Black Friday

One of the first messages I received today said, ‘getting anything for Black Friday?’

I replied, no, it’s a horrendous concept. I do get some enjoyment out of shopping, I won’t lie, but the thought that so much brainspace is taken up by consumer mania when the vast majority of people remain apathetic about the shambles of global politics, is truly depressing. I had to buy some mouthwash at the mall next to where I’m staying in Johannesburg, and traversing the gauntlet of neon Black Friday ads felt like I was betraying my feelings about the day. I retreated quickly to go and eat a mince pie (on sale early in Johannesburg) in the room where I’m staying.

The person who received my blunt response about Black Friday, replied:

‘Yea agreed. I don’t need anything but can’t help feeling like I need to get something today <laughing emoticon>’

So, not strong agreement then. Half-hearted attempts at repelling the capitalist forces that shape our lives. Welcome to human values in 2019, including my own, and a diva-like response to Black Friday.

On a lighter note, a colleague who used to be based in our Hanoi office has rejoined but in our Phnom Penh office, so we exchanged some email banter about the rapid pace of change in that city. He described my litany of roles in the intervening years as ‘Sisyphean’ (had to look it up, ‘denoting a never-ending task’), which seems highly accurate.

He also produced some excellent trivia that ZZ Top is the only ‘well-known western rock band’ to have included the mention of Mozambique in any song lyric. The line is ‘I met a sheik from Mozambique’ from the song Sheik. In reality, I’ve not heard of sheikhs in Mozambique. Artistic licence.