The Big car syndrome
Everyone- at least here in Africa has an ongoing fascination and a never ending love-affair with big four wheel drive cars.
If you have one everyone else assumes that you're rich, this is in many cases an over assumption because most people who have large cars have loaned money from their banks to acquire not only the car but also the sense of status it brings. This syndrome is so far in-bread within us even our MP's refuse to drive smaller more money saving cars calling them 'school boy' vehicles.
These false ideas are irritating, and, more importantly drive many who can not afford them to the brink poverty and possible bankruptcy just for the show of it.
We seem to be drawn to the flashy things in life like moths to a flame, it seems we all love to show off to our would be friends.
It seems like, some of our politicians and super rich wouldn't be caught anywhere in small saloon cars. They are so attached to their four wheeled friends that they are no longer a means to get around but a fashion statement.
Now that more of our MP's and P.S' are turning in their luxury cars in exchange for smaller, less expensive passats, this trade causes more questions than answers, for instance; will the old luxury cars be sold in an open auction to any buyer that can afford them?
When the cars are finally sold will the money from the sales really be flushed back into the country? Why was the tender given exclusively to GM? These are just two of the many questions swirling around in the minds of many Kenyans like myself, for now we are forced to play the wait and see game.
If you have one everyone else assumes that you're rich, this is in many cases an over assumption because most people who have large cars have loaned money from their banks to acquire not only the car but also the sense of status it brings. This syndrome is so far in-bread within us even our MP's refuse to drive smaller more money saving cars calling them 'school boy' vehicles.
These false ideas are irritating, and, more importantly drive many who can not afford them to the brink poverty and possible bankruptcy just for the show of it.
We seem to be drawn to the flashy things in life like moths to a flame, it seems we all love to show off to our would be friends.
It seems like, some of our politicians and super rich wouldn't be caught anywhere in small saloon cars. They are so attached to their four wheeled friends that they are no longer a means to get around but a fashion statement.
Now that more of our MP's and P.S' are turning in their luxury cars in exchange for smaller, less expensive passats, this trade causes more questions than answers, for instance; will the old luxury cars be sold in an open auction to any buyer that can afford them?
When the cars are finally sold will the money from the sales really be flushed back into the country? Why was the tender given exclusively to GM? These are just two of the many questions swirling around in the minds of many Kenyans like myself, for now we are forced to play the wait and see game.
I guess this is a universal problem. In the states some of the poorest who are on goverment life support drive the most expensive cars. Saw your article on nation...again../ Bravo!
ReplyDeletesame here in my country
ReplyDeleteYou have good material,but with a title like Kenyan idiot we expect witty,satirical articles...you might want to change the name in that case.However i love your good command of English and how you put your point across.All the best.
ReplyDelete