ninehillsRAMBLE in the JUNGLE
"Nation Building without Power Tools for the Youth"?
By Wanaku Verdzekov · · Africa & the Gulf of Guinea
Date note: Undated Facebook post, estimated to about 2021.
Tags: youth, tools, guns, nation-building
Politricksters talk to the youth about "nation building"… and the youth can ask: "Nation building without tools?"
GrandPa built roads under the Germans using shovels and pickaxes. Expecting the youth of today to "build" anything without making all the necessary tools for building things available to them is like expecting the sun to rise at midnight. It won't happen.
How to replace "guns" with "building tools": that is the question.
Youth need POWER TOOLS, not guns. Given the right tools, our youth can build the "nation" LITERALLY, not "politrickstically" (my new word; I have the right to create new words. Ija'iku tum!).
TM
— Wanaku Verdzekov
Reading & grammar
Reading level: Gr 7–9
Understand
- What question can the youth ask politicians?
- How did GrandPa build roads under the Germans?
- What does the author mean by "power tools, not guns"?
Grammar focus: coining words. "Politrickstically" is a new adverb from politrickster. The author admits it: "my new word; I have the right to create new words." English grows by coinage, but new words need context to be understood.
Try it: Coin a new word with a suffix (-ly, -ness, -ify) and use it in a sentence that makes its meaning clear.
Discuss: What tools (physical or digital) would most help young people in your community build something?