Pic taken at Al Jazeera, Doha
Friday, July 08, 2016
Tuesday, July 05, 2016
Social Media Day 2016
I spoke to the inimitable Sabera Sheik-Essop and everyone in Channel Islam International world about the future of social media. Check it out
http://www.ciibroadcasting.com/2016/07/04/interview-with-mj-khan-on-social-media-day-2016/
http://www.ciibroadcasting.com/2016/07/04/interview-with-mj-khan-on-social-media-day-2016/
http://www.ciibroadcasting.com/2016/07/04/interview-with-mj-khan-on-social-media-day-2016/
http://www.ciibroadcasting.com/2016/07/04/interview-with-mj-khan-on-social-media-day-2016/
Concerning Proverbs
This resonated with me.
Whether a nod and a sigh to power and narrative, or a knowing glance at entrenched patriarchy. The one issue though was it is framed as an African proverb. I hear about Swedish proverbs, Norwegian proverbs etc but I hardly read 'European proverbs.' This just plays into the 'Africa is a homogenous place where cultures, values and identities can be swapped easily. It's like when you travel overseas and after introducing yourself, someone says 'I know so-and-so in Nigeria. Do you know them?' Last month someone asked me earnestly if I was related to the new London mayor. Then again - maybe we should challenge the notion of balkanisation - the idea that nation-states are nothing more than social constructs, imposed upon us, fueled by nationalism and entitlement.
A third layer to this trifle is that perhaps we romanticise the construct of an African proverb - throw a lion in the mix and suddenly it's somewhat exotic, somewhat mysterious, somewhat simple...yet in the great urban/rural divide that is Africa and her people, Lions don't feature all that much in our daily lives (excluding the occasional rugby personality). I don't want this conjecture to soften the impact of the words, but I can 'have my cake and eat it' - European proverb.
MJ
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Concerning Equality
We live in a time where we can determine if Mars has water, but my wife will probably earn less for doing the same job as a man.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Concerning Youth
What were the brands of your youth?
The ones you supported before the concept of 'brand loyalty' was imbibed, before status was the overwhelming deciding factor? I used to wear gotcha, island style and Brut.
My choices were largely a factor of circumstance (we used to get discounts on local surf wear brands). I liked Brut because it came in a bottle, and I could recreate that scene from Home Alone. I used to have one of those black Velcro wallets (it had a bright red and white gotcha shark on it). I never had an allowance, but used to get paid for helping my dad in the weekends. So every time I wretched that wallet open to pay for something (mostly KFC Hawaiian rounders, video game cartridges and movie tickets) it was like a part of me was being torn as well. Like an eighties horcrux.
Now I have a 'grown-up wallet filled with loyalty cards (as opposed to that single see-through plastic area where I used to keep unpeeled stickers WWF trading cards). I miss that wretching noise sometimes. The feeling that I've worked hard for something. The euphoria of changing into my stonewashed hand-me-down denim jacket and white t-shirt and going to London House Arcade in town to get a new game cartridge. I don't feel I work hard for things anymore. I feel like I just work and buy things I want or need (more want really, we don't need Tin roof ice cream, although that's arguable). I've started believing that if i can't afford to buy something, then I convince myself I don't need it.
I realize as I type all this, that I'm just highlighting various aspects of my privilege. It comes in many forms, the greatest being the privilege of being raised by my parents. And the gotcha wallet in times of rounder cravings. But mostly the being raised by my parents bit. If you've stuck it out to this point, I'd like to know - what were the brands of your youth? Was it similar to mine, with Dettol, Sunlight soap, telefunken and Toyota? Or was it something else?
The ones you supported before the concept of 'brand loyalty' was imbibed, before status was the overwhelming deciding factor? I used to wear gotcha, island style and Brut.
My choices were largely a factor of circumstance (we used to get discounts on local surf wear brands). I liked Brut because it came in a bottle, and I could recreate that scene from Home Alone. I used to have one of those black Velcro wallets (it had a bright red and white gotcha shark on it). I never had an allowance, but used to get paid for helping my dad in the weekends. So every time I wretched that wallet open to pay for something (mostly KFC Hawaiian rounders, video game cartridges and movie tickets) it was like a part of me was being torn as well. Like an eighties horcrux.
Now I have a 'grown-up wallet filled with loyalty cards (as opposed to that single see-through plastic area where I used to keep unpeeled stickers WWF trading cards). I miss that wretching noise sometimes. The feeling that I've worked hard for something. The euphoria of changing into my stonewashed hand-me-down denim jacket and white t-shirt and going to London House Arcade in town to get a new game cartridge. I don't feel I work hard for things anymore. I feel like I just work and buy things I want or need (more want really, we don't need Tin roof ice cream, although that's arguable). I've started believing that if i can't afford to buy something, then I convince myself I don't need it.
I realize as I type all this, that I'm just highlighting various aspects of my privilege. It comes in many forms, the greatest being the privilege of being raised by my parents. And the gotcha wallet in times of rounder cravings. But mostly the being raised by my parents bit. If you've stuck it out to this point, I'd like to know - what were the brands of your youth? Was it similar to mine, with Dettol, Sunlight soap, telefunken and Toyota? Or was it something else?
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