In every society, real or imagined, there exists prevailing attitudes, values and beliefs shaped by lived experiences and the perspectives of those who engage with it.
IN every society, real or imagined, there exists prevailing attitudes, values and beliefs shaped by lived experiences and the perspectives of those who engage with it.
These perceptions often crystallise into stereotypes, especially when tied to specific locations and their dominant activities.
Take, for instance, the commonly heard phrase "KuMbare kune mbavha", to mean "There are thieves in Mbare", referring to a high-density suburb in Harare.
This narrative stems from historical reports of criminal activity around Mbare's bus terminals, where travellers were frequently targeted.
Yet over time, repetition has bred belief.
The more this idea is shared, the more it spreads and the more it is accepted as truth.
Eventually, the label overshadows reality, painting an entire community with a brush dipped in assumption.
In truth, not everyone in Mbare is a thief -- but in a society where passive acceptance of information has replaced critical inquiry, perception becomes reality and nuance is lost.
The pressing question is: what becomes of a society where critical thinking has vanished?
When was the ability to reason, challenge and reflect replaced by instant reactions, shallow opinions and collective echo chambers?
As Stephen Hawking's once warned, "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."
Today, we find ourselves in a world where questioning has all but disappeared.
Everything is loud, fast and saturated with information, yet the human mind, once a formidable tool for inquiry, discernment and growth, has dulled into passive acceptance of even the most absurd ideas.
This begs the question: have we truly become so intellectually numb or have we simply embraced the local mantra bvuma kupusa, a phrase that literally means "agree to act foolishly," especially in the presence of those entrenched in power?
It's a troubling thought, that submission and silence have replaced curiosity and courage, especially among us, the younger generation.
Could it be the limited access to opportunities that prevents the average young person from rising above the poverty datum line?
Or perhaps it's a system that preaches entrepreneurship in theory, yet in practice denies fair access to start-up capital.
Maybe it's the education system itself, one that stifles our capacity to reason, not because we lack the ability to consume and retain knowledge, but because the very structure of learning has become mechanical, suppressing curiosity and critical thought.
Surely, something deeper is at play.
Could it be that we've unknowingly accepted a reality where reasoning is no longer a necessity, and where conformity is rewarded more than inquiry?
Politicians revel in the spotlight during election season, only to retreat into silence once the votes are cast.
It's a relentless cycle of false promises, each more expensive than the last, repeated every four years.
Within this very system, those who dare to question or take action are met with harsh consequences like prolonged detention without bail, endlessly postponed trials, abductions, torture, and in the worst cases, enforced disappearances.
It's a chilling reality, one that suffocates reason and discourages dissent, especially in the absence of unified action.
Instead of mobilising for change, we scramble for handouts from those with wealth, power and influence.
We are forgetting that true empowerment lies in developing our skills, embracing financial literacy and creating pathways for advancement.
We are forgetting that independence is not just a personal goal. It's a collective weapon against injustice.
Yet the death of reason has left us fighting from a place of complacency, where silence is mistaken for peace and survival is mistaken for progress as we flood the streets as vendors, money changers, runners and touts.
And when you try to reason under such circumstances, you're met with heavy defence, avoidance and possible cancelling by a people who have memorised mantras and slogans instead of engaging in dialectic, a clear indicator of a social shift towards mental laziness.
Another question comes into play: Who benefits when people no longer think for themselves?
As if the plight of the majority of youths in these settings isn't dire enough, we now witness the emergence of affiliate organisations, formed by the very same youths from informal sectors, that appear meaningful on the surface, yet raise deeper questions.
Is this genuine patriotism or are we witnessing the rise of manipulated consensus?
What forces are shaping our thought patterns, when intellectual independence has eroded and escapism through alcohol and hard drugs has become the norm?
I've seen a bank close its doors, only for the same building to reopen as a liquor store, a haunting metaphor for the shifting priorities of our society.
It's a sombre reality, one that reflects not just economic decay but a psychological retreat from reason, ambition and collective responsibility.
Then there is the church.
This is where things become particularly complex, because in matters of faith, the activation of reason is often mistaken for doubt.
The prevailing ideology leans heavily on scripture and belief, yet few truly grasp the meaning behind either.
I could be wrong, but these days it feels as though the church is trading eternal treasures for immediate returns, heaven swapped for cash down.
Congregations overflow, yet many leave merely motivated, not transformed.
Even the Book of Proverbs cautions, "The simple believes every word, but the prudent gives thought to his steps" a verse that contrasts blind acceptance with thoughtful discernment, urging a reasoned approach to life's decisions.
Especially in climates where questioning is taboo and prosperity is preached louder than purpose, spiritual depth risks being drowned in performance.
What's even more disheartening when reason dies is the fact that even our participation as young people in matters of national interest becomes largely performative.
We take polished photos, post trendy captions "It was a pleasure", "I had the honour", "Thrilled to be part of such and such", yet leave without making any meaningful contributions in those spaces.
We're handed the reins of social media, while the real decisions, those that shape policy, governance and our lived realities, are made under the guise '"the youths voices were part of it".
Our engagement is curated for optics, not impact. And in this curated reality, we risk becoming spectators in our own future, mistaking visibility for influence and applause for progress.
We could go on endlessly, but one truth remains, in this age of misinformation, what is true often matters less than what is viral.
The merit of ideas is no longer measured by evidence or logic, but by the volume of agreement.
Human nature has become painfully predictable, no one listens to the little guy.
Speak truth to power and you'll be ridiculed, not because you're wrong, but because people aren't loyal to truth, they're loyal to status, influence and the illusion of authority.
Who are you to question the monied and powerful?
This is what happens when reason is no longer our compass.
We drift into a society where silence is survival, conformity is currency and death of critical thought is not mourned, but normalised.
And until we reclaim our intellectual independence, we will remain trapped, not by chains, but by the quiet tyranny of unchallenged narratives.