A FUTURE OF RADICAL RELEVANCE
“NUMBERS numb, jargon jars, and nobody ever marched on Washington because of a pie chart.
“If you want to connect with an audience, tell them a story” – Andy Goodman.
On April 27, 1994, a child was born. A life lived in time, places, partnerships.
Time: Her/his life’s path has covered many chapters: Pregnancy, Birth, First 1 000 Days, Early Childhood Development, Grades 1-12, Learning, Earning and more.
Place: This life has played out in a Family, Neighbourhood, Municipality, Province, Country and an Economy.
And in Partnerships: A combination of her/his “Roles & Responsibilities” – as a citizen – and governments’. It’s called the “Social Contract”.
Today, our child is 24 years, nine months and 15 days old. How could we measure this life after a quarter of a century?
Perhaps by our Constitution’s Bill of Rights: A total of 33 rights – every aspect of our child’s life. Read them carefully. Google “Wiki Bill of Rights RSA”.
Looking around our streets, it’s clear many rights haven’t been honoured. Why? President Ramaphosa gave some clues in his State of the Nation Address.
Many listened to Mr Fixit with optimism. But the elephant in the room was: Our “Repair List” is long, because all of these are broken. We broke them – or allowed them to fall apart.
Indeed: When that R1 trillion was stolen over the past decade – how many human rights disappeared down that filthy drain too?
“F” is for “Fail”. And rhymes with “Jail”. But grand corruption and government-by-criminals aren’t our only threats.
So is mediocrity, complacence. Picturesque views from expensive offices – which deliberately mask the suffering.
In the words of a dynamic Capetonian I spoke to last week: “We live life on the D-list here. Bereft of ambition, audacity and gumption. Just lowest common denominators.
“This place needs to find its mojo. And fast. Or we just slip away to become a nondescript, middling, muddling place… It’s enervating.”
Indeed: mediocrity drains us of energy and vitality – weakens, debilitates and enfeebles us.
But “F” is also for “Future”. Amid the smashed-up state furniture lying around South Africa are sites of resilience, excellence and hope. Their stories are compelling, motivating and authentic.
Most also embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Core principles like: systems, not isolated tech. Systems which enable whole societies. Future by design and collaboration. Honouring values
– and embracing societal realities head-on.
Our 2019 is a critical moment of change. If we want it. And grab it. With all our strength.
But first, we have to see the future: radical relevance – the best we can be.
So, if you’re a visionary: Show, don’t tell.
Our 2019 is critical moment of change. If we want it. And grab it. With all our strength