The lesson the young should learn from Naomi Osaka’s inexperience

Apr 17, 2022 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – In March this year at the Indian Wells tournament, Naomi Osaka was booed by a spectator while playing. It affected her, she began to cry, and her game fell to pieces.
With the experience of playing around the world, Ms. Osaka should have known better. But at 24 is she experienced enough to learn about one of the most invaluable lessons of life? And yes, it is one of the most important things, if we do not know about it, can mentally destroy every human. And it may have psychologically damaged, beyond repair, to countless humans throughout life.
What is that lesson? Do not be deterred by your detractors. Live your life how you want to live it, be respectful to others, acknowledge the rights of others, ensure you do not deny others their right to happiness but never let the attitude of those you do not know, want to know and you don’t care about, shape and affect your life.
Humans are inherently flawed and selfish. Humans will say anything that come to their mouths and you have to understand that, ignore it and get on with your life. From the time you become a parent, this is the great lesson of life you must impart to your children.
I have one child, a daughter. When she came into this world, I was experienced and educated enough to understand the flaws of humans. So, I asked her to internalise that invaluable lesson. I put it to her the way it has been said always – “don’t bother with people you don’t take your plate to.”
My daughter is grown-up and I have peace of mind that I know she has inculcated that seminal advice all parents, teachers and mentors must impart to younger people. It was unfortunate that Ms. Osaka let that hooligan get to her. She could not show him the middle finger in that ambience at Indian Wells but that is what she should have done.
She will never see that man again. She didn’t know him. She doesn’t know if he is intelligent enough to know the difference between a padlock and a spoon. She does not know if he is educated enough to know that Nigeria is not a part of the United States, yet she let him get to her.
I am definitely sure, Ms. Osaka must have been told millions of times since March 2022 not to ever let that happen again to her. I am sure Ms. Osaka must have been advised by countless friends and admirers that she must never allow stupid people to ruin her day.
The double standards of life have been with civilisation since time immemorial and they will be part of life forever. I did a column in support of Indian star cricketer, Hardik Pandya when he was suspended. Pandya in an interview said when he is in a nightclub, he usually assesses the women before he makes his move.
Why was Pandya suspended for that emanation in a country that tolerates the most vicious discrimination based on skin colour? Since the Hindi screen started, no leading star has been dark-skinned. The Academy of Motion Pictures awarded Roman Polanski an Oscar at a time when he is still wanted in the US for sodomising an underage girl. Mr. Polanski lives happily in France. Do you think the usual suspects, their middle class acolytes and their media facilitators care about what people say about their hypocrisy and racism?
Why should you be deterred from running over to the supermarket with your wrinkled T-shirt because people will laugh at you? Do you carry your plate to those people? Do you think those people are intelligent enough to know what a democratic country is?
Did those people, who you think will laugh at your T-shirt, contribute to your education? Did they put food on your table when your parents were trying to feed you and your siblings? If the answer is no, then why do you care what they will say when you wear your wrinkled T-shirt? If you don’t have the time to iron your top, that is your business. Pull it over your shoulders and run into the supermarket and do what you have to do.
Life is about obligation. If you work at the bank, then the bank puts food on your table. If the bank says you are not permitted to wear a ring in your nose then don’t. Schools have rules, you are being educated there. If they say uniforms must be worn, then you have to comply. Outside of these environments, don’t let fools and strangers that don’t care about you dictate your life for you.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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The lesson the young should learn from Naomi Osaka’s inexperience

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