The many faces of Ubuntu
Ever since learning the meaning the word Ubuntu on the National Geographic channel (or was it the new Tv show Life Is Wild, i admit it, i’ve been watching it), it’s been popping up all over the place. I’ve seen it on TV, in the newspaper, and even heard it the other day on the Tube. It almost seems like the perfect example of the Baader Meinhof phenomenom (this is where a person hears, see’s or really notices/understands something, then by sheer coincidence the person hears/sees/notices the word/object/saying over and over again). Of course, as the Damn Interesting article suggests, in all likelihood, the word Ubuntu is probably used/seen every day, which of course it is, given the huge popularity of the Ubuntu Operating System. But as the theory suggests, I think about the word differently now that I’ve put thought into it, it’s no longer a label, a thing but a story, all in one.
Yesterday, whilst perusing the highly dissapointing Covent Garden Lolly shop, Cybercandy, I discovered Ubuntu Cola, a fairtrade soft drink made with fair trade African sugar. Given I drink hardly any soft drink anymore, and my days of coke bingeing are all but over, I thought I’d give it a go. To say it was terrible would be an understatement, I’m just too much of a Coke snob I think. But I like what it stands for, and it has a cool name. Here’s hoping the bin enjoyed the other half of the can as much as I did!
Update 28/02: By some freak of Beider Meinhoff coincidence I saw an article on the morning paper about the word Ubuntu and this particular cola.
