It seems that with the recent spate of government ministers kitting out their million rand vehicles with DVD players, heated seats that massage you and the ability to launch rockets at your political rivals there’s a distinct problem with role models for the youth.
If you think about it, the moral is absolutely shocking: fight your way into government through patience and some hard work you’re going to live the life of a fat cat. I can’t help but wonder whether the youth of today, affected by poverty and other socio-economic problems can’t help but think that this is the best way of getting that 7-Series BMW. Kids of today would rather be a rapper, football player or a politician than say a scientist or an entrepreneur. While I don’t think it’s a problem that kids want to be politicians, they need to do it so that they make a difference rather than being able to drive in a fancy German sedan.
Take for example the recently launched South African satellite. This week the the first South Africa satellite, SumbandilaSat was launched to very little fanfare. I can’t help but wonder how many of our youth even heard about the launch of this ground breaking scientific development let alone those who thought to themselves: “Instead of being the next minister of agriculture, I want to develop the South Africa space program.”
The same can be said for entrepreneurs in this country. Instead of focusing our attention on people that drive a fancy car on the sweat of their own brow, we promote people who have a 7-Series thanks to tax revenue. One can’t help but look at companies such as Massmart, Discovery, Thawte, Investec, Internet Solutions and many more to see how visionary entrepreneurs took the risks to create massive empires. Add in social entrepreneurs who are using their talents to uplift communities and you’ve literally got a massive pool of amazing people that should be admired for their hard work and tenacity.
However, why is it that scientists, entrepreneurs and the other hard working people of our country are hardly ever given media coverage they deserve? We value fashion and media more than hard work, so much so that we have channels dedicated to fashion and cars rather than education and information.
Unfortunately I don’t have a solution for this problem but I do believe that as a generation, we need to stop spending so much time promoting the wrong role models and make it acceptable to idolise an entrepreneur or a scientist rather than becoming the next 50 cent.
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You make an excellent point, one that I wholeheartedly agree with. Nice post.
Yeah, very valid point Saul. Celebrities… they’ve become the default role models, I think because of the problems we have happening in families, communities and society in general [high divorce rates, dropping of corporal punishment, etc]. Who better to look up to than someone who seems to live a perfect life.
Guess the gravy train gives some high-ranking officials a bit of celebrity status as well.
Like you, the solution is beyond me. Can only be top down I would think, but its not in the best interests of those involved to make the decisions necessary [a common African problem from what I understand] so perhaps the best we can do from the other side is to push the value of entrepreneurship, education and the other important matters at every opportunity we get?
I agree, coverage and attention is focused on trivia and the wrong people. Not only in Africa, almost all over the world. Let’s hope and work for change!