The Breakdown of Society

I have to start by apologizing to my friend Chipo as she had requested that I blog about something else.

So recently there was a video that was sent to me on WhatsApp. As a regular WhatsApp user I didn’t think twice, and downloaded the video onto my phone. I just assumed that it was a joking video that I was sent as that is the norm in the various groups that I am part of on WhatsApp. In fact it turned out to be something that I cannot share on my blog as it may constitute to being some thing (not even borderline) illegal. 

It shows four school kids from here in Zimbabwe, one girl and three boys (and one filming, looking rather intoxicated) and engaging in what I would describe as unacceptable behavior. The girl is being fondled and is semi topless. It is poor behavior ultimately. What makes this worse is that everyone in the video bar one person are under 16. The one who is older than 16 is 18. 

As what happens with most of the things that I blog here, I took this content to the forum where I discuss most of the things that I blog here. The bar. I opened it up and asked what other peoples thoughts were about the video. I must say that all of the responses were the ones that I agreed with bar one.

One individual said that “they are teenagers and that’s how they have fun.” As far as I am concerned that is not the kid of fun that I would want my kids to be having. It can’t be considered a norm for one girl to be drunken and being fondled by three guys. Bare in mind that the video itself does not show what happened throughout the whole outing.

Where were the parents when this happened? Why did the girl agree to go and be left alone with four guys? Was it her idea? There are so many burning questions. It seems as though the moral fiber of this country is slowly but surely unraveling. As far as I am concerned, if the girl (replace girl with child) was engaging in the same behavior at the age of 22-25, then maybe she has decided that is what she wants to do. As far as I am concerned she has made a decision as an adult. Then we go down the road that she is essential made her choice. I doubt that at the age of 15 going on 16 she made an informed decision and decided that this is what she wanted to do.

What is furthermore disturbing is that my cousin takes youths at church. These youths were saying that this has been happening for some time and the only difference is that this particular story has come to light because it was recorded.

So what is the problem? Yes we are in a very weird situation in Zimbabwe. There are some parents who are making bucket loads of money (legally or illegally. That is another story). But providing everything and more that your child wants is not enough. Making sure that your child can drive to school, has money to shop and go out with their friends doesn’t equip them with the moral standing that is necessary to survive. I am not a parent, but I have seen a different sort of generation growing up in this country. A generation of disrespectful kids, who have an entitlement issue worse than any millennial in the first world. Kids who don’t ask for things, but kids who demand.

As hard working as these parents may be, it will result in a generation of uncontrollable and irresponsible adults who don’t know how to actually make it from Monday to Wednesday without demanding a new toy. At the same time they do not appreciate the hard work (legal or illegal) their parents are doing. I shudder to imagine the offspring that they will bring into this world.

It is not a perfect world, but the one ultimate things that we all have to realize is that if we don’t try and protect kids, who will? We can argue that the girl is of no moral standing for letting herself into that situation, that the guys influenced her with alcohol and maybe drugs. Yes sure the boys who were there are of NO moral standing whatsoever. These kinds of situations have to be stopped from every continuing.

If I was a father and I heard about this story, and the girl in the video was my daughters best friend, I know that I would be shook down to my bones. If it was my sons friends who had engaged in these acts, I know that I would have a big problem.

Kids need to be protected at all cost. We are not the future. They are. They will be here long as we are gone.

The most reliable way to predict the future is to create it. The best way to create it is together 

The Home Situation

I would like to start by apologizing for not ranting as regularly as I try and do. Unfortunately my paymasters have decided that work needs to get busier and as a result I have less work time to deal with personal non work related work.

Zimbabwe is very different from a lot of other countries. If you grow up in, say the UK, there is a specific road you travel on. You are born, you go to school, you go to university (if you are fortunate and smart enough. But with the loans that they give out that side you just go to uni) which means you move out of home, and you go home during the holidays (or you don’t depending on where uni is, if you can find a job or if you wanna lengthen the whole “freedom” thing). After uni you then get a job and only go visit your parents when you want to. Some people never go visit their parents coz they will be living their lives.

Here at home, there is a group of us who are still at home, and going on 30. The reason some of us are still at home is maybe because things haven’t properly worked out for us to make it easy for us to move out. Also (these aren’t excuses by the way) since some of us have been home for a shorter time than other (there is also the few who didn’t leave at all), being at home has sort of become easy. It is also  kinda scary to know that unlike some of our/my peers I’m still at home, but also it’s comforting to know that our parents are still willing to help us out. Obviously it’s not forever, and I won’t lie I am eternally grateful. The scary thought is, what is it gonna be like when I am now under my own roof and living to my own rules. I mean my rules will be similar to the ones I have under my parent’s roof, but I will also have to invent my own rules.

It is important to be mindful that being at home with the parents is not a curse, but actually a blessing. It’s nice to see them every morning, to chase them out of their own house on weekends, to be harassed about random things like “I tried to look for something in your room and I got frightened by the mess that was on your bed”.

Part of me doesn’t want to leave but not because its rent free. But I like the old fogies. With my brothers having all left, I like being around them especially since I am the last born. The random conversations they have with each other, and with me, the complaints, the jokes, the insight all make it worth being at home with them. The day is fast approaching when I move out. I know that it’s going to be as hard as it was for my older brother when he made the escape.

FREEDDDDOOOMMM!!!!!

It’s also nice to always know that there is a home for me. I wouldn’t be able to go for years without seeing my parents. I don’t know how some people do it. Where they kinda say “why should I?”. I feel I have to. Its’s important to cherish the old fogies. One day it will be our turn. No chance in hell that I want to be lonely and wondering where my kids are. In life you can be blessed with more than two siblings, dozens of cousins, many aunts and uncles. But you will always only have one mother and one father (not including the other uncles and aunts who also wanna be called mum and dad hehhehe)

Children begin by loving their parents; after a time they judge them; rarely, if ever, do they forgive them – Oscar Wilde

And the winner is….

Rayband Vision

Wedding bells are in the air! My dear brother is getting married soon which is pretty awesome I think. I am very excited for the party that is going to ensue as soon as we leave the church service.

I have always found weddings to be funny occasions. Apart from the two important people on the day, there are also a string of other people who become important. I hope to be one of those with a flower on my suit jacket. If I don’t get given one then I guess I am gonna find a flower from the garden or something!

I have always tried a bit too hard to enjoy myself at weddings. I can’t actually remember a lot of them because I always some how end up pretty twisted. I believe if you go to a wedding you are going to have a good time. So why not. I usually remember as far as being fed, and maybe a few speeches. But the moment the dance floor opens up, the throatial tap is opens up and then the actual drinking starts.

The weddings that I make it to the dance floor end up being the best ones. Those I manage to survive to at least midnight, sometimes beyond. However like the wedding that I went to in Masvegas for my friend. We that was a disaster….

Yeah this was the fun table… before the whiskey

We dubbed our table the fun table, we ate, and then we drank… a lot. I don’t remember much after around 9pm. This particular wedding was a poor showing by me. I am not afraid to admit it. I also would like to add that since I don’t remember doing certain things, I didn’t do them. 

I would like to formally apologise WELL in advance. If you speak to me on Saturday, I will be rather inebriated (at least I hope to be pretty pissed). I hope not to offend anyone, but most definitely the dancing shoes are coming OUT! There isn’t a party like a wedding. Dance you ass off, eat too much, drink too much. Its all good!

The proper basis for marriage is mutual misunderstanding. The happiness of a married man depends on the people he has not married. One should always be in love – that’s the reason one should never marry. – Oscar Wilde