Our 11th prompt comes from Guchu. She asks:
How do you speculate patriarchy contributed to hurricanes traditionally being given female names?
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Guchu,
I love this question. I remember asking my mother why hurricanes were given the names they were in 1998. Continue reading “#11: The Patriarchy and its Hurricanes”
Our tenth prompt comes from Odede. He says:
What to do when you have nothing to do
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Odede,
Wow, I’ve not felt this way in a long time. I’m assuming that when you say “nothing to do” you mean no obligation on your schedule. If so, I have some ideas. Continue reading “#10: What To Do When You Have Nothing To Do”
Our ninth prompt comes from Prof. Mwalimu. He asks:
Why do we need borders in todays society? Arent we all the same people after all?
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Prof. Mwalimu,
I remember the last time I had a discussion about this topic. It was in 2014, and it did not end well. I was called unpatriotic, and told that in the past, I would have found myself in jail because of my views. Well, lucky me, I’m still walking around Nairobi a free woman.
I can see how people become patriotic. Patriotism has been defined as the love for, or devotion to, one’s homeland (country) or ancestry. Continue reading “#9: Do we still need borders?”
Our eighth prompt comes from MMK. He asks:
Is Tupac alive?
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MMK,
I laughed until I was short of breath when I saw this question – it’s right up there with “Can Kantai tie a tie?” when it comes to questions I thought I’d never have to answer. But I’m a good sport, so why not. 😀
One, I really admire the way Tupac has captured the minds of people; that over 20 years after his death, this question is still a topic of debate. Continue reading “#8: Is Tupac alive?”
Our seventh prompt comes from GM. They ask:
Could there be other dimensions in the world that our human brains currently cannot see/feel/hear/touch/smell?
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GM,
I’m happy you asked this question for two reasons – one is that I love talking about space-time, and the second is that your primary question was a personal one, and as per the rules of this experiment, I shan’t be answering those.
Onward. In math and physics, the dimension of a space or object is the minimum number of co-ordinates needed to specify any point within it. A point, for example, has no dimensions. Continue reading “#7: Are there other dimensions out there?”
Our sixth prompt comes from Wanderer. They ask:
Do you think bestiality should be legalized? Human beings kill and domesticate (read enslave) animals without their consent. So, haven’t we disregarded consent to begin with for it to come up as an argument against those who want to engage in sexual relations with their animals? I use consent because many animal rights activists use this argument. Without linking it to religion, what are your thoughts on this?
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Wanderer,
This is the most intriguing and engaging question I have been asked this year. Bestiality (sexual intercourse between a human being and an animal) is a hot topic because we tend to project our attitudes on animals, so our stance on bestiality is almost always dictated by our personal moral/ethical code. Continue reading “#6: Should bestiality be legalized?”
Our fifth prompt comes from Caramel. They ask:
What would you term as the best sitcom of all time? And who is/was your favourite character in that show?
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Caramel,
This is a tough and enjoyable question to answer. Sitcom (situation comedy) shows were a major feature in my childhood, teenage and young adult years, which means that I have watched more than my fair share, and I have a long list of favourites. I’ll only share a few here, though.
The Simpsons, for example, which was how I fell in love with animated TV shows as a child. Back then, it showed on KTN, and I couldn’t get enough of it, especially due to Matt Groening and his team’s ability to have multiple layers in their comedy. Continue reading “#5: The Best Sitcom of All Time”
Our fourth prompt comes from Kamungai. He asks:
Is Kenya run by an elite club into which you can only join by invitation?
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Kamungai,
Your question brings to mind many things, the first of which is political theory. I’ve been revisiting my uni philosophy readings (almost all of which are by dead white men), and the past couple of days have focused on Aristotle. He asks two questions when assessing political systems. Question one: who rules? How many people exercise ruling power? Question two: in whose interest? Self-interest or that of the community? Continue reading “#4: Who runs Kenya?”
Our third prompt comes from Winnie. She asks:
What does Kenya feminism offline & online look like now after your 10 years of being on the internet?
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Winnie,
I first identified as feminist at 15, when I was in Form 3. I always knew that the prescribed role(s) and spaces for women in society were too small for me. They were constricting; suffocating even. I was a problem girl (who has grown into a problem woman) and as soon as I learned of the word feminism, I said: aha! That is exactly what I am – a feminist. A person who holds this radical idea that women are people too, and they deserve to live out their lives in full, as they choose.
It goes without saying that finding radical feminism at age 15 does not bode well for a high school student in Kenya, so I was always in trouble. Continue reading “#3: Musings on Kenyan Feminism(s)”
Our second prompt comes from Laureezy. She asks:
Does pineapple belong on pizza?
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Let’s get a few things out of the way. Laureezy, you are very cheeky and foul for this question. Cheeky because you took it out of the examples I gave for prompts (which I was hoping no one would do) and foul for starting a food war in this sacred space on day 2 of its humble operation.
Onward. I come from a place where pineapples are grown widely, so pineapples have been a feature in my life for as long as I can remember. Continue reading “#2: Does pineapple belong on pizza?”