Viola Davis said that one thing that she learned when she was POOR “Is that you are INVISIBLE. Nobody sees you because you have access to NOTHING. People feel like you're the one who's caused your fate... When you don't have [] you're NOBODY” This truth hit me deeply in my core.
I’ve been reflecting, ruminating and pondering over the erasure, invibilisation and the nothingness & unworthiness that comes with poverty — how that violence and trauma never leaves you, no matter how much money or wealth you accumulate in life. Poverty’s stench sticks with you.
I’m aware of how a lot of people don’t see me and have never seen — will never dare to see me because they deem me as unworthy due to my poverty. I know how much of my experiences have been shaped by lack and how people disrespect and abuse me because I am a nobody—poor.
I’m thinking about how much of everyday life is shaped by your poverty — running away from the poverty (past), working and aching to stop being poor(present), hoping and manifesting a better tomorrow with no poverty (future), so every thought, decision and energy is POVERTY.
Poverty is a leech that drains your life of meaning and identity and brings with it a lot of guilt, blame and SHAME. A lot of us wear that shame to the grave because we accept that being poor is our fault hence the deserving of being treated like non-entities. Nobodies! Shame!
Poverty is a man-made condition — no one deserves to be poor— in fact people are impoverished due to carefully designed systems meant to assist some to accumulate wealth at the expense and exploitation of many. It’s disingenuous to blame poverty on individuals when it’s systemic!
Those who have and are in power know this, they are fully aware but would rather continue to paddle lies and the false narrative that people are to blame for their own suffering — championing the “rags to riches” story that if you work hard enough you might also become wealthy…
Contemplating what Viola meant when she purported that she wanted to become famous so she could get finally seen. Is that why I am a writer? Am I writing to get seen? “To choose to write is to reject silence”
— Chimamanda. I reject silence whether it being silent or silenced…
— Chimamanda. I reject silence whether it being silent or silenced…
Poor people are expected to remain silent and grateful because how dare you speak up when you are a nobody? A nothing? But we must reject silence as Audre Lorde says, your silence won’t save you. Ever! So I find speaking out and writing in the face of bullying… liberating indeed
It’s also interesting to occupy two stools— that weird place where you are privileged on paper but not in reality. You went to UCT and Oxford and travelled the world and you’ve set with power and privilege that doesn’t belong to you because at the end of the day you are poor.
People also infantilise and have paternalistic attitudes towards poor people — as though you can’t think and they actively work to take away your agency and regularly remind you that even though you might be in the same spaces as them, you don’t belong and never will. Ever!
The world hates poor people and they have even taught poor people to hate themselves and each other — it’s always a mindfuck to find poor people being classist and anti-poor but it’s to be expected actually. So we spend so money and perform so much to render ourselves visible.
We can preach about self-love and internal validation until we’re blue in the face but human beings crave to be seen by others— so to experience life where people look over you or through you damages you especially when it’s not your fault, so you internalise the bullshit.
Laughing at how my excellence and proximity to wealth/whiteness was never rewarded. UCT cum laude graduation etc was never enough because it was my hyper visibility that got me recognised and finally got my wins. I’m very intentional about branding & visibility because I know
I’m aware of how my being a writer, speaker/thinker, my being loud and flamboyant in most spaces where I get frowned upon aids in my success — like me or hate me, you’ll know Paballo Chauke, you’ll see me no matter how hard you try to erase or silence me. You’ll hear me— LOUDLY!
Then there are also invariably major consequences for being a poor person who dares to challenge the status quo and demands to be seen and heard by a world that would rather have him vanish and surreptitiously hide in corners because of shame and unbelonging. How dare you?! Run!
There’s a reason why I tell my story boldly and loudly and refuse to wear shame on a daily basis — I am aware of what it means and how it makes those in power uncomfortable but I do it anyway. I’m called to render visible those in my bloodline who were historically erased.
I Fucked up and triggered myself but I appreciate Viola Davis for her honesty and verve. To unashamedly narrate your story of poverty and struggle no matter the sensationalism and exceptionalism— refusing to be silent or used as an example to bash fellow povvos down.
Milan Kundera said that “the struggle of man against power, is the struggle of memory against forgetting”.
From this quote one can tell that there is power in memory and not forgetting oneself in the fight against the power structures that be. Fight erasure— See yourself! DAILY!
From this quote one can tell that there is power in memory and not forgetting oneself in the fight against the power structures that be. Fight erasure— See yourself! DAILY!
“Identities are the names we give to the different ways we are positioned by & position ourselves in the narratives of the past.” And it is for this reason why I think it’s important for the lion to learn how to write because it’s stories continue to unfairly glorify the hunter😏
“The one thing I learned when I was poor… Is that you are INVISIBLE. Nobody sees you because you have access to NOTHING. People feel like you're the one who's caused your fate... It’s only people who have the money…When you don't have [] you're NOBODY” Let me go weep 😢 🥹❤️🫂
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