The thing about the black community is that unlike the rest of American society at-large, the lower class and the "folks" have always defined what is considered as authentically "black." There is always that connection to the bottom. We still haven't figured out the delicate balance between being cognizant of the history and current condition of African-Americans in society, and being successful by mainstream standards. Too often the two are viewed as mutually exclusive.
Something that's never talked about in the black community is middle class kids that
- Thread starter CrimsonTider
- Start date
I grew up in an upper middle class home, both parents were teachers my sister went to an ivy league school. I had all of the advantages in life, everything was just handed to me. I was spoiled and so used to everything going my way that I developed a sense of entitlement and an arrogance that was really self destructive. I went to college on an athletic scholarship and for the 1st time in my life I was forced to earn things. I didn't just have it handed to me, and it was a totally new concept for me to understand. I was so used to having things easily that at the first sign of adversity I caved in. I was weak willed and weak minded. I flunked out of school, sold weed for a bit and worked a shytty job for like 2 years and made no progress in life whatsoever. It took me a while to realize that the world didn't owe me a damn thing, I struggled with depression for a few years and was in a bad place. It took 3 solid years of struggle to realize that I wanted more out of my life and that I would have to work hard for it. I joined the air force 2 and a half years ago and now I'm about 2 years away from my degree.
I can't speak for all kids that grew up under similar circumstances but from my own experience I think the sense of entitlement and priviledge that comes from that middle class lifestyle doesn't really prepare those type of kids for the harsh realities of the world. A lot of kids get discouraged and give up, they take the easy way out.
I can't speak for all kids that grew up under similar circumstances but from my own experience I think the sense of entitlement and priviledge that comes from that middle class lifestyle doesn't really prepare those type of kids for the harsh realities of the world. A lot of kids get discouraged and give up, they take the easy way out.
Mantle Drunk
All Star
It's true I live in a middle class community and it's all losers and dirtbags honestly if theres a party you know that shyts ending with a bunch of brawls. I got a crack head that lives two houses down reminds me of the chick in Friday. We all rubbed off on each other so everyone has that loser mentality i was talkin to someone i went to school with in a bar the other night he was talking about how relieved he was he moved and was talking about all the unsettled beef he still has in my neighborhood. Drugs are rampant and people rob each other all the time. The one thing you can rest your head on is no one really is into that gun play so it's all about fights more so then worrying about your life.
I grew up with nothing but white people, all my friends were white, all my girlfriends too. Based on the people I was around I was exposed to a lot of different things that shaped the person I was. I was never really accepted by a lot of the black kids in school cause I "acted white" but I didn't think of it as acting white. I was just being me, and that made me not black enough to hang with the black kids but being alienated like that made me self concious about myself. I became the token black guy in the preppy white kid clique. Once I flunked out of college I didn't feel like I belonged to the preppy group and I was never accepted by the black group and that put me into an awkward place of not knowing where I belonged. The uncertainty of who I was and where I fit in contributed a lot to my failures and lack of confidence.
dora_da_destroyer
Master Baker
subs so i remember to buy these
AquaCityBoy
Veteran
Being middle class parents doesn't mean they are good at being parents
Kids not amounting to shyt doesn't necessarily have anything to do with whether they had good parents.
I was fukkin rapping instead of doing homework
I did learn a lot from their mistakes. One big thing they did was reward failure. Some kids just have it in them to do better (i.e. my wife). But some kids need that push. I didn't see the point of trying hard, and my parents were still buying me Playstations and shyt. I want to really put it in my kids heads that smart hard work gets rewarded, and laziness gets punished
Yes it does.... its not everything... but who do you think stands a better shot... a kid w/2 middle class parents... or one uneducated welfare recipient
Obv kid A can throw his opportunity away... but kid B doesn't even have that opportunity... he has to work 10x as hard and seek out info on his own that kid A will prob just have fed to him
Family Man
Banned
@ y'all nikkas pretending that that shyt isn't a regular part of black american culture.
Poppa_Dock
:gladlebron:
lol
Who's acting like that?
Pindatail onadonkey
Rookie
True shyt
Man... there is this one dude that specifically comes to mind. I went to school with this dude named Carter Sharpe. Running back for our football team, lived in a middle class neighborhood, decent parents (both of his sisters turned out okay). This dude was in 10th grade being scouted by school like USC.... in all likelihood, he was going pro. This dude ran for like 2500 yards his sophomore year and he wasn't even the starter (we had a senior RB on the team).
Of course we went to a school that was half hood and half middle class. Being on the football team he got caught up with the hood dudes... He ended getting kicked out and went to a military school. Got kicked out of there and went to a Christian school nearby.... then something happened there.
I don't want to say what he's doing now... But I'm sure you can do the math people...
Of course we went to a school that was half hood and half middle class. Being on the football team he got caught up with the hood dudes... He ended getting kicked out and went to a military school. Got kicked out of there and went to a Christian school nearby.... then something happened there.
I don't want to say what he's doing now... But I'm sure you can do the math people...
Homeboy Runny-Ray
From Around The Way
theres nothing to figure out. its simple. every kid/teen wants to be down with the cool crowd in some way. and usually the tougher kids also exude coolness(altho there are plenty of exceptions but you get the point). its like that with every race. white people wanted to be the Fonz. are we gonna try and make a social issue out of that?
and yes, GENERALLY SPEAKING, the lower class kids are indeed cooler. they grew up quicker. the same way that the middle class kids are much cooler than the baldwin hills types. and its very apparent, even within the confines of this very website. its not just about being tough. its about being up on game, having your chit together, etc. and its like that with every race. be real, white folks didnt want to be corey matthews but they wouldve loved to be sean, as long as they didnt have to live in his trailer park.
Naw middle class kids have it rough on both sides
Compared to poor kids theyre soft and coddled
Compared to rich kids theyre broke and uninteresting
I remember how bizarre it was to go to school w/kids driving brand new Lex & BMW convertibles, AND kids from Far Rockaway on sports scholarships
I remember the extremes, but not really the kids in the middle. Theres nothing about them that really stands out
Compared to poor kids theyre soft and coddled
Compared to rich kids theyre broke and uninteresting
I remember how bizarre it was to go to school w/kids driving brand new Lex & BMW convertibles, AND kids from Far Rockaway on sports scholarships
I remember the extremes, but not really the kids in the middle. Theres nothing about them that really stands out