On Nelson Mandela

[danieldwilliam]

I’m struggling a bit to raise much emotion about Nelson Mandela.

Perhaps it is because a man who achieved pretty much everything he set out to achieve has died at a great old age after retiring from a high office in to prosperity and near universal affection.

Perhaps it’s because what he achieved has faded a little in my memory. What had Nelson Mandela done for me recently?

Perhaps it’s because those that came after him have not done so well at delivering South Africa’s future as Mandela did at creating it. Nor have they lived and worked with quite the integrity that Mandela managed.

I’m pleased to see South Africans celebrating his life more than they are mourning his death. For myself, I find myself just a little untouched by the whole business.

Comments

[alitheapipkin.livejournal.com]

I feel much the same. Hopefully some of the people celebrating his life will go on to think long and hard about whether they are doing his legacy justice and carrying on how he would want them to.

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

I heard the senior finance minister interiewed on Radio 4 a few days ago about living standards and corruption. He came across as somewhat complacent. Which was sad.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Agreed on just about all of this, especially that it's a life to celebrate, not mourn.

[fiendish-cat.livejournal.com]

I thought it was just me.

I got a bit emotional remembering Free Nelson Mandela being played in a wadham bops in my student days. And when I eared that current students had filled the back quad ad sung it the night he died. But that's about it.

[luckylove.livejournal.com]

You're not alone. I feel the same. I remember learning about apartheid at high school in the early 90s but all I remember was that it was so awful that I couldn't let it be real for me. I think that emotional block remained. Normally something like this would affect me really badly (sodding mental illness) but this hasn't. I'm not complaining because I reckon if I could feel this I might not survive what is my least favourite time of the year.