1.
In this day and time - in this generation, - the get rich or die trying scheme
has never found better relevance than it has today.
2.
The exigencies of our cultures and roles in society are quite
alarming and strenuous, that I often wonder if culture was made for man or man
for culture. As far as this article is concerned I speak as a Nigerian, and a
concerned change agent.
PRACTICAL SCENARIOS: THE CULTURE OF DEMAND
1. At the risk of being misunderstood-I recall
an incident which occurred-how that I did meet a friend of mine at an atm, when
we finished she had boarded a bike, when she said “oh! Tope you're meant to pay
for my bike”-off course it was nothing above a hundred naira, and I paid. But
what's most startling is the prevalent culture of demand which is on the rapid
increase. Notice she didn’t say “Tope would you mind pay for my bike”, she said
“you’re meant to”. In essence she was saying “Tope you’re under an imposed
cultural obligation to pay for my bike”. I wonder who and who created this
obligation and where it started, but they should also have been wise enough to
put into consideration the realities of the economy, financial principles of
budgeting, some other principles by which some people live by and what have
you. And least I forget, I hear my friends speak of friends with benefits and
the likes, this girl was nothing of the sort, she was just a friend, she
was also not my girlfriend, not my
relative, but an erstwhile primary school mate. You know I can’t cease to
imagine what it would have been if she requested I foot the bill for her
flight.
2.
Let me be quick to give another
illustration. This one is now so endemic that it is fast becoming an epidemic.
I still group it under the culture of demand. It’s simply the “roger me
paradigm” it’s all about “bros drop something for nothing” the same thing
hovers all around our polity. I accompany my Mum to a few of companies, by
virtue of her kind of job and I am startled at how so much the gatemen always
want money for nothing. They are employed to open the gate, they are paid to
open the gate, but they request for money on doing the job they are paid for,
seriously they’ve done nothing extra but they want something extra, “I laugh”.
Now think of
this also when I was growing up until recently (a few years ago), on meeting
anyone, who I believed to be well to do or boxed up, (like an uncle or aunty) I
always expected some money you know even if I had not merited it or even if I
had done nothing. Like in those days I still see this rapid cultural scheme
prevalent here and there amongst “wassup teens”, “youths” and the likes.
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE CULTURE OF DEMAND
1.
You
must have heard the saying “nothing goes for nothing”, well truth be told this
saying is very true. Now I may give you money even though you didn’t work for
it. But the truth is my favour has gone ahead of you my generosity has given you merit for
that money. Conversely if you meet a man who refuses to give you money for nothing
its simple- His generosity or favor has not gone ahead of you, it has not paid
the price.
2.
One profound detriment of the “culture of demand” is that it
breeds alongside it a “culture of irresponsibility”. Now what exactly do I
mean? When you depend on other people to give you something for nothing always,
you become DEPENDENT, LAZY AND YOU LOSE CHARGE OVER YOUR LIFE, you find
yourself always wanting something for nothing, always waiting for someone to
roger you.
3.
Sad as it may sound, you become a professional/technical beggar.
4.
Anyone plagued with this demand syndrome also becomes a parasite
and the culture makes you stay below those who give to you, for “the hand of the
giver is always On top.”
5.
“Real Money is a product of delivered value”, one primary thing
the culture of demand does is blind people from this reality and make them
potential thieves or beggars, since they become unwilling to pay the true price
of value for money.
6.
Now I know I’ve not been so nice, especially for them “wassup
chicks”, and them “wassup guys”. I know I’m not so “in
vogue” I’m rather in principles. And that’s why I took the pains to write this.
As Fela Durotoye once said, “Never let your background put your back on
the ground” , thus it suffice to say that if our culture has taught us
to always expect something for nothing, then we should unlearn and develop the
capacity to always bring something to the table, so we could get something and
create a better society. THANK YOU.
