the measure of things

Essays on ethics, politics, pets, people, philosophy and poetry

A reflective blog examining how values are translated into decisions, systems, and norms—and where moral contradictions emerge across politics, policy, and everyday life.

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  • smokescreen

    In 2022, I published a book of Afrikaans poetry. I am systematically translating these poems. smokescreen’n rookreuk draal om jou jassoos van iemand wat elke daglangs ’n vuur slaapdit is… Read more ⇢

  • Zen and the Art of Woodworking

    A practical argument for the limits of interpretation. Using craft (woodwork) as an epistemological argument. I have recently taken up woodworking—mostly restoring damaged furniture. I spend my weekends taking apart… Read more ⇢

    Zen and the Art of Woodworking
  • Monde Mayephu: The Theatre of Responsibility

    This blog takes a reflective look at South African playwright Monde Mayephu and how his theatre connects art, ethics, education, and civic responsibility—from road safety to social justice. I first… Read more ⇢

    Monde Mayephu: The Theatre of Responsibility
  • Too Late to Matter? The Havenga Files.

    Archives, Timing, and the Ethics of Disclosure The archive as an airbrush A few years ago, I watched “Wat is waarheid” (What is truth) on a South African TV Channel.… Read more ⇢

    Too Late to Matter? The Havenga Files.
  • Domestic Divinities and the Politics of Pet Ownership

    Whether we call them “God’s guests” or “fur-babies,” cats and dogs occupy a peculiar moral space in human society. They are at once sacred and disposable, adored and regulated, protected… Read more ⇢

    Domestic Divinities and the Politics of Pet Ownership
Read more: smokescreen

the measure of things

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