Don't sell people an incomplete map and then blame them for getting lost. I've been sitting with that thought for weeks because the more I look around, the more I realize that many of the frustrations we carry as a society are not simply about unemployment, corruption, inequality or even money. They are about the stories we tell one another. From the time we are children, we are handed maps for how life is supposed to work. Study hard and life will work out. Get a degree and you'll find a good job. Work hard and success will follow. Save consistently and you'll become financially secure. Find your passion and the money will come. Marry the right person and everything else will fall into place. Believe in yourself. Think positively. Stay disciplined. None of these statements is entirely false. But none of them is entirely true either. The problem is rarely what they say. The problem is what they leave unsaid. Because what is omitted from a story is often just as powerful...
The Price of a Bargain: Why “It’s Not a Bargain If You Don’t Need It” Should Be Every Kenyan’s Mantra
“It’s not a bargain if you don’t need it.” This phrase has quietly become my compass whenever a flashy deal or discount catches my eye. It’s simple, but powerful. And in a world that constantly pushes us to buy more, grab every offer, and never miss a sale, it’s the question we all need to ask ourselves. Walk into any Kenyan supermarket like Quickmart or Naivas on discount day, and you’ll see a battlefield of bargains. Buy-one-get-one-free offers, 50% discounts, and flash sales everywhere. Chicken Inn and Pizza Inn tempt you with their famous “ Wacky Wednesday ” deals — two meals for the price of one or ridiculously low prices on combos that almost feel too good to be true. But are they really bargains? Or just clever traps? Take a moment and think: How often do you finish both pizzas from that deal, especially if you’re eating alone? How many times have you bought plastic gadgets or trinkets from shops like Miniso or China Square because they were “cheap,” only to realize la...