On Optics

You didn’t see this one coming, did you? I would have loved to discuss the circumstances that led to my silence but I would rather save that for later. For now, let me just say that 3 half-completed articles later, I am attempting yet another comeback to my weekly routine of sharing what runs through this cluttered head. Anyways. Let’s get on with this, shall we?

Some of you may know this. I am and have been a big fan (notice that the spelling is not fun) of the Times Exclusive program that airs on Times Television on Saturday nights. The reason is simple. That program gives a platform for people who are in proximity to contentious issues in Malawi to be heard. Usually, the issues discussed would be ones of national interest. In recent times, I can think of the programs around national registration, politics of sugar prices, electric cars, water supply and the continual political charade by members of different parties. I was, therefore surprised when I heard about the plan to have the Kingstons; Zeze Kingston and Dorothy Shonga on the program.

Unlike other hardcore followers of the programs who thought having the musician-socialite couple was a bad idea, I was indifferent. I knew that the guests were fertile ground for Brian Banda’s intrusive line of questioning and that it would be a program many would enjoy and talk about for some time. True to my word, there are still some meme references going around social media from the interview. Peanuts. Angel Gabriel. 500K. One person asked me to provide an honest review of the interview and I shared my two cents with her. That is not what I am about to do here. What I want to discuss is just one element of that interview before I get to something more generalized.

Throughout the Dozeze interview, there was a lot of flare of public display of affection. From the mannerisms, we got an impression of a couple that are neck deep in love. Then there was the issue of money where their home budgets and earning and spending habits were discussed in detail that conservatives would think shouldn’t have been dived into. In the ensuing debate, others told us that this is showbiz and it is something people from Malirana or Bwengu would not understand. In their words, we were told that people in show business like to paint a certain picture of how they live, regardless of whether that is their actual life or not. That brings us to the day’s issue. Optics.

In the modern-day social-media driven world, it is not uncommon to find people putting so much effort into appearing to live a certain life than actually living it. Think of all the social media posts from gents complaining of the discrepancies in the appearances between the photos and the in-person looks of the Instagram baddie they sent fuel money to. Flip the coin and you will see the ladies complain when they discover how broke or stingy the social media king they fell for is when they got close. I could go on to talk about the motivational speakers who are promising you billions but…. You know what? I don’t know how to fight. I am sure that you get the idea. People are spending so much time and effort on impressions. But is that always bad?

Back in 2019 I was having an informal chat with my then boss. It was late in the evening but we had stuck around to oversee some work that part of the team was doing. To be fair, I wasn’t supposed to be there because the work could have gone on without me. Also, I had no car which meant I would have required someone to drop me off. When the subject was raised, my boss offered to drop me since he thought I was living in Mandala which was on his way home. He later got surprised when he learnt that I had moved to a less affluent part of Blantyre which I will not mention here. His response? “You shouldn’t be living in such areas. For starters, it is unsafe there but more importantly, how will people take you seriously if they here you are from Z…?” Anyway. This short conversation gave me something to reflect on. There are times in which the impression you give is as good as your way of life itself.

Years later, I happened to be in a conversation with some young businessmen who happened to be discussing cars. One of them was complaining about how he had to buy a new car to match his status despite having a functional Mazda Demio. According to him, at one point his company failed to clinch a lucrative deal because he pulled up to a meeting in a Demio. The car, he said, gave the potential clients the impression that his company would not be able to do the job at hand, and he had only found this out when he had informally inquired as to why his bid was not successful. Just like that, this man was contemplating on buying an SUV he personally didn’t need. For the business optics, however, this was an actual need.

In a world where people are adopting all sorts of dress codes in the workplace, there usually is some banter thrown at some professions which seem to have stuck with formal dressing. Some have even mocked those who dress up for church for one reason or the other. The whole thing of dressing up for the occasion seems to be going towards extinction with very little effort being put into that by many. At one point, I happened to be chatting with some old-timers who hinted on the fact that they would not give a person a shot at an opportunity if they didn’t dress up.

The weekend is upon us and there are many events happening. You may have those people who do not need an event or a weekend to spam our social media feeds with pictures in fancy eateries, on planes and waterfronts. For some, the pictures are a genuine reflection of their happiness while for some they are merely masks that successfully hide their inner sorrow. Some are going beyond their bounds of integrity and morality just to maintain their lifestyle while others are either getting in debt or finding it hard to survive the rest of the month or cover certain costs having spent substantial amounts on enjoyment and social media perfect pictures.

I recently decided to delete LinkedIn and Instagram applications from my phone. Two reasons. I felt like the apps were putting me under unnecessary pressure to achieve or do certain things based on what people I consider peers were doing. The second reason was almost the opposite. I felt like some of the content I was sharing was giving the impression of some sort of life that I actually will not be able to afford in the next two years. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have but you get the idea. It is very easy to have your cage rattled by those posts of people who seem to be making fast career strides and are always out there drinking Pina Colada in the Maldives.

There you go, then. In the later day we have people putting in a lot of effort to make an impression, and I am not just talking about the social media. What you see people saying and doing will have you admire a person who should be a beneficiary of your charity if you are not careful. People are living picture perfect lives that will show you how healthy, fun, spiritual, romantic and progressive their lifestyle is. Not everything is true behind the curtains, though. Learn to guard your mind to avoid being unnecessarily pressured into living beyond your means or losing focus on your goals. Stick to your lane.

On the other hand, it is important to invest in projecting yourself well. Your dressing, interactions, speech and general outlook should be one that can land you opportunities. Put on some good shoes and a nice hairstyle on top of the clean clothes you wear. Do not forget some good perfume too. There will be some times when you need to blend in and do some things to give and preserve a good image. Drive a nice car if the next level demands it, and when you go to meet big people do not drink your usual Kuchekuche. There we drink Gentleman Jack or Glen for the sake of securing the bag. I didn’t say you should get a loan in order to start driving a German machine, did I?