Mo' Money Mo' Problems

Today I had my first class at Ashesi University. It was surprisingly about half international students (like myself) and half local students. We talked about Pan Africanism and its complexities. One issue that came up was the African Union. Which is an intergovernmental organization that consists of 53 states within the African continent.

Central to the organization and its goals is promoting the interests of African people, naturally. In class, we discussed the prospects of economic unity between all countries within Africa. Maybe establishing a common currency. The "eco" is the proposed name for a common currency that would exist in a union between a few West African countries. However, just as I explained in a previous blog, history doesn't have to repeat itself. Just as Ghana is cautious of its newly found oil prospects in respect to what is going on in Nigeria, they are also aware of the economic crisis in Zimbabwe. [I suggest you Google Zimbabwe economy right now if you don't know what I'm talking about]

The professor pulled out a 1 million dollar Zimbabwe bill. Yes, 1 million dollars. Guess how much it's worth?

The last time she checked, it was worth about twenty cents. Imagine that. [I don't think inflation is even the right word for something like that. There needs to be a new word in the dictionary for like crackhead inflation. I'll think of one... In the mean time, I'll take suggestions.] For anyone who is unfamiliar with inflation imagine having a lot of money, but not having any money; if that makes sense. You can have physical monetary capital and still be broke because the economic standards have been lowered such to the point that your 1 million dollar bill can't even buy your baby pampers when you need them.

That is Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe. Basically a hott mess.

Zimbabwe is currently preparing to remove 

ten zeros off the country's currency next month.

Making 10 billion dollars --> one dollar. SMH.

My professor said people sleep outside of banks because they are only allowed to withdraw half a million (ten cents) each day. You can't even get enough money to buy a loaf of bread. 

Any sort of economic unification needs to come in tandem with political protection against inflation.  The economic status of developing countries is of specific interest to me as I am contemplating possibly considering career in that field. In a perfect world I could work for the IMF or the World Bank ...if they weren't inherently evil organizations. Maybe I'll infiltrate and work the system from the inside out. You never know.

Another interesting topic of discussion in class today: Pan Africanism vs. Zionism   :-/ Now I'm not one to advocate for comparing the plight of the Jewish with that of the African diaspora. There are similarities, yes. Commonalities, maybe. But that's a fine line and should be dealt with with caution. To avoid rambling, I'll just leave it at that.

In short, money makes the world go around. I've been criticized for not necessarily wanting to pursue a career that gets me "in the trenches," so to speak. I very well could be a teacher or maybe community organizer (without any real responsibility)

but I see the power and influence that money has in this fight for right that so many of us seem to be in. We (and by we I mean some of my friends and other cool people) want to make a difference in the world. I think we've somehow become brainwashed into thinking that there is only one way to enact change. Change is as multifaceted and complex as the problems to which it is designed to address. There's more than one way to skin a cat. [I'm not sure where I got that expression from, but you know what I'm saying] I would hope that the change from above (for lack of a better term) would be welcomed in the same manner as the change from below. Are people just as happy to see Oprah open a school in South Africa as they are to see an average Black man volunteering to be a big brother?

There is this stigma in some social justice circles with having money and being "down." So the more money you make, the less effective you can be? I thought it was the other way around. I'm not saying you have to be all extravagant. Splurging on shiny suits and Rolex watches...

We are in Da Recession. We have to be frugal. But what I am saying is that there doesn't have to be a penalty for success. We have long been held back from taking high positions and earning high salaries. The time has come to reach our full potentials. Whatever they may be. If your spot in the fight is in the classroom, then make that happen. If you're supposed to be in the boardroom regulating and calling shots, more power to you. And if you happen to be called to hold the highest office in the land, well... you know how that goes. 

By the way, they are Obama FIENDS out here. Everybody loves him!

wo ho te sen? = How are you?