Namibian author lashes out at society in ‘new norm’

Feeling mentally alone in his bubble, coming from a place of feeling neglected, going through a rough time in his life, being the odd one out and his view on society prompted him to write ‘The New Norm’. Ennio Mathews Jnr Hamutenya (23) said this at his book review in the capital. “We act in ways that are not truly ourselves just so we can be accepted and look cool – so that we can be a part of a tribe, as I mention in the book, and being yourself is finding a tribe,” said Hamutenya.

The psychology student said the message he is trying to push is for society to not try and fit into a specific group to be accepted but to be themselves and eventually meet people who are just like them. He said, initially, what he was going through was not meant to be made public, as it was personal notes he was making about how he felt at that moment.

“After reading what I had written, I took out my laptop and started typing. I felt relieved, so I continued typing and decided the one morning that I might as well let people read about my views on society,” he stated.

He confessed that things are happening in society, which shouldn’t be deemed normal.

“It comes from my heart – from a place of frustration, to be honest. This is a life-changing book for readers who may be smiling on the outside but feel lonely on the inside. A person who feels they are not mentally understood will benefit greatly from reading this book,” assured Hamutenya.

He said: “As far as the reading culture is concerned in Namibia, there isn’t. I honesty started reading books two years ago. I hated reading when growing up, and it is evident from my peers. Sometimes, the youth thinks reading is for old people or boring people. But maybe when they see you, young people, writing, they will be motivated and inspired enough to start reading and writing as well,” believed Hamutenya.

He said he would not have written this book had he not started reading a year before. “That’s the only way I was equipped with the necessary information and skills to write this book,” he mentioned.