Quote:
Originally posted by DST Love
I never understood why people say this. People are still individuals. No matter how many whites, blacks, asians, etc. you surround yourself with, you still have to get along and interact with people on an individual basis. I don't think going to a non-HBCU prepares you any better to deal with other races than going to school with your own. I'm not saying that you(ChaosDST) mean this, but when people make the statement that you made, it makes me think that they believe all Black people are alike, think alike, and act alike. Even at an HBCU, you still have to learn how to deal with a lot of different personalities. And isn't that what best equips one to deal with different people? To be able to accept and deal with the many different personalities of others.
Besides, although we are the majority at HBCUs and despite what others may think, we do have teachers and students of different races and from different countries.
I personally wouldn't trade anything for learning amongst my own.
(Side note: You are right about the fashion thing though. It did get old seeing everyone going half-naked when the sun would come out or walking around campus like it was a catwalk. But, it's up to each individual on whether they fall prey to the "fashion show". I didn't get into that. I liked to look a little classier than most (blouse/nice sweater with slacks). However, if I felt like it, I might wear a summer dress or jeans/shorts and a T-shirt. But whatever I wore on any given day, it was because I wanted to wear it and not to compete with or be like anyone else.)
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Good point, but I think you realize that wasn't the meaning behind my comment. While we all are individuals, there are certain inherent traits and characteristics that people of similar ethnic backgrounds share (another topic). So, we should be equipt to deal with people of various backgrounds and cultures. This goes for white students that attend predominently white schools all of their lives, as well. It is usually the case that people only begin to "understand" other cultures when they are "forced" to interact with other cultures and so forth. If you remain in your niche, you usually have no need or desire to learn anything other than that what you are accustomed to and have been exposed to. That's my point.