tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4523471684759323443.post6963913930294880691..comments2017-01-10T07:16:48.840-08:00Comments on Dare to be different: From humble beginnings to oppressionMary Ogungbolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10680336994061041272noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4523471684759323443.post-82304305111371472572012-12-05T04:31:37.866-08:002012-12-05T04:31:37.866-08:00Thanks Marianne for sharing your own experience! Y...Thanks Marianne for sharing your own experience! You are lucky to have worked in a 'learning' environment where emphasis is more on knowledge than on 'appearance'...I was also in such an environment (not a university) for some time. The craze of having to satisfy this vain societal appeal is removing from our humanity. And for us in afrika, this vanity drives the greed which fuels corruption that has brought us down on our knees for soooo long. We quickly forget what things used to be and we just want to be 'recognized' in society. We no longer see sacrificing our selves (time, material, money, resources) as honourable, the honour now belongs to the dough..<br /><br />Thankfully, some of us has seen beyond this illusion and will continue to enlighten others on the need to develop a new mind set and revert to the old and timeless principles of character, honour, integrity,truth and love.<br /><br />Thanks for being an example Marianne!!!! Mary Ogungbolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680336994061041272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4523471684759323443.post-86972869914384182842012-12-04T21:29:00.713-08:002012-12-04T21:29:00.713-08:00Mary, this is the all too often sad story of human...Mary, this is the all too often sad story of humanity! The book "Arrival City" by Doug Saunders (http://arrivalcity.net/) explains this journey from going from dire poverty to money all too well. <br /><br />I too came from poverty and being able to go to school found a decent job in computing. I was fortunate to work at a university where outward appearances count for less than what one produces and luckily I never had to "dress for success". I found this community more tolerant of my idiosyncrasies: my mental illnesses, not owning a car at all (often arriving at work covered in snow during the winter) and marrying outside of my racial grouping which did not happen often,in the 1960-1970's, here in Canada. Otherwise I would have starved or be forced to stay in bad marriages or worse "dress for success".<br /><br />In the early 1970's, I was able to visit Jamaica and for the first time saw abject poverty (people living in cardboard boxes) at a foot of high hill with people living in crazy wealth on the top of the same hill. That contrasting image has never left me and I made an oath that this craziness in inequity has got to stop. I am still searching for an answer or answers.<br /><br />Then there is the other side. You will be amazed at the number of people who ask me for stuff when they hear I am from Canada.. a radio, a car, a suit,...the list goes on and on. Then I discover they already have these things and more.<br /><br />I want to help with the bit extra that I have. I forgo movies, restaurants, etc. to be able to help but I know with roughly 2-3 BILLION people on the planet that are still very disenfranchised, money and gifts will not solve this very basic human problem. Certainly not what I have...and certainly not solutions that are sustainable.<br /><br />We need to learn a different set of values...one that is based on QUALITY of life for ALL and not on stuff or money (as the latter are addictive and the person can never feel satisfied if that is the goal). The other side of the equation is for people to find self esteem that comes for ones inner self and development, not some boastful arrogance and elitism based on have a bigger bank account than others.<br /><br />Marianne Van der Welatinyshifthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08274673105872528362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4523471684759323443.post-10698518049381494662012-12-04T03:57:05.696-08:002012-12-04T03:57:05.696-08:00Thanks!Thanks!Mary Ogungbolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680336994061041272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4523471684759323443.post-14742500225328650382012-12-04T03:56:48.933-08:002012-12-04T03:56:48.933-08:00Y'see, success or failure doesn't happen o...Y'see, success or failure doesn't happen on us suddenly, they are a cumulative of what we do every minute, hour, day, week, month and year. As a people, we must begin to develop the new mindset and skill set needed to truly liberate us from slavery. I hope you will also shine the much needed light in the darkness of Nigeria (and afrika as a whole).Mary Ogungbolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680336994061041272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4523471684759323443.post-73732149139035577792012-12-04T01:30:26.784-08:002012-12-04T01:30:26.784-08:00We will get there with more of your type who sit d...We will get there with more of your type who sit down to think intelligently like this...I glad to know that we still have people like you in our almost going dead country....Thanks sister Mary for this elaboration....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4523471684759323443.post-80959173793439504442012-12-03T23:53:48.365-08:002012-12-03T23:53:48.365-08:00Thanks for this great piece and more grease to you...Thanks for this great piece and more grease to your already well oiled elbows. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com