In search of humanity

(Ask Ideas website)

The world, to me, has become a depressing world. It would seem we have lost our humanity. I know I have circled around this topic, but to me it is important to repeat it as much as possible. The reason I am writing this is because there are people who feel they have no meaning in this life.

I went out for coffee with a good friend of mine, a brother, when we left we met a street child rummaging through a dustbin in the cold Nairobi streets. I felt sorry for the boy and decided to assist him with some of my coins. I tapped on his back and he almost jumped. He started running and I called him back and gave him the coins. We were shocked at his reaction. We tried to guess why he ran. He must have thought it was the police who wanted to hit him for ‘being on the streets’; a shop owner angry that he is going through the trash can with a possibility of dropping the trash on the shop door; he must have thought it was the county askaris wanting to beat him for messing in the trash can; or drunk citizens looking for a fight or to beat a person they feel was inferior to them or play ‘cruel jokes’ on them.

The reason I have written the search for some humanity is because I have heard of people living below the poverty line comment on how they were treated as less than human. Nobody cares for them, not the government, not the church, not politicians, not the police and definitely not the society. They live their lives carefree, ready to die any moment to reduce the pains and stress they go through every day of their lives. Maybe that boy feared for his life and was not ready to depart for the afterlife. He did not have backup so his only option was to run as fast as he could, even if it meant crossing a busy highway.

(Ask Ideas website)

In Kenya, we usually say we are divided into the ‘haves’ and the ‘have not’. The ‘haves’ hide behind their money and the police to keep the ‘have nots’ from disturbing their comfort. In business the ‘haves’ cheat and misuse the ‘have nots’ in order to keep them ‘in check’.

(I Love Humanity website)

I think the loss of our humanity is what is disturbing our society today. The people joining the Al-Shabaab group are people who have lost hope in life and are ready to die because they have nothing in this world. The robbers and muggers on the streets are ready to take people’s lives because they believe they need money to survive. The drunkards and drug addicts are trying to get away from it all, and thus have to stay high all the time to block the fact that they are poor and society does not care about them.

(Quotes Gram website)

If you are to watch local television programs and productions, most of the characters are always happy. The characters take on serious problems laughing and making them look normal, when the reality of it is cruel. Many of us do not want to be told the truth about the treatment of other human beings. I think the best way we can solve this is to incorporate everyone. If I could I would love to help people or a person be able to take care of his, her or their needs, to be independent and be appreciated. Let us all appreciate each other, despite our economic differences. It might look like a fairy tale, but I believe it is possible. You might say I'm dreamer, but don't we always say, our dreams can come true :)