A Human Library | #MyFridayStory No. 347

Every decent town, city, or metropolis has a local library—perhaps even two. If there’s no functional library, it’s hard to call that place decent. Since the invention of the printing press in the first millennium AD , books have been the primary means of sharing information. Restricting access to books has long been a method for controlling and manipulating the masses. Those who held the knowledge held the power, gaining a significant advantage over the uninformed. Exclusive access to the latest ideas and discoveries meant a head start on everyone else.

As a child, I had a library card that granted me access to thousands of books on every subject under the sun. Naturally, my childhood collection often included Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five, alongside works by Roald Dahl, Louis L’Amour, Charles Dickens, and Dr Seuss. Having a library card was like holding a passport to adventure, unlocking a world where my imagination could soar, painting vivid images of far-off lands with strange people and fantastical creatures. Reading offers a brief escape from reality, allowing us to dream of what could be, rather than what is.

Opening a book you’ve never read before presents the opportunity to see the world through someone else’s eyes. You gain new insights, explore different worldviews, and find yourself transformed in subtle ways. No book leaves you unchanged. Even if the shift happens unconsciously, it still shapes you over time. To learn a new skill or grasp a fresh concept, you must either read or listen. It remains the best way to acquire knowledge—at least until we can implant chips directly into our brains.

If reading a book guarantees insights, imagine how powerful it would be to "read" a person—to discover their life story, their culture, and their experiences. This idea became a reality in Copenhagen, Denmark, with the founding of The Human Library ?. Here, you don’t borrow books—you borrow people. If you’ve ever wondered about the life of an Indigenous Hawaiian or how the Japanese teach their children impeccable manners, The Human Library lets you “check out” a human book to learn firsthand. Want to know what it’s like to live as a transvestite? You can borrow a human book who will share their story and help broaden your understanding.

In South Africa, the past 30 years have seen an increasing polarization of society. The African National Congress (ANC) has done little to dismantle the legacy of apartheid since coming to power. Apartheid was more than just a system of racial segregation; it was an ideology driven by a handful of White Afrikaner supremacists who indoctrinated the minority White population into believing they were inherently superior to people of colour—a population that makes up over 90% of South Africa.

Though apartheid officially ended in 1994, the gap between races and the levels of inequality continued to grow. My personal reckoning with the deep-seated prejudice I carried began on December 16, 2016, when I visited the Apartheid Museum at the urging of a close friend. That day marked the start of an internal shift, a journey of consciousness that will likely continue for the rest of my life. The indoctrination runs so deep it feels almost woven into our DNA, but shrugging it off with, “It is what it is” is simply not enough. We must do better.

I often travel by e-hail taxis, and over the years, I’ve had hundreds of trips where I’ve been “trapped” with the driver for the duration of the journey. I use that time to learn as much as I can about them. Before getting in the car, I practice their name so I can greet them personally. I ask where in South Africa or Africa they’re from. What’s their home language? What does their name mean? How often do they visit their family? What’s life like in the rural areas they come from? Do they have children? How long have they been driving, and what are their plans for the future?

Throughout the trip, I share some of my own experiences, and by the end, we often feel like friends. This has happened countless times. Each time, I’m struck by the warmth, compassion, and enthusiasm these drivers express when someone takes an interest in their life. Our conversations flow from politics to family, from work to religion, and somewhere along the way, I always steer the discussion towards the inequality and discrimination still rife in our country. Without exception, we agree—more must be done.

In many ways, I’ve created my own “Human Library” through these e-hail rides. Meeting someone different from me encourages me to lean in, to learn more about their background, culture, and upbringing. I strive to understand and celebrate their uniqueness rather than judge or find reasons to hate. Now, every time I step out of an e-hail car, I say to the driver, “I love you.” Without fail, they respond with, “I love you too.”

Have a great weekend and please remember to be generous! ??

As always, thanks for reading. ??

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