I was on the bus the other day, minding my own business, when from the
corner of my eye I saw something that crushed my heart. I saw a young black
male wearing the tightest pair of jeans I have ever seen on a man and it struck
me – this is our future.
You see growing up in Africa fashion was not something that men
expended too many efforts on. No! Men were more consumed with discussing
politics, pursuing education (through books and academic institutions) as well
as working hard to provide for extended families. My friends and I never seemed
to care much about fashion either whilst growing up in these societies. Yes we
liked to have the latest basketball sneakers and some cool clothes for the
times we would go and hang out at the malls but our ultimate goals were to exhibit
prowess on the sports fields whether it was playing rugby, soccer, basketball, cricket,
etc. We were also under immense pressure from our parents to obtain good grades
and pursue high-flying careers in the corporate world which many of us have
done as much as opportunity was afforded to us.
This does not seem to be the mind-set of my many dear young black
brothers over here in the diaspora; they are typically not focused on their
academics and are quite effeminate. I wish I could say exactly why things are
so. It might be partly because many of them were latch-key kids, i.e. they
stayed at home alone whilst their parents were at work and thus did not have
much supervision and/or instruction. They are the generation that has raised
itself (hmm sounds like another post idea). I digress. Perhaps it is
because their parents have not held them to account because they did not
directly pay for any of the education they received – primary and secondary
education is free in the United Kingdom you see.
Young black immigrant males seem to be focused on fashion instead,
these young men are all about the Versace (Versace!) and it is when you engage
them in conversation that you realise that they have very little to talk about,
they do not have independent minds or opinions about much of what affects their
existence. Similarly, although women are expected to take greater care in their
appearance than men as such have been the societal norms since times past, many
young black women in the diaspora seem to have all become fashion bloggers very
suddenly and without much notice. They too are typically mentally shallow and
devoid of any aspirations to learn and develop their mind or soul. They have
that weave on fleek though (LOL I’m just a hater).
The advent of low-cost good-quality retailers such as Primark has
allowed individuals to be photo-shoot fresh on a daily basis and at very low
costs for that matter. This has given many of our young men and women the
confidence to be professional outfit co-ordinators on social media and some
have earned decent money from it too – hats off to them (no pun intended). However,
they have not invested in their minds thus the title – mindless fashionistas.
Many of the values, morals and culture that formed responsible adults out of
the Africans born in the 80s and beyond have evaded this generation of mindless
fashionistas and yet they seem to have dual careers. They are also part-time
philosophers.
Yes my dear @Africanindiaspo the emergent generation of young adults
from the motherland living in the diaspora, with their very little life
experience and even fewer achievements except maybe losing some excess weight, is
unapologetically philosophical. They will get behind a camera and teach their
age mates about how important it is for them to be happy at any cost. Although
they have done absolutely nothing to better themselves as individuals they will
post or watch videos on the type of guy that they should have and how he ought
to treat them (entitlement?). I mean the other day I stumbled upon one such
video, a young black lady was teaching others about how it is important to not
be worried about your boyfriend leaving a mess in the house and how women
should suppress their natural inclination to have a tidy house, etc. This particular
young lady has even more videos on self-confidence. She cannot be more than 25
years old and here she is spewing ‘wisdom’ to young impressionable girls who
are the future of tomorrow. All I could think is how simple and idealistic the
minds of our brothers and sisters are being programmed to become by people who
still have milk on their noses (they are yet to discover what life is all about
as they are still babies).
Now I myself am not that old and I do not by any means wish to give off
the impression that I have full knowledge about life, ha that would be the
biggest lie ever told. However, I have come to appreciate the wisdom that lies
in the grey hairs of those older than me and wish that my young brothers and
sisters could put their interest in fashion and philosophy aside and sit at the
feet of their parents, older relatives or any other mature adults they have
access to.
Perhaps I am not hip to the times? Perhaps I am bitter because I am not
fashionable but how about the typical @Africanindiaspo looks to have their
brain and knowledge of self on fleek more than they seek to look good and
babble about life which they know nothing of. After all it used to be
intellectuals that used to philosophise in times gone by.
Until next time, let us share let us grow.
‘The youth of today
must acknowledge that they are the future of tomorrow and must therefore hold
themselves to serious account for their deeds and misdeeds’ - @Africanindiaspo
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