“The truth is that we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free, the right not to be oppressed. We have not taken the final step of our journey, but the first step on a longer and even more difficult road. For to be free is not merely to cast... Continue Reading →
We Need to Talk About Chris
Just so that nobody misunderstands me, I am going to preface these thoughts by stating that I am nobody’s settler. I regard myself as 100% authentically African. I was born here, my parents were born here; I have known no other home. Nor am I ashamed of my whiteness. Nobody should be ashamed of the... Continue Reading →
Learning to Forgive
It seems that every day brings news of another hate-based crime. As shocking as Paris was, it was certainly nothing new. And as I have done the necessary reflecting, in the wake of each heart-breaking story, I have been struck by the realisation of how much the world needs to understand and practise forgiveness. I... Continue Reading →
Reflections on Paris
After any tragedy, it is right to let the emotional flood subside a bit before thinking about it rationally. Emotional wounds need to be handled emotionally (not intellectually) , and people need to purge themselves of the emotional pain – through tears or anger, for example – before being able to make sense of things.... Continue Reading →
A Patriot Speaks Against His President
This week our president made a jaw-dropping claim: loyalty to the ANC (the ruling party), he glibly remarked, is more important than loyalty to the country. My initial response, after the shock and anger wore off, was a pragmatic one: in the interests of ANC public (local and international) relations somebody should probably tell our... Continue Reading →
Heritage Day: Reflecting on What Matters
I have been told that I am overreacting when I express criticism of how we celebrate Heritage Day (September 24th in South Africa). I truly love the concept of Heritage Day. Knowing how the currents of history have influenced the space in which we find ourselves provides invaluable insight into who we are, both as... Continue Reading →
If There Is Meaning In Life At All…
Do we ever have the right to choose when we die? The issue of assisted suicide is topical in South Africa at the moment. On April 30th this year, Advocate Robin Stransham-Ford died only hours before the court granted his application for state assistance in ending his life, after a prolonged battle with cancer. Health... Continue Reading →
In Memory of Sir Terry Pratchett
It was with great sadness that I learned yesterday of sir Terry Pratchett’s passing away. To quote a friend and colleague of mine, it “felt like losing a close friend”. He was certainly one of the great minds of our time, and was a writer who made me think very deeply about my world and... Continue Reading →
Would the World Be Better Off Without Religion?
Every time an atrocity is committed in the name of religion, it spawns a host of tirades by atheists online, proclaiming that the world would be better off without religion. It has become an argument popularised by the likes of Christopher Hitchens, and it can sound quite persuasive. After all, the history of religion on... Continue Reading →
Too Slow to Anger
The recent shootings in Paris have given rise to a lot of really interesting debate about freedom of speech and legitimate ways to exercise it, as well as about the bias towards European stories, given that the massacre of 2000 people in Nigeria at roughly the same time made significantly less impression in the media.... Continue Reading →
Vapors In The Wind 