Some films age. Others stay with you.
The Gods Must Be Crazy belongs to the second category.
I first watched it in 1992 on a Funai video cassette player connected to a 14-inch National television I bought from an electronics shop in Onipanu, Yaba, along Ikorodu Road, Lagos.
My eldest brother had warned me not to buy a remote-control television. According to him, once the remote failed, we would become stranded. So, I bought the manual version and turned the knobs by hand for years.
Among the very first video cassettes I bought was The Gods Must Be Crazy.
At the time, I simply thought it was hilarious. Years later, I realised it was also deeply insightful.
Directed by Jamie Uys, the 1980 South African comedy tells the story of a San Bushman community living peacefully in the Kalahari Desert until a pilot casually throws an empty Coca-Cola bottle from his plane. The bottle arrives like a gift from the gods — useful at first, but soon disruptive, introducing jealousy, conflict, and possessiveness into a once peaceful society.
Recently, while caught in a mild traffic bottleneck on my way to work, I saw a bare-bodied man sprinting across the road with a striking resemblance to Xi, the film’s main character. Instantly, memories of the movie came flooding back — along with lessons I had overlooked years ago.
Here are a few of them.
A blessing in the wrong hands can become a curse
The Coke bottle was initially useful, then gradually became the source of conflict.
Money, power, fame, and even talent work the same way. Without discipline and emotional maturity, blessings can easily become burdens.
Simplicity is not poverty
The Bushmen owned little but appeared peaceful and content. Meanwhile, the “civilised” world in the movie was filled with stress, confusion, traffic, and anxiety.
In today’s world of endless notifications and constant pressure, the film quietly reminds us that peace of mind is wealth too.
Not every problem requires aggression
When Xi decides the bottle is dangerous, he does not fight over it or destroy it angrily. He simply decides to return it.
There is wisdom in restraint. Sometimes the strongest response is not escalation, but quiet resolution.
Most conflicts are rooted in misunderstanding
Much of the movie’s humour comes from people completely misunderstanding one another.
That truth extends far beyond comedy. Many arguments at home, at work, and even in society are driven less by wickedness and more by assumptions, poor communication, and misunderstanding.
Technology should remain a servant, not a master
The movie repeatedly shows modern tools behaving unpredictably vehicles failing, weapons misfiring, gadgets complicating life.
Ironically, my brother’s old advice about remote controls now feels philosophical:
“Buy the simpler model. Fewer things to break.”
Not every advancement improves life.
Laughter is medicine
Above all, The Gods Must Be Crazy is genuinely funny warm, human, and free from bitterness.
In a world increasingly driven by outrage and tension, the ability to laugh kindly may be one of the most underrated survival skills.
At the end of the day…
My old National television is long gone. The Funai player eventually wore out. That electronics shop belongs to another era of Lagos.
But the content of the film still works.
That is the mark of a real story — it survives its own technology.
Beneath the comedy, The Gods Must Be Crazy is really a handbook on life:
- Protect your peace
- Simplify your life
- Master your tools
- Laugh often
- Never allow possessions to possess you
And if a younger person laughs at the picture quality, smile.
Some lessons are worth a little grain.
Another Random Musing by Sir Charles Udoh
Inspiring Minds. Shaping Futures.
