Black Men: Do You Agree “Play The Corporate Game” Or No?

[EBK String]

It’s funny, I’ve said almost all of what buddy has said in the video on this forum.



As humans, relationships are vital to our physical and mental well-being. But as adults, many of us are making less and less friends. And as men, in general, we tend to have a hard time connecting emotionally with others and are finding ourselves increasingly lonely which has been the cause of major health setbacks for many of us. And technology has compounded these issues.

The traditional ways in which people make friends in adulthood are at work, church, and through hobbies.

Majority of y’all brehs have no real hobbies, and don’t attend church anymore. And so the last place that you have any face-to-face interaction with people, you’re telling us to avoid any type of organic meaningful relationships that may arise? This is actually really horrible advice.

you're telling us to conform to a system that is inherently anti black and make meaningful relationships with people who are inherently anti black. but we are the ones out of touch with reality. Water polo and golf is the solution to white supremacy in your mind.

 

[phcitywarrior]

If you go corporate - plan your exit from day one.

If you don't like suits then pick a trade.

If none of these make sense - start or buy an existing business.
.

/thread

 

[newworldafro]

There's the big ass continent called Africa with 1.2 billion inhabitants, and maybe growing a lil too fast.

They have cities with millions of black people.
They have cities larger than NYC with all black faces and black hair styles. T

I cant wait for the day, when we have the ability to wear our hairstyles, neatly, and still generate billion$ for black companies, and improve black countries.

Its sickening, and it is a real indication of what it means to be Corporate/Political Black in 2020.....but gradually we gone see the paradigm switch...

Hopefully this hair discrimination act passes Prohibit hair discrimination, pass CROWN Act

Until then continue to play the game, but build and invest in your own thing on the side.

Learn these industries, so we can build up the African Diaspora.

 

[EBK String]

There's the big ass continent called Africa with 1.2 billion inhabitants, and maybe growing a lil too fast.

They have cities with millions of black people.
They have cities larger than NYC with all black faces and black hair styles

I cant wait for the day, when we have the ability to wear our hairstyles, neatly, and still generate billion$ for black companies, and improve black countries.

Its sickening,and it is a real indication of what it means to be Black in 2020.....but gradually we gone see the paradigm switch...hopefully.

Until then continue to play the game, but build your own thing on the side.

Learn these industries, so we can build up the African Diaspora.

Africans dont see themselves as black, they see themselves as whatever tribe they are from.

 

[UberEatsDriver]

@ab.aspectus my two copies of the book you recommended came in the mail today. Look forward to reading them

 

[newworldafro]

Africans dont see themselves as black, they see themselves as whatever tribe they are from.

Yeah, but we can tap back into the continent.
In doing so, we build our businesses and seeing the boss or employees with neat dreadlocks is no longer an issue.

I actually appreciate Jay-Z wearing his hair natural and full like he is doing.

 

[EBK String]

@ab.aspectus my two copies of the book you recommended came in the mail today. Look forward to reading them

I read it. Trash.

 

[Crude]

You are always going to be playing someone's else's game if you want to get ahead.

How you carry yourself, treat people, and network amongst your peers matters.

You aren't going to be able to just do what you want to do all the time and get also get to a certain level. That's not how it works.

 

[Isaiah Bradley]

It's interesting that nikkas were just co-signing Daniel Kaluuya's decision not to be seen as Black in one industry, now is debating whether to play "corporate games" for another industry...but will still claim to feel like targets? like the breh said, the truth is that you go into games not prepared to win, so you cherrypick when to use excuses to save face for not being prepared atleast by having a consistent view of yourself and "real" obstacles

One moment you talmbot society has it's foot on your neck and next moment you comfortable with options to

• not be viewed as Black
• not play certain games
• interracial unions that produce off springs
• be indifferent about Black identity
• vote one way
• conditional support for Black victims and community
• tolerate and support degenerates

...then worried about cacs not getting into elevators with you, as if it matters

 

[TEH]

You didn’t grow up going to a cottage but I did. You haven’t picked up golf but I have. I also ski and play tennis and go overseas to do both activities. So I don’t have a problem talking to my coworkers about my experiences at Wimbledon during my short-residence in London a few years back. Or about how they should forgo an air-bnb, if they ever got a chance to ski Gstaad, to stay in the Alpina Gstaad because it’s such a wonderful hotel.

Furthermore, I grew up doing all of these activities within an all-black setting around a cornucopia of other black families. I have posted many times on this forum all the ways posters can get involved with all-black ski, golf, and tennis clubs, some of which have been around for the past century.

College in America is the greatest catalyst for class mobility. The type of school and the type of education you receive both have the ability to propel you higher on the totem pole then from where you started out.

So I can tell you that it’s not “white” culture that you’re bumping up against in a corporate setting. It’s middle/upper-middle class culture that you’re bumping up against so I really don’t understand your frustrations. Most black people come from lower middle to working class families. You get an education to better yourself and your station in life. Be surprised that when you do better yourself and reach that station, that the rules, values, norms, aspirations, and currency are different from whence you came and that your new-found status requires conformity with the in-group. Why are you all whining, isn’t this what you wanted?

Many of you obviously don’t notice it but conformity is required everywhere even among working-class environments. I can tell you, I have to switch up my speech and project a tougher demeanor (code switch) when I go to the hood because that’s what the hood requires otherwise there is a high-chance I could be food. It’s a reason why the currency is basketball or maybe in your case soccer, and not tennis or rugby.

You can either accept it, fight against it, or flee. In the end, the broader largesse doesn’t care about the expression of your individuality, it only concerns itself with your ability to conform to it’s norms. You all just paid upwards of $100k to better yourselves, why are you surprised that the norms are different when you are around better people?

That word fukked you up and confirmed you as a c00n


Otherwise I could see where you were coming from

 

[invalid]

That word fukked you up and confirmed you as a c00n


Otherwise I could see where you were coming from

I have no qualms in admitting when I’m wrong. I could have worded that better but did not mean it in the way that it was received.

I’m unphased by the word c00n though as much as it’s used frequently and incorrectly on this site.

I admit I could’ve worded that better. What I tried to communicate was that we spend an absorbent amount of money trying to better ourselves through education, jobs or whatever. So for those that actually go through the process of getting a good education and a good job, and better their situation, they become better people. So “better people” was simply other people who went through the process of bettering themselves through education and work. If you read carefully, I set that up in the sentence before. My point was if you are around people that have experienced maturity and growth from the refining process of education and work, it is delusional to think that the new environment they they find themselves in will be the same as from where they started.

 

[Shamayw_33]

You can "play the game" exactly like he's saying and still get fired because at the end of the day, they look at you like you're a nikka.

I disagree with a few of his points, but I'll stick to the quitting aspect.

Why stay somewhere you are not wanted? You aren't going to "win them over" or prove to them that you belong. If you're working in a group, your co-workers will all work together to get your black ass out of there. Becky, Heather and Jim might hate each other, but they'll try their best to stress you out and make you leave. Stress will kill you and shouldn't be devalued. On top of that, you have to work twice as hard as them to even be considered an "average employee."

If you happen to "tough it out" with Becky, Heather and Jim, any mistake you make will be exacerbated. Your supervisors (and don't think you're safe because their black) will write you up and it'll be documented on your yearly review...if they don't fire you first. I have seen it happen on numerous occasions on all levels of corporate America, from entry level to middle and upper management positions.

Certain black people have a need to prove to non-blacks that they aren't going to quit. I look at it like this. If I go into a Mercedes dealership and they treat me like I'm a second class citizen or I don't have the money, I'll leave. Fukk them, they just lost a commission. This dude seems like the type that will still buy from them to "show them I got it like that." So, you profit a business that didn't want your business? You allow other people to stress you out and walk on eggshells everyday at work to prove what? You're still profiting a business/company that doesn't want you there.

Might be going overboard with this last statement, but he seems like a c00n or house negro

 

[Cheercomp]

I find it odd that black folks are the one grp of ppl that are vocal about not wanting to get into corporate America... "get in and get out, let them crackas know nothing about me".... "no socializing, i'm there to work". That's the recipe for being on the wrong end of downsizing. When you have the chance to make it personal with these folks, do it. That could be the difference between you being laid off and you being spared the axe. Anyone can do your job, but can they provide the warm and fuzzies?? Not necessarily. Don't think that soft skills don't matter.

I had a big intimidating looking brother working at my company for about 2 years. Dude wouldn't speak, hold a door, or give any pleasantries. Homie was downright hostile at some points, and not just to white folks but to black folks too. His work product tho... amazing. Undeniable. He got written up for the interpersonal stuff a few too many times, and boom, next thing you know, he's shytcanned.

Cats afraid of losing their "realness" if you smile or socialize in a work setting. Nothing is realer than being in the bread line!!

 

[King Poetic]

If U in the corporate world play the game period

at the same time don’t kiss anyone ass and u stay on code and do shyt by the book even if a white person u can do it another way...

they white, u black... there’s different rules to the game

and please leave Rebecca, Sally and Erin white butts alone... don’t flirt or go out to drinks with them

 

[Big Mountain Hélà]