Inspired by Mbembe’s emphasis on plasticity as a hallmark of African forms of knowledge, Geschiere notes the risk that this leads to a celebration of Africanness, sliding into culturalism and identity politics. But Mbembe relates this plasticity also to the continent’s position as the last frontier of capitalism. Such a historical view converges with Joseph Tonda’s work on éblouissement (endazzlement) as a global phenomenon. Everywhere people are now being blinded by an overproduction of images. However, Africans have a long experience of living with multiple realities and “alternative facts.” Is this relevant for dealing with the risk that we all become blinded by the images we ourselves have created?

受到姆贝姆贝（Mbembe）强调可塑性作为非洲知识形式的标志的启发，格斯基耶尔（Geschiere）指出，这有可能导致人们庆祝非洲性，并陷入文化主义和身份政治。但是姆贝贝（Mbembe）也将这种可塑性与该大陆作为资本主义最后边界的地位联系起来。这样的历史观点与约瑟夫·通达（Joseph Tonda）关于“环球化”的研究相吻合。现在，人们到处都对图像的过度生产视而不见。但是，非洲人拥有与多种现实和“另类事实”共处的长期经验。这是否与我们自己被自己创造的图像蒙蔽了眼睛的风险有关？