Upbringing and me (or you) | Juwon Ogungbe

Likes and dislikes, comfort zones and other similar constructs have a lot to do with upbringing. If I feel inclined towards doing things in a particular way, then I would like to think it is because of my personal mindset. It could be linked to wider cultural issues, but this is not always the case.

I remember hearing English expatriates in African countries, using turns of phrase that were probably antiquated and quaint, because they had been living away from their land of origin, where the colloquialisms of the lingo had moved on. Were they being self conscious about their cultural identities?

Similarly, folks of African heritages often invest a lot of effort in holding on to attitudes and practices that are no longer relevant in the communities of their forebears. Who are they doing it for?

Is it possible that many of us conflate customs and traditions with notions of who we are?

What do we lose if we are truly responsive to the stimuli we experience in each passing moment?

Originally published at https://juwonogungbe.com on December 19, 2020.