ASSUMPTIONS

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.” ― Isaac Asimov

This work is observations and accumulation of experiences while growing up in South Africa. Racial stereotyping or prejudice was and is still a very prevalent in every day life. It was never discussed but ever present.

Being Caucasian, I never truly understood the prejudices of others towards black South Africans, until I was subjected to prejudices while living abroad in the Czech Republic. Not being a native Czech speaker, I kept a South African ascent while speaking the beautiful but yet difficult Czech language. I was mistaken for either of Russian or Ukrainian origin and treated with disdain because of it. Due to a complicated history, there is a tension between these two cultures.

I was innocently caught in the cross fire, as any one subjected to racial prejudices are. This work conclusions are that, if we just take the time to put ourselves in each other shoes, we could have a better understanding of each other’s cultures. Making assumptions are deadliest actions taken by human race. This work attempts to illustrate it.