So I’m in my cultural studies class and he brings up this concept of Ubuntu which is a Zulu word that literally translates to “humanity” or “humanness”. It’s a concept that initiates a way of life through values such as respect, helpfulness, community, sharing, caring, trust, unselfishness. The idea of maintaining harmony within your community.
As said by Barbara Nussbaun : Ur pain is my pain
Ur wealth is my wealth
Ur salvation is my salvation
Wow right? I mean honestly when I make decisions or when I have pain or when I am blessed with something…I never think beyond me. In America we have this idea of “ima get mine and you get yours.” We love to say look at me, what I know, what I did, what I have. Why is it that American culture is about self gain and self promotion and not the prosperity of those around them? Because if he prospers he might just get ahead of me right? But so what? What if he does get ahead of you? Congrats to him? I mean because we are all living for a shared destiny according to African concepts. Living that we may be successful or wealthy, or go to heaven, or have kids, or see the world. Inevitably we all are living for eternal happiness, in whatever form that may be for you.
I realized that maybe I should start to recognize others in my life. Recognize how my gain or lack of is directly affecting my counterparts. In the same respect recognize the worth of others in my life and how their life adjustments affect me as well. One must have a proper self assurance to be able to give what is “rightfully theirs” for the enabling of another though. If I have food and I share with you and then you now have more food than I do then I’m pissed lol (I love food). That’s where the self assurance comes in, that you know without a doubt your ability to get more food and your understanding that under this idea of Ubuntu you will never go hungry because your hunger is their hunger and they will one day share with you.
This has even been used in some court cases here in Africa. The people share each others pain, so in one instance a guy kills a woman’s brother but she forgives him because she shares his feeling of guilt and the case is dismissed…..WOW. This is also where the idea of polygamy comes about. Many wives sharing one husband….but that’s a whole different blog.
But then I ponder this. If we start to live under this concept of Ubuntu wouldn’t life be easier. Wouldn’t it be so comforting to know that you are not alone in your loneliness or your strife? What is mine may be meant for you too so from now on I am determined to share my knowledge, my love, my understanding, my pain, my pride, my success, and even my food lol. And you better share yours. Beautiful concept guys please read more about it.
I really love this concept. So different in America. Maybe this is why I love the movie Pay It Forward so much, because it has that same sense of community and togetherness. This is what its supposed to be.
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