When one has a low self image, everybody has better everything than you. Better eyes, hair, legs, feet, face, car, house, job……(fill in the blanks)
Its almost like trying to come up for air when under water, and you manage to just gasp some air for a moment and then you are forced down again, to fight and repeat the process without relief.
I know this because I used to suffer from it myself. I say suffer because that is what it feels like. Everyone else is okay, but I am not, in almost every situation.
South Africans in general (by this I mean the majority) don’t seem to support each other when it comes to ability to do something. I could just direct your attention to our music sales in the country. All music from abroad sells, our artists struggle to survive. Few make it into the full time music industry. The reason?
We do not support our artists because we believe they are not as good as the artists abroad. We believe, somehow that everyone across the ocean is better than what we hear right here. This does not just apply to music, it applies in the film arena, most careers too. Churches there are “better” than here. Anybody with a different accent suddenly gets our attention….
Most young adults simply want to get out of the country and work overseas….. as if that makes it so much more different than working here..
But getting back to the story on top, don’t you think it sounds the same. Its a low self image on a national scale. Everybody is better than us.
I mean let’s be honest, yes our government does some really strange things, they definitely do not know what they doing all the time. But does the States? I am sure if you follow the news then you will know what debt concerns the States has. They do not have it altogether.
The Euro Zone, most certainly do not have it all right either. I can go on and on here. The Australians don’t have it altogether either. All countries have their problems.
We know that, yet somehow we think that they got it so much better there than here. You know the saying “the grass is always greener on the other side” and I am sure you have heard the rebuttal “but the water bill is so much higher there”.
Yes we have high crime stats, yes we have issues in racial areas still, yes our quality of life is not up to standard comparing to the international levels. Yes we have low bars for our education, yes we have lots of areas which are covered by informal settlements….
But our real problem is that we have yet to see our true value. We as a country simply suffer from a poor self image.
How do we fix it? Well how does an individual fix it? Its called a self image, therefore only you can do something about that. Stop believing the lies that we are not good enough.
We have the skills, the capabilities, the intelligence, the passion, the resources, the talent, the character, the ability…. Its just seems we are the last to see it.
So there in a nutshell is my defense for our country.
Just remember, every country presents their best foot forward. They also have their issues. So if you want to leave here because you have issues with how its done here….guess what…. You will have issues there too. Even worse, because you will be the foreigner.
And our music, film and arts industry is quite good. Granted its a small one, but hey, we have to start somewhere don’t we?
What are your thoughts on this?
thehonestone
Good one bru, you’ve really grown in wisdom over the years! Thought provoking.
Thanks.
Thanks, this is inspiring.
I was and I guess till am one of the okes singing the overseas tune. I have many reasons that I can use to justify my thinking and I am sure so can many others. It might not just be political, it may vary, but in general I agree with your thinking. We can make it work here (or anywhere else) if we have the right frame of mind, self esteem 🙂 Mine has changed because I began believing in myself again. I am committed to stay (for the time being lol)
You touched on the exact point I was trying to make. Sometimes people leave here because they stop believing in themselves. I am sorry to say but no country out there can fix that.
Personally I think its time we get our hands dirty and realise that we are all in this together, whether we lie it or not.
Its just a bit harder when they know you so well. Its easier to restart in a new country because no one knows your history. But I meet a lot of foreigners and I assure you, they do not have any less issues than we do. They are not better than us, just different…………
Fantastic post. I have been saying this for a long time. Why leave? This is our home. The only one I have. The one God gave me. Leaving would be like deciding to go and get another family because mine is a bit dysfunctional. That is not right. And definitely not love. No, we stick it out and make it work. That is what builds character. And that is what builds strong families. Character. I trust that as we choose to stay and make things work, that God will build much character into us as a nation, and that we will eventually become strong and full of love, just like a good family should be. Just like the way God designed it to be…