Sunday 7 June 2015

Has the African diaspora in Europe become overfed & lazy? - and will we ever really be.. post colonial?

I have admiration for African migrants
In the main.. I feel humbled by them.
Thier stories, thier passion, drive, enthusiasm, courage, hard work, determination, desire, vision, and patience.
The love they have for thier families..
Positive qualities indeed.

When I listen to migrants talk about Europe, and the life they will have on arrival, I sometimes think.. 'Hey!..I want that life, it sounds amazing!'.
Do I have that life and not realize?.
Am I unaware?
Complacent?
We cannot deny that Africa's colonial legacy, current neo colonialism, and ruthless capitalism continues to fuel the underdevelopment of many of the countries that migrants are fleeing from.
It sucks.. it may even sound cliche...but it's true.

But what about us, what about the African diaspora in the UK?
Life for Africans in the UK is a mixed bag.
In the main.. it's tough.

For many, the cost of living is HIGH and wages LOW.. you do the math
Some are doing .. well...okay
However... I'm beginning to feel... well...odd.

Those of us who live here have bought into the European dream.
Here it is...
job, house car marriage. kids. pets. annual holiday.

Whilst there is nothing wrong with the dream in itself, many.. in order to get it.. have found themselves in financial slavery...and how many are truly happy?
Although things are improving in some aspects, many are no longer free, to follow dreams or aspirations, and can just about take of thier immediate families, leaving little for anyone or anything else.
Unemployment, also remains an issue.
We have a generation of adults who were failed by a [then] racist education system

I have known people live their entire adult lives on state benefits. One impact of that is that some now have no real motivation to do anything or to break free from the trap they are in. Any skills they may have once had, are deeply buried. Alongside hope.
Do they know what life is like for thier African brothers and sisters back on the continent?
Not so much.. and visa versa
We remain.. ironically... in the dark.

When I listen to the migrants It upsets me. I also feel a little embarrassed.
I live here.
I really must and will do better.
Maybe I'm doing okay.. who knows. By what measure do we judge?

Perhaps some of us here, are no longer hungry enough.
Perhaps we are so under mental, physical and financial control, that we are simply blindsided
Perhaps we've become overfed and lazy
Perhaps we have become systematically, restricted from truly helping each other in the ways in which we may like
We have an impression of each other... and the truth is stranger than fiction
The European dream is really.. a dream
But if all someone has is a dream.. no one should take that away
What is the African dream?.. where is it?
We all want to be happy
That's all
.. and that.. is fair enough

Hope springs eternal
Perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on us. When they come.. they will know...

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