I think what most of us Kenyans lack as a people is Patriotism aka love for or
devotion to one's country.
We have to go beyond the self and strive to make it better for others too. It
is unfortunate that in this era and particularly at this time we can continue to
be tribalists when we already know where that has taken us so far:NO WHERE.
As we wrangle and talk about which tribe is superior to the other, the world
does not stand still and wait for us. Famine does not stop claiming potentially
future scientists, doctors, Engineers, artists, lawyers, Oscar winners etc from
our midst.
As we mourn the good old days, the future is not forgiving unless we make a
conscious decision TODAY to move forward as a people.
I do believe that governments have a role to play in all this but I also believe
that the greater role is in each one of us. Being cognizant of the fact that
reformed people can change governments and usually any government is a
reflection of majority of the people. You cannot sit here and berate the Kambas
or Kikuyus or Maasais and hope that your government representatives will be
saints and be non-partisan.
I do think that we, the educated folks, need to work even harder in our own
surroundings and educate those around us in a non-biased way, the state of
affairs and how things can be changed for the better. It is only then that the
majority of the population can see through the cycle of propaganda, nepotism,
corruption and other ills that permeate most of our elected and appointed
leaders. Then we probably can start seeing great leaders emerge.
Do good deeds to everybody and not only those that you are indebted to or those
that are close to you.
Lets build this Country, Kenya!
Lets not throw stones around. Lets assemble those stones and build houses,
bridges, roads, schools, hospitals etc with them.
Lets get into the habit of supporting each other, instead of tearing each other
down. We all do need each other, if we are to make any sort of major Impact
around us.
Selflessness and Patriotism have evaded us. For the Educated few, we meet in
fora and cast stones at others. It will be remembered more for the contributions
you made than the empty criticisms you belched.
Having an Education is half the battle but not everything. I was dumbfounded by
some venomous stuff that was coming out of some educated colleagues of mine when
I was in Kenya during the 2007/8 Internal skirmishes.
Lets build the future together folks.
This is my take.
~Chite .
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Movie review: Invictus
This is a great inspirational movie of a great leader of all times: Nelson Mandela. The best form of revenge to an "enemy" is kindness. Mandela does epitomize that.
I could think of no one else who would have depicted Madiba almost to himself, than Morgan Freeman.
Although a bit long in duration, the movie is so captivating that time flies by and at the end of the movie, no one in the theater was in a hurry to leave their seats.
I give this movie an A for everything.
Matt Damon was a superb actor and an Oscar may be calling for both him and Morgan as well as Morgan's assistant.
I trully cherished the south African actors and actresses in the movie. Bravo RSA!
This is not just a movie about rugby, It is more than that. I am happy that the theme was not overcrowded by other themes that may have been introduced like racial related violence e.g gang rape, street violence etc.
The directors of the movie steered it to a great climax and through an exceptional story line. I felt inspired to do greater good for mankind. In the immediate period, I felt inspired to forgive all those who had wronged me.
It makes me want to be a better person instead of competing for self-righteousness.
I could think of no one else who would have depicted Madiba almost to himself, than Morgan Freeman.
Although a bit long in duration, the movie is so captivating that time flies by and at the end of the movie, no one in the theater was in a hurry to leave their seats.
I give this movie an A for everything.
Matt Damon was a superb actor and an Oscar may be calling for both him and Morgan as well as Morgan's assistant.
I trully cherished the south African actors and actresses in the movie. Bravo RSA!
This is not just a movie about rugby, It is more than that. I am happy that the theme was not overcrowded by other themes that may have been introduced like racial related violence e.g gang rape, street violence etc.
The directors of the movie steered it to a great climax and through an exceptional story line. I felt inspired to do greater good for mankind. In the immediate period, I felt inspired to forgive all those who had wronged me.
It makes me want to be a better person instead of competing for self-righteousness.
Movie review: Precious
I had a lot of expectations when I went to watch this movie, believing that having been directed by renown black artists, It was going to do justice to various themes that it may have set out to examine.
I must admit, I was utterly disappointed with the whole experience.
I guess having grown up with poverty staring at me everywhere I turned, has made me hardened to superficial portrayals of serious themes.
I will give a few examples:
First, I was expecting the movie to have a better ending than it did. The fact that precious is seen out of the shackles of her mother's grip and living on her own with her children from an incestuous relationship is not enough as an ending. I expected a lawyer, a doctor, a musician, a nurse, a hard-working fully employed woman providing adequately for herself and her children with no external support. That would have been inspirational.
Second, I do believe there is always two sides to any individual. You cannot portray Precious mother as all the negative adjectives with no soul. We should have seen some tender moments as well, If this is to be believable. My father had a rough childhood from his own parents. Worse than some of the beatings Precious endured but the same parents loved his younger brother(paternal uncle). Even when the social worker visits the home, she has hardly left the home than Monique starts throwing things around. It just seems obviously staged.
Third, Addition of HIV to the plot with no resolution of the theme seems superfluous to me. I think, One should decide what themes are to be tackled in a 2 hr movie and try to resolve them to the audiences intended experience.
I could go on and on...
On the positive side, the movie showcases the dishonorable ghetto living to those who have had the misfortune of not living in one at some point in their lives.
At the end of the movie, I am left disturbed instead of Inspired.
I must admit, I was utterly disappointed with the whole experience.
I guess having grown up with poverty staring at me everywhere I turned, has made me hardened to superficial portrayals of serious themes.
I will give a few examples:
First, I was expecting the movie to have a better ending than it did. The fact that precious is seen out of the shackles of her mother's grip and living on her own with her children from an incestuous relationship is not enough as an ending. I expected a lawyer, a doctor, a musician, a nurse, a hard-working fully employed woman providing adequately for herself and her children with no external support. That would have been inspirational.
Second, I do believe there is always two sides to any individual. You cannot portray Precious mother as all the negative adjectives with no soul. We should have seen some tender moments as well, If this is to be believable. My father had a rough childhood from his own parents. Worse than some of the beatings Precious endured but the same parents loved his younger brother(paternal uncle). Even when the social worker visits the home, she has hardly left the home than Monique starts throwing things around. It just seems obviously staged.
Third, Addition of HIV to the plot with no resolution of the theme seems superfluous to me. I think, One should decide what themes are to be tackled in a 2 hr movie and try to resolve them to the audiences intended experience.
I could go on and on...
On the positive side, the movie showcases the dishonorable ghetto living to those who have had the misfortune of not living in one at some point in their lives.
At the end of the movie, I am left disturbed instead of Inspired.
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