How Can We Address Anti-intellectualism in Our Communities?

[sakano]

I'm not pointing the sword personally, but to leave out their contributions to us being 60 yards behind in a 100 yard race would be intellectually dishonest...

I don't deny the reality of racism.
But I also won't deny that we have many self-destructive habits. Perhaps, such habits are the part of the legacy of slavery. At any rate, we must openly and honestly discuss them so that we can take steps toward positive change.
But if we continue to deny it and instead blame everything on white people, guess what--not much will change.

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

In your opinion, at what point, or what indicator, do you look for to say we are no longer behind? Or is it handicap we will will always have?

If the latter, what should be done to compensate if anything?

When I say behind, I'm talking in terms of economics. From an aptitude standpoint, we're on par with anybody in the world.....To me, I can say that we are no longer behind when we control financial institutions(banks, etc) that are proportionate to our percentage of the population and also when we can control the curriculum in the school system and how our kids are educated....Furthermore, we need to be able to control how our communities are policed..Affluent white neighborhoods do it all the time at their "town hall" meetings.

Ownership, Economics, and Judicial legislation to fight discrimination are the things that can get us back in the game......

We can touch on parenting and media as well, but that's probably another thread altogether......


But to be honest, the likelihood of these things actually happening are slim to none....JMO

 

[DEAD7]

@DEAD7

Here's the book: We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity

thx ill check it out.

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

I don't deny the reality of racism.
But I also won't deny that we have many self-destructive habits. Perhaps, such habits are the part of the legacy of slavery. At any rate, we must openly and honestly discuss them so that we can take steps toward positive change.
But if we continue to deny it and instead blame everything on white people, guess what--not much will change.

What are these destructive habits and are they exclusive to the black community?....If you show me a poor black kid that had potential and threw his life away because of drugs, I can turn around and show you a white kid that abused drugs, but always had someone to give him the benefit of the doubt which allowed him to get back on his feet....

We can talk about destructive vices all day, but everyone does them...The difference is that the playing field isn't level, so the chances of blacks rebounding as opposed to whites, is severely mitigated.

 

[Piff Perkins]

How can we win by holding ourselves down? I spend a lot of time with my lil cousins, driving them from school/sports/etc. I've been listening to the way one cousin gets denigrated for being "smart" by another cousin and his friends. The lil homie likes listening to my rock and jazz albums, gets good grades, reads a lot (I got him into some fantasy novels, will introduce him to Game Of Thrones soon, plus he reads a lot of history novels) etc. He dresses kinda swagless but let's be real: he's only 14, he has plenty of time to level his swag game up.

But I hear people laughing at him and calling him white. And it's the same shyt I heard when I was a kid. I remember I stopped watching the National Geographic channel cuz nikkas would be clowning me all the time. I was about his age and just couldn't deal with it. I don't want him to give up stuff he likes because ignorant dudes are laughing...

It's crazy, remembering the days when I had more white friends than black friends because most nikkas was laughing at me for reading and listening to metal as well as backpack rap. I guess the only thing we can do is make sure our kids are able to be who they are, and support them. And actually be fathers to our children, brehs...

 

[Wild self]

How can we win by holding ourselves down? I spend a lot of time with my lil cousins, driving them from school/sports/etc. I've been listening to the way one cousin gets denigrated for being "smart" by another cousin and his friends. The lil homie likes listening to my rock and jazz albums, gets good grades, reads a lot (I got him into some fantasy novels, will introduce him to Game Of Thrones soon, plus he reads a lot of history novels) etc. He dresses kinda swagless but let's be real: he's only 14, he has plenty of time to level his swag game up.

But I hear people laughing at him and calling him white. And it's the same shyt I heard when I was a kid. I remember I stopped watching the National Geographic channel cuz nikkas would be clowning me all the time. I was about his age and just couldn't deal with it. I don't want him to give up stuff he likes because ignorant dudes are laughing...

It's crazy, remembering the days when I had more white friends than black friends because most nikkas was laughing at me for reading and listening to metal as well as backpack rap. I guess the only thing we can do is make sure our kids are able to be who they are, and support them. And actually be fathers to our children, brehs...

I agree on there. THey still use that "acting white" bullshyt in this day and age

I blame teachers for making knowledge such a chore to learn. Many teachers in America lack the passion of teaching certain subjects effectively and interesting, while parents don't care for their kids' humanity or their individually. Knowledge comes out of the love of learning, not to brainwash kids to become employees.

That is my point. Teachers are the ones that make learning a chore.

 

[DEAD7]

That is my point. Teachers are the ones that make learning a chore.

I'm not certain but I think the curriculum and lessons are outlined for them and they are told to deliver the information within certain guidelines... I'm not sure though.

 

[Wild self]

I'm not certain but I think the curriculum and lessons are outlined for them and they are told to deliver the information within certain guidelines... I'm not sure though.

If so, they got to change it and make learning more engaging. Can't enforce the old Prussian style of military learning to kids. Make it actually fun and interesting.

 

[sakano]

I'm not certain but I think the curriculum and lessons are outlined for them and they are told to deliver the information within certain guidelines... I'm not sure though.

There are some teachers who don't follow the curriculum. Rafe Esquith comes to mind; Esquith created his own curriculum.

Esquith, however, is obsessed with his job; he often teaches from 6am in the morning to 6pm. He also takes his kids to Washington, DC. Below is a video of him discussing his job and its frustrations. He starts talking about how he breaks the rules around 1:02:40

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

There are some teachers who don't follow the curriculum. Rafe Esquith comes to mind; Esquith created his own curriculum.

Esquith, however, is obsessed with his job; he often teaches from 6am in the morning to 6pm. He also takes his kids to Washington, DC. Below is a video of him discussing his job and its frustrations. He starts talking about how he breaks the rules around 1:02:40

You can add John Gatto to this club as well

 

[MeachTheMonster]

I disagree with the notion that Anti-intellectualism is more prevelant in black communities.

The fact that the president is highly educated worked against him in the election. The fact that Sarah plain is a dumb ass worked to her favor. Anti-intellectualism is a staple of American society. It always has been

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

I disagree with the notion that Anti-intellectualism is more prevelant in black communities.

The fact that the president is highly educated worked against him in the election. The fact that Sarah plain is a dumb ass worked to her favor. Anti-intellectualism is a staple of American society. It always has been

 

[sakano]

I disagree with the notion that Anti-intellectualism is more prevelant in black communities.

The fact that the president is highly educated worked against him in the election. The fact that Sarah plain is a dumb ass worked to her favor. Anti-intellectualism is a staple of American society. It always has been

Yes, and that's why Barack Obama lost the election and Sarah Palin won.

 

[Serious]

I disagree with the notion that Anti-intellectualism is more prevelant in black communities.

The fact that the president is highly educated worked against him in the election. The fact that Sarah plain is a dumb ass worked to her favor. Anti-intellectualism is a staple of American society. It always has been

@Kritic

 

[DEAD7]

I disagree with the notion that Anti-intellectualism is more prevelant in black communities.

I think the stigma is different, and the fact that intelligence is associated with being white displays a bigger problem in our community.