FRIENDS

FRIENDS.

They are Barzinin’ you, watch out for the traitors! How do you know if you have good friends? That’s difficult considering the structure of reality. Defining reality is difficult and complicated because we reside in an ocean of phenomena that we don’t know nor understand. Like consciousness, we don’t know what it is, where it is located and how we can account for it. We also have cognitive biases that our minds can’t control. Which leads to the question. Are we in control of our actions or just a program dictated by socio-economic factors, peers and family? Are our thoughts, really our thoughts? Are we the autonomous creatures we would like to think of ourselves? The truth is that we are a byproduct of our ancestors, a continuation of the human thread, the progression of evolution. As such we have evolved to be in sync with our environment to survive. Being in sync with the environment and nature helped with food, this is important because food helps with the survival of a species. Being in sync with the environment helped us recognize patterns around all nature. It helped us create order in a world overwhelmed with chaos. It helped create structures. It helped create time, time is a man-made construction. It helped us predict cycles so we could perfect models like agriculture which was the heart of the industrial revolution. This evidence strongly suggests that we are a product of our environment. It does not only hold true for human beings, this is exhibited in all the ecosystems of the animal kingdom. Harsh conditions makes it impossible for life to flourish, it is for that reason that grass doesn’t grow in the dessert, however we do have life in the dessert. Life that flourishes in the dessert has adapted to the conditions and internalized its surroundings. For the evolution of the species, it was do or die, it is at the mercy of its environment to make it. This makes sense because if nuclear hits the planet, it would be difficult for any life to flourish. We are our environment, our socio-economic status, our friends and families. You can make the claim that even our ideas and thoughts are not our own. We are influenced by everything all around us, the books we read, the media, our peers, families and even our ancestors. Everything about us, we are taught by the culture all around us. Everything is stored by the subconscious mind and it further runs a program of our lives based on the data that it receives. The data, your thoughts become your reality. And so, it makes sense to be in an environment that is sustainable to your growth. It makes sense to be around people who are like-minded, that will help you reach your destination faster, it will help with the program of your life. It makes sense to be around good friends and family members. By nature man is gregarious, meaning that he has always relied on others to survive and thrive. The saying “no man is an Island” holds true because we need the assistance of others to progress in the hierarchical world, we need other people to assist in regards to finding a mate to construct a future with or at the bare minimal to reproduce to sustain the legacy, to sustain life. We can’t choose our family but at least we can choose our friends and mates. Choosing the right partner and friends is the most important decision of your life, it is literally the difference between a good life and a horrid existence – it has the power to define your whole life and the trajectory to which it moves. Life is characterized by the company we keep, our environment, dominant thoughts, the culture we were born into and our conceptions about the structure of reality. With that said, how do you know if you have a good friend?

This is difficult to assess because by nature human beings are very deceptive creatures, we lie, get jealous, kill and camouflage ourselves to be well-liked or gain positions of power. True power is not rising to the top with an iron fist, or deceit or propaganda, its truthful collaboration with others with the intent of finding a common ground. This is the essence of sales, this is the fundamental law of the business of life. Of course, that’s not how things operate because all of life is full of deception. Lions hide in the grass to get to their preys. Human beings are consummate actors and wear masks to conceal their intentions. These masks form what is called a “persona” and these personas and masks change depending on the people we meet. Human beings are not linear creatures, they are unpredictable and highly volatile. Human beings are not constant and can change at the snap of the finger. This is an evolutionary trait, the ability to adapt to different environments and survive. Be wary of anything a human being says because 9/10 times, it’s an attempt to deceive you. Never take anything that a human being says to you at face value to be accurate, in fact, what another human being says to you is irrelevant, it doesn’t mean anything – look at the actions and you’ll have your answers. Human beings are liars. It is engrained in their DNA. It is nature. From as early as 3 months an infant will fake a cry to get the attention of his/her caregiver. Beware of the false prophet who professes to have all the answers. All is fair in love and war. Words are super strength power for Superman like they are for a human being. Words are a superpower. Words mask true intentions. They deceive. They lead astray. They are poison. They make you yield. They manipulate and control. Someone professing to love you doesn’t mean anything and anybody saying his a friend is not necessarily a friend. It’s doublespeak, an attempt to lower your guard. This evidence suggests that deceit works and hence, we do it unconsciously. Deceit gives you momentary momentum and short consistent strides can elevate you to the top of the hierarchy. This is what life is all about, who has the better hand? All of life is a game, guard your winning cards and strategize your moves for maximum output. You best attack is defense, understand words don’t mean anything and they can never get to you. Action is the true language of the Universe. 

Luckily we have ways to spot a good friend. A true friend is one who acts more than he talks. A true friend always shows his values. A true friend is someone who wants the best for you. It’s someone who recognizes you as his brother or sister. A true friend will never let somebody talk ill of you in his presence. A true friend is not a gossip. A true friend has a growth-mentality. A true friend is one who motivates you to being the best that you can be. A true friend understands that if you do great, then the whole of humanity benefits. A true friend is someone who celebrates your great news like they were his. A true friend is someone who is emphatic and assists at times of great distress. A true friend is someone who listens to your boring long story and stays engaged with it. If you tell your friend something and they start making the conversation about them, switching it up, telling you about some grander thing that happened to them, then sorry, you do not have a friend. A true friend cares about what you have to say because it pertains to your well-being. A true friend would never break your frame. Besides, this is about reciprocity, one day they will do the same for you; would you appreciate it if your friend took the spotlight off you? A true friend doesn’t change because the love is organic and has compounded over the years, it serves as the permanent persona in his structure of being. A true friend treats you like how he treats himself. A true friend talks positively about you because he sees himself/herself in you and is grateful to be acquainted with you. A true friend is someone who wants you to grow because selfishly, it will make him/her better. A true friend will always be on your side and advise you of your shortcomings. A true friend makes the initiative. A true friend loves being in your company. A true friend makes you feel good about yourself. A true friend helps you crystalize your thoughts so they are at least clear to you. You cannot be afraid of telling your friend how you feel or your good news. If your friend doesn’t know anything real about you, then they are not a friend. A true friend is a crutch, something that will help you to stand up when your legs give up on you. It is difficult to find a true friend because a true friend is somebody who loves you and to have that mutual connection is WOW; this is because life is difficult and we live in a capitalistic system that says to survive, you have to discredit and kill another. It is a system fostered on greed and monopolistic power and control. This means sooner rather than later, egos clash and the end result is a massacre. When you have a true friend, egos take the back seat because you both understand that it’s not real. Friendship is a mutual contract of love, collaboration and understanding.

Be with people who want the best for you. This shapes your reality and dictates what is projected onto the objective world. People who want the best for you want you to progress. They are a nurturing place for dreams. They help you move forward in the world. They have a herd mentality that is infectious and is dictated by the unconscious force of winning. Birds of the same feathers flock together. Understand your environment. Understand the purpose of the people in your life. This is important because this will dictate your thoughts and thoughts are life energy. Understand what you want to achieve out of life and strive to get it with the aid of like-minded individuals. Like-minded individuals are friends because you all share the same goal. The goal of winning the soccer World Cup final. Weed out people who are not conducive to the way you want to live. Weed out people who have no utility in your life. Weed out people who make you drift. Weed out the people whose words are not in line with their actions. This will keep your mind clear and you’ll be able to make better informed decisions. Fake friends camouflage themselves in a crowd of people so they can take a shot. They do this maim you, to assassinate your character, to get you to lose confidence in yourself. They do this with passive aggressive language disguised as jokes or something to take lightly, and as we know, it’s not jokes and it’s not funny. Eliminate them swiftly and clear the room as soon as possible. This will give you room to see an attack when it’s coming. It will enable you to better prepare your tactics. There is nothing worse than being killed by a cowardice accident murderer. Someone who lurks in the dark like a thief in the night. No, when you kill a king it has to be in the presence of everyone. Get rid of the toxic influences in your life. Get rid of people who project negative things onto you; “you can’t do it, not me!” We all have insecurities that is not an excuse to break someone’s frame, in order to feel good about yourself. Stay away from angry people. Stay away from unlucky people. Being around fake friends is dangerous because they can make deals that spell out your demise. You’ll never see it coming too because of their fake genuine smiles. Do you know how they are going to get to you? Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do. Be prepared. Keep your circle small and concentrate your forces, you can delegate and outsource everything else. Keep your mind clean because the Universe is mental. If you do not have a true friend, it’s fine, it’s better to navigate the world alone than to have pretenders by your side, it’s better to not delude yourself, it’s better to stand alone – you will stretch farther. You will lead a more fulfilled life, you will be strengthened by your truth and the gates of reality will open up more for you. You will attract genuine things, you will be happier.  

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Reposition

Reposition

The Universe has been telling me to change my ways but I’ve been too steady and complacent. It’s my fault, I deserve the robbery. It was a typical Friday and I had on my SpongeBob shirt, my awesome silver Cassio watch, my neck beeds and my classic “Champion” jacket. In my pocket I had my keys and my Mint cellphone. It was a signature great day. I went to my friend’s which is a 18-24 minutes walk and we had a great time. At around 1 o’clock in the morning, I decided that I want to go home, I was tired. So I walked back home. I know it’s irresponsible to walk home so late especially in Alex, Gomora but I’ve been doing this for years. Plus I don’t think I would be robbed, hurt or killed. You see the most important thing is the walk, it is your posture, your steps, you have to project a confident aura and no one will fuck with you. Your shoulders must be broad and open, make that alpha walk an inherent part of you. Look like you might do shit! That’s what I learned and it has served me well thus far. Plus, I have Inside knowledge, I chill with niggas who rob and steal at the corners. The insight I’ve gained is that niggas are hungry, I can relate, they don’t want trouble, in fact they are good guys, they don’t want to hurt anybody, they just want your possessions so they can flip them. It’s that simple, they are professionals conducting a transaction, I can appreciate that, I understand. It is Darwins survival of the fittest, they don’t have much options, go for the weakest prey. I made myself a target. No one is born with hate in their hearts, the truth is that we all need to do what we can to make it through. This is true for everyone in the world and so everybody can relate. Besides if you are dumb enough to walk alone in the AMs of the morning, you probably deserve it. You are passive and comfortable. You think life is a given, the Universe needs to shake you up. That’s what happened to me.

For the record, I don’t think I’m passive and comfortable, I just feel that there’s nothing that I can’t do. I live life with no fear. I feel that there’s nothing I can’t handle and I do what I want. Besides niggas bleed just like you so I am not scared of anybody. If you are going to win, win because you have a better hand. They had a better hand. I was walking alone in the dark, the place was quiet as a graveyard. If you had dropped a pin the sound would be audible. My strides were long and fast paced. Then out of nowhere 3 guys appeared in front on me. One guy approached me and cocked his gun. The sound was cold and metallic. “cling-cling”. It was death appearing like a bad dream and I was lucid. I stopped but I was unfazed. I was trapped. I was under their control. I was calm, everything was just surreal. I knew what they wanted. I understood their mentality. I decided to cooperate and give them what they wanted, it wasn’t like I had a choice. The guy with the gun was like: “we got you now, you didn’t think this day was coming didn’t you, welcome to hell” but in vernacular. Another guy came up to me and started searching me to the third guys demands. I was still cool, undeterred, not bothered, I accepted the situation for what it was. To be honest, I knew that this day had to come sometime. I was relaxed, they got nothing of me in terms of emotions, I was blank as a canvas. They instructed me to keep walking forward while they searched me and so I did for a while. They took my phone, my keys and my watch and so I stopped walking. As if to signal, enough guys you have everything, now can I go back to my life? I was still in control, they can’t deny me of my will. As I stopped, they stopped, that’s when I realized my power and saw weakness on theirs. They were accident murderers, you know, shook one’s. I didn’t challenge them because they might hurt me to prove their dominance but I was superior. Niggas is reckless when they have power in their hands. One bad move or misplaced comment and ‘Bang Bang’. So relax. My control of the situation was subtle. Being passive and listening to their demands gave them the illusion of power. When I asserted myself, they didn’t know what to do because I had cooperated at first, plus they already had my phone, watch and keys so it wasn’t worth it. As I stopped walking and listening to their demands, they guy dictating the robbery said, “take that Champion jacket too.” I was shattered. They took it off me and all that mental superiority evaporated like steam. I felt helpless as a new born baby. After they took my jacket, I just left because I still had my pride. I didn’t let them dismiss me, I didn’t give them that power, they never had that power. All they had was a tool that helped facilitate the reposition process more effectively, that’s it. It was a professional encounter, they took my valuables, no one was hurt, the process was smooth and everybody was happy. I was happy too because I got to test myself in a high pressure situation and it didn’t get to me. It was like I was above the whole situation like Jesus when he walked on water. It was a stress test and I passed with flying colors. I was patient with them. I read the situation, their body language, their mannerisms and followed the cues. I learned that emotional intelligence is everything because we are all emotional creatures. Moreover for them because their lives are dictated by the amygdala, fear and survival makes up their reality. I learned that love triumphs fear. Have humility. Be soft, yield, be like water and move with the waves, anything other than that is counterproductive. Be present to people’s emotions and mannerisms so you can at least have a chance to guide the ship. I don’t blame them because they are my brothers and I love them, I understand. Life is difficult and on that day I was the sucker who made their excursion worth it. Overall it was a successful robbery like the last scene of “Pulp Fiction” and I am Samuel L. Jackson.

It helps being minimalist because the things they took are not worth much in terms of monetary value but sentimentally they meant everything to me. I transferred a lot of emotions to my watch, jacket and cellphone. Kalushi gave me that Cassio watch with a lot of love. It represents friendship and our pure entrepreneurial drive when we started our farm with big plans and dreams in mind. He is a good friend and I feel they took his spirit away from me. My cellphone was 6 years old, KG, a legend, one of the best people I know recommended that I buy that cellphone back in 2015. It was such a deal! A steal really. It cost R100 and it had Bluetooth, radio, internet, mp3 and had a 4gb memory card. Back then a 4gb memory card alone cost R80! But for R100 I got a phone with all those features and a memory card. It makes sense that Kg was the one who spotted that deal because his a legend and that deal was so legendary. It feels like they took the wisdom of Kg away from me. And my “Champion” jacket was bought in the 1990’s in London. It belonged to my father. It was vintage and so cool, I loved it, it was my favorite jacket, it somehow toppled my leather jacket. They took a gift that was hereditary, something with value and substance. I am gutted but that’s life for you and as you grow up things get taken away from you. This forsters growth and the opportunity to evolve because change is the only permanent thing. I am grateful for the experience, I know it’s all God’s plan. This is to make me better. I am happy it happened because now I get to reflect and concoct a way forward. There’s a beauty in seeing life as a blessing, a gift.

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Struggling Artist

Struggling artist

I have R100 and it has to serve me for the whole month. I need to be intelligent and allocate the capital in avenues that will deliver consistent payoffs. I need to stretch time and survive by the day. That’s the most in important thing, survival. Here’s my plan; buy brown bread from Shoprite, it costs R5 and then divide the bread for 3 days. White bread is expensive, it costs R9. Then buy “Crack a snack” 50 pack, it costs R30. Water is free, so that’s great. What I have left over is R65. My nigga Thato Katane, (great guy with enthusiasm and gratitude) showed me a couple of places where I can buy chips for R5. Imagine that R5! So cost effective, so economical. So practical and effective for when you are in survival mode. Salute mpinch ya ka, I love you and respect you, genuinely, thank you for all that you have taught me, I have internalized everything in my subconscious mind and some lessons form part of my persona; you’re my brother forever. You are the realest person I know and I appreciate you. When you first heard my music, you marveled and said I was talented, you were the first to see it, you made me feel good. Thank you. God bless you, may he grant you your hearts desires. But I digress. The product is great too. One place in particular, 6th Avenue, Johnbrant. I feel a bit guilty buying there because the chef adds so much value to those potatoes. He adds his time and expertise. Man, I hope the shop is profitable, the service and product helps so many people. God bless the shops that are serving people in that capacity, you guys are God sent. Anyways, I’ll buy a packet of chips every two weeks on a Tuesday – that’s R10. My Tuesdays are usually busy and so I have to be on my game. Every two weeks on Tuesdays will be my days when I ball out and spoil myself. This is good for morale; you cannot understate or underestimate the importance of morale, it is everything. That will leave me with R50. I bought a packet of chips this week when I bought bread and “Crack a snacks”. With R50 I can buy 10 loaves of bread during the course of the month. And because I only buy a loaf every three days, I have a good chance to make it through the month. That’s so positive. That’s great. Thank you God for keeping me going. Thank you Universe for this moment, this opportunity to grow and be better. We push, we stretch, we fight harder, in the end we will make it. Freedom is a state of being. We live life without any fears, we can take on anything. Our strength and confidence comes from within and so we are able to navigate this world effortlessly and conquer. We bend and distort reality to our liking. We never compromise on our values. We are consistent. Our victory is a mathematical certainty.

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