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Below is an excerpt of a conversation I just had with an old friend I was recently reunited with. The subject was on student protests at university campuses all over the country (South Africa) for "free education" or #feesmustfall. The protests started off relatively peaceful but have since turned violent, as she illustrates; "...they have become absolute animals. During the exams they entered the exam venue, threw around bottles filled with pee and feces and pee'd in the venue.That is inhumane and disgusting". She is a law student and I am a self taught web-developer and 3d generalist we are around the same age early to mid 20's. I am "You" and she is "Jane Doe" (not real name ) Jane Doe: Free education is more necessary and important than you may even realise. If our economy is ever to improve, the youth, the young people of South Africa have to be empowered and have to be educated in order for our country and society to even stand a chance in the future. Right now it seems as though our future is in the hands of a bunch of ignorant, idiotic, twerking people. And I don't see how we can survive that. Our youth needs to be empowered, educated and they need to become interested and involved in the affairs of this country. In Germany, education is practically free. They have educated young people who are interested in their future and their countries future, they are more water conscious than we are. In Europe you do not find swimming pools in every single yard, only truly rich people with villas and massive homes have swimming pools, and they are not nearly as wasteful with their water as we are. The people in our government need to be educated, we cannot be content with having uneducated and ignorant leaders making decisions for us. This movement is very important. But the way the students are going about it is just, ridiculous. And it will not happen unless we get rid of Zuma, he says there is no money for education, he has announced that there will be zero increment for next year, and then he raises taxes and whatever else he can. Claims there is no money, and then he goes and buys himself a plane. If he is allowed to continue running this country, if he is allowed to run for a third term, which is against the Constitution, our country will end up worse than Zimbabwe You: For me the most interesting thing to some out of all this is the amount of passion you have shown me for the subject. I use whatsapp on my PC and both your replies fill the entire screen. Its nice to see some fire in you You: come* Jane Doe: Well I have fire in me, I am passionate about things. You: I like the fact that you are putting together an argument and perhaps I ought to take time to look into it further. But first I feel compelled to point out something things that irritate me right off the bat. This is not a rebuttal but rather some things that I find annoying alright. You: the first thing is the first word: free. You: really? who could possibly be against free education You: I am all for free education, free housing, free food, free cars free whatever you can get your hands onto You: Hell, I'm first in line for that shit! You: You'd have to be some kind of jerk to be against free education who would bother arguing with someone over that. I know I wouldn't. You: Now obviously you know more about arguing a point than me, but I would call this a reverse straw-man. Thing is, it's not free. So can we stop using the phrase "free education" I'm not that smart but this is insulting even to my intelligence. You: I don't mind people arguing a point for state or whatever funded education but please do it without insulting me. Jane Doe: I am not insulting you in any way. Protesting for fees must fall is not laughable, I know education cannot be free. I mean that education needs to be affordable for people from all walks of life. You: Okay, lets use the proper words. That is all I am saying. I mean you wouldn't want to call rape offensive love making or war a "kinetic action", wait, didn't Obama...? Nevermind! You: putting my political jokes aside (sounds like Assad?) my second point of contention is incidentally, the second word: Education. You: I am curious as to what "education" means to you. what is it? Jane Doe: What's your problem with the "Education" Jane Doe: I'm actually busy studying and trying to get an education right now, so we can talk about this later You: Fair enough. And I think you mean to say "educate myself". This country is gone. CNN image of protest While the reality on the ground is more like this image in front of parliament.

I always hear about how Denmark is the happiest country in the world, and how it's because they have all this great stuff like free health care, free schooling, free child care, $20 minimum wage, all that. I have a hard time believing this is true or can be at all sustainable, but I don't hear anything otherwise. So to people who live/have been to/know a lot about Denmark, what's it really like?