Why I Want My Kids to Grow Up in South Africa

[00:00:00]Someone said to me, "Trevor, if you have kids, where would you like them to be brought up?"

[00:00:07]And this was honestly one of the toughest questions ever cuz I was like, "Wow, actually I've never thought about it. If I had children, where would I want them to be brought up?" And and honestly, all I all I could think, no lying, no nothing, I was like, "I would want them to be brought up in South Africa."

[00:00:20]I would want them to grow up in a country where you have multiple cultures, in a country where you have multiple languages, in a country where you understand that there are other ways to be, in a country where there's diversity in terms of thought, in terms of food. I would want them to understand what it's like to be in a country where like I would just I would want them to live here. I want them to know here.

[00:00:40]And then I I went down a spiral where I was like, "Wow, what what would I want?

[00:00:43]Why would I would want my kids to be South African."

[00:00:48]Like I realized I realized I want my kids to have the same ice cream truck music that I grew up with.

[00:00:56]Which I didn't even know was a thing.

[00:00:59]I didn't know this. Did you Do you know that the ice cream truck music is different in every country?

[00:01:02]I didn't know this. I just assumed. Huh, till I went and there I was, in America they've got different ice cream truck ice cream truck was driving around and it's there And then you go to Europe, you'll be in some random country, they've got their own music and ice cream truck is like I don't want that for my kids.

[00:01:32]When my kids are getting ice cream, I don't want that jolly music playing.

[00:01:38]I want happy music.

[00:01:41]When my kids are about to get ice cream, I want there to be suspense.

[00:01:48]I want it to sound like the beginning of a horror movie.

[00:01:53]I want that thrill when the truck turns around the corner.

[00:01:57]Dun dun dun dun dun.

[00:02:07]>> [laughter] >> That's what I want for my kids.

[00:02:16]Why do I want them to grow up in this country? There's so many reasons.

[00:02:21]You know why I want my kids to be South African?

[00:02:23]Because I want my kids to have grit.

[00:02:26]I want them to have texture.

[00:02:29]You take for granted what a child growing up in South Africa learns. You take for granted what they have to go through. It makes you something special, you know? It polishes you. A diamond from the rough.

[00:02:40]There's something like, you know, I realized this one day. I was I was I was in the street in Brooklyn, right outside of New York City, right?

[00:02:49]And I'm sitting outside. It's a beautiful, beautiful day.

[00:02:53]And I'm in the street and and there's these kids playing baseball, right? And I'm watching these kids while they're playing. Well, I wasn't like watching them. I just saw them, you know?

[00:03:03]And no, like like I wasn't like watch like they were just there.

[00:03:06]And I was looking in that direction.

[00:03:09]In fact, I was looking first and then they came and started playing while I was looking there. So, like they're the ones with the problem anyway.

[00:03:17]So, the kids were there and they were playing baseball, right? And they're having like a really great time. One kid pitches the ball, hits it, runs around.

[00:03:23]Another one comes, hits the ball. And then one kid pitched the ball, the kid batted and hit it and it flew into a car window on the side.

[00:03:32]And the window cracked.

[00:03:35]And the kid who hit it was like And then the kid who threw the ball he was like And then the other kids who were just standing around they were like And and there was 10 kids all crying at different eeeh, I can't have children like that.

[00:04:02]One broken window, 10 children crying.

[00:04:05]Ah, guys.

[00:04:06]That will never happen in South Africa.

[00:04:10]What is the point of that? I remember what it was like growing up.

[00:04:13]We'd be outside in the streets playing.

[00:04:16]Yeah, everyone was there busy with the soccer ball.

[00:04:20]Busy having some fun playing disky.

[00:04:22]Someone would kick that ball too hard.

[00:04:24]Ball would fly over the wall, hit someone's window.

[00:04:29]And the thing I love is South African windows always act like they're not going to break.

[00:04:43]And then the kid who kicked the ball, they'd look and they'd be like, >> [screaming] >> and the rest of us would see what is about to happen. We know.

[00:05:00]We understand why our friend is terrified. They're in more trouble than they've ever been in their lives, but we wouldn't cry. What is our crying going to help our friend?

[00:05:08]No.

[00:05:10]We would be there. We would look over into our friend's eyes. We'd stare at them and we'd be like, I see. Yes, yes. I love her now.

[00:05:20]You broke the window. They're going to hit you. It's about to shine. They're going to kill you.

[00:05:29]And then we'd take the ball and be like, "SEE YOU TOMORROW."

[00:05:35]THOSE ARE THE KIDS I WANT.

[00:05:39]That's why I want South African children.

[00:05:42]You kidding me?

[00:05:45]And the most important reason, the most important reason I want to have children that are South African is because I want children who have culture and respect.

[00:05:53]Culture and respect. You take that for granted as a South African.

[00:05:59]The way we treat each other, even in the toughest times, you take it for granted because you're here.

[00:06:04]Ah, but guys, South Africans, we're truly a cut above the rest.

[00:06:08]Like you think I'm wrong. You think I'm lying.

[00:06:11]Go. Walk anywhere in public where there are other South Africans. Fall flat on your face.

[00:06:18]Tell me there's no South African there who will feel your pain.

[00:06:22]You'll fall. Bah. They'll all be there like, "Sorry."

[00:06:26]Ooh, sorry.

[00:06:28]Ach, shame, man. Ach, nee, man. Ach, shame. Ach, voetsek, man. Ach, shame.

[00:06:36]You know that doesn't happen overseas.

[00:06:38]Yeah. There's a lot of countries around the world where no one cares about what happens to you if they don't know you.

[00:06:43]I saw this firsthand in New York.

[00:06:45]I was walking through the street and there was this old lady who just come back from grocery shopping and she was carrying her bag. And this lady was old, guys. Like old old old old old like old old old old old like old you know like old.

[00:06:59]Like old like she was knocking. You know what I mean? Like old old old.

[00:07:03]Old.

[00:07:04]Do you know what I mean?

[00:07:06]Yeah, like even where like the angel of death was there walking with her like, "Ah, anytime. I know I'll just be here in case." Like old I'm talking about old.

[00:07:14]You know when you're so old every morning you wake up shocked like, "Ah, I'm still here."

[00:07:18]Like that old. Old.

[00:07:20]And this little old lady was walking with her bag. She had a little plastic bag with groceries. And as she got to the middle of the street, the bag burst.

[00:07:30]And all the vegetables that were inside her bag scattered on the ground. And vegetables you all know is the worst thing to drop.

[00:07:36]Yeah, cuz nothing runs like vegetables, eh?

[00:07:39]Have you seen vegetables when you drop them out of a packet?

[00:07:42]They go in every direction like they know you're going to murder them. Guys, they're gone. Those vegetables, especially onions, have you seen onions?

[00:07:48]They land and they're like Guys, these vegetables were strewn in every direction. Nobody stopped to help this lady. No one care People made it seem like she inconvenienced them. They were hopping over it, looking at her, judging her.

[00:08:06]I was the only one who felt bad. I went I started gathering up the vegetables.

[00:08:10]Started picking them As I picked them up, this old lady turned and she looked at me and SHE WAS LIKE, "HEY!

[00:08:15][screaming] HEY! DON'T TOUCH MY VEGETABLES, YOU PUT THOSE DOWN, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

[00:08:25]AND I WAS LIKE, "YOU'RE SORRY."

[00:08:31]I don't want that for my kids. I want them to grow up in a culture where there's respect and care.

[00:08:39]Respect being one of the key ones.

[00:08:42]I've been traumatized by children in America.

[00:08:45]They do whatever they want when they want.

[00:08:48]Honestly, guys, I've met many American children. They're demons, eh?

[00:08:52]Demons. Abosatan.

[00:09:02]>> [music] [music]