In newspaper columns, on radio talk shows, blogs and social media, the ANC is facing a public outcry, accused of being corrupt, ineffective, wasteful and out of touch with the hardships faced by South Africa's impoverished masses.
More than a quarter of the vote went to the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which campaigned to overthrow the existing political class, depicted as overprivileged, overpaid and out of touch with the hardships faced by many citizens.
The door is being slammed on the American dream and the politicians, including the president and his Democratic allies on Capitol Hill, seem not just helpless to deal with the crisis, but completely out of touch with the hardships that have fallen on so many.
Well, among other things, their stories never fail to touch me: stories of journeys, of leaving loved ones and possessions behind; stories of hardship and survival.
It is you that owes it to life to live as though you are not a victim of hardship and to get out there and take chances, make changes, touch people, create a lasting change.
Not all their talk was of hardship.
The gnarled hands speak of hardship.
There was a lot of hardship here.
There are signs of hardship, true.
"But underneath is a lot of hardship".
Still, signs of hardship are evident.
