Getting ‘left behind’ leads to social pressure

[X-TRAIL]

The thing most people miss is the balance between two things; investing something for the future against going for today's gratification. In Africa, unfortunately, instant gratification has almost always trumped planning for the future. This is why we did not explore new lands or even invent a lot of new things; you grew rich, married many wives and lived merrily thereafter, for the moment.

The mzungu has a different mindset. Once he meets his immediate needs, he starts investing in the future and related matters like science and art. He doesn't marry new wives or spend the whole day under a tree drinking murat. Rather he spends his wealth benefiting local universities and charities, sponsoring voyages to distant lands etc. Kirubi couldn't even sponsor an education scholarship, but Bezos is going to space! Result? The mzungu came to rule the world, including our rich who he found drinking murat under a tree. And from his scienticts he had guns...

Now, I am not saying eti ujinyime kama the old Kikuyu tycoons who are now dying off. Drive a V8 if you can afford it, drink choice wine or your five WhiteKAPS (ahem!). Have a side-dish or two somewhere and have fun. BUT DON'T BE THE KIND OF IDIOT WHO RENTS A SH90,000 APARTMENT IN KILIMANI COZ YOU HAVE A SALO OF 300k. Hiyo apartment what does it add to you life which a similar apartment in South C going for 35K cant?

And about that choice 40K bottle of single-malt whiskey - Hallo, all portable alcohol is ethanol. Hata Ace ni ethanol tuu kama hiyo whiskey. Marketing and packaging, and a slight, very slight, difference in taste is what is making the difference between sh150 and 40K. Buy the whiskey for your kid's birthday bash, once in a while, but don't be like those educated professors and engineers I see every weekend at Nairobi West downing bottles of Glenfiddich in between complaining how UASU has let them down in negotiating for higher salos........

na priss toa hio turbo kwa wingroad just buy a big car with factory fitted turbo

 

[Giggz]

Breaking the poverty ceiling and securing you and your broods future needs a sacrifice some time in your life if your were not born into wealth. But Nobody else is responsible for your success but yourself

 

[AU5]

Materialism can afflict both rich and poor, and is both socially destructive and self-destructive. Preoccupation with possessions and social image kills happiness and peace of mind.
Many out here are depressed and anxious trying to keep up with the 'Joneses'.
I often consider going off the grid and living minimally. I think I'd be truly happy.

You don't need to go offgrid to Iive minimally.

 

[AU5]

Another aspect of societal pressure is that of peer (beer?) pressure.
A story is told of a young upwardly mobile banker who declined a transfer move from Nbi to Bomet town ostensibly because the latter is a 'boring' town with 'no life'. The transfer move would have come with a promotion and salary increase.
(nikitaja alikuwa kijana wa Subaru msinirushie makombora).

The gist of it was 'Why save? What for?'
Nilishangaa.

mwenye anakuambia hivyo probably ako an savings that will support his lifestyle for several months. Online watu huchochana sana

 

[AU5]

Una describe makanga wa route gani? The makangas who I knew (and they are many) squander their money like a nonsense.

Afadhali useme mwalimu

kuna madem nilikuwa nao niliwaona wakicheka some guy for living in a Mabati house.

The Mabati house was in his own compound and kando yake was a 3 bedroom house ilifika level ya kuwekewa roof.


Nilikuwa nataka kuwauliza if they will own homes in 2 years and if the guy will still be living in the mabati house, but nilinyamaza and said wacha maisha iwaonyeshe

 

[AU5]

He will lose touch with the crew.

Kuna watu mlikuwa nao same class in college but after graduation hujawahi waona tena kabisa. Sembuse mabeshe wa job

People want to live in Kilimani, Westlands or Lavington on an income of less than 100k, it's impossible.

Kilimani on 100k net inawezekana kweli? ama ni SQ juu the math is not mathing

With the current inflation in Kenya, just sustaining a family is becoming increasingly problematic, we all know people who never used to ask for soft loans, are now requesting it due to hard times. Hiyo living within your means is now becoming a dream, just feeding your family is an expensive affair, that investment is a mere pipe dream unless you are a tenderprenuer or the likes.

wewe sasa umekuja an macho ya freakonomics

 

[Karma_mama]

You don't need to go offgrid to Iive minimally.

The dream is to live off the land, unplug completely, embrace simplicity and attempt to show capitalism the two fingers.

 

[Clemens]

Kuna watu mlikuwa nao same class in college but after graduation hujawahi wa
wewe sasa umekuja an macho ya freakonomics

Well that's my situation I came from Eastlands, unlike you lucky guys who came from, Dala, Gichagi, Gaa, Mûcii, ingo and the likes, my problems are a little bit perculiar.

 

[Giggz]

Well that's my situation I came from Eastlands, unlike you lucky guys who came from, Dala, Gichagi, Gaa, Mûcii, ingo and the likes, my problems are a little bit perculiar.

Irregardless of where you came from unless you flowed from elite families we have surmounted challenges to be where we are.