I think most of us can agree that there is something very wrong with
the world today. It is as if the global society has become sick,
driven by the lust, the greed for power and wealth of the “own me”.
Over the last couple of years I’ve seen a decline in the social
fabric that kept societies together. I remember as a child and staying
with my grandparents from time to time that in the afternoon, when they
come home from work they would go and water the garden and have a chat
to the neighbours who were on their way home, or taking an afternoon
stroll.
Everyone knew everyone in the neighbourhood and it gave you a sense of
belonging where kids could play in the street, kicking ball or driving
around on their bicycles under the watchful eye of someone’s parents or
grandparents.
Things have changed however, those people who can afford it put up
huge walls around their properties to ensure the privacy and safety, and
those who can’t just tend to lock themselves in their houses and steer
clear of any interaction with the neighbours. It is as if every
household changed into a mini island state, hell bend on keeping to
itself.
A few weeks ago a very good friend of mine asked her to help her with
a paper that she had to do for school. The topic was Western
Philosophy vs The Spirit of Ubuntu, and one had to do a comparison
between the two.
This is one of the reasons I decided to start a blog, and to touch
on some other aspects which carry great importance for me related to the
state of the global collective of the human race.
In short, The Spirit of Ubuntu says you are who you are because of
your interaction with the community around you, if the community thrives
then you will thrive.
Stanlake J.W.T Samkange defines the three main maxim’s of Ubuntu as follows:
- To be human is to affirm one’s humanity by recognizing the humanity
of others and, on that basis, establish respectful human relations with
them
- If and when one is faced with a decisive choice between wealth and
the preservation of the life of another human being, then one should opt
for the preservation of life
- A ‘principle deeply embedded in traditional African political
philosophy’ says ‘that the king owed his status, including all the
powers associated with it, to the will of the people under him
I firmly believe that the time is right for the human race to evolve
beyond the constraining “I think, therefore I am am” Western Philosophy
which revolves around the interests of the individual towards something
more in line with the Spirit of Ubuntu.
Evolve you might ask? Yes, evolve I say, since it would be
impossible for you to deliver a positive contribution towards your local
community if you do not know yourself.
If more people embrace this philosophy I believe that we can see a
Renaissance of global proportions which would ensure the survival of the
human race as a species and further our own evolution as being who can
actually decide between right and wrong.
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