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Oct. 24th, 2007 01:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
firstfallenpandaThis started out as an edit to my last post, but ballooned into a rant.
Good grief, one of the Supersport channels on DSTV has been playing the rugby final on loop for the last 3 days. Ok, we won, life goes on people. There are more important things to think about: HIV, global warming, poverty, wars. Prioritise!
It saddens me that more people watched the rugby world cup final than saw An Inconvenient Truth. It's also probable that more people can name all the players in each side than know what the current HIV statistics are or how many people have died so far this year in wars on the African continent. I'm all for a little emotional upliftment in a country that seems to sorely need it* but let's get on with more important things. I think decreasing the HIV infection rate or lowering the unemployment statistics is much more of an admirable goal than a shiny cup**.
Is it just me who thinks this way, that sport and entertainment has much too high a place in our thoughts? I think I'll start some sort of ubuntu-socialism: every person has to spend at least half an hour a day contemplating the things that are wrong in the world and how they, personally, can contribute to making the world a better place.
* I saw an insert on the news this morning about an Indian trade fair in Jhb. One of the delegates was saying how they really want to invest in SA but the only things he's heard from hotel staff, taxi drivers and other SAffers he's met is "watch out for the crime". He said that to him it seems like South Africans think the majority of other South Africans are criminals. The reporter then went on to interview someone from an international business forum who said that the negative view of our country held by South Africans is the biggest obstacle to foreign investment.
** That we don't even get to keep. We have to give it back in 4 years (if it hasn't been stolen and sold for tik :P)***
*** No, I'm not one of those people who hold a negative view of SA. I think we are brimming over with potential. I am realistic about crime and other issues and I know we have some teething problems that we need to work on, but I think it's totally doable. I remain optimistic and proactive.
Good grief, one of the Supersport channels on DSTV has been playing the rugby final on loop for the last 3 days. Ok, we won, life goes on people. There are more important things to think about: HIV, global warming, poverty, wars. Prioritise!
It saddens me that more people watched the rugby world cup final than saw An Inconvenient Truth. It's also probable that more people can name all the players in each side than know what the current HIV statistics are or how many people have died so far this year in wars on the African continent. I'm all for a little emotional upliftment in a country that seems to sorely need it* but let's get on with more important things. I think decreasing the HIV infection rate or lowering the unemployment statistics is much more of an admirable goal than a shiny cup**.
Is it just me who thinks this way, that sport and entertainment has much too high a place in our thoughts? I think I'll start some sort of ubuntu-socialism: every person has to spend at least half an hour a day contemplating the things that are wrong in the world and how they, personally, can contribute to making the world a better place.
* I saw an insert on the news this morning about an Indian trade fair in Jhb. One of the delegates was saying how they really want to invest in SA but the only things he's heard from hotel staff, taxi drivers and other SAffers he's met is "watch out for the crime". He said that to him it seems like South Africans think the majority of other South Africans are criminals. The reporter then went on to interview someone from an international business forum who said that the negative view of our country held by South Africans is the biggest obstacle to foreign investment.
** That we don't even get to keep. We have to give it back in 4 years (if it hasn't been stolen and sold for tik :P)***
*** No, I'm not one of those people who hold a negative view of SA. I think we are brimming over with potential. I am realistic about crime and other issues and I know we have some teething problems that we need to work on, but I think it's totally doable. I remain optimistic and proactive.
