In a recent interview I was posed with the question of whether the government is out of touch with the youth of today - whether a lack of understanding has resulted in the government’s failure in many spheres. After consideration, I answered, “Yes, they are out of touch”.
Despite all my previous criticisms of South Africa, I can still see the country for what it is: a smelting pot of cultures, sub-cultures, identities and social groups. The unique history of the country combined with the liberal Constitution has created scope for the development and growth of a huge variety of groups. This, I believe, is the true nature of South Africa. And this, I believe, is where Youth Culture is located.
I need to briefly define by what I mean by Youth Culture. When I use the term, I am referring to people between the ages of 13 and 30, who are educated to some degree, and who are exposed to both their own “traditional” aspects of South African life as well as an Urbanised, Globalised aspect. I am not referring to isolated Youth Culture that does not frequently come into contact with the media, commodification, globalisation and internationalisation.
As I was saying, I believe that Youth Culture is located in the middle of the smelting pot. We are exposed and aware of the multiplicity of identities that exist, and we are similarly aware of the vast number of differences that exist between them. We have multiple identities depending on which “group” we are associating with, and our own “culture” is defined, as Gee theorises, by our unique exposures to different identities.
Take the following imaginary (yet realistic) individual for example: a white South African male who is “gay”. He has a black adopted sister. His best friend is an affluent white “lesbian” with a lower middle class girlfriend. He subscribes to Buddhist philosophies, but his family is Christian. He attends University, where his circle of friends include a Republican American and a New-Age pantheist.
This single individual is exposed to a huge number of sub-cultures and belief systems, yet he - as part of the Youth Culture of SA - has his own identity with which he is comfortable. Similarly, he may not agree with some of the other views that he is exposed to, yet he does not try to impose his views onto people: he does not believe his “culture” is “right”.
Such is the nature of SA Youth Culture: we are naturally pluralistic.
It is here that the government of the day has encountered a problem: we recognise that we cannot be “the same”. We cannot be like America, and form a “South African way”. The smelting pot does not allow for differences to be set aside - we are too aware of our differences. The government, however, sees difference as a problem: everyone needs to be the same. The fact of the matter is that we are NOT all the same - and the Youth are aware of this. The difference is that we do not see it as a problem.
As a Youth of South Africa, I believe that what unites us is our differences: we can find unity through acceptance of the fact that we’re not same, and the South African public can take pride (if they feel they need it) in the knowledge that they have set aside attempts to be the same, have acknowledged difference, and managed to live in harmony despite such differences.
The government needs to stop pushing a “Proudly South African” campaign under the umbrella of unity through similarities. By doing so, the powers that be are isolating a large percentage of the population. There is no single public sphere: there are multiple identities, and thus multiple public spheres. The government needs to rethink their strategy of unification.
It needs to push a campaign that fits into an evolving world where pluralism is the norm, where the future leaders of the country will feel that it is heading in a realistic direction with achievable goals.
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