I gave up my French lessons last week. It wasn’t easy. Neither the French nor the decision. But after two and a half weeks of intense focus, sanity finally prevailed around 3am one morning. What pray tell, my subconscious posed, will you do after the six week course ends? You won’t be able to speak like a Parisian, nor even avoid the sub-titles on the French movies. It’s a beautiful language. But needs a whole lot more than a six week investment to get even become proficient. So, I figured out in those early hours, spending four mornings a week plus hours on homework is an indulgence. Even for a forced gardener.
So it’s back to savouring and writing about my Davos experience, thinking about what happens when my restraint ends in November, and the usual all-sorts that go with being able to choose what you do with your time. Got the post-Davos show on the road this morning with a piece about what might have happened to SA by using Syria as a sobering alternate reality. Will be working through my notes, supplemented by more research, on some of the other treasures from the WEF. Next up is a Clayton Christensen fest. And before you ask Clayton Who? google him. Rated Number One by Thinkers50. Author of the best book I’ve read in ages. A deep thinker and good guy all round.
From what I’ve been hearing on the dinner party circuit, my view of Clay is at the opposite end of the spectrum to what most Joburgers’ think of one Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma. The feedback I got on the SA President’s State of the Nation speech ranged from “boring” to “unrealistic poppycock” I read the full speech again. And, in preparation for next week’s Budget, summarised it. There was an awful lot of meat in the SOTN. And some very clear logic behind some rather significent changes that are coming. Lots of things are happening in SA. Some really good. Is it a forlorn hope that people will actually inform themselves before expressing opinions? To avoid being ignorant we really do need to take the trouble to listen. Even to “boring” speeches by Presidents.
Whatever your politics, something that always cheers me up is engaging with young people. Like last night when I had a half an hour chat with Mongezi Mtati and Jonathan Dickson who’re part of the Let’s Talk Possibility team. Our discussion was streamed live. Interesting questions and, for me, a window into what business-savvy young South Africans are thinking about. The discussion can be accessed here.
