adminI hope the younger generation of readers of this column did not unduly dive for their computers to do a spell check on the title, on account of the Shakespearean or Victorian English that I have used!
I just felt that the language was in line with today’s article where I am battling with this notion that old is sometimes good or at least provides a framework, and therefore needs to sometimes be respected.
Talking of the old, I remember the only footwear we grew up knowing (manufactured in the Midlands town ) — you literally passed it on to a couple of your young brothers before it was retired!
Compare and contrast with what you get from, say, mall boutiques, these days! The tshunika (satin cloth?) that our aunts used to wear, some of these pieces are still preserved, even as the owners celebrate 70 plus years of existence!
The mental arithmetic that we used to do with such ease, even a computer today would blink if you commanded it to add numbers at the rate we were required to! What of the concept of making fire using a twig and a log — ah, the wisdom of yesteryear. We ignore it to our own peril! We really ought to be looking back a little as we move forward, much like the driver of a Toyota Gaia does with his rear view mirror!
There is something disturbing about learning and sharing of knowledge (in general), nowadays. It is, in my view, no longer as free flowing as it used to be in the 60s and 70s, both the formal and the informal type. I always feel there is restricted imparting of knowledge and skills nowadays, smacking of the “you can’t be like me”, type mentality.
I recall a science teacher during those years — we always looked forward to going to his science laboratory to learn about: the world of science (phosphorus included!). For me, Gwelo Teachers’ College produced
some of the finest educationists the country has ever seen — they were passionate about their disciplines and were never selfish when it came to imparting knowledge to others.
It is my considered view that a full scale study of this “allegation” by the columnist be carried out if the concept of schools of excellence is to have a solid foundation!
Can a psychologist help me here, is it normal that one begins to see things differently (seriously so) as they get older, I mean real ripe age, or is this phenomenon akin to the phenomena such as optical illusion, error of parallax or ukuwumana ulele? The brewers of wise waters conjured the “wine matures with age” thinking — shouldn’t we saying the same about homo sapiens (some)?
Why columnist, you sound like you have something to share, just unpack it man, will you?
I had two not so good experiences over the Christmas period, where I saw two young children (between 3-5 years), in separate incidents, literally rebelling against their mothers, the fathers were not there!
My blood boiled a little, this “motherly type love” does not work sometimes, I conjured. Thou shalt teach the little children manners, dear mothers, otherwise they will grow up to abuse you big time as they also abuse themselves and others too! Serious business, this is.
I was, however, soothed a few days later, while attending a church convention where my eye watched in disbelief (pleasant), a mother using a ballpoint to stroke a child who was misbehaving, probably saying “child, you are lucky there are church elders here, do this at home and you will get a full bouquet — DStv type”. Kuyabe sekuyikutshaywa sibili phela lokhu! Well done mama, yes, I imagine the Almighty will answer your prayers and your child will grow up to be a disciplined fellow!
Thou shalt teach them youngsters, I say to all — we owe them this as their elders!
I am these days engaging the elderly a lot, both in work settings and outside, countrywide. Is it not a question of “birds of the same plumage perambulating in close proximity”, columnist, you are tempted to ask ?
Could be reader, but it is also possible that it is out of a realisation of the wisdom that is attributable to age. Over the generations, this wisdom has kept African societies (and possibly others too), together and in check, I begin to defend the cause of the elderly!
We saw briefly in the paragraphs above that both age categories, the elders and youngsters, sometimes struggle to play their roles in a meaningful way, socially.
The story is the same during schooling as well as in the working world. We are fast losing some of the building blocks which were premised on the African culture — existence of wise adults who acted as social consultants, full of advice and generally being there for the less endowed youths and young adults. This article appeals to adults not to shy away from their God-given roles. To the younger generations I say knowing computers does not translate into wisdom, never!
I recently wrote about the Jikinya Festival three weeks or so ago. Our children are by and large re-learning what ogogo and okhulu used to teach our aunties and uncles.
There was a time in the not too distant past when we used to sit glued onto television, as the Eric Bloch (Dr — may your 2012 be blessed) conceived High School quiz shows rolled on real, live and good for the growing brains!
Replaced by Facebook, Skype or DJ so and so? Hayi bo, bring back the meaningful imfundo maZimbos. Young scientist exhibitions replaced by, I do not even want to go there, dear reader!
We will skip secondary education for today and only intimate that there is no way we can trivialise career guidance sessions and imagine that we are progressing as a nation — we would in fact be regressing.
Tours for forms four and sixes — do not touch the dial, you rob the child of the necessary exposure if you omit these from the child’s calendar!
Higher education, what do you think, dear reader? There were institutions such as Anglo America’s Hippo Valley Estates and Government’s Ziscosteel, for apprentice training.
I have not re-visited the above institutions in a long time but all I can say is that industry and commerce will live to regret not maintaining the excellent standards of yesteryear.
Student internships at university level? The plot is okay but the depth in coverage is sometimes totally missing. Make these interventions practical if they are to serve any meaningful purpose, I say.
Learning (from grade zero to university level), has always to talk to the needs of industry and commerce, as a minimum requirement. Thus the concept of university- industry linkages must be fully embraced by all for meaningful national development to be realised, I always argue.
What is the import of all this meandering, columnist. All I am saying is that you cannot expect a product of poor upbringing to suddenly become a brilliant leader/manager/employee! Impossible, I argue.
The timers of yesteryear compensate for their lack of college education through the sound upbringing they went through and the “pay attention to detail” attitude they always display. They call it on-job learning or the hands- on-experience, type learning.
I simply enjoy it when I see these employees concentrate on accomplishing their tasks. Some elderly employees sometimes exhibit pride in their accomplishments, even if they cannot explain things scientifically.
Compare and contrast with some of the young of today, no meaningful experience and an equally weak theoretical framework! To add salt to injury, these same guys believe that educational certificates equate to being good employees/leaders. That is unfounded arrogance, I say.
The end result of this misplaced arrogance is that industry and commerce does not perform at expected levels. We basically are losing the culture of resilience and wanting to excel, as a nation, through having guys who think this way. Bring back the hands-on culture, I say!
Management principles as practised at work, in principle, are not different from those that were used to raise children in the times gone by.
Respect, listening and effective communication are things that our elders taught us, and taught us really good. These management skills used to ensure peace and harmony both at home and at work.
Exposure (or lack of it) is causing some employees to employ skills inappropriately, to the extent that some managers/supervisors of today are more and more using only their positions as their only leverage.
Thou shalt produce because I, the manager says so, appears to be their only pre-occupation! Thou shalt learn one or two things from the ways of the elders, I say to them.
I rest my case on this very first article of the year. Elders — let us impart our experience (passed on from generation to generation), to the youngsters, in a meaningful way, if only to ensure that the homo sapiens species is not phased out of planet earth (extinction), sooner rather than later.
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