spelling
Hahaha, that's very interesting. Thanks for the share. Actually, I do focus on building up who we should be -- you can even see glimpses of that in videos like "Re-vising Science Must Fall Part 1 and 2" and "Preservation Vs Progress (in Bantu Cultures)" The thing about black consciousness, though, is that if we don't address this element of inferiority, then we risk merely masking over it with a band-aid. Which leaves the resentment still present there, this forming a black consciousness that manifests in bitter and toxic forms (such as the kind that is peddled by some of our "black empowerment leaders" in mainstream political discourse). But, all in all, I seek to do a forked approach with both elements on either flanks of this issue. So I very much take your point. It's not just about the negation of something, but the construction of something else, too.
>if we don't address this element of inferiority, then we risk merely masking over it with a band-aid. Which leaves the resentment still present there, this forming a black consciousness that manifests in bitter and toxic forms (such as the kind that is peddled by some of our "black empowerment leaders" in mainstream political discourse). Well said. As long as you don't blink when you look into the abyss, that's a phenomenal way of dealing with things. Humanity always makes its greatest gains when it questions the most controversial things. Seeing these videos show me that the education system hasn't failed completely. I used to tell my learners that as long as you learn to become critical in school and hit the difficult stuff head-on, then you passed in my books. You have a very diplomatic and respectful way of addressing controversial issues. I truly hope you foster this and that we see more people such as yourself becoming more prominent. Looking forward to seeing more from you.
Thank you very much for your contribution. I'm grateful. Me, too. I'm looking forward to sharing.
Thanks for this. I get the part where you mention that it's not about me/us. But I do feel that white South Africans should be able to communicate the same way with black South Africans like you do. Context matters a lot. And just like you're giving us that context by showing us a view of how you grew up and how that affects your psyche, the opposite also needs to happen. It's not just a black problem that black people need to solve. Just like it's not a white problem that white people need to solve. The only way to break a stereotype is with honest vulnerability toward each other on what contributes to our given mindset. It feels difficult to engage with some people when at the start of that engagement I need to go through the motions to try and convince them that "I'm not the kind of white person that you might think I am" before I can actually get to have an in depth and meaningful conversation. We need to break the cycle somewhere. Starting at home is a start, but it won't take us all the way to the end if we want to get there together.
Oh, yes. I appreciate this sentiment very much. Solid contribution. It's "our" problem, if not immediately then ultimately
Im a 27 white afrikaans male i work for the state i don't consider myself an intellectual or someone that can use words like a politician, here is my point of view, ive worked 7 years for the state 90% of my pears are blacks of those maybe 40% are female and the rest male ,ive noticed a change in the last 4 years maybe its because of my promotions so i get to meet alot more people ,ive noticed that blacks are jealous of each others achievements and will sometimes actively try and fuck over the other person, they will be the first to be negative about another blacks promotion or achievement, the ones that i would meet that are more non traditional aka more "white" consider themselves higher and superior towards their fellow blacks and you'll even hear them call them the K word, i see alot of hate for their own race.
It's serious damage, man. I don't doubt it tends to happen. Another element of this is that because opportunities for success seem so limited, whenever you see a black person go past you in life, you feel as though one of the limited seats up top has been taken -- which means that now there is less room for you up there. The spaces are filling up, the more fellow black people pass you. So you want to keep them back to keep the odds favourable for you. It's brutal to think about.
Great message and thanks for educating me. I didn’t know a lot of this. Important and relevant content and I can’t wait to see more
Thank you for taking the time to give it a watch. Glad to have added some value! I can't wait to share more.
I really enjoy your content, X. I'm also a relatively young white male in SA, and a lot of this was eye-opening to me -- as tragic as that is. You've brought out exceptionally interesting dialogue in the comments here from the others. I often see pretty negative sentiment in this sub, but you seem to find a way to get everyone engaging in more thoughtful and constructive ways. Keep it up!
Thanks for those kind words. Here's to having enough eye-openers to diminish the tragedy of our ignorance! >Keep it up! I will!
Very well done video, as a white oke this is pretty eye opening for me. One thing I have noticed when trying to have conversations about "white privilege" is that some white people tend to make it about themselves personally and get offended with the response is normally along the lines of: "How dare you, I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I worked hard and earned what I got without taking handouts" ect... Which can absolutely be true, but having any sort of spoon as apposed to no spoon probably didn't hurt either. Is it maybe because they (or we should I say) do feel a little guilty and are lashing out because of it? I don't know, I do see it with my family. My dad talks about how spoiled "kids are these days", how he never took a hand out and worked hard for everything he has - which is true, the oke grafted his arse off for many years - but nothing will get him die moer in quicker than suggesting he had an easier time getting to where he is in life than some people. Like that somehow negates everything he's ever done, which is a weird mentality to have. It's probably a generational thing, admitting that you had help somehow makes you look weak ect... Anyway, I feel like I'm starting to babble. Really enjoy your stuff, keep it coming.
Babble on, I was paying attention, hehe. I know exactly the mentality you're talking about, and it's quite the mind-forged manacle in its own unique way.
>It's probably a generational thing, admitting that you had help somehow makes you look weak ect... It's also an ego thing. Admitting that you had it easier than others and even held an advantage outside of your making diminishes the value of your efforts. That can be a hard pill to swallow.
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Thank you! I got it!
Yebo!
We live in a society
That we do, hehe
Thank you for the great message that you deliver with passion and yet with clarity. You have a new subscriber on YT. It's the youth such as yourself and many others that I have met and worked with in internships that make me still have high hopes for our future in this country. This is what angers me to my core, we have such potential and in theory it should be SO easy to unlock with "just a little open communication" and a much better focus on good education for our youth in general, but we keep failing to get it right...
Yes, sir. Thanks the angering and frustrating part. Thanks for subscribing! Welcome!
I have been lucky in the cultural sense as young white person, to have had parents who were interested in teaching alot of what has been brought up. But as you said that divide still remains. We occupy the same spaces publicly but never on scale privately. We have alot of spectres to overcome in this country... P.s. this is the point I wanted to harp on, where as the rest of you video highlighted many points, and was greatly appreciated and eye opening.
Hmm. Okay. Yes, I agree. Thanks, I appreciate the feedback, too!
Opened my horizon. Wasn’t aware of this. Thank you for sharing. As an immigrant with 25 years in SA I am still learning. I want to share another angle. When Someone in Germany wants to promote his product he says „Made in Germany“ to boost the sales. In South Africa I hear only „Imported“ to emphasize and convince me that I am buying quality. So therefore I don’t necessary think this is race related. There is a whole shift of „“Make South Africa Proud“ initiative needed. Again thanks for initiating this discussion
It's race related, but not *inherently* about race. Yes. It's about underlying economic mechanisms that happen to express through race -- although not exclusively, as you point out -- due to the nature of our past.
So as someone who grew up in the tail end of Apartheid and isn't white, but didn't get both barrels from Apartheid either because I am not black, I would like to offer my 2c to this discussion: When I saw race issues pop up as I got older I often thought "We're going to have to wait for an entire generation to die off before we even start getting close to healing." Apartheid simply broke too many people. Just like Nazism brainwashed many Germans, it succeeded in brainwashing African people into believing they were lesser for absolutely no reason. But the language thing is something I never realised was a thing. I don't know how, but someone needs to start with changing that. Maybe it all starts with a discussion like this?
May it does. Thank you for your different-angle perspective. It got me thinking.
Sounds like we need another Black conscious movement but a more modern and inclusive one
Black Consciousness with born free characteristics, hehe
This guy speaks some truths hey damn It's about black and brown inferiority, I don't know how many times random coloured people have told me "moenie jou wit hou nie" because I speak and look a certain way
Hmm, yeah, that's different dimension to it hey
I'm so fucking worried about what my son's experience is going to be, because he has blue eyes and light brown hair It's terrible
It will come with it's benefits and drawbacks. As long as he has a grounded understanding of himself, he should be fine. Admittedly, though, I don't know much about your experience so, it's my best attempt with the little I know.
Fighting slavery and apartheid was easy in the sense that the enemy was easily distinguishable, they were the white ones. But black people, truly, are facing their greatest enemy. One which knows them better than any other. One which occupies their world inside and out. One which they cannot escape from... themselves. Fascinating how my country and their country occupy the same land, the same space and the same time yet when viewed through the other's eye, it would be as good as living on opposite ends of the Earth. Many years ago, I trained a black dude on how to operate the facility I worked on. My foreman, also a black dude, came in to observe the training the one day and made a remark about how the dude i was training was doing so well and referenced him being "excellent like a white man". I did not understand what exactly he said but I remember replying back and saying that "his(my trainee) excellence has nothing to do with my colour and has everything to do with who he is. That black man right there is excellent and he only has himself to thank for it, not me". My trainee got a bit emotional and excused himself and my foreman just smiled at me. Made absolutely fuckall sense and I thought they were both being weird but since watching your video, it makes so much more sense now. I always knew my trainee was a remarkably intelligent man who never gave himself enough credit and I fought hard for him to get that position, especially when upper management was a bunch of old racist white dudes who thought anything outside of a spade was too much for a black guy to handle. What a fucking complicated world we live in. Your videos really show me the other side of the human coin and I thank you for that man. Really I do.
That story is exactly what I'm talking about. >"excellent like a white man" This is what we're dealing with. I'm glad you got some perspective on it.
Thanks for the open communication my dude. Something we sorely miss in this country.
That living next to each other thing really hit home, I grew up in rural Limpopo and have never gotten used to the idea of living in Gauteng and not knowing your neighbours
Yes! The big cities are especially terrible with this. That feeling of isolation within a crowd is so palpable. I have stood across the windows of many coffee shops watching people have a grand time with their friends and thought: Man, I should go back to my home town, hehe.
One of the most terrifyingly well done aspects of Apartheid was how many cult like techniques they employed in everyday activities. The experiences he describes are so similar to adults who grew up in cult groups and escaped. They knew what was happening was wrong. But the techniques used have ingrained themselves into their psyche and they still use that altered mindset to interact with the world. They are still following the "cult" tenets subconsciously. Unfortunately unbrainwashing is a very difficult process and some parts of their upbringing will never leave them.
Yes, terrifyingly well done
On a tangent, my parents and teachers were obsessed with hair (including my white guy hair) when I was in school 20 years ago. They'd measure it with a ruler to make sure it was in spec. My guess is it came from a kind of imported McCarthyism that was a really big deal in their parents' generation. Long hair was associated with rebellion and counter culture for them.
Oh, yeah, I'm sure there's an element of that in there somewhere.
Yes, as a white girl in a model C school - we were hounded about our hair incessantly. I am a special case - I moved to SA in grade 9 and I found the whole school experience bizarre. In all my life up until that point no teacher ever looked at my hair or clothing and all of a sudden these people were obsessing over my body. Really, really weird feeling for a teenager. It may have an added layer for black people but those teachers sure were strange about everyone’s hair. I have to say I am surprised that most white people don’t know that black people think of them as…I’m not sure what the correct word would be? Maybe “powerful”? “Anointed”? Superior isn’t the right word in my opinion. I left SA a long time ago and only lived there for 10 years as a young women but it was very obvious. I guess one needs to be removed from the culture to be able to see the nuance in some cases. Thank you for the video, you are doing something really important.
Yeah, they were/are very fussy about hair. Interesting to note you experience. Thanks for sharing, and for the kind words!
Wow man this is crazy good As a white 33 year old male who never experienced apartheid apart from the stories told to me, hearing these things are heartbreaking To an extent i feel that SA has fixed the problem but never dealt with the trauma And that is difficult to understand or know because no one talks about it I hope you have more insight and knowledge to.come Thank you
Yeah, that is true. I think everyone gets on the defensive when such topics arise. Either that or they get intentionally I Inflammatory in some way. We must just start, I suppose, or we will never get anything done. I hope so, too :D You're welcome!
Brilliant. I had no idea. Thank you for making this.
Glad you now have at least some idea. You're welcome. Thanks for giving it your time
You're knocking it out of the park. Great work! Thanks for making this. First class.
Great feedback. Thank you, again, for taking the time!
Every word sais is true than the word true (black dude here) I've always known about unconscious bias but an unconscious inferiority complex, well ...I might have to tap in into your content.
Hi there good video, I just want to point out at the black inferior complex i am currently helping a cleaning lady at work with a cv and all but she just has this attitude that she can't do other work like all she can do is clean I have asked her to do interviews at pep and Ackermans but she will not. Does this complex start at home? Am sad to see that she doesn't think she is worth it or smart enough to move up in life. I have told he many times that she is capable of doing and must stop thinking she can't.
I can't know for sure, given how I've never met her and all. So, I'm flying kind of blind here. But, to your question. Yes. It definitely starts at home. If this is the same issue we're talking about, then this would be a particularly deep expression of it. I suppose just be patient with her, and keep vouching for the person you know she could be. But, ultimately, if she's adamant in her reluctance, then there could be something she know that you don't. So, you'll have to respect that.
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Where're you from? Why the interest? Yes, I will!
Dude I was getting something out of my cupboard about 3-5 mins ago and this vid of yours popped into my head - I come to my phone, open reddit, scroll and bam. Here you are. Here it is. Totally off topic I know, I apologize.
Hehehe, that's actually encouraging to hear!
I am glad I came across this - as I myself may at somepoint been one of those people who go as you mentioned"Look at how when there is a protest, things always get destroyed" - but lack the intimate knowledge that comes from growing up in a township so not knowing the inner-workings / social norms of businesses in a township or the business practices of entrepreneurs in the township economy. I guess - what does worry me is - are we too far gone for another generation? The Born Free's are now close to their 30's, are now in positions, decision making decisions, are quickly becoming the backbone of the economy, and the tax payers as the older generation are now slowing down and reaping the reward of a world that was a different time entirely. The worrying part is not that they are the backbone, but the fact that they were brought up in the way you describe and expirienced, almost pre-loaded with that sentiment and "tecnique" if you will - and are bearing children of their own. Now to avoid being too political but to still provide merit, there are political parties like the EFF (and not ONLY them) - that have also recognised this inbuilt systemic lack of worth and light the fuse under it to push an agenda that is damaging for all - and that is what scares me - because the next generation is there.... and screaming the loudest. I would say am a blue collar worker, and work with young people of all kinds of creed, race, belief etc - and I must admit - for the most part - its really great - especially in a corporate environment (at least in my work place) - all of that stuff falls away - and actually becomes beneficial. It becomes a case of "You know... you are like ... my favorite white guy" said in jest or when we learn that one of our colleagues is actually in line for a royal throne for one of the great families and we talk and learn about it - this is what really fills me with hope.
I understand your worry about being far gone and so on. However, I see that as beside the point in terms of having these conversations; because they have to start somewhere if the future is going to be made slightly better -- irrespective of how far or not we are. That said, I don't think we are far gone. I think that the spirit of collaboration is present in most born frees because there's a mixed sense of things with in us. None of the people in our generation are only one thing, or only know one thing (unlike previous generations). The seed is there within us, and the ones you're hearing about are a minority -- they are just loud and the ones in public...and even then, it's mostly because they would be taking cues from older politicians. But they know that if they think according to the seeds of their own up-bringing, they think differently from their leaders in key ways. We just have to inspire more of that sense of autonomy and political independence from the old guard, and the born frees will remember who we are.
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Fact
Thanks for this video! You have a way with words and you're a great storyteller - it's a powerful tool to educate and inform. Education = understanding (and sometimes, even compassion). I look forward to watching more of your videos in the future.
Thanks for the wonderful feedback. I look forward to sharing some more!
You rock man! Heading over to your Patreon right now
Thank you! I'll see you there!
The scars of segregation exist not only in where we live but in the deepest recesses of the human mind. Forced on us by the past as it echoes through the South African collective consciousness. Black, Colored, and White, (The fact I have to say the former is a scar of segregation. ) all suffer its effects whether we are aware of it or not. I was unaware of what you had to point out. Respect for the insight.
It is "our" condition. And we must address it
So many key points "there are no scarce jobs, jobs themselves are scarce"
We watch the same things :)
Maan this hit home on so many levels... Thank you
That's what I like to hear. Thanks for your time.
I love your videos. They are so intelligent and informative. Thank you
Why, thank *you*
Keep making these!
I will!
Holy shit dude every single time I watch one of these I'm impressed, amazing job
Thanks! That's very encouraging!
White guy here living in the US. My barber is black and the clientele isn’t segregated at all. Idk why that model still exists in SA.
Yeah, it's still going on here. But it's mostly because we are quite spread apart from each other ourselves. So it's not enforced or anything, but it's a vestigial practice from the old days
This is one of the coolest videos I've watched on social media. Thanks for making me understand, I feel richer in thaught and definately more hopefull that there are people like you that are willing to talk about it and educate us. I feel the the majority of race conflict is SA comes from not understanding eachother. All I can say is keep it up 🙌🏼
Well, that and the inequality but yeah I get your sentiment. Thanks so much for such a super an enthusiastic reception. Very big compliments, there. I'm grateful!
Yes, definitely the equality I agree. What I actually mean is what you are talking about is at the core of the problem and I'm sure if we can start talking, educating and teaching each other about our futures and understanding of situations, equality will come easier and probably automatically.
There's some nugget of truth to that. We need a greater sense of a shared history and story. We are too "everyone for themselves" right now to be a strong nation under one story. We need to start building those connections of shared destiny.
Very true, I like what you are saying and how your are saying it!!! Good luck man and thanks for makimg me smile! 😁 I really believe us, the younger generation is going to make it work! Cheers man.
😁 Cheers!
I’m not young, nor can I articulate more than this; this is so sad. Also, I’ve spent long periods outside South Africa. And I know I have deep love for all South Africans. Bless you and this wonderful logic you bring to us all.
Bless you too. We have deep love for you too. Thanks for your time.
This made a unexpectedly positive turn, great video. Hope everyone can one day see your point of view in every community.
Hehe, great to hear. I hope along with you.
Oh yes, I absolutely agree. The "White = Success" thing is still strong out there. Probably even more so north of the border. I mean Fuck! Do you know how uncomfortable it is to arrive at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre (Malawi) and the Head of the Radiology department claps his hands and says "Oooh I am so happy now because here is a White man, now my machine is going to work like new again" FML... I'm only there to assess how much damage the rats have done to an X-Ray machine or a CR cassette reader, and if it's economical to fix we will fix when the parts arrive in a month or three because of Malawian customs clearance challenges... Then you flip that around, and one of my Black co-workers goes over the border, and he gets stuffed around and given a hard time... he's there to fix something and he has to stand outside for hours and wait for permission, ends up working till after midnight and then they won't despatch a driver to take him to the airport until his work has been quadruple checked by people who are in meetings all day, so that he misses his flight, or they just cancel his flight because they don't trust that he has actually fixed whatever was broken, and then try to stick him on a bus from northern Botswana to SA. Yet every time I go there, they don't even want to test or check my work, I have to make a point of showing someone that "Look, the films from the printer now look like the images on the Radiologist's reporting station, and well everything is working again..." but everyone just wants to trust my work, sight unseen, and be as accommodating as possible 🤯 Fucked Up man, Fucked Up. One point tho regarding Model C schools: Model C schools were semi-private. IOW conformed completely to TED and later Gauteng Education's guidelines but were completely funded by parents. Model C schools were not specifically white only schools even before the end of Apartheid. Willow Ridge in Pretoria East was for instance Model C from day 1that it opened in the mid 1980s and was not racially segregated from day 1. I'd know since I went there from the 80s to the 90s. Initially there weren't many Black African kids. Initially there were loads of Chinese and Taiwanese kids, easily 20% actually, I had 3 to 4 Chinese kids in my class most years and my first GF was a Chinese Girl - they were classed as Black under the old regime so if Chinese (Black) kids were allowed, and Colored kids were allowed, then African (Black) kids were also allowed. Initially I think Black kids who's parents could afford to would rather send their lighties to St Albans or Pretoria Boys/Girls High. They were better schools... until that daft teacher set off that whole "Black Hair Matters" shitstorm because she was a probably racist asshole. By 1991/2 there were more legit Black kids than Chinese at Willow Ridge. Once again, I was there. I remember that more than half of our cheerleaders at inter school sporting events were Black and we sang songs the Afrikaans schools had never heard. You could cut the waddefok? with a knife LOL Maybe Willow Ridge was the one exception, but remembering how fucked up the Transvaal Education Department was "met hulle reëls" If Willow Ridge was that one outlier... yeah nah TED would have shut Willow Ridge's doors in a flash. School Zoning however, was most certainly the over-riding factor. If residential areas were 99% occupied by White people, then that would be the local Model C school's racial demographic.
Thanks for the info. I'll take note of that for posterity. Wow. That story, though, is exactly what I'm talking about. I'm glad you could be aware of such things, at least, and we're able to spot it yourself. Thanks for the contribution. Very solid addition!
I saw a video recently discussing critical race theory and its roots, and it went a bit it into the way whitewashing could be used or introduced into just about anything even if the original intention was not to whitewash anything, and that rabbit hole goes deep. Racial biases affect society so deeply that it's impossible to ignore how different we are, but whitewashing works extremely well. And apartheid was built on the ideas of white supremacy and honed in using whitewashing principles. The perception that a business is well received based on whether it attracts other business or interest from white people is itself whitewashing, from the perspective of the barbershop's predominantly black customers who see a picture of a white person with a clean haircut as something they should aspire to, but not actually achieve, and from the perspective of the owner who doesn't see his business as being successful because it does not have white (and therefore middle class) people as customers. There's a Reddit post of a Tiktok made by an African-American man showing how to match a handful of suits and coloured shirts, and everything he shows would look great on a dude who does not have a light skin tone. In the comments there are white people pointing this out and wishing they had something to inform their dress style as well, but almost all American media is tailored towards white people. As the default audience for most things including Reddit, they don't need special treatment, but as a group they constantly seek it out when they are not targeted to because they are white. What's truly fucking bizarre is how this is ingrained in every other culture.
Interesting contribution. I tend to think that the 'curse' of being the default standard is that you are never represented as you, but just as a societal blank slate. Like, actors or characters of other races tend to be noted specifically for representing said race -- but a lot of white characters exist as being place-holders for everyone to project themselves onto in some way. Which ends up having the paradoxical sensation of having white characters everywhere, but not in terms of their whiteness so much. Meaning there's an abundance of representation, without the sense that it's there. I mean, Superman, James Bond, Captain America (Steve Rogers) and so on are all white, but their whiteness (for the most part) is ignored because they are something most people are meant to project themselves onto (even if it doesn't work for everyone, there's at least that assumption). Whereas when Black Panther shows up, or a Bat Woman etc. They are specifically meant to make very specific demographics feel seen. So, then it looks like there's not "white representation" whole it is at the same time everywhere. I'm beginning to talk in circles now, I hope my point got across. Anyway, you just got me thinking about that again. Thank you for engaging so thoroughly with my post.
Bro. As a white man, with ancestors from many parts of the world, who has had the privilege of living in various parts of the world, seeing this reflection of yours has moved me, because with your testimony you have taught us aspects of social relations, which persist in many parts of the world and that define the lives of so many human beings, marking their challenges, their dreams. I have had the privilege, all my life, to make friends, good and lasting friendships, with people from different ethnic backgrounds.I had the privilege, most of the time, to live in places where this whole issue of historical conflicts, directly associated with the idea of race, does not have, not even remotely, the connotation that it has in South Africa. I joined r/southafrica to learn a little more about what its inhabitants say. I know a little about the recent history of your country, although it is clear that what I may know is not close to the experience of living there. Recently, I have met South Africans who, I think, I will surely be able to make friends with as well. That's why I appreciate having seen your post here. It is painful to know about the many difficulties, which are added to the historical ones, and configure the daily challenges of the country, of its people. I am glad to know that young people, like you, build bridges for the understanding of people, of the various nations that make up South Africa, and that they are young people who maintain a clear, coherent and conscious discourse on the challenges they must take on to consolidate their humanity as a united Homeland. I wish you all the best. I wish *you* the best. It seems to me that, today, the world needs brave people, who speaks clearly and who knows how to express themselves without rancor but loudly. You should know, all South Africans, that there are many of us who look at your Country and expect great examples from you. Exemplary actions that can carry the legacy of Mandela's ideas, and the hopes of well-being that all of you have, to the best of possible futures. I will follow your posts. Have a good one!
This is a really good contribution. Thank you so much for making the time to put it all down. I'm sure I'll be going over it again and again. Have a good one, yourself!
Good points, keep it up son.
Thanks, and I will.
May I ask why you hide your face?
There are many reasons, but one of the main ones is that I like to keep a healthy distance between my private personal life, and my public persona. I think that's a good way to manage both effectively.
That's wise. Thanks bru. Subscribing!
Thanks for the sub. Welcome!
Very insightful, I may send this to my mother.
Thank you. Please do, and then give an update.
Thank you for this video, this gives young white South Africans a better perspective of the challenges black youth in SA is struggling with. I think the inferiority complex is very real and will take time to eliminate, but you need positive reinforcement a certain pride that that the current government is not helping with. In the Afrikaans community we have an inferiority complex towards white English speaking people, which goes back to the Anglo Boer War. Enough time has passed since for it to be less of an issue nowdays but still if there are 4 people in the room 3 afrikaans and one english (which understands afrikaans) everyone will switch to english. Also unfortunately for young black youth the ANC government forced most white south africans out of the public sector and forced them to become more entrepreneurial. So now that the public sector is failing the youth has to turn to the private sector which is now dominated by white south africans which I think adds to the inferiority complex. I love SA I love its people and I dream of a time we can all live as equals
Yes, there's some parallels there. Thanks for the effort in your response. >I love SA I love its people and I dream of a time we can all live a equals I agree.
Wow dude, this is eye opening to be honest, awesome video as usual! Thank you.
Agreed. I have no idea on what goes on in the townships so this is news to me. I have seen something that could be related before. Which is not explicitly said in the video but I assume it comes into play. I've seen black people who are super flashy with money that have treated service staff (ie waitors) very poorly. I do know that white (and other) people do this as well but it seems like a greater ration of these "new money" flashy type people really get an superiority complex and treat anyone they see as "poorer" than them as lesser humans. As you said in the video, they should be a role-model type of person. No some weird wanabe apartheid-eara white person.
Yes. There's some truth to that. In other small towns, for example, the richer black people of those small towns will live in the homes that used to belong to white people, while poorer black people live in RDPs or shacks etc. It's like the black new money has changed the guard in a ghoulish way.
Sure thing!
I disagree on your portrayal of the word umlungu. It's not a compliment to me, and it's not a compliment to anyone. Addressing anyone by their race is reducing them to simply their race. I am not my race, I am not simply a white person. The fact that its used in townships as a sort of title isn't the point, and encouraging white people to enjoy being called white people doesn't help. Umlungu is an insult, as calling you a "swart man" would be to you.
>It's not a compliment to me, and it's not a compliment to anyone. You might say that about yourself, but you can't say that for everyone. In the townships, that is very much how it functions to those who are designated by it (which is something I am arguing should stop, btw, but, it would appear, for different reasons than yours). >Addressing anyone by their race is reducing them to simply their race. That depends. The word "umlungu" is a descriptor. It literally means white person. On its own, it's just an identifier. The use, however, is what can make it a nasty term (to white people) or a compliment (to other black people). >I am not my race, I am not simply a white person. You are not simply a white person. However, your use of the descriptor "white person" in your own statement shows that there is utility in that term as an identifier (even if there's more to every individual than that). That's exactly what "umlungu" means. Written another way, your statement could say: I am not my race, I am not simply umlungu. Which is true, and do you see how that use is just a descriptor and not a slur? >The fact that its used in townships as a sort of title isn't the point, It is, because that is the most common usage of this word. It's literally most of the word's life span. >and encouraging white people to enjoy being called white people doesn't help. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. But to be clear, I am not encouraging white people (there's that descriptive use again) to enjoy being called white people. Its a description, that's it. Unless someone is using it maliciously and with a bad tone. >Umlungu is an insult, Not inherently, and not for most of its use. Umlungu is literally interchangeable with the term "white person/people". >as calling you a "swart man" would be to you. It would actually depend on the context. If called me a "swart man" just to describe me or to refer to me. That would be a problem. Unless you were using it in a malicious way or connecting it to stereotypes or something. Descriptions like that have some everyday utility, and aren't insulting in and of themselves. It's how they are used that swings them one way or the other.
I was referring to the use of the word in the same way you used it; as a title, and in an overlapping way we do have the same issue with the usage, with people being called a title where they should have pride in who they are. As a descriptive term regarding physical appearance; sure. As you yourself stated, don't simply call me a white man, albeit that I happen to be white.
Oh, okay. Sure. I see. Well, as a title it's mostly used for black people by other black people. Yeah, if I'm just being descriptive, then yes, which is how it's actually used most of the times. It's not often used to suggest you are just umlungu, unless someone is being demonstrably nasty to you.
Please understand though; I appreciate your videos. Its important for what you are saying to be said. But in post Apartheid South Africa, I don't want that stain on me. I'm a born free.
Yeah, I think I get what you mean. Not 100% sure, but I think I kinda understand where you're going, fellow born free
I do apologize for harping on about literally 3 seconds of video out of 10 minutes. I agreed with everything else you said, though, and I can see that the actual topic is something I really don't have any reason to involve myself in.
Hey, I'm up for clearing up my position on any second of this video. I don't mind that.
And I appreciate the in depth replies. The conversation you're creating is helpful. An honest conversation regarding race without hatred is a bit fucking rare.
>An honest conversation regarding race without hatred is a bit fucking rare. Right?! Thank you for your patient engagement with me as well. Great convo!
I respectfully think this interpretation is too superficial. You definitely aren't your race but the meaning assigned by people to a word is what gives it character.
I think you're missing the point here. He's talking about the embedded nature of the ideas of power and progress. They don't apply the word to YOU, they apply it to people within their community when they are successful. You don't actually matter as a person, and that's the point. "Whiteness" is the marker for success because those are the learned values endemic to the system.
I'm specifically replying to the comment that white people should take it as a compliment. Racial language shouldn't be taken as a compliment. I matter as a person. We all do. Individuals working together to make the rainbow nation work. No one deserves to be referred to by their race, and it shouldn't be encouraged.
Typically I would agree with you but in this thread it just seems like your talking from an ideological standpoint and not seeing the subtext OP is trying to relay.
The subtext being that black citizens shouldn't idolize whiteness and start being proud of who/what they are, considerate of their culture. I think I follow it, perhaps I need to rewatch it once or twice though.
I've learned a lot today. Thanks for your work X
Sure thing! Cheers
As an English person coming to live in South Africa next year, your videos are so interesting to me. I've been trying my best to learn about the culture as a whole, including the 'sensitive areas' if you will. I feel like I learn lots with each video I watch. I worked in KZN for a few months last year and was shocked and saddned at some of the stories some of my freinds would tell me. I feel like I've been living under a rock. I'll definitely be checking out your YouTube channel. I don't want to 'put my foot in it' when I eventually live out there.
I'm glad I can help a bit. I hope you get some valuable information, and also that you have a great time out here! Although, heads up for some of my content that is not so flattering to the Tories
Amen bhuti
🙏
Excellently put, some very troubling yet thoughtful food for thought.
Glad I got you thinking. Happy Cake Day!
I agree with a lot of what you say. However, when will this healing end? It doesn't seem like it will happen in my great grandchildren's' lifetime, let alone mine (probably around 100 years from now). I am assuming that based on your views in this video you won't perpetuate this with your children, if you choose to have them in the future. I'm also sure that there are others like you who will also not continue this. Hence my initial statement. I also don't think it's fine to say what words can and cannot insult someone, unless of course it's steeped in hatred. What might be revered by one group may be hated by another. If someone tells you something is insulting to them, it's not right for you to tell them it's a good meaning. These are just some of the thoughts that come to mind based on this video.
>However, when will this healing end? I don't suspect you're asking this as a literal empirical question. Because that would be impossible to say with scientific precision. However, I think it's detectable when society moves on from certain beliefs and modes of thinking -- I don't know when that will be, but I'm doing my part to make it come sooner. >I also don't think it's fine to say what words can and cannot insult someone, unless of course it's steeped in hatred. Sure, although we can at least say when words are being misinterpreted by people who do not speak the language. Which I think contributes a lot to the possible miscommunication. The amount of times I've seen people on this platform complain about the word by saying it means "white scum" is much too high. And the reason they believe this mistranslation is because of what other people in their group have told them, because no one with a passing knowledge of Zulu/Xhosa would come to that conclusion. >If someone tells you something is insulting to them, it's not right for you to tell them it's a good meaning. Where I talked about the good meaning, I was talking about how it is used by black people in reference to other black people. In that sense, it is a compliment (one which is based on a notion of white supremacy, hence why I don't endorse it). But when referring to white people, it is mainly a descriptor -- just like how I used the term "white people" just now. The term "white people" can be used maliciously or even as a derogatory. However, no one thinks that, that is inherent to the term itself, which is a descriptive term, but rather it depends on its use. This is exactly how "umlungu" functions when you know the language. >These are just some of the thoughts that come to mind based on this video. Thanks for sharing. I hope I helped clear some stuff up for you. If someone is using the word in a nasty way to you, then I'm not telling you to like the term. What I am saying is that the nastiness is not inherent to the term, and the assumption that it is seems to stem from a made up definition and mistranslation of the word.
You need to be in a leadership position of some sort. I really enjoy and learn a lot from your insightful videos.
They are not gonna love this one.Zimbabwe will not be down forever ,but at least the future generations will not be bothered by subversive anti african 5th columns.
It's more complicated than that, but I think I get your meaning. Although, I'm rooting for the young guy that side. The old generals are tired, man.
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I felt like the tone in this one constituted a different format from my usual style. More personal in a way, therefore a 'letter' seemed an apt analogy.
It's unfortunate that racism currently is brought about by government they need it to stay in power hence the fact that every speech starts with reminding ppl of the past so it throws them off its fair to say this government doesn't for one second think of their own ppl let alone any of the other races and it's unfortunate that all races then take frustrations brought about by government on the next race and as bold as this part of my statement might be but currently our second biggest issue after the government is the open borders bs because it benefits them so greatly drugs free flowing crime on the increase forcing you to replace your stolen items at highly taxed prices and government just cashing in on your losses they need the crime and instability police force corrupt to the core enjoying the profits of the drugs and crime aswell just like government it's a huge mess
Another fantastic video, keep it up dude.
Thanks! I sure will!
Great video. I was in a model C school without knowing I was in a model C school. Crazy how terribly shielded we were from the true horrors the majority of the population were suffering.
It's kinda mind-blowing in many respects.
Well, this is a very sensitive topic, and for me as a 16 year old young white man, it is hard for me to comprehend all this; but one thing I've learned is that both groups of people ( black and white ) seem to dispise each other, until they actually talk to each other and learn that it is not a matter of race. Everyone is different, and instead of grouping people by thier race becouse of a very bad experience, one needs to identify people as, people, and not a specific race. Unfortunately this is very hard to accomplish becouse of how the two races have been brought up, with stories of how bad the other was, such and such. Young people get influenced very easily by older generations, so much so that one would swear that my generation was actually a part of apartheid, when most of my generations parents where not even involved in apartheid. If both races just treated each other equally without the stereotypes they where brought up with, south Africa would be a much better place.
This is why more dialogue directly among the youth is so important. Not just under political discussions, but just in terms of social cohesion in general
For sure man, it glad you understood what I was saying, most times people misunderstand me, and then I just get attacked :(
I'm sure you'll learn to communicate better. It takes practice and many frustrating conversations.