Pessimism Hides S. Africa's Gains

A bit of debunking of colonialist crap.

PRETORIA, South Africa - It was the morose party conversations at
white South African dinner tables that caused author Steuart
Pennington to tackle the nation's pessimism head on.

Pennington said he got so tired of doomsayers bouncing the party talk
from one dire topic to the next that he and Brett Bowes invented a
quiz with 15 questions on crime, housing, education, health and other
topics.

Of 11,000 white South African respondents, mainly executives and
senior managers, only eight managed to get more than 10 of the
questions right - and two of them were expatriates working in South
Africa. The average number of correct answers was three.

"South Africans almost get a sort of pleasure in being able to talk the
country down. In virtually every social situation when you are in the
company of white people over 45, you'll find that sort of discussion,"
Pennington said.

LA Times (Reg. Req.)