Discussion

Thanks for this one. I still snuggle up in the apprehensions and warmth of North Delhi - the lanes and by-lanes of the frenetic markets, the chaos and rush of Tees Hazari bus stand and the impotent potency of Civil Lines. My Delhi is shielded from the irony of affluence and profligacy you have so beautifully described in words.

Excellent ! A great read.

Having moved to Delhi from a smaller city, I've experienced all kinds to things in the past 5 years. Your line -"But in this segregated city, everyone comes together on the roads. " is very true and though provoking. While everyone comes together on the road, not everyone has the same right and unless the politicians are separated from administration, its unlikely that the police will ever control anything.

Hope you keep writing such essays regularly !

Okay so can someone do us a favour and forward this article to every Western publisher? Excellent stuff Binyavanga - I got referred to your piece after I blogged about Oprah's foreword to a book of African photography. Check it out - it's laugh out loud funny: "The first time I set foot on African soil, I knew I had returned home. It was a powerful experience coming back to the land of bones. It felt like a return to myself."

More here:

http://mynewsblogs.24.com/ViewComments.aspx?mid=1403b365-ab78-4064-8882-b687df0fa3b2&blogid=24eaaf4b-337f-4c7d-9ea7-148e346575a5

i think this is fantastic article. although i have never been to 'Africa', i think it takes pieces such as this to make you realize that you as well as many others are ignorant of how much not just popular culture and media make generalizations about massive, complex communities (if they are at all), but states and other entities as well. I thought the passage toward the end about the nightclub where "mercenaries, evil nouveau rich Africans and prostitutes, guerrillas and expats hangout", was hilarious relevant, as countless media outlets and popular culture figures, let alone many anthropologists, portray this as an average scene within the continent. Although i feel this writer does take an almost overly pessimistic tone, i feel the intention was there simply to emphasise the many problems and generalizations many people, at least the one's that i know, go through when referring to 'Africa'. I am guessing the writer acknowledges that some situations of concern are prevalent in some parts of 'Africa' (although not EVERYWHERE as it commonly seems to be described), but one problem i find with the position the writer has taken seems that according to them there isn't anyone who doesn't think like this when describing 'Africa', although i am sure the writer would probably think otherwise, it isn't mentioned. Although i have lots of other things to say about this article, i will stop due to tiredness, in general i thought this was an interesting, thought provoking and well written piece, keep it up Binyavanga!

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Africa is NOT LIKE THIS! I live in Africa and it is not really not like this. As long as people keep on writing and speaking so negative about Africa it will be hard for The People to get out of that poverty and violence mindset. Speak life not death! African

Binyavanga,
I am not a writer, but I can read. When I started this article I started thinking, 'DAH this isn't anything like I remember Africa. You are dang gum right though, that is how people write.
Subadar