tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post7924095242855240541..comments2023-12-18T03:00:04.192-05:00Comments on The Concrete Gardener: Changing perspectives and MandelaConcrete Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-39808405834160005592014-01-27T06:47:33.065-05:002014-01-27T06:47:33.065-05:00Linda- I really appreciate your comment, and the e...Linda- I really appreciate your comment, and the experiences you shared. It's interesting that you felt hope as the primary emotion in 1994. <br /><br />I think the huge challenge with crime is that an unequal society cannot but have very high levels of crime. I find crime in South Africa startling and disturbing: you feel so vulnerable. don't they know me? Or the person they shot? But I am concerned that the South African dream looks a lot like the American dream, with electric fences added. Because it is not sustainable for everyone in South Africa to have a car and a suburban life. But downward mobility is a tough thing and there are a lot of complexities I don't even understand. By downward mobility I don't mean deciding that I am poor, when obviously I am not- even if I had no money I will not be poor because I have so much education- but downward mobility as in going against a consumer culture.<br /><br />Anyway, I think it is powerful that so many of us racists (and classist) and are acknowledging that side of ourselves as wrong and something worth working on to change. May it be so.Concrete Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-49567173049463707322014-01-27T03:17:23.087-05:002014-01-27T03:17:23.087-05:00Hi Jo,
Very thoughtful and accurate post.
"n...Hi Jo,<br />Very thoughtful and accurate post.<br /><br />"non-whites remained the outsiders in our schools right up until I left school in 1999"<br />I remember being in class with other coloured, Indian and African students, and not thinking or behaving differently with them. I *assumed* everyone else felt the same, and I didn't really notice them being treated much differently. I guess they were outsiders though, if compared against the "popular" groups.<br /><br />However as an adult, I realised when I left South Africa, how racist I had actually become.<br /><br />It wasn't an overt racism, like you would see with older generations (Not letting an African person into your home, date your daughter etc), but just treating people with less respect. Not being as friendly to the cleaners at work. Being downright hostile to car guards (if they were non-white of course, if they were white, I'd tip them well because I felt sorry for them!). <br /><br />I pretty much hate that part of me, though I understand it was fairly ingrained into us by TV, culture, peer pressure etc - that's a poor excuse for not rising above the situation. <br /><br />In New Zealand, there is some definite racism, of a more sneaky kind. The kind that doesn't like "immigrants purchasing our houses". A small percent are more nasty - extremely racist against Maori and Asian people. I'm trying as much as I can to stand up against both kinds of racism, in the hope I can change any lingering racism in me too. It will be interesting to be immersed back in South African culture when we visit again.<br /><br />I didn't feel much fear during 1994, I felt hope for South Africa (perhaps I got that from my parents). But I did feel fear in 2007 onwards, when crime started encroaching daily into our lives - my Mom was stabbed during a robbery, our cars were stolen several times, my house was broken into and stuff stolen, my Dad was mugged, news from colleagues whose loved ones were shot and killed... etc etc.<br /><br />Sad part is crime is affecting the black population even worse than us whiteys, at least we have the money to put up bars, fences, alarms...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08875782789496737338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-72614973500038742332013-12-13T05:58:27.666-05:002013-12-13T05:58:27.666-05:00Karin- thank you so much for commenting, that was ...Karin- thank you so much for commenting, that was such a lovely surprise. I definitely relate to the limited space to think when having two small children... Love to you!Concrete Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-25682470486534630662013-12-12T15:08:02.409-05:002013-12-12T15:08:02.409-05:00I loved reading your text, Jo! it made me think (w...I loved reading your text, Jo! it made me think (which I tend to do less with two small kids so reading your blog is certainly an inspiration). Love from Malmö!Karin Wernernoreply@blogger.com