BLACK & WHITE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
87At the risk of being seen as an Uncle Tom, let me set the record straight. There are some large cultural differences, between Black and White people.
True we are all born equal to a certain extent, but with most People of Color and Caucasians, that’s where the similarity ends.
A lot of the differences come from the economic diversity of the two races. Then again a portion of the differences are caused by politicians in DC; who harbor racist sentiments, and these racist sentiments are reflected in their daily rhetoric and the way they vote; on Social Projects.
Whether they admit it or not they feel that the poor are to be prayed upon. Not aided or supported in any form. Just like the adage of women being kept bare foot and pregnant, black people are to be kept poor and ignorant.
Shame of it is there are young people of the black race to eager to aid the negative forces on tearing down and destroying the “Black” community.
EDUCATION:
Lets look at education: in too many public schools where the predominate race is Afro American, there is peer pressure not to learn, in fact students of color who apply themselves to learning and getting and education are targets for ridicule, persecution and violence.
Most are not given the option to join the local gang element, they either do or they die. And even if they manage to slip through the cracks of being forced into a gang a stray bullet from gang activity may claim there lives any way.
Contrast that to the Caucasian community where education is a mainstay and most gang activity is practiced outside their own neighborhoods.
CULTURAL UNITY:
How about racial unity? Blacks are known for having a, crabs in a barrel mentality. Meaning that blacks will try to bring each other down rather than work together to build each other up.
With the exception of the force put into operation; in the Hip Hop community by Mr. Quincy Jones. This is true on every level of Black existence. Black Hollywood, Black news anchors. There is never one black new's media personality brave enough to speak out when an in justice is being reported by the media at large.
They all, to the man or woman just read the Teleprompter and get along by going along. On the other hand you can’t indict, a Caucasian, person of note with out fifty other Caucasians speaking out, and some of those being news anchors.
More than this; White people will work together to build up something that they all can share in.
Even if they can not stand each other guts, they will work together for a common goal. Once again with blacks, its ever man for himself.
Once again I use the example of Black Hollywood, there are enough black actors, directors , theater owners, and academy award winning, personalities for blacks to: write, produce, direct, and distribute; to create there own film industry.
But you can hear black directors complaining how they can’t get there films financial backing. Or how they can’t get work. A certain portion of this lack of opportunity may be due to institutionalized cultural conditions, but the biggest problem is the lack of [black cultural unity.]
Make no mistake both races have their negatives but the big difference is one is not asking the other to help feed their families and support their lack of energy and commitment.
One race is not pointing a finger at the other and blaming them for all their woes. True many of these woes may be caused by institutionalized racism, but if you know what your problem is; it should make it easier to over come, that is unless you use it as a crutch to beg borrow and steel your way through life.
That is if I know you want to put your foot on my neck and hold me down, then I need to take a path that keeps me upright so you don’t have a chance to put your foot on my neck. But to lay down and figure I can sue you for putting your foot on my neck and never have to work; sounds good but it just doesn’t work that way.
While we’re here lets take a look at three misconceptions that contribute to cultural difference.
Slavery, Prejudice, & Racism
SLAVERY:
There is not one ethnic or racial group on the face of the earth that has not known slavery, at one time or another. But Slavery is not a racial issue. It is an economic issue, a tool if your will. A way to derive cheap or free domestic services or inexpensive labor.
PREJUDICE:
Prejudice in most instances is a show if ignorance about persons or a person of another race.
RACISM:
Racism is a combination of hatred and disrespect born form ignorance about another persons race of ethnic persuasion.
We all have prejudices and some of us; to one extent or another have engaged in racism, maybe we matured, grew out of it, or became enlighten and realized that we were showing our capacity to be in human.
But these are things we do have in common, why? Because we are all imperfect humans.
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Well said Green Lotus. Thanks for dropping by and having a positive opinion to share. We need more understanding to reach that goal.
Jeromeo, I just found this hub. Very interesting read. You have defined the differences and now the question must be asked, what do we do to fix the problem?
This just seems sad to me that an entire race would be in the interest of bringing each other down. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's a lazy approach because perhaps it could be said that failure is easy. Success is hard. If this truly is an element in the black community, and I find that terribly abhorrent if its true, then what black leadership needs to do is find interesting and innovative ways to encourage the right path, and those who take it. Parents in the community need to instill value and pride in their children's minds rather than spew hate. Whites too. I've said it many times racism cuts both ways.
With a mentality like this, the status quo will remain, and quite frankly, is deserved. Who was it who said there is strength in numbers? That cuts both ways as well. Rise up as a community or stay down. What you've described here sounds to me like a choice. If the entire community chooses to stay down and HOLD PEOPLE DOWN, then whose fault is that? Put in the hard work and effort to right the wrong and take the community back.
As to Right Black's comment, I think he asks a poignant question.
@ Right Black,
Just like there seems to be no cure for the greed and selfishness at the top, there is a problem with injecting a cure at the bottom.
Or let me correct course each individual has the right and obligation to stand up for themselves and ignore the dumb stuff and make a way for themselves.
Jerome, I read your article. I totally concur with your article. I have said the same thing for some time. Black children who are smart are picked on by their less smart schoolmates. I was picked on all the time because I was more affluent and smarter than most Black schoolchildren in my neighborhood. However, Black Caribbeans have a more respectful view of education and achievement than Black Americans do. Please check out my article relating to achievement differences between black caribbeans and black americans on hubpages. Thank you.
"In fact students of color who apply them selves to learning and getting an education are targets for ridicule, persecution and violence."
I can totally relate!
To Jeromeo: The premise you have presented regarding the Black and Caucasian mindset and groupthink consensus should be reread to state the differences between the lower socioeconomic class mindset and the middle and/or upper class socioeconomic class mindset.
Yes, there are Blacks who are totally against education and other forms of intellectual stimulation. These are the same Blacks who deride Blacks who yearn to be smart, educated, and successful as wishing to act Caucasian and being elitist. However, these Blacks are found in the lower socioeconomic classes. Blacks who are middle class or more affluent aspire to be more intellectual and achievement oriented.
Middle, upper middle, and upper class Black parents inoculate their children with the importance of obtaining the highest grades possible and provide their children with many intellectual accoutrements. I want to add that Black Caribbean and African immigrants also emphasize the paramount importance of education and socioeconomic advancement and achievement to their children no matter what socioeconomic class they are.
Yes, there are Caucasians of the working and/or lower class who also deride education and other forms of intellectual attainment. Many working and lower class Caucasians teach their children that education and academic and socioeconomic achievement is not realistic and within their purview. Many Caucasians from working and/or lower class backgrounds were told by their parents to obtain jobs after high school and were told that higher education are an utter waste of time.
Please, Jeromeo, get your facts straight and read more books on the middle class Black experience and on the working and/or lower class Caucasian experience. In other words, lower and working class parents, regardless of whether they are Black or Caucasian, are usually antiintellectual and do not stress education as a means of self-improvement. They do not have a concept of long range planning and live from day to day and from hand to mouth. Middle, upper middle, and upper income parents, regardless of whether they are Black or Caucasian, instill the importance of education, economic achievement, and working smart to their children.
I agree with your over all opinion,on the subject but that's just what you have presented here. Your opinion, if you had broken down your claims to their statistical, demographics I am sure the argument would have been scored in my favor.
Out of the 19-21% of the population that blacks make up, how many do you suppose of them are as you say Middle class, upper middle class, and affluent. 8.1% Upper middle class, 38% middle class, 28% working class poverty, and another 23.5% poverty. Which gives us 51%, more than half of the black demographic is in the lower socioeconomic situation you describe.
I do appreciate you stopping by but this hub was not intended as a debate on the subject it was my take on it based on living experience and observation.
And then a good number of these middle class black homes, you speak of, have teenagers that subscribe to a social format that's based on the Rap, Thug life style, pants half off their butts, now one last thing check the prison roles, now tell me again how wrong I am.
Your whole presumption was that your information was better than mine because it was broader and more detailed, when actually we both contributed to what should be a really good read for anyone else visiting this Hub, thanks for stopping by.
Good article. Its time to take the blinders off. Realized "it is what it is" and move on. being able to accept that the problem is there and move on. Try to be the best person that you can be each and every day. try saying or doing something nice for someone other than yourself. If people would get out of that self-centered, self-obsessed mentality the world would be a better place.
AMEN
Green Lotus Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago
Very outspoken Jeromeo. Let's hope the whole world will wake up one day to realize that we are all united. If we simply pull aside the veil of our cultural differences we just may find that underneath we all have the same dreams along with the power to personally make them happen.