On the square to watch The Tramp. Amanda Bothma, Daniel Anderson and Paul Ferreira – devastating triple threat! Stick to the secret formula, let’s get the people on their feet cheering and clapping.
Amanda Botha on the script, good feelings, reverse engineering, biographical, sharp witted, with personality, contemplation and reflection. Paul Ferreira on piano, spotless without a blemish, backbone, the pulse silently beating to provide life and sustenance. The first time I ever saw Daniel Anderson perform, I thought “goat” and I managed to shake his hand and tell him to his face. The goat has struck again, back to back, within weeks to casually deliver another masterpiece. I maintain my stance, the greatest performer of all time, it’s amazing what he does on the stage, simply unbelievable. He has energy, expressive, animation and enjoyment on his face, he is mobile and on his feet, running, climbing on top of props, dancing, singing and telling a story all at once. Charisma so bullish, it ripples through the ceilings of charts. Fantastic endurance, breath-control and stamina. Singing and voice intonation is just world class. Captivates you from the first minute until the end, presence, commanding, enthralling. When he sang “If my friends could see me now” after Charlie Chaplin became the most famous person in the world, it connected. I loved smile.
Wonderful set design by Willem Disbergen, middle screen that provides visual cues, we see footage of Charlie Chaplin’s films, two big suitcases that are also screens and the wheelchair Chaplin reels in the show with as an old man at the start of the show. Paul is next to the steps, giving the stage to Daniel to fully optimize. Sonwa Sakuba provides the choreography, worked well with Daniel to match Chaplin’s mannerisms and movements.
Born in London, England Charlie Chaplin transcended and innovated the moving picture business and found his way to Hollywood where he was later exiled. Chaplin wrote, edited, directed, produced, starred and composed music for most of his films. He refused to work with sound films. The show explores Charlie Chaplin’s life, his ascent to the top, the construction of “The Tramp”, the silent era, his movies; The Kid, The Gold Rush and City Lights, the film with Adolf Hitler and how he became the most recognizable person in the world.
An outstanding show, Wela Kapela make me so excited. Daphne Kuhn and Theatre on the square deliver yet again, effortless.
Congratulations Amanda Bothma and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.
On the square for the opening of “Master Harold… ” and the Boys. Filled to the brim, no space. Celebrities, celebrities, swimming all around, it’s a serious day for theatre, three performers at the top of their game delivering a Athol Fugard classic, RIP.
The story started off light with a comedic tone, with Willie and Sam conversing about the upcoming ballroom competition. Willie has high hopes of winning but he doesn’t have a partner. He beats his beloved Hilda, too much and too hard. Sam comes off as an expert. He teaches Willie a couple of moves. Hally, a white 17 year old, comes in and the atmosphere and relationship dynamic changes. Willie positions himself in the background, cleaning, keeping things moving. He calls Hally master. Hally even admonishes him and beats him with his ruler. Sam is more liberated, they talk about Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, Charles Darwin, Kites, and Dostoevsky. They seem familiar, they are in sync, there’s an understanding and then everything switches. Racism, hate, apartheid, I am better than you Kaffer, spilling this bottle of alcohol on the floor because I can, clean it up! Also you gonna have to start calling me master Harold, Kaffer. All bridges get burned when Hally does the unthinkable and spits on Sam’s face. Everything shatters, there’s no going back, what’s done is done. The play takes place in a small tea shop on a rainy afternoon. You hear the raindrops and we have the added sensation of seeing the rain. The rain sets the mood, it’s depressing, they do their best to amuse themselves, they are trapped in one room, Hally’s father is a cripple and his mother currently at the hospital, the mask peels off.
Sello Maake ka-Ncube plays Sam, a waiter at the coffee shop.
Daniel Anderson is “Hally”, oh sorry, master Harold.
Lebohang Motaung is “Willie”, the other waiter/cleaner.
Set designer by Wilhelm Disbergen, an awesome set that evoked the 1950s.
This is such a powerful show. Hats off to Daphne Kuhn and Theatre on the square for yet another banger! It starts off nice and slow and then it hits you with a vice grip. You can’t go anymore, you are trapped, there is nowhere to go. It’s triggering. An outstanding performance from the performers who told the story masterfully. Daniel Anderson shocked me to my core today.
Congratulations to Warona Seane and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.
On the square for the opening of a dolls house pt. 2. Full house, the place is buzzing and excitement is in the air. Nothing is better than a filled up theatre on the square, the energy is contagious. It’s close knit, intimate and warm. The laughs rebound and echo in the auditorium, you can hear every sound, every gasp, every comment from the audience and the view is in your face, up close and personal, no matter which seat you take. Every seat is a great seat, even the seats close to the pillars.
The show is a great one, it captivated the audience throughout. It’s humorous and explores subjects on self-identity, marriage, traditional gender roles, love and freedom. Nora Helmer comes back after 15 years to the family she abandoned in search of herself. Not much has changed except that the children have grown. The helper (Anne Marie) stepped up in her absence and raised them, neglecting her own life and children in the process. It’s not like she had a choice, she’s not from money, she had to do whatever she could to survive. Nora became a successful author in that period, writing books that serves mainly the female demographic. She questions the institution of marriage and monogamy. Is it worth it? Does it make sense? Why is one partner enough for a lifetime? Surely, I am not the person you married because I’ve changed, you have changed. I am reduced to a role and expectations and I am not myself anymore. I don’t even know who I am anymore, I am subsumed by your domineering character. When relationships start out, it’s all fresh, it’s new, it’s exciting, we go out of our way to woe the other person, we role play, we do things that we will never do again to gain access into that person’s life and once we do, we relax, we become complacent, we stop trying so hard, the relationship stales up and we lose ourselves.
It is this type of writing that gets Nora in trouble with the law. It is this type of writing that empowers her female readers to leave their families. She also finds out that she is still married with her husband, she initially thought she was divorced but her husband didn’t post the paperwork. She wants a divorce but her husband Torvald won’t give it to her. She involves her daughter, hoping that she can convince her father. Eventually he relents and gives it to her but she doesn’t want it anymore.
This is a awesome play, it had the audience laughing out loud, there were also ironic stares from the cast to the audience, breaking the fourth wall, at times it was as if they were talking to us directly. Some uncomfortable laughs from the audience because of the realism of the content. There was range and different states in the performances. The performers had chemistry and overall flow – they were outstanding! The costumes were retro, they gave a 1800 – 1900 vibe. The story is perfectly paced and the scenes clear. The set, writing and lighting – all great!
Bianca Amato plays Nora Zane Meas is Torvald Charlotte Butler is Anne Marie Simone Neethling is Emmy
Congratulations Barbara Rubin and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation!
Improv – make something up, think on the spot, go with the flow, zen, Bruce Lee, be like water, be formless, quick witted, puns, irony, sacarsm and it has to be humorous! Let’s break the fourth wall, you there, yes you reading this, listening to this, yes hi, happy new year, acknowledge me, make things easier for yourself, I am not going anywhere.
On the square for the Assembly Improv show, filled to the brim, full house. Was with SamSays, it was a great show, unpredictable, spontaneous, quick witted and so funny. We couldn’t stop laughing, we were entertained from the first minute to the last. What I found to be most effective in Improv, is calm. You have to let things process, be in the moment, respond not react. Reactions are filled with anxious energy and that’s not humorous because you bulldoze the act and spoil the tone of the scene. Relax, let other performers have the spotlight. You don’t have to be in every scenario. Listen – don’t bulldoze and overpower others. Anxiety is nervous and not sure of itself, it roams around everywhere, attempts to do everything, please everyone, and it ends up having the opposite effect because it hinders the performance of the other performers to flourish. Calm is controlled, it exudes power, charisma and assurance. When you are calmer, you can be playful and ironic and your punchlines carry more weight. You listen to respond and not to strengthen your view. There were moments of calm and anxiety in the show. I understood the anxiety, entertaining a full house can be exhausting and emotionally draining. It was still a great show, light-hearted, filled with humor and completely unexpected. The show comprised off 6 acts. They improvised about chicken, boyfriend builders, being a little gay, earthworms and burning your mother’s tyre’s.
I loved the two sisters of Case Closed, Megan and Tash Casey. They had a lot of chemistry and complimented each other. They were quick witted, quirky and humorous. The girls of Mechanics of Chaos were simply outstanding! They stole the show, the audience couldn’t stop laughing, they were totally in sync, they complimented each other, they built on each other’s scenes, they listened and added to each other’s scenes, they stuck to performing the scenario the audience gave them; the boyfriend builder and they looked like they were having a lot of fun. I loved them because they were not searching for laughs, anxiety was not a factor, they were in the moment, they loved performing for the audience and it reflected with their performance. Shout-out Itu Chiloane, Mmasehume Raphiri, S’bahle (Sparkles) Hlophe, Sonia Mayor, Tafadzwa Chakanya, Unathi Shongwe and Zanele Sokatsha for a wonderful set. Shout-out to everybody, the gradient, the off cuts and thirst trap. Thank you Daphne Kuhn and the team for the whole experience. Yet another one from Bronwen and B-Sharp entertainment – thank you. Congratulations to The Assembly Improv show and a deserved standing ovation.
Reverse engineering, what’s the last thing you see after a Amanda Bothma show? Standing ovation, people on their feet, clapping their hands enthusiastically. A lukewarm response is unfathomable. Using a Star Wars anology, the force forces you to stand elevated. It’s an appreciation thing for what you have just witnessed on the stage. Her shows are a prime example of finesse. It’s the writing, it’s witty, biographical and humanizes the subjects to make them relatable, the writing has a lot feeling and emotion. The experience coops in your mind like a cacoon and you leave the show feeling like a butterfly. Almost witchcraft, it keeps you in a trance where you are at her mercy but then she strings you along a roller coaster ride and the end result is just satisfying. The music usually the best in the world. You can’t help but to get on your feet and start applauding – the force has you!
You gotta love opening night, the sold out audience, the energy, the excitement! I absolutely had no doubts about “A Star Is Born”, I came prepared, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I went to the theatre expecting a great show. I went to the theatre expecting to be dazzled and the show delivered. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with Kerry Hiles, she’s magnetic, charismatic and that smile radiates like the suns ray. It’s contagious, she radiates warmth, she’s beautiful. Amazing performer, story-teller and singer. Her comedic timing is spot-on. She sings with emotion, passion and the delivery – top notch.
Reverse engineering, the show starts off with Judy Garland’s death and chronicles the life she lived. Tragic, she had everything young; success, acclaim, awards but died relatively poor because of his management team, sleeping on fans couches. I guess money and celebrity won’t make you happy if you have never been happy. Instead it stretches out the hole in your soul. Depression, imposter syndrome, drugs, divorces, awards, acclaim, suicide attempts, success, money, failure and the adoration of the world – a hell of a life! Ultimately, she died courtesy of a accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Yes, accidental, an autopsy confirmed it. Don’t understand the beauty standards of her day, movie executives claimed she was ugly. How’s that possible? She’s beautiful and her image is iconic but I guess anything to keep her in line and keep her turning that money wheel. She has been turning that money-wheel for executives ever since she was 13 years old, making them millions throughout her life. Her whole life, she was created by executives. Show-business, it’s not pretty and you have to have a thick skin. All the love from the world can make you feel so alone. No one really cares, you are just a mirage, a fleeting moment, a pay day to exploit. Everyone forgets you’re a human being.
Overall, tragic story masterfully told by a expert storyteller. She is expressive, her voice has range, uses her body and hands to communicate and express herself, she is lively, animated and makes use of the stage to perfection. The singing is top-tier all the way. The lighting intimate, subtle and nuanced but still moves the story. Set minimal with just a chair, three big pictures and the piano on stage. Luke Holder on piano didn’t put a foot wrong all night, he complimented Kerry, they were in sync, they were unstoppable! Great show, will be coming back for Kerry’s smile and her exploits on the stage.
I had a date with destiny. She was everything I thought I wanted. She was prosperous and promised to share her riches with me. She was gorgeous with her make-up on and towering heels. She resembled a Mac advertisement like Pearl Thusi. Damn! I was star struck, lights were flickering all about, it was like a dream and I was unconscious, locked in a trance of Gucci patterns and colors. She was glorious. I was impressed but that was not enough for her. To grant my hearts desires I had to give her my soul. To relinquish control of my core beliefs and values. She wanted my blood on the contract. It was a big test for me. Do I give in and get lost in the magic maze? Or do I stay put and believe in my process and believe that time will prove me right? I’ve been hungry all my life, starved to the bone, dreaming, contemplating about forever and her role in my life. I come from a place of broken dreams, Alex, the hood, a place where dreams die. There’s a reason it’s called Gomorrah, it’s biblical, because it can be hell. Will Sandton City save me with her designer dress and Louis Vuitton handbag? Am I willing to recede into the darkness with her? I have been broke for so long that I feel like a virgin. Do I trust her? She wants too much, I can’t. I will not bend to her rules, her conventions of passivity. She wants to dominate and make all the decisions for me. While life is a stage, I am not a puppet stringed along by a puppeteer. Unfortunately, this is not a Charlie Kaufman movie, this is my life and I am the lead, the star. Maybe if she encouraged growth and freewill. For goodness sakes I am life, a miracle; I sometimes wonder how am I conscious, who are you to want to control that? God? I wish she loved me for who I am. That’s a big frailty in the psychology of man, the tendency to want to be loved and accepted for our intrinsic qualities even though life is subjective and relative. The nerve, we truly are narcissistic creatures. Still, I thought you’d be the one to stroke my ego. It’s a tragedy that life never unfolds the way we want it to. I couldn’t take your offer I am sorry. I am better than this. I am not someone you can ground. I vibrate on a higher frequency. I am too opinionated and yes, I am a “Mr. Know it all” who thinks he knows it all. I won’t apologize for being an individual. I won’t apologize for thinking for myself. I see the world through my lens and don’t seek confirmation from anyone. Do I have a problem with authority? Yes, and I am an egotistical narcissist who has grand visions about his future. That I say with pride. And maybe I am deluded but you can’t bring me down with your domineering and condescending words. You cannot validate who I am, that’s my job. I am too dimensional. I am too great. I emit an energy that’s commanding and my presence is felt like acid to the burning flesh. I am fire, a phenomenon you can’t keep your eyes off. I am exciting like the first day of the new year, I represent great prospects. I am overwhelming like running water in a glass. I am the best. Keep your promises of grandeur, I don’t worship false prophets. I create my own destiny, play the cards that I deal and dominate the world I walk on. While it’s true that I am too hungry, I won’t just eat anything. I am too finicky like a rich housewife better yet a Duchess, a Princess in the upper echelon of the aristocratic circle and so, I never settle. I know my worth. I know where I want to be. It will only take a moment for everything to change. I want it, the winning shot, the headlines, my name in lights, the glory! I will wait for my break, it’s coming.
I met her early this year when I was doing my hero things. Hero things is a code name for hustling. I wanted a bit of capital to start a project that I was ruminating about for sometime. The Universe responded by bringing this cool Russian guy in my life. He was upbeat and enthusiastic. He had a good energy, he was positive, optimistic. And so we talked, he had 3 shops in the Sandton mall and needed someone to push product for him. The profit margins were good and so I accepted. I figured a couple of weeks pushing product wouldn’t hurt. On his payroll, he had this hot girl who made time slow down. Naturally, I inquired about her from one of the managers in the shop. Just to go back in the story, this manager guy was a cool guy and in one of our conversations I remember telling him about my love for everything German. So when I asked about that girl, he was generous with the information. He said “Her name is Shira, she has been working with us for a while now. She is a senior here and one of our top performers. She easily makes 100K in a month. She was born in Germany and stayed there until her teens and then she moved up in Isreal.” I responded “Wow! Great, then maybe she can teach me German!” I saw a real opportunity with her. It would be difficult but not impossible. With a few co-ordinated moves I would draw in her attention. She was beautiful, dark brown eyes, full eyebrows and her hair was black and long. She was a mixture of more than two tribes. She was different. Not quite Caucasian, her skin color was in the minority like Spanish-latino. She was exotic. Man, I had never seen beauty like hers. Her accent was nothing I’ve ever heard before. Her height was average, not too tall and not too short. Make-up made her the best looking woman in the world. I was impressed. She was indifferent towards me, I remember when I was playing some Kanye West in the shop, in the morning while I was checking inventory, I was playing for me, the volume was low-pitched and she came in and told me to not play gangster music in the shop. I was perplexed. I mean “Late Registration” Kanye, gangster music? I chuckled because I had some Dr. Dre and Jay- Z on my phone. If she wanted gangster music, I could show her. But I listened to her plead and changed to Amy Winehouse. When I got home, I thought about that interaction. And yea, Kanye West “Late Registration” would sound like gangster music for a German-Israeli woman, especially considering the host who’s playing the music, I was too edgy and with spikes all over and she knew that I came from Alex, Gomora. Still, she didn’t project a lot of things. Unlike some other fool I was working with who was condescending, he was like “You are not what I expected” and I responded lightly and with curiosity: “Why, because I know words?” He laughed nervously and the realization came to his mind that I had put him in his place. Sometimes you need your ego to put fools in their place. Soon enough word got out that I had put the mighty Chase in his place. This was a big deal because he was one of the managers in the shops. He was feared and used a lot of intimidation techniques. I think it was an “Alpha” thing for him, he loved ruling with an iron fist. This made him feel strong and respected. He would take digs at your confidence and later assassinate your character. I knew his type the first day I cast eyes on him. He wouldn’t do such to me, his not my boss, in fact no one is. I am here because my skills benefit the company. No insecure man is going to project his feelings of insecurity on me. After the interaction, I was a magnat for the female employees. It was like I had slayed the big bad wolf. I was the hero! They loved being around me. I made them feel safe. It was an attraction thing, the sexual tension was high, it was hot, it was intoxicating, there was life in the place and that’s how I reeled Shira in.
One day I was busy with in inventory and I was playing Ludovico Einaudi, a piano wizard and she was like you playing great stuff. And I was like yes, I got you now. In my head of course, because I understood that she was making the initiative and well, my moto in life is go with it. Let the stars lead you to where you are going. Go with the wind. Be like water my friend. I knew she was interested because was giving me nervous energy and it made her behave in a way that she couldn’t understand. She was ruled by the collective unconscious and she was possessed and locked in a paradigm that she couldn’t comprehend. She was in a spell. In fairyland. Far, far away. And so I understand baby girl be grumpy and act out. I know I am the one in your mind. Your subconscious, your reality you locked in your own time frame. In different frequencies, different vibrations your being tells you to take control of me. Let’s do this man, I will give you an audience. You pretty, I like you. Let’s see what happens. She took my phone, stating she wanted to see my music. She saw Mozart, she saw Beethhoven, Strauss, Vivaldi, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Moonchild, Pachelbel Cannon, Jay Z, J. Cole, Solange, Al Green, Alicia Keys, Wale, August Green, Jill Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Ludovico Enaudi, Kanye West, Ray Charles, Josiah Disciple, Nina Simone, Common, Charles Mingus, Lauryn Hill, Nora Jones, Lira, Roberta Flack, Dr. Dre, The Delfonics, Pharrell Williams. I felt it was a good list. It is diversified. She compliments me on a couple of albums. I respond, I am flattered, let’s see where this goes. She minimizes the screen and locates my digital library and she sees a lot of Classics and then she locates the one called the Kuma Sutra and her eyes lighted like Christmas day in the movie Home Alone. Oh, you have “Kuma Sutra, she says. I reply,” of course”. “Cool” she responds. She puts my phone down and leaves. I knew I would be hearing from her again. A couple of days later, I got a text “send me the Kuma Suthra”. I knew who it was from and I wasted no time and did what it instructed. I think I have a chance with this hot German lady. It was incredible. It was great. She was a bit older than me. She went to the Gym. She did Yoga. She was fit. Great natural breasts. Wonderful buckets of life. Juicy. Succulent. Sourcy. Delicious. I took kneed of the indicator and followed suite. I attacked like Manchester United in the champions league final in 1999 against Bayern Munich. Bring out Ole, let’s push and he got us that great goal. Ole, Ole, Ole! She started telling me about her fantasies. She started to get sexual. She stated that she wanted to sit on my face. I was perplexed. Like, I can suck on your pussy baby girl, it’s not a problem. I aim to please. But why sit on my face? I responded “I want to fuck those tities.” It was the only thing I could say that could rival her statement. The whole thing now had a life on its only.
After all the talking, flirtation and boastful claims the day happened. It was at her house in Sandton. I disputed restaurants, I thought they were impersonal. So, she made it her task to cook for me. It was good. What can I say? There was always food in the fridge. That’s important. It’s a great thing. Be consistent with matters of life. One thing led on another and we were kissing. It was mellow and grounded kissing. It was gradual, it was artistic, it was filled with desire, kissing filled with faint moans and grows, characterized with tougue service and the exchange of the saliva. Then she slowed down the process and said “let’s go into the bedroom”. And so we went. She told me to lie on the bed and get comfortable and she went to her bathroom. A couple of minutes later, she was in her bra and panties coming right straight at me. It was like a dream, a perfect moment in the scope of the Universe. She started kissing on me and laid me to the bed. At this point, she was the dominant party and I was just recrieprocating her energy. She kissed me on my mouth and my neck. It was slow, it was sensual.
She descented to the bottom and took my pants off. Before she gave me full attention, I took my shirt off. It was proper. It was thorough. Probably the best head I’ve ever had it my life. She gave it respect. She worship my cock, it was great to see. Then she came up when I was on and started kissing me. She took off her bra, while she was on top of me and started giving me handjobs. She was jerking, she was shaking and I was hearing music in my mind filled with melodies and angelic voices. She gave me heaven on earth. She then stopped, got off and took off her panties. She climbed on top of me and we grinded bodies. Her boobs firmly pressed to my chest and we were kissing. My arms covering all of her body like a blanket. It was intimate, it was warm. It was fulfilling and life defining. She then inserted my cock in her pussy and she rocked. Her boobs still to my chest, she used her lower body, bouncing that ass like a rubber ball. The reps started getting higher and higher and she shook like an earthquake, it was violent, it was shaky, it shattered my mind in a million pieces. After that she took a moment and relaxed. My cock still in her pussy. She took it off and kissed me. I was still at the bottom, and she was still on top like mighty Bayern Munich. Like Manuel Neuer, Mr. Sweeper Keeper, the captain. Before I knew it her pussy was in mouth. Goddammit! She sit on my face. Her desire had been fulfilled. If I could I would have avoided that but it was too late now. I had to work with what was on the table. I stuck out my toungue and started locating the clit. I was successful a couple of times and so I kept on going. I activated her like a charger to a dying phone. I was her savior. King serpent with the tongue that strings your pussy like a cello. After she fell on the bed, exhausted. Finally, it was my chance to be on top and I took it like a champ! I started kissing her. Kissed her on the lips. Kissed her on her neck. Descending to her breasts and started sucking, licking and nibbling. It was heaven on steroids with God at the club ordering free drinks to everyone. I descented to the bottom and started kissing the insides of her thighs. I gave her clit a bit of attention and started penetrating. She blossomed like a flower, opening her legs like a gate and I went in missionary style. I started slow so she would get acquainted to the position. I started slow to make her comfortable. I increased the frequency and the reps started doubling and increasing. I was heading to the finish line when something stopped me. I removed my cock in her pussy and started kissing her. Slowly I moved my torso up her chest and put my cock between. She understood the process. She squeezed her tits together and started moving them up and down. She repeated this process and it was delightful. I felt something in me fused and I exploded like fireworks in the sky on the first day of the new year. The evidence lay on her breasts, it was sourcy, it was amazing! The miracle of life. It was a great session. It was a great day. I moved over and went over to her bathroom to take a shower. I took my boxers and headed for the fridge. I took out the orange juice and located a long glass. Poured the juice to the brim and heading to the balcony. With the wind blowing in my face, I congratulated myself, today was a successful day. Because Shira, gave me best pussy of my life. It was the way she opened her legs for me, they spread like a butterfly and I had the permission to do whatever I wanted to her body. It was exhilarating. It was exciting. At times she was submissive, passive and without control. I felt like Hitler with her body, a tyrant, inflicting my will onto her. It felt good, it was a release, it was liberating. It was life at its best moment. Finally I understood Chris Rocks sentiments on that Kanye West song “Blame Game”, she took the game up a whole another level! The fact that she was experienced helped. She wasn’t lazy and a slob. I hate inactivity and a unwillingness to step-up. She wanted to do this and it made things easy for me because all I had to do was step-up and show consistency in my actions. My aim is to get to 30 minutes, if I can do that, then the sky is the limit. However 30 minutes require a lot of practice and exercise, a luxury I don’t currently have. But I am optimistic, with time I will have plenty of practice. What now for the hero? I thought. The world. Business is strictly on my mind now or I will fail, drift off and stumble. While I might think I am autonomous and free, unrestricted and not barred, I was still in the claws of pussy. My perceived control was an illusion.
Propaganda tends to have a negative connotation and it’s warranted, we saw what happened in the 20th century with Nazi Germany. What transpired was just pure evil, but it’s not just with Nazi Germany. Propaganda is everywhere. We see this with the depiction of Africa by the West. And how is Jesus Christ white again?
Propaganda is everywhere, we see it on our money with Nelson Mandela, he is always there, looking at you, smiling. Sandton City has a place called “Nelson Mandela Square” and it is a place designated for Mandela. It has art, it has statues, it has stores that sell Mandela gold coins, it has stores that sell the type of clothes he wore, it is Mandela heaven. Because Sandton is my home, I see Nelson Mandela every day. I believe his propaganda, I believe that he was a great man. I am surrounded by proof. Yes, I concede Nelson Mandela was a great man, easily one of the greatest men who ever lived. The propaganda makes him better than the “Greatest”. He has malls named after him, streets, hospitals, bridges and just about anything you can think of. The “Mandela” brand is a great brand and it is because of this propaganda.
Essentially what propaganda is, is Marketing and PR. It is showing only one side of the story in the best possible light repeatedly. It is biased and one sided. We see this with the advertising industry. Everyone is always smiling on Billboards and on ads and that KFC burger isn’t that great in real life. Propaganda is flattery and deception, it is what we humans do best. Social media has allowed us to propagate propaganda for our personal brands. We can take pictures and filter them to be perfect and then share with the whole world. We have more power than ever!
antakalipa 