Mandela is an icon, but we do not have many of his caliber, not
because the world has not produced them, but in our modern world they
are not supposed to live. It was just by chance he survived, many did
not, and many will not in one way or another.
Elinami.
On Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 7:29 AM, Mary van der Riet
<vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za> wrote:
> Hi Elinami
> Yes, I also wish him many more years. He seems to be well, but has aged a lot in the last few years.
> I suppose if he was 50 years younger he would not be what he is because the events which helped to form him would not have happened.
> A local politician who was in prison with him said today: we must be careful not to just see him as a saint, he was a 'fighter', he lived through difficult times.
>
> I was wondering how someone becomes an 'icon', and what is it that makes Mandela transcend other international figures. Was it the particular socio-historical time in which he lived? Is it his personal 'nature'? Is it what he did in response to those hard times? Is it his grandfatherlyness - ie a desire on our part to see him as a wonderful paternal figure?
>
> And what will happen when he is no longer here? What will be 'lost'? There is sometimes a sense in SA that the honeymoon is over, and this is, in part a response to Mandela handing over to Mbeki who is handing over to Jacob Zuma.
>
> so, what will become of us in SA (and us in the world) without a moral figure like Mandela?
>
> Mary
>
> understand that although he
>
>
> Mary van der Riet; School of Psychology; University of KwaZulu-Natal
> Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209
>
> email: vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za
> tel: 033 260 6163; fax: 033 2605809
>
>>>> "Elinami Swai" <swaiev@gmail.com> 07/18/08 13:39 PM >>>
> Thanks Mary. This is an exciting event. Mandela is one of a very few
> leaders in the entire world whose heart is truly for the people, but a
> large part of his energy was spent behind the bars. I wish he was
> younger too, people like Mugabe, Kibaki and others would behave
> differently.I wish him fifty more year, if he has no illness bothering
> him.
> Elinami.
>
> On 7/18/08, Mary van der Riet <vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za> wrote:
>> Madiba turns 90 today. A huge tent has been erected outside his house in a small village in the Eastern Cape Province of SA, called Qunu. The Provincial Minister of Agriculture has donated 500 goats to the surrounding residents.
>> The national TV station is broadcasting live from Robben Island - the prison where Mandela was incarcerated.
>> Children are interviewed on TV guessing his age and wishing him happy birthday.
>> His picture is in the United Nations. What effect do you think he has had on the world?
>>
>> Personally I wish he was 50 years younger so that the world could be affected by him for much longer)
>>
>> Mary
>>
>>
>>
>> Mary van der Riet; School of Psychology; University of KwaZulu-Natal
>> Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209
>>
>> email: vanderriet@ukzn.ac.za
>> tel: 033 260 6163; fax: 033 2605809
>>
>> Please find our Email Disclaimer here: http://www.ukzn.ac.za/disclaimer/
>> _______________________________________________
>> xmca mailing list
>> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
>> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>>
>
>
> --
> Dr. Elinami Swai
> Womens' and Gender Studies
> University Hall 4220-A
> The University of Toledo
> Toledo, OH, 43606
> _______________________________________________
> xmca mailing list
> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>
> Please find our Email Disclaimer here: http://www.ukzn.ac.za/disclaimer/
> _______________________________________________
> xmca mailing list
> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>
-- Dr. Elinami Swai Womens' and Gender Studies University Hall 4220-A The University of Toledo Toledo, OH, 43606 _______________________________________________ xmca mailing list xmca@weber.ucsd.edu http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmcaReceived on Fri Jul 18 08:12 PDT 2008
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.8 : Fri Aug 01 2008 - 00:30:08 PDT