This week the world lost its moral compass and chief troublemaker, Nelson Mandela.
Through struggle, patience and perseverence, Mandela left a breathtaking body of work. He helped unite a factious country and came to symbolize tolerance and peace in South Africa and other conflicts around the world.
What many people don’t know about Mandela however is his history as a “troublemaker.” He defied authority when necessary and refused to compromise on his vision of a unified and free South Africa.
Too often when someone says no to our vision, that’s the end of it. When we reach a crossroads, we take the easy road. We don’t want to make waves, so we choose to blend in or appease those around us.
Not Mandela. He lived his life with purpose, standing up for his vision even when it meant causing a little trouble. That’s a lesson we can all learn from.
Nelson Mandela the Troublemaker
Mandela challenged those around him, allies and enemies alike. It should have come as no surprise since his given name, Rolihlahla, translates colloquially as “troublemaker.”
Like most troublemakers, or misfits (as AJ Leon would say) or instigators (as Srini Rao would say), Mandela consistently defied expectations to pursue the society he knew was possible. This meant not only standing up to his oppressors but also reconciling and negotiating with them against the wishes of his allies.
For Mandela, being a pain in the side of those around him was not done to spite others. Rather, his troublemaking was essential to force others to change their viewpoint and consider the position of those around them. He was a contrarian who held a magnifying glass to the policies, tactics and challenges in his society. In the end, he created a new paradigm, where before compromise or resolution seemed impossible.
Our challenges pale in comparison to those faced by Mandela and South African society. However, his methods and willingness to pursue his vision is a lesson we can apply to our body of work.
How can we do what’s right, defy limitations and expectations and pursue what we know is possible? How can we create a new paradigm that is so original that it is not even considered by those around us?
The Beginning of Mandela’s Troublemaking
From a young age Nelson Mandela lived up to his name. He grew impatient with the elders of the African National Congress (A.N.C.) and organized the A.N.C. Youth League in 1944. The Youth League issued its own manifesto, pushing forward the ideology of Pan-African nationalism. Five years later the Youth League engineered a generational takeover of the A.N.C.
Shifting Tactics to Militancy
Nonviolence was an essential aspect of the A.N.C. throughout the 40′s and 50′s. However, in 1961 after the killing of 69 peaceful demonstrators, the troublemaker again realized the need to change course. A militant strategy of economic sabotoge began.
On Trial
Away from the streets and in the court room, Mandela kept making trouble. When on trial for inciting a strike, Mandela appeared, “wearing a traditional Xhosa leopard-skin cape to underscore that he was an African entering a white man’s jurisdiction” (Keller, NY Times).
In the Rivonia trial he convinced his fellow defendants to use the trial as a platform to state their case to the world.
Rather than running from the charges of sabotage, they admitted to their actions. Mandela opened the defense with a four hour oration widely revered as one of the best speeches he, or anyone, gave in the 20th century. He closed his defense with the now immortal words:
“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realized. But my lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
Embracing the Oppressor
Following his conviction, Mandela was sent to Robben Island where he was incarcerated for 27 years pounding rocks in blinding sun.
Although conditions at Robben Island may have been better than those faced by Blacks in the townships at the time, it was a bleak place.
Incredibly during his stay he embraced his oppressor. Much to the chagrin of some freedom fighters, he befriended his guards, learned their Afrikaans language and started the process of reconciliation.
In 1986 Mandela began years of negotiations with the white government on the future of South Africa. He didn’t tell his comrades, starting the negotiations on his own, again choosing the path of purpose over popularity.
Elections
Even on the brink of elections for a new South Africa, Mandela followed his own path. He refused vengeance as some in the A.N.C. wanted and welcomed rival factions in to his unity government. He also refused to run for a second term, handing over power in a region filled with revolutionaries who continue to this day to cling to power.
As he was sworn in to power, the troublemaker made clear his vision:
Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.
Cause Some Trouble
Pursuing your vision will not be easy. As Mandela taught us however, making a true dent in the universe requires some troublemaking. Through years of standing up for his vision, Mandela stepped on some toes. Ultimately he created a new paradigm that liberated South Africa.
Not bad for a troublemaker.
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