The labels we give ourselves
Greetings,
The internal debate and the self-doubt is frustrating, most times. The trying to figure out why I do what I do, from blogging (erratically) to my podcast to this newsletter and everything in-between. That said, I am grateful that I am in a position where I can continuously experiment with things while I muddle through them.
Anyway, here are seven things I thought are worth sharing.
Early in lockdown, in 2020, I started to, a bit more deliberately, work on what became my book Listen To Your Footsteps. At the time, I wrote When You Feel Like An Imposter around imposter syndrome. And, this week, as I muddled through things, I reread it. One of the questions I asked was would a publisher actually be interested in publishing my book. I guess I got the answer. And discovered that getting published is slightly easier than getting people interested in reading it.
I am still considering trying my hand at writing fiction, particularly short stories. I wrote one for a literary journal and their silence has been answer enough. But, I will probably try again, one of these days. To get into the head space, I have been working my way through the Caine Prize for African Writing anthologies. The most recent one being Redemption Songs and Other Stories. While not every story resonated, the ones that did were overwhelmingly in the majority.
Joalane Fanta Jabbie is someone I grew up around in Lesotho, growing up with her younger siblings. She has released the Nubian Princess Series books which are fairy tales set in Africa and written in nine South African languages, namely Sesotho, isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati, isiNdebele, Sepedi, Tshivenda, Setswana, and Xitsonga.
“In a world where black girls are made to believe that only white princesses exist, the tales of these various African princesses remove this myth.”
Check them out Nubian Princess World. It is important that our children see themselves reflected in all mediums.
I have always struggled to define myself according to the work that I do, because it has been so varied over the years. My bio always has multiple ‘titles’. In a recent episode of Tim Ferriss’ podcast with Derek Sivers, Sivers said something that I can’t stop thinking about, and probably need to write about:
You have to keep earning that title or it expires, right? Same thing with being a good friend. Same thing with any labels that we call ourselves. You can’t just keep using that forever. You have to keep it up or it expires. So if you realise that your previous identity is expiring, you have the choice then of either admitting, “I was an entrepreneur; I was a musician.” Or if you don’t want it to expire, well, then you need to do something about it and go actively be a good friend, not just keep calling yourself a good friend. Or go actively be an entrepreneur if you want to keep calling yourself that.
My latest Spotify playlist centres around reflective (for me) songs.
Mika Chipana contextualises South Africa’s relationship with alcohol - The Case for Sobriety
Having children put a stop to late nights of gaming. My son occasionally plays in online tournaments. I have a nephew in Ghana who has built a decent following on YouTube, Twitch and the like gaming. But, it is still harder for African gamers as documented in Inside the Challenging World of African Esports.
That’s it for today. If you enjoy receiving the Zebra Culture By Kojo Baffoe newsletter but are not subscribed, please do subscribe.
I would also appreciate it if you shared with a friend who might also like it.
I welcome comments, thoughts, etc. A big thank you to those of you who have sent me messages. I have been experimenting with both Substack’s new Chat and Notes features.
And if you would like a copy of my book Listen To Your Footsteps, it is available online and in bookshops (primarily in South Africa but also on Barnes & Noble and Amazon) both in digital and physical form. If it isn’t available in your local, South African bookshop, ask for them to order it. Or you can mail me and I can make arrangements to get a copy to you.
Easy
Kojo
I have always thought that people I think are accomplished don’t suffer from impostor syndrome,I know it’s foolish but when you “idolise “ people that’s what happens. The relationship we have with alcohol breaks my heart when I look at how much it impacts us from personal stories of loved ones that are now on the streets to the ones about “us”popping bottles to celebrate and drown voices that remind us of the sadness. The labels and the fact that you have to actively work for it to keep it,I got it in the professional sense but never in my intimate relationships
Big bro Kojo. To me, you are like a tree in the middle of a forrest, getting it's roots so deep for its rise to fame. No.1 is how I got to be more interested in your writing. The preamble before the book. The book is an account of your bravery and I am in awe of, till death. Nos.4 is a refresher for me as well. Let's not expire, big bro. So much to still conquer. You shall be recognised.