A wonderful post in too many ways to count! Social conditioning is not something that is easy to overcome. I have seen it in South Africa where I am from... years of ingrained beliefs and social constructs on both sides of the political divide, will take a lifetime for some to overcome. Fortunately, I was born to liberal parents who voted against the ruling Nationalist government at every single election and I was proud to work for the IEC during the first national democratic elections in 1994. I agree, Madiba was an inspiration. I may not have liked the extent to which the ANC took things in the '80s, but Dr. Mandela will always be somebody that I hold in high regard.
You mention:
It took me well over four years to deconstruct that conditioning and rediscover that as a child I was deeply compassionate and empathetic, traits that were punished by a certain relative, and I've only now found are the strength at the core of my being.
Compassion and empathy win half the battle. I wish more people were endowed with such beautiful traits. Apathy is the silent killer in this world of ours. We need to stand up and be counted but we do need to find our true inner voice; look inward before reaching outward; use the right voice to take up the fight. Activism needs to be constructive and move the conversation forward, otherwise it detracts from rather that progresses the cause at hand.
I came across your post in Dreemport today and look forward to you sharing more in Dreemport.
!ALIVE !PIZZA
Yes, I agree they are the wellspring from which all that is good in us as a species eminates. Gandhi proved this so amazingly, almost miraculously in how he went about changing things. And although I am a great believer in meditation for getting the mind right, and even do think that 'loving kindness (meta)' meditations are helpful, it does take action sometimes to make great changes happen, even Gandhi took action, it's just that he amazingly managed to enact major change through preaching peace and tollerance.
I also understand that the ANC were freedom fighters in many cases, and the word fighter means what it means. But I think they were being attacked pretty ruthlessly tbh given what they were fighting for, but fighting is always ugly no matter the cause.
Anyway, it is an odd dichotomy. When does a freedom fighter become an activist, or a terrorist a freedom fighter? In many cases, these are just labels, and all I can do personally is look at the actions and reasons behind a person for my definition.
I only mention it because it suddenly got me thinking, that this ties in very much with social conditioning. There are many who would have been brought up by their parents and society to see Madiba as a terrorist, whereas others like yourself do not see him that way.
And it is only after the fact, once the power has shifted somewhat that the 'great and the good' of the world start agreeing that apartheid was a despicable system. Fck, I remember Thatcher in the 1980s when I was a kid saying that British people had no business protesting apartheid.
Anyway, I'm running away with myself. I know that the transition from apartheid has caused other issues in South Africa, but change is never easy, and as far as I'm concerned from a 'big picture' standpoint South Africa was stolen from African people, along with many other natural resources we still steal today through 3rd world banking debt slavery.
Thanks for your comment @samsmith1971
I appreciate your input and viewpoint, and I recognize it must have been completely different (and more difficult for you) living through those times in SA compared to myself and others protesting, and at very worse (which happened once to my mum as I remember her telling me) being beaten about the head a little with truncheons at Marches (I was never taken on big Marches as I was too young).
Once I was old enough to have an awareness of the life I was living within the greater context of South Africa, that is when it became morally challenging and heartbreaking. It was and has been rather difficult trying to keep a balanced view amidst the escalating aggression and violence through the late '80s, '90s and beyond (after democracy had already prevailed). I think all South Africans both lost and gained a lot in the process of both living through Apartheid and the subsequent democratisation of South African society and the ensuing attempts at reconciliation and redemption. I truly pray that one day the spirit of Madiba will once again grace that beautiful land of mine and that there will be peace and prosperity. That, however, requires true leadership and a brave electorate. Neither appear to be forthcoming at present and the diaspora of South African talent across the world is a sad sight. For some, unfortunately, the timeline for true change is too long and there is nothing left to fight for...