Quote:
Originally Posted by Little32
For instance, I have an complicated relationship to class. I am rather highly educated, but I do not have a good deal of money. I come from a long line of educated folks, all of whom worked "prestigious" jobs and were well connected in the community...but my immediate family is not particularly wealthy. Conversely, there are many people with a good deal of recently acquired wealth (rappers, musicians, and so on), who Lawrence Ross would not consider "Our Kind of People." If class is a function not only of wealth but also of education and "breeding," things start to get messy.
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It's Lawrence
Otis Graham as the author. Lawrence Ross who has/had a log in here wrote "Divine Nine". Although there may be similarities to a minor part of their discussions, Lawrence Otis Graham is speaking on the Black Aristocracy and Bourgeoisie...
Somewhere on GC we had your discussion, it is tough to find right now. There is a difference between consumers and investors. Black folks have NOT been historical investors. I know few who have and I mean back in the day when they weren't allowed to invest...
This one lady that my family knows (and you know my family), use to work in the "white folks houses" and serve their meals. Well, when the meals were done, and while she was cleaning up, the "Master" of the house, who was a big bank stock broker/financial manager would talk to his "buddies" in that "ole boys network" about "investments" and the "stock market". They would do the CNBC and Cavuto style of predictions and "solve the fiduciary world's problems". Ironically, the woman was listening and understood what they were saying... So when they said buy or sell, well, she took her little money, $20-$50 which was quite a bit in the 1940's and 50's, and buy what "shares" she could reasonably afford...
Then during the next meal, they would say more...
When all of that action became illegal, she came out a multi-millionaire...
I think she use to run numbers in NYC that's how she knew what they were talking about...
I met her in Vegas, a GLAMOROUS BLACK WOMAN if you had EVER saw one--kinna like a combination between Foxy Brown, Cleopatra Jones and Diana Ross... She looked better than Diane [sp?] Carroll and Lena Horne combined... And this is mid-1980's. Don't know what happened to since, I think she died due to poor health...
Ask my uncle when you see him, he knows.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Little32
Because of this complicated relationship to class and my perception that questions of class are not as cut and dry as many might prefer that it be, I can't say that I believe it to be the most divisive force in the black community.
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That was my problem with this study and I found their stats rather off because it "perceptions" they were measuring, NOT real time determinations.
Black folks perceptions are unpredictable. There is some much historical stress and strain and pain and unadulterated reality placed, assumed and accepted by us that it becomes our reality. It is hurtful and depressing when one is exceptionally smart like that physics professor, or my husband and they have to maintain an aire of ego about them to stay sane. Most normal people do not. And it becomes naturalism, like Richard Wright's novels.
These thought patterns, a part of the utaamaroho, is systemic. You are suppose to think that way... Empowerment of oneself is lethal and dangerous. That is why rapper's and hoe's is so popular now. At least if I was a dreg of society, no one thinks highly of me, and I can do what I think is cool and fun, but the minute I actually do try to make a change in society--i.e. how come Michael Jackson hasn't donated more food to Africa by having helicopters drop supplies??? Then, that is dangerous, it puts you on a watch list... That stuff on "American Gangster"--there is a difference between quitting while your ahead and just quitting...
That is why Black folks may not want to accumulate wealth like that... It is not the only reason. Consumables purchasing power is fine, but really wealth to move mountains literally?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Little32
What would I say instead? I would say that what divides us most is the notion of blackness and the black monolith period; this idea that because we are all black, we all have the same experiences and must react and think in the same way. Moreover, those that do not believe (act, think, vote) as we believe (act, think, vote) are not black enough or are not black in the right way. This notion encompasses not only class issues but also issues that arise around sexuality, colorism, and so forth. This idea can be just as destructive a force to unity when it comes from within the community, as when it comes from without.
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I agree with that, somewhat. Folks are not asking similar questions if they are Chinese or Indian? But, we cannot be delusional to think there is no in fighting? Power corrupts absolutely... Chinese may not have similar freedoms as Americans due to their government that is why we see a "unified response". That will change in probably your late lifetime. Indian is already working on change and it is "their way", there may be influences, but it is still ultimately "their way".
African Americans as whole, well we cannot agree what to call ourselves. Other cultures have similar issues, but they do not focus on that problem devoutly... Collectively--Ujima--Black folks will get it together, someday and we will be a force to be reckoned with... The reality is, not everyone in this "group" will be Black, a majority of them will probably and ironically be "phenotypically" White...
When our anscestors were brought here in chains, that immediately made us blood brothers and sisters with Caucasians. So since neither one of us are going to be rid of each other anytime soon regardless of what we think, we may as well find resolution so some of these world's problems can cease--like Global Warming and World Hunger...