There’s nothing more obnoxious than developing world elites. Oil rich southerners with their boots, ripped tank tops and over all “I’m the master to your slave ” demeanor make me cringe. The UN workers who go from air conditioned vehicle to air conditioned sushi restaurants can’t be forgotten and the IMF workers (so I’ve heard, but have yet to experience) make even the UN and World bank workers squirm, but they all pail in comparison to the developing world elite.
The well off, Americo-Liberian, who, has created an all too familiar master-slave society. Blasting your music for the whole slum outside your apartment to here, while you lounge on your balcony and order the security to stop what he’s doing so that he can trek up to your apartment and carry down your dirty bath water.
You park anywhere you want and cause a huge scene when you’re told you can’t. No, the guard doesn’t know who you are and yes, you look like the driver (that’s why they treated you as such). Some drivers do have gaudy looking shoes too. Calling the Lebanese owner of X hotel and restaurant doesn’t change anything (he doesn’t know you either…yet), except for the fact that I’ve now put in my headphones to muffle your incessant screaming.
Most expats come with some form of white man’s burden, which tends to limit and even eliminate their master like attitude (at least publicly). but Americo-Liberians have the opposite of that. Their people were slaves so when they got dumped off by Americans and deemed “free,” they created the only society they knew. Now they are the masters with hundreds of years of oppression to make up. So while generations of Anglo-American youth are trying to make up for slavery by being too political correct and giving every hungry street child a dollar, Americo-Liberians are making up for lost time and relishing in a master’s lifestyle.
I hate to break it to you my man, but you do look like your driver.
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