The world has all sorts of imaginations when it comes to Africa. Images of and from the land are filled predominantly with negativity; extreme poverty, desperation and starvation, malnutrition, naked and sickly kids with mucus on their noses and flies in their mouths, child soldiers, endless wars and dictatorship, slums with no running water or electricity, sewage filled and dirty streets, images of any kind of sicknesses, disease, and pandemics and what not.
Nobody can deny that these images exist because they do. But is that it? Is that all that Africa is? Is that all that can be shown to the world? Is that all that has to be known of Africa?
Unfortunately, and for an unclear reason, even in this 21st century the answer is yes!
On the other hand, images of and from first or richer worlds are different. They display worlds full of lights and life, riches and comfort, security and peacefulness, acceptance and aid, fun and laughter. Good life.
That is what is seen, known, and documented of such worlds. That is the concrete belief and imagination of anyone outside of those worlds. But is it?
Africa, for example, has a lot to offer and a lot of positive life. In fact, anybody with a little over average means of living finds life to be favourable. But such images, for some reason, are never shown anywhere to the world constantly, or even permanently, leaving the image of the continent, as it is intentionally advertised, unchanged from the negative aspect that it is portrayed as.
Likewise, even if ratios are totally different, misery in first or richer worlds is hardly ever shown. Poor people behind supermarket dumpsters trying to find that piece of expired bread or an orange for a meal are never shown anywhere.
Naturally, this gives the impression that only positive life prevails in those worlds. And that’s what attracts people to leave their homes at all costs and in huge numbers to embark on dangerous and into the unknown–journeys, looking to join any one of those worlds, to have a piece of that cake.
