Often, the term “know thyself” appears in most of our philosophy literature. It will also mostly sound familiar to those who have taken the journey into the unknown in the quest of finding themselves. This journey would normally be taken by an individual as they come at crossroads after a long haul of chasing what they believed was what life is all about.

From the moment of entering this world, there seems to be an unwritten script that we all seem to follow. Whether this is by natural inclination or assumption, that is the million-dollar question. If you give me a million-dollars, I may be able to give you an answer, provided you would do that at your own risk but this assumption or inclination often goes almost until late into adulthood. It goes that far and to the point where one realises that even after all their trial and errors, there seems to have always been a lingering general dissatisfaction all their life. It is at this point then that one starts to question and investigate themselves. They start their existential introspection and interrogation, and for those who may dig deeper enough, it goes as far as questioning their purpose, values and fundamental beliefs.

Often this is the point where one may even start exhibiting what the human construct architecture has termed as “mid-life-crisis” - which may simply have been coined by man to satisfy his ego that she or he knows exactly what is transpiring, but his is exactly also the same point where an opportunity may be missed. 

 It may have been an opportunity of observation that may lead to a realisation, but the mere labelling may ruin it. Not that it may ruin it for the individual that is experiencing it, but for the entire generation. It may have been a moment presenting another dimension and hints from other realms that could aid humanity in finding a better direction or it could have even been a turning point, which may eventually navigate the entire existence to a tipping point for an existential transformation.

But it is also well documented for those who have the will and the time to find and read. To find that since time immemorial, much of what could save the world often gets tossed under the rug. This is often done for many reasons but mostly for one only – that what is good for the world may disturb the plans and the comfort of the few privileged and those strategically placed in high places of societal hierarchies.
How this is done, one may think is through brain surgery type of skills and intense complication, but it may simply be through repetition of the same methods that have worked through the years since Edward Bernays became the father of propaganda – which he covertly later guided with a much friendlier term popularly and favourably known today as public relations.

From an unfamiliar perspective, one would even think that Edward Barneys and Joseph Goebbels must be turning in their graves, not that they would be turning in disgruntlement, but at a mere joy that their ideas may have just surpassed the timeline of their expectation. They would be turning in excitement because their ideas do not only continue to be deceptive but that they have gone a further step to lead man to self-deception.

By Karlos The Great
E-mail: karlsimbumusic@gmail.com
OSHIMWENYO is published every Friday in the New Era newspaper with contributions from Karlos Naimwhaka.