18 Aug

Living in fear. The South African mindset.

Author: GuyMcLaren  |  Category: I say

I was reading Bongis post and I was reminded that we South Africans live in fear. I sometimes wonder how much of the fear is because of propoganda and our own imaginations. I blame the newspapers. I specifically know that local papers like The Lowvelder love painting a picture of the warzone we live in.

Bongi lives near me, He is a surgeon in a nearby hospital as I understand it. I keep threatening to have a beer with him, but we don’t seem to get around to it. But Bongi was driving from Pretoria back to Nelspruit when a wild goat or something jumped in front of his car. Most people in other countries would stop, assess the damage and get some help. Bongi carried on driving because he was afraid of stopping in the dark.

We live in a society where trust is lacking, We live in a society where people break the law because everyone else does. We live in a society wher the ethos is do unto others before they do unto you. We cannot even go shopping without being accosted by security guards doing the bidding of the Retail outlets management, because they know that every client just wants to steal from them.

Does this make sense? Is everyone you know crooked? Lets think about this honestly are we a society of thieves, con men and scum bags? Does everyone out there want to relieve you of your hard earned wealth? I don’t think so.  In the time I have been around and this is since 1965, I have received about 3 bad checks. Most of the people that have paid me by check have honoured their agreement. I have had about 10 or 12 people not pay me for services rendered, only 3 which I would call crooked.

Shit happens and sometimes people cannot pay because something happened that was unexpected. But the majority of people that enter into agreements pay. The majority of people that I do business with and come into contact with are basically honest. Why do we live in fear of a few that are not? Why do we treat everyone badly because of the few?

Bongi hiding in the bush in Schoemanskloof is more likely to make you lion bait than the victim of a mugging while waiting in your car for assistance.  People more faith in your fellow man is needed. More respect and less fear will make our society a better place.

Bongi’s story

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2 Responses to “Living in fear. The South African mindset.”

  1. bongi (1 comments.) Says:
    August 18th, 2009 at 7:41 am
    you’re actually right. we should have more faith in people, but i don’t. maybe i should work at it a bit.

    my reason for expecting the worst is only fractionally due to newspapers. it is primarily due to the fact that i usually get to see the victims up close and personal. it tends to jade one i suppose. fact of the matter for the last 15 or so years i have dealt with the dregs of humanity and i’m familiar with their handiwork. it makes me sceptical.

    but still your point is well received. probably if someone had come past they would have offered to help. however if that someone was so inclined i would have picked up a lead trinket for little or no reason. that does happen with surprising regularity.

    wednesday or thursday might be good for a beer.

  2. amanzimtoti (1 comments.) Says:
    August 18th, 2009 at 10:39 am
    I don’t think South Africa is safe these days and I don’t think it’s just paranoia. The newspapers actually under report crime. I think many people will do what they can get away with and in South Africa today you can get away with alot. I have been the victim of crime many times. I’ve had my cellphone stolen out of my bag whilst grocery shopping. My car has been broken into twice in so called safe areas. My best friend’s bag was recently stolen while she was eating in a restaurant and it was on the floor next to her. My mother was recently the victim of debit card fraud. An old school friends’ wife was recently murdered in her office. She was there early and therefore alone. These things happen with alarming frequency in this country. Our society forces us to be on our guard.

    It’s obvious you live in a different reality to mine, Nobody has ever stolen my cell phone because I carry it in my pocket, debit card fraud or a russian phishing scam?

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