My Scribes!

People need to know that being a celebrity does not always translate to a sustainable luxurious life with lavish cars, mansions, designer clothes and bucket loads of money – all these are just luring temptations and it is now becoming more palpable that the portrayed glamorous lifestyle of being a celebrity is just a façade. Even most of what they adorn themselves with stems from endorsements and sponsorships with no real ownership, but they deem it necessary because being famous commands this excessive and hefty price tag - talk about selling your soul to the devil! “When I was growing up I would put on the radio and hear talented people. When you guys put on the radio now, you hear popular people” #NickiMinaj Apart from the life of opulence advertised by these celebrities on social media, reality TV and magazine spreads - what other influence do they really have out there? Throughout recent years they have been nothing but passively active in addressing social ill...

FACT: “The top 9 executives in Apple earn more than the combined wages of 95 000 employees that male Apple products” The question posed to me here is would I, if I were fortunate enough to be one of the 9 executives, boldly take this salary? And the answer is a resounding YES! I would definitely, and with no shame, take the salary because I am entitled to it having done the work as per the deliverables and the terms and conditions of my performance and employment contract. This would then enable me to afford, live and maintain a lifestyle that I work hard for – getting rich in the process would be a bonus and that’s my ultimate goal! We are all parties (some active and some not) in the hustle and bustle of our world’s economy and we work, if not hoping and dreaming, to afford a comfortable and decent lifestyle so, if presented with an opportunity to earn that much for a year’s work by fulfilling a set of preconditions attached to it, I believe (unequivocally ...

“Sometimes it is really okay if the only thing you did was breathe” We live in taxing and depressing times where some people’s cry for help isn’t evident and multitudes drown in anxiety, stress and addiction. Yet “life” dictates that they should suck it up and soldier on, that they should strive to make best out of the dire situations in every aspect of their lives - lest they be seen as neurotic, broken, weak and needy to those around them or dependent on them. This in turn gives depression power over its host because of the restricted avenues where help can be sought. Instances like losing a loved one, divorce, being retrenched, relocating, “black tax” or trying to effectively manage the work-life balance take their toll on individuals but the society’s disintegration is such that none can talk about depression because they fear being judged, called names or labeled as attention seeking. In some cultures, more so in the black African communities, they may deem you possessed...

The natural tendency of life is to want more and more so I echo Gekko’s sentiments “…that greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.” As we grow through life we are exposed to different things, we have different experiences and aspire to achieve all things that are bigger and better; this is all fueled and motivated by greed – healthy greed. Ref: Gekko's speech in the Movie "Wall Street" Greed has the power to change one’s circumstances in life. If we all want “it” bad enough then knowing that you can actually attain “it”, and abundantly so, if you put your mind to it is all you need to get you going. Our needs and wants are gradually ch...