Feeling Like an Outsider

Feeeling like an outsider

Trevor describes feeling like an outsider,as if he were "I can do everything

by myself," even while being surrounded by others. He felt the need to be

anonymous and invisible rather than seeking acceptance for his whole self.

Trevor Noah frequently describes feeling invisible at school,

particularly at Sandringham,a high-school with students of all

races and backgrounds.Trevor found it difficult to find a "niche".

He felt like he wasn't quite part of the black community or the white

community, leading to a sense of isolation and invisibility.



Trevor describes feeling like an outsider,as if he were "I can do everything by myself,"
even while being surrounded by others. He felt the need to be anonymous and invisible
rather than seeking acceptance for his whole self. Trevor Noah frequently describes
feeling invisible at school, particularly at Sandringham,a high-school with students
of all races and backgrounds.Trevor found it difficult to find a "niche". He felt like he
wasn't quite part of the black community or the white community, leading to a
sense of isolation and invisibility.

People in his school were grouped by color in most cases.Even with so many different
groups to choose from, he was not a natural constituent of any particular one. The
colored kids would shit on Trevor all the time for being too black .evenif he was skilled
with the white kids not to get bullied by them, they were always going shopping and
to movies, and he didn't have money, So he was out of the mix there,too. He learned to
navigate these spaces by becoming a "chameleon," he learned how to blend, he learned
that even though he didn't belong to one group, he could be a part of any group, but this
constant performance also contributed to his feeling of being unseen.

Personal Experience

The same with Trevor's history,I was the kind of person who said "I can do everything by myself".
When I went to high school I was like an outsider who observed others when they played,eat,
went home, and studied together.At that time,was a newcomer to that school and also to the
society,it was hard to adapt their accent and their lifestyle. This made me quit, invisible and shy.
People in my school were also grouped based on where they lived and their wealth level, but I
was neither of these groups even if I want to conform the atmosphere.As a student I was broke
when student went to shopping, cinema, and trip I did my assignments or studied my lessons.
For me, I was a clever student and they would ask me to do their homework or assignments
and that was the only chance to communicate with them, if I wanted to ask a favour
or anything from them I use to do their tasks.

Generally, an outsider is that who has the feeling that he or she “is different from other people” and thinks that something is “wrong with he/she,” but this is not the case at all.facing rejection from others and being bullied or excluded can be Incredibly painful to experience. Feeling like an outsider takes a toll on mental health, leading to significant issues like low self-esteem, hopelessness, loneliness, or depression.In contrary their unique perspectives and fresh perspectives, often free from established group norms can lead to innovative solutions and a broader range of ideas.

Thinking for Yourself

Patricia Noah’s emphasis on independent thought transcended mere
parenting; it was a crucial survival skill under apartheid. She armed
Trevor with the ability >to question everything, enabling him to navigate
segregation’s absurdities, challenge racial barriers, and build resilience
againist oppression. In a society built on enforced ignorance, critical
thinking became a tool for recognizing injustice,even those that
were not noticeable or were just taken for reality.


This foundation proved invaluable. Instead of accepting the world as it was
presented, Trevour learned to analyze, discern, and form his own conclusions.
This ability to think critically wasn’t just about intellectual curiosity; it was about
empowerment and self-determination.She showed that everyone should look
outside the box and think with different eyes in order to be a fully functioning
person. This early training profoundly shaped Trevour’s career. His observational
comedy, empathy and nuanced perspective as host of “The Daily Show “ stem
directly from his ability to analyze complex issues and challenge conventional
wisdom. He showed that his voice has a big effect on people of all types.

Protection & Survival

During apartheid, simply being Trevor's mother – a Black woman with a mixed-race child – put both of them in constant danger.

Patricia navigated this by:

  • Constantly strategizing and making difficult choices: She moved to different neighborhoods, sometimes illegally, and even pretended Trevor belonged to someone else to keep him safe from authorities.
  • Teaching him survival skills: She taught him multiple languages so he could blend into different communities and avoid detection. She also instilled in him a sense of independence and the ability to think on his feet.
  • Providing unwavering love and support: Despite the harsh realities they faced, Patricia's fierce passion and determination created a sense of security for Trevor in a world that was inherently hostile to his existence. Her discipline, though sometimes strict, came from wanting to equip him for a difficult life.

    • This reflects the idea of family as a shield because Patricia actively worked to buffer Trevor from the dangers and injustices of the apartheid regime. She used her ingenuity, resilience, and love to create a layer of protection around him, much like a shield deflects attacks.


    Real-life examples

    * Families protecting children from bullying:

    This might intervene with the school, teach their child assertive communication skills, or offer emotional support to help them cope.

    * Families supporting members facing discrimination:

    An individual experiences racism, sexism, or other forms of prejudice, their family can provide a safe space, offer encouragement, and even advocate on their behalf.

    * Families helping each other through financial hardship:

    Job loss or economic downturns, family members often pool resources, offer shelter, or provide emotional support to help each other survive.

    * Families caring for vulnerable members:

    Whether it's an elderly parent, a child with special needs, or a family member struggling with illness, the family unit often acts as the primary source of care and protection.


    In essence, family as a shield means that the bonds and support within a family unit serve to safeguard its members from external threats, whether they are physical, emotional, social, or economic. Patricia's actions in Born a Crime are a powerful and poignant example of this concept in the face of extreme adversity.

    Humor as Armor

    Trevor challenges the nuns and priests about taking the holy communion despite being a Christian. He argues that Jesus would not be discriminated against despite him being a jew.He challenges them if they would restrict him from taking holy communion if he walked in and asked for it. Trevor uses his wit and ability to use humor to address serious issues like hypocrisy and inequality within institutions. It also reflects his critical thinking and willingness to challenge authority even as a child.

    Trevor reminisces how he unknowingly insults a taxi driver in Zulu.Trevor uses a phrase that the driver terms it as disrespectful. The driver becomes furious and throws Trevor out of a moving taxi.Instead of focusing on the danger,Trevor uses humor to describe the absurdity of the situation and his naivety,turning a frightening experience into a humorous story.

    Trevor highlights his family's deep religious beliefs and the intersection of religion with colonial influence.One memorable example is when he humorously notes that his family believed that God paid more attention to prayers in English.This belief is deeply rooted in the colonial legacy of English as a dominant language, reflects how colonial influence shaped their their spiritual practices. He also describes how sundays were purely dedicated to going to church and how grueling the experience was to him. However, due to his mother's unwavering faith and belief in power of prayer he was constantly reminded that he needed to pray and go to church.

    Trevor describes his experience of being thrown out of a moving minibus by the taxi driver.Apparently, the driver was angry that Trevor had insulted him unknowingly in zulu ,a language he was still learning.Instead of dwelling on the danger and humiliation of the incident ,Trevor recounts it with humor,highlighting the absurdity of the situation and his own naivety.This shows how Trevor uses humor to process and rise above difficult moments.

    Legacy of Apartheid

    The government built Bantu schools which were meant to teach metrics
    and agriculture which is how to count potatoes,how to pave roads,chop
    wood and fill the soil.They claim that it does not serve the Bantu to learn
    history and science because he is primitive and it will only mislead him,
    showing him pastures in which he is not allowed to graze.

    In addition,the Chinese were considered black by the goverment since
    they weren't enough Chinese people to warrant devising a whole separate
    classification.The Japanese on the other hand were considered white
    since the government wanted to establish good relations in order to
    import their fancy cars and electronics.

    Systems and structures often perpetuate systemic inequality to execute
    power and many times it is backed up by individual biases.For instance,
    the government during apartheid built Bantu schools which were meant
    to teach metrics and agriculture. Systemic inequality prevents a group of
    people from exercising their freedom thereby constricting them to rules
    and laws that are inhuman in nature.

    Some of the examples of systemic inequality include:

  • Over-policing and harsh sentencing for marginalized communities
    leading to disproportionate icarceration rates.
  • Underfunded schools in disadvantaged areas lack resources and
    access to high quality education and achievement gaps based on
    race and socioeconomic status.
  • Communities of color and low income communities are disproportionately
    exposed to environmental hazards like pollution and lack access to green
    spaces and resources.

    • Summary

    Dutch colonizers came to South Africa in the 1600s and used slave labor to run their farms on stolen land.
    The white South Africans called Afrikaners descended from these colonizers. Black South Africans, from
    tribes including the Zulu, Xhosa, and Sotho tribes, were subjugated under apartheid law until the mid-1990s.
    A third racial group emerged from the intermingling of the Black and white South Africans: mixed-race or
    “colored.” Both during apartheid and after its dissolution, mixed-race South Africans were the most
    marginalized and disenfranchised people. Noah often felt defined by what he wasn’t: not light enough to
    be labeled as white and not dark enough to be fully accepted into Black culture. Apartheid ended in 1994,
    but Noah’s struggles as a mixed-race child in South Africa continued. It was often hard for Noah to determine
    which groups would accept him. Patricia had always encouraged her son to read and think independently;
    she valued education and made sure that her son spoke multiple languages. Of the eleven official languages
    in South Africa, Noah could speak Zulu, Tsonga, English, and Afrikaans. This skill allowed him to move among
    different racial and cultural groups at school. Though Noah felt out of place in many social settings, his ability
    to talk and empathize with many different types of people served him well throughout his life. Even at a young
    age, Noah understood that the bullying he experienced from his mixed-race peers was likely a result of the
    self-hatred all mixed-race South Africans had been taught. Noah was a mischievous child, but Patricia believed
    in tempering her punishments with assurances to her son that she held him accountable because she loved him.
    Patricia knew that the world would not always be kind and generous to Noah, and she wanted to prepare him well.