Maybe Examples are Becoming Obsoletes

I love examples! One of the ways people pass the spelling Bee is to ask that a word be used in a sentence or make an example of it. There are other reasons I like examples that should not take much space. Fundamentally, it provides a template. It allows for independent learning without the presence of the teacher in the hope that if you follow the example, you will arrive at the same conclusion. one of the things I liked about another context, even though there may be other problematic stuff, I rather not talk about today is that they have how-to about everything, including how to have sex on your first date with a diagram to help you so that your organ does not trespass into other territories.

Last year, I asked a professor who was not skin to me (race)a recommendation to comprehend complex stuff and the professor sent me a reading list of about half a page and a digital copy of about five others. Or that year, CODESRIA appointed Professor Saheed Aderinto as my mentor, and the man gave me ten hard copies of canonical texts in my field and uncountable other digital books. I wanted to tell both of these people, “ Kole to yen now( not that serious); Sho Ogun laye ni?

I vacillate about examples. When I think about the examples used in certain circumstances, I worry a little but not that much. Parents insult people for pressing phones, but people now make money, legally or otherwise, pressing phones. I do not support otherwise. People shame people for eating, telling them they will sell their destiny for a morsel of bread like Esau. Still, people are getting paid sometimes in millions to taste food or to be foodies. One day I read that Debola Lagos wrote about how they call him Arinka jabata( waka-about), but today he trotters the globe. The people they called elejowewe (talkative) are now motivational speakers and lawyers! Or the siharimi (show off people) may now be influencers, endorsers, and ambassadors. Some people who failed chemistry in WAEC now sell organic cream at exorbitant prices to top clients.

Many years ago, I stopped one of my siblings from break dancing because I imagined that it was because of dancing all over the place that certain things were happening. Still, when I think about kaffy Alajoota and the "likely governor-elect" of my mother's state, I don't know what to make of my decision.

The problem with examples could be why many people don't like mathematics because math teachers give "simple examples and then complex assignments. On this last point, I can't blame math teachers in my case. My mother alleged that I couldn't know math because I developed stomach pain or headache when math teachers came to the house, and my father believed that it might not be best to learn under pain. I have since defended my father by arguing that maybe my father knew that people learn math with real figures (,$), not x raise to the power of minus two divided by.

You know what? Try to remove 69cent from my money at the Grocery store. I will prove my Ph.D. in mathematics to you. or let my account balance read a particular way, or maybe my pay slip comes on a Friday, and it is specific cents short; I will be writing HR/ payroll an email that will schedule to be sent at 7:59 on Monday morning (ani shori buruku). I told someone I may not know math, but sweetheart, I know my money.

It seems to me that people who give examples may not be evil intended; we have to provide the benefits of the doubt that maybe they are " Fooled by Randomness "according to Nasim Talib( shout out to my obafe for introducing me to Talib over ten years ago; wicked friend that buys you books instead of snail and Asun, avoid them they are not your friend).

It seems that we must reflect on the kinds of examples we cite. Maybe examples are just becoming obsolete. Need I mention that asking a “senior college” for a template(example) of how to get a task down within a limited time got me inhumane, vitriolic, and toxic verbal and mental attack from men who used their position, power, and privilege under the surveillance of the "power that be" to plunge me towards suicidal thought until I remember my mother's word " wa woran ki ku agbo.” It could be possible that the problem with most examples has the proclivity to encompass the complexities and the contradictions of life and the human condition into simple truths.

At this juncture, the panel of judges, co-debaters, accurate timekeepers, and readers, with these few points of mine, I hope I have been able to convince you and not confuse you that maybe examples are getting obsolete.

 The  picture is of the "governor-elect."

Let me go and subscribe to the salsa class I have been avoiding. We have to start somewhere.

Very important (please, don’t take me seriously. Learn your math). As you learn your dance, please, make sure to read all the Saheed Aderinto, Adeleke Adeeko, Oyewunmi Oyeronke, Mojubaolu Okome, and add your own list, and don’t forget to spice with some Foucault, Mudimbe, Lacan, Derrida, Mbembe the list goes on and on. Dancing and intellect are not mutually exclusive.

Always your Celebrity Scholar in Training &

Professor Of Attention Economics/Politics (celebrities, fame, and popular culture)

Posted on Facebook on July 16, 2022.

I do not own the copyright to this image. Kindly email oyin2010@gmail.com for credit.