Materialism is the WOAT thing for the black community

[Cabbage Patch]

Materalism is what got emitt till murdered.

 

[agpxknt]

If you looked at Instagram you'd think the black household income was like 200k

 

[MeachTheMonster]

I agree, I hate so see my brother and sistas who are struggling to make ends meet, yet they find money for Jordans, PS4s , Gucci belts and the like. But it's difficult because so many of us grew up without and once we get put on we just overcompensate and buy stuff instead of investing and seeking ownership and value.

Not buying Jordan's and PS4s won't change their economic status, so why shouldn't they at least attempt to be happy?

 

[feelosofer]

Not buying Jordan's and PS4s won't change their economic status, so why shouldn't they at least attempt to be happy?

Keeping up with the Joneses, is part of the reason our economic status doesn't change. Buying a PS4 is one thing, but you know a lot of J-fiends, cop at least 3 or 4 pairs of these sneakers year. The happiness you get from these objects is like the equivalent of drinking Hennessy or smoking a blunt. Yea you will feel good for a little while but when it wears off. That money can be spent on books, classes, gym memberships, healthier food or just bettering one's self in one way or another, and I can assure, those hours spent playing COD or Madden, can be spent more productively. Nothing wrong with buying nice things here and there but again, if you have trouble paying your bills or you are living paycheck to paycheck that energy should be spent getting to the next level.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

Keeping up with the Joneses, is part of the reason our economic status doesn't change. Buying a PS4 is one thing, but you know a lot of J-fiends, cop at least 3 or 4 pairs of these sneakers year. The happiness you get from these objects is like the equivalent of drinking Hennessy or smoking a blunt. Yea you will feel good for a little while but when it wears off. That money can be spent on books, classes, gym memberships, healthier food or just bettering one's self in one way or another, and I can assure, those hours spent playing COD or Madden, can be spent more productively. Nothing wrong with buying nice things here and there but again, if you have trouble paying your bills or you are living paycheck to paycheck that energy should be spent getting to the next level.

You can't save your way out of poverty. So it really doesn't matter what they spend their money on.

You'd have to save up hundreds, even thousands of pairs of Jordan's in order to make real economic changes in your life.

And it's a myth that black people spend more irresponsibly than other races.

All your doing is being judgemental based on a stereotype and a flawed premise.

 

[feelosofer]

You can't save your way out of poverty. So it really doesn't matter what they spend their money on.

You'd have to save up hundreds, even thousands of pairs of Jordan's in order to make real economic changes in your life.

And it's a myth that black people spend more irresponsibly than other races.

All your doing is being judgemental based on a stereotype and a flawed premise.

You completely missed my point. It's not even about the Jordans, it's about a mentality. I know people who make close to 6 figures but couldn't survive a month if they were to lose your job. Of course you can't save your way out of poverty, but having a defeatist attitude is no better. I never said Black people are more fiscally irresponsible than other groups, but I will say that most of us were never taught how to properly manage our money. Like I said because of the position we are in, in America, we do not have the margin for error that other groups have, he have no built in support system that allows us to make fiscal mistakes and still move up the American ladder. I'm well aware of the part racism plays in our economics woes, but to make it seem like we have no way of building ourselves out of poverty, even taking incremental steps just sounds there is no way out of poverty or even just making it better than check to check.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

You completely missed my point. It's not even about the Jordans, it's about a mentality. I know people who make close to 6 figures but couldn't survive a month if they were to lose your job.

A lot of Americans at all income levels live paycheck to paycheck. It's not something exclusive to black people. In fact it's black people who save a larger percentage of their income.

Of course you can't save your way out of poverty, but having a defeatist attitude is no better. I never said Black people are more fiscally irresponsible than other groups, but I will say that most of us were never taught how to properly manage our money.

It's clearly demonstrable that black people save more of their money than other races, so I'm not even sure what this point means. Obviously they've learned responsibility from somewhere.

Like I said because of the position we are in, in America, we do not have the margin for error that other groups have, he have no built in support system that allows us to make fiscal mistakes and still move up the American ladder. I'm well aware of the part racism plays in our economics woes, but to make it seem like we have no way of building ourselves out of poverty, even taking incremental steps just sounds there is no way out of poverty or even just making it better than check to check.

I never said there's no way out. I said buying material things with small amounts of cash does not prevent economic growth.

 

[KOohbt]

It's only bad cause we do tspens the money on our own products. Which is because we don't make them.

 

[loyola llothta]

If you looked at Instagram you'd think the black household income was like 200k

so true ...

 

[NERO]

Style and grace and image is important to African people and the diaspora. That said, I think we can still be stylish and innovative while directing our money to institutions that strengthen our people and not other ethnic groups who at best feel sorry for us and at worst hate and want to destroy us. Self-reliance is the greatest style. We used to do more with less. Now we do less with more in alot of ways. I would like to focus more on our own empowerment and improvement and less on measuring ourselves by the white man's standards. I would not trade my black skin and tight hair for 1 billion dollars. I want my kids to believe that.

 

[jackson35]

africans created wealth. the problem here is we collectively give ours away to our enemys

 

[Professor Emeritus]

The #1 reason people don't join the struggle is because they're chasing cash instead.

 

[Gonzo]

If you looked at Instagram you'd think the black household income was like 200k

 

[$cam-U-Well_Jack$on]

......

 

[Hawaiian Punch]

Yall both do realize that the hiphop culture is responsible for why it SEEMS like black people are the only people that spends frivoulously right? Ask anyone on Earth who the most materialistic group is and the answer will always be blacks. Rap is why. Nobody is "putting whites on a pedistal". Its simply the stereotype thats been reenforced for the last 25 years by hiphop culture.

I'm glad you said past 25 years, because that was the moment that labels decided to longer support rap that promotes upliftment and change. You know as well as I do that was a conscious decision to support the more negative aspects of our culture.