Let's catch the mood of the moment

One should thank the likes of Dulux who annually purposefully choose their Colour of the Year to fit the mood of the moment. The 2023 colour is a positive one, chosen to make us global citizens feel more chirpy. And don’t we need just that!

May this year live up to Dulux’s colour named Wild Wonder™. They chose the name, they said, to connect us to the natural world, bringing energy, positivity and balance to our stressed-out lives. A yellowish-greeny tone, Wild Wonder™ is called “a light and earthy shade with a glowing gold tone.By understanding where the world is heading, we can respond with a colour that matches the mood of the moment.”
Right now the mood seems more wild than wonderful. Economies worldwide are on roller-coaster rides; family finances are fragile; and in the UK, citizens are receiving state aid to roll them over the worst of their cost-of-living crisis. When last did we read about citizens of a first world country receiving aid to make ends meet? The average middle-income UK household will face a hit to their disposable income of 13%, says a report by their National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR).

And in Namibia? According to the latest statistics of the Afrobarometer, 56% of Namibians experienced “moderate lived poverty” (34%) or “high lived poverty” (22%) during 2021, meaning they frequently went without basic life necessities. This is an 11-percentage-point increase, from 45% to 56%, compared to 2019. Closer to home, my grocery bill rose by 46.8% over the past year. What is left with which to support the impoverished?

So whatever happened to Louis Armstrong’s wonderful world?

Perhaps Dr Jenna Copper from Pennsylvania has the answer in her book titled Keeping the Wonder: An Educator's Guide to Magical, Engaging, and Joyful Learning. May you and I experience “… the surprise to marvel at something you didn’t expect, the curiosity to discover something you didn’t know, the freedom to explore something you are interested in, and the inspiration to create something you envisioned.” Is that not where the wonder lies – in personal freedom to follow our hearts?

And in following our hearts, we can make our mark as unique human beings! Herein lies the difference between us and artificial intelligence (read ChatbotGPT) which can only regurgitate information it has been exposed to. Regurgitated information reminds me of birds feeding their young: Open up, here comes your daily mommy-vomit!

Academics worried about the negative influence of AI on the work of their students, should perhaps turn to the age-old way of testing a youngster’s insight: oral exams. Imagine a one-on-one test where a learner is allowed to rap his/her answers while dancing or clapping hands. What a wonder-filled experience for both parties! Beats ChatbotGPT’s spewing any day.

Christine Stoman