EDITORIAL: Reining in the spate of killings
Yesterday, a debate raged among young people on social media about passion killings that have reared their ugly heads again in recent days. Some, rather horrifyingly, feel that the victims of such killings invited these tragedies upon themselves – as if to justify the murders. With this kind of reasoning, it’s clear we have a long way to go.
Often, two conflicting narratives have become the recurring themes in such debates. To some, the loss of cultural values have contributed significantly to passion killings. To others, the exact opposite is true - the persistence of cultural values is, in fact, the cause. This is because, traditionally, men have dominated intimate relationships. The subtle emergence of ‘woman power’ is perceived to be a threat to men, who then pull the proverbial trigger during such confrontations.
All these theories and floods of ink spent on endless writings have barely mitigated the situation. But we cannot fold our arms and shrug our shoulders, as if to say the tragedy will self-correct like market forces.
Something must be done - but what? We can’t put our finger on it, but things like the over-monetisation of relationships have caused problems.
The providers act as if that money was to commodify and buy their partners. Money has become an evil that, when not had, makes relationships hard to come by. When had, it’s used as a tool to control its receivers. Those who reject control pay with their lives.
Often, two conflicting narratives have become the recurring themes in such debates. To some, the loss of cultural values have contributed significantly to passion killings. To others, the exact opposite is true - the persistence of cultural values is, in fact, the cause. This is because, traditionally, men have dominated intimate relationships. The subtle emergence of ‘woman power’ is perceived to be a threat to men, who then pull the proverbial trigger during such confrontations.
All these theories and floods of ink spent on endless writings have barely mitigated the situation. But we cannot fold our arms and shrug our shoulders, as if to say the tragedy will self-correct like market forces.
Something must be done - but what? We can’t put our finger on it, but things like the over-monetisation of relationships have caused problems.
The providers act as if that money was to commodify and buy their partners. Money has become an evil that, when not had, makes relationships hard to come by. When had, it’s used as a tool to control its receivers. Those who reject control pay with their lives.
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Namibian Sun
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