Sunday, October 05, 2008

It’s not easy being green

As I type, Im up at the shop, good day, gat between my legs on the floor, my CFO (my son say I don’t need to walk around with it behind my back). But he mad cause I wont let him bring his gat to the shop – children. Oh, and let’s not forget lil Momma, taking all of the ear wipes and collars off the racks and hiding them in her toy box.

But like I said, a good day, inclusive of sales, but as of late I have been kind of worried. Not about my business, because I will do my best and if I fail, I fail, but will never quit if I use my brain and try, I will always succeed for I will take such as a lesson. But what concerns me more is the fear that I am surrounded by a large coterie of serfs and plebeians, and not to be negative, but folks who seem not to think and seem not to even challenge themselves to think; as if they take what ever information is given to and accept with out question – or even worse don’t care or think that it is tedious and too complex to allocate the time to find out stuff for ones self.

Jones here don’t want to sound vain, but on the real, I feel like the last scholar warrior on this earth. I know they are left, but they are hard to find, like the ubiquitous four leafed clover. As if those who read Gionanni Pico della Mirandola or Anthony Trollope or
Frege or Elechi Amadi or Countee Cullen are no more; or worse have been usurped by Terry McMillan, or E. Lynn Jerome Dickey Tyree. That to read a news paper or several each day is blasphemy. That carrying a copy of the constitution is retro chic let alone know what is actually said in this document. That information must be given through a cathode ray tube from CNN or MSNBC as opposed to reading the information on your own and forming ones own opinion.

That to take pride in helping your children with homework and cooking each day has been replaced with the thought of Jiffy mix actually being cornbread or that macaroni and cheese can come from a box. It really worries me that we will complain and fuss and get mad at senate or house bills and would not have even taken the time to read said bills. Add to that, that in our disdain, knowing the serious problems facing our world, and communities in this global age, one would think that now, even if one has not down such prior, would be added and extra motivation to do so.
Maybe Im just thinking and worried for nothing, but maybe I’m not. Seems that the selfish person would not care, but I do, and It would be nice to know that if the stuff hit the fan, that I could seek comfort in know that those in battle with me would be able to handle thangs if I dropped off. If anything, we should be able to learn from history. When Martin King and Malcolm X were killed, or Denmark Vesey, or Cudjoe (now I am reminded why I dislike Stephen King – Cujo was not a dog, but his death was do to Europeans putting in a pit with wild dogs), seems like folk were running around with their heads cut off, since their beloved leader was no more. I say be your own leader so If you or me or anyone else is erased from this camp, someone can move in to the front seamlessly. That’s all I desire. That’s all I want. Now I know what Kermit the frog meant when he sang, It’s not easy being green. Guess folk still thank we free. Not me. vote

70 comments:

T.Allen said...

Excellent post! You do not have to say another word about Terry and that Dickey person-ugh!

The selfishness you speak of is a necessary part of survival. Too bad we don't have the option of eating the weak ones that slow the pack. Now that's a strategy.

Have a great week.

Unknown said...

you speaking the truth ... people take what they hear sometimes and go with it. I won a Dickey book and didn't even attempt to read it I gave it to someone else.

Clifton said...

Peace Brother,

You know one of my biggest complaints is the way people try to force themselves into thinking the way they are told they should think and not trying to come up with their own ideals. We should always challenge things we hear and see even if it's something that agrees with our agenda. That would have been the beauty of having Martin and Malcolm here together longer than we did. They would have challenged one another to think outside of their own comfort zones.

Shelly- Mom Files said...

Well said folk. You are so right. Can't be mad at anything we don't take the time to learn about. I always tell my husband that he asks me and the kids "trick questions" instead of getting to the point. He tells me he is trying to provoke us to think further and figure out what he is trying to ask. Strange concept but keeps us all on our toes. I hope you have a successful week :)

Anonymous said...

I may not be a "scholar warrior on this earth", but I care.

And I'm with you (I hope you know you can count on me).

liftedthoughts said...

I've visted your blog... yes I do believe you are one of the last scholars...have you ever written a book?

Twenty One

Unknown said...

I love this post...So many things that was said that I could comment on that I totally agree with...

But one stood out to me as a mother and that is the boxed mac & cheese and Jiffy cornbread..Its all about being in a hurry...I'm blessed that my husband makes enough for me to have the luxury of being a stay at home Mom...

So I have the time to make cornbread and real Mac & Chese..

But most mothers now days work a 9 to 5 and dont have the time with their type of career..

Just thought I would speak up for on the behalf of some of the w out women out there

PS.
Hope you had a good weekend...

Miriam said...

Hey! I think! lol

I know what you mean. i think the culprit is TV! haha.

Shonell Bacon said...

I would hate to think that because I read a McMillan or a Dickey then I'm not "down" for the cause. Reading either doesn't make you less of something. I'm in full agreement with you - people don't take enough time to become learned in the world, in becoming self-sufficient and self-reliant and using that to educate those around them. We need that. We are in some seriously "not good" times in our country - shoot, in the world. This is the time to arm one's self with knowledge, motivation, and the necessity to step up if called upon to do so.

DeAnna Troupe said...

Excellent post. I do agree with you on Dickey. Yuck! I like Terri, but I wouldn't read her if I was trying to enrich my mind. She's purely entertainment. I'm not sure why people don't think for themselves anymore. It really frustrates me sometimes.

Dope Fiend said...

Amazing post, but why hate on e. dickey and tyree, they have kept me entertained on a lonely night or two!lol

4 serious though, I hear what your saying, people are in a hurry to speed up, and not realizing that if they slowed down the shit they would accomplish would be of a much higher quality.

And people believing everything they hear and see on the television when it is clear the government tempers with that to cover their own behinds. These people who are so ready to follow and not prepared enough to lead need a reality check but I think even the extreme wouldn't be enough for them to fix up.

Ol jesus said...

shit i know i aint free i can look around and tell that lol

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

Well said Dr. Stephens.

However I do not think TV in and of itself is the culprit. Nor do I think any of the forementioned authors are either. It is about individual commitment to scholarship....and community collective to scholarship and family commitment to scholarship.

I am an avid TV watcher, and an avid book reader. I am well versed in some sciences...weak in latin, strong in spanish. I love religious study, I love the romance languages though. I am a music lover..opera, gregorian chants, bossonova, old school R&B and of course JAZZ! I hold a BS, two masters degreee, a culinary arts degree. I have been a politician, a professor, a chef, and a great many things. None of those things makes me a scholar.

What makes me a scholar is the love of people and their histories and their stories. And a real willigness to seek information. To hear and read varied opinions on everything. I am a scholar because I am a lover...not an intellectual, but a lover of humanity. I have a keen fascination with the world and I consider myself a citizen of the world. I am well traveled because I am well read....I daresay not as well read or travelled as you of course, but nonetheless the desire lives with me.

I am with you. Perhaps not at first glace, as I have a different approach to adddressing the concerns of the world. But I assure you we are like-minded.

Make no mistake, We all have our tools of war. I see you, and yours, but do you see me? There is value in the less than obvious...

There is not just one road to the path of scholarship.

clnmike said...

Great post, I think you were born in the wrong era, lol.

This is the age of the cellphone, text messages, video games, MP3s, fast food diet, Emails so on and so on.

All this technology to make life more easier and give us more time yet ironically robs us of the very same time it is supposed to give us.

People have become fat, lazy and fearfull and books have become a chore.

Even if more people read what books are out there worth reading let alone fiction?

IntrospectiveGoddess said...

Ok well as far as all the authors you mentioned I have read all of them and still do and I have no problem with saying so , Eric Jerome Dickey is actually one of my favorite authors. As far as people not being informed that's a given, thats just how it is, American people by in large are stupid, as a nation we are not very well read or informed. I will be the first to say that I dont have a copy of the constitution and I dont read and have never heard of the other authors you mentioned...I am however my own leader and I have been taught to question authority, if you consider yourself one of the last scholars maybe you are being vain...

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

T.Allen-Mercado
thanks hon, selfish and vain i suspect for taking pride in thought..WEB did and he wrote vehemently about it

memphiz
read every thing, i just dopnt want them to replace what can be read, some act like thats all worthy of reading

Clifton
somehow i knew what u would say. glad u feel the same way


Sheliza
thanks mom, and they the first to be mad - after the fact

BuelahMan
not buying it scholar, they way u write satire and i can tell u well read. bsides i know u got my back

liftedthoughts
got 6 out and 3 at press

Traycee
thanks hon i did and get that mac n cheese game tight

Miriam
lol how are u

Chick Lit Gurrl
not saying that but u know the state of our community. there is more than that.

deannatroupe
me and u both


Dope Fiend
thank u hon, i was trying to say reading and the world is more than them. if u read its ok to enjoy, but read first and formost to learn. never forget we were killed for know how to read, funny how things change


YaBoy Po
thought u was stoping by the shop jones

Lovebabz
didn say there was one path. but in the places i travel where there are no tvs, as in this country in days of pass, such acceptance is no existant thats all..i hope folks question what they read in books too, just no footnotes or refs on tv
India aint like this nor China - just us, especially the descendants of slaves

clnmike
fearful of books and lazy is like drinking and driving

IntrospectiveGoddess
well if such is vanity thats me, but it is the truth in America. Y complain if u aint read the constitution - thats some of the dumbest shit i done heard. When I travel abroad, it aint like that folks speaking 4 or 5 languages. I would say more folks aspire to be thugs than scholars, rappers than scholars, at least in my community, more models than scholars maybe im wrong or maybe some are under rocks. There more to life to life than fiction. But I agree, we are stupid in america....and if MLK jr said what I wrote bet folks would agree with him wo question

Clay Lowe said...

We only need turn to Nietzsche for a hint as to why there seems to be a lack of people who want to think for themselves.

The herd-man has been systematically bred to conform and obey. And so he readily seeks out someone to give him commands, be it laws, teachers, religion, parents, class, prejudice, public opinion and so forth. And those that command want the herd-man to obey. It is how those who command maintain control and power over the herd-man. There are many human herds – family groups, communities, tribes, nations, states, churches, etc.

What would it mean to break the conditioning of the herd and stand truly independent?

clay
warrior-monk

poison.ivy said...

you will go down with the greats all-mi-t one!!!

Anonymous said...

yo that white to is Frege i know you readers aint tight like us and hows that chess game u let it slack jones



D

msladyDeborah said...

I am sitting here cooking a pot of five alarm chili from scratch and giving your post some serious thought.

It is not easy being independent. It puts one on the outside of the "mainstream". I find in my later years that I am more comfortable at times inside of the box. But in real time, I live outside of the box.

I have lived long enough to realize that there has been a major drop in the intelligence factor of people. There are bodies of information and facts that I have built upon from my education in the public schools that seems to be alien to a good sized portion of the population.

Not obscure bodies of information either. Just common facts that we were required to absorb, discuss and analize to our satisfaction.

I find the art of reading is not as important in our society as it once was. This is the age of instant information...even if it is inaccurate information. And there is a market for it. I find it interesting that there are still people who cannot read or write in their native language. In spite of all the effort and energy that has gone into turning the situation around.

Not everyone hungers for the same brain food.

Mrs. Mary Mack said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mrs. Mary Mack said...

OMG! I was just having this conversation with my husband the other day. I tend to ONLY meet Dickey readers, and if one more person suggests a damn Zane book I will scream. I don't need to READ about SEX I have it! If you read it for entertainment purposes...power to THEE- but not I said this little green frog.

Great post. I think you have to make an effort to be/do/live better. Unfortunately it's just way too much work for alot of people.

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

Again, Good Dr. Stephens,
You make a good point. And perhaps you are preaching to the choir. I do beleive a great many folks question what they read, write and listen to. I do see your point, however I am of the mindset that one does not cancels out the other. I do believe you can question tv, the internet and other pop media outlets where people like their information fast...at warp speed.

I do so aprreciate the fact that folks read...I am not so twisted as to what their literary choices are. As I said some will seek to read beyond the popular authors of the day and some will seek the classic and yet some will float between the two.

THE 78' MS. J said...

I am so glad I am not the only thinking that we have reached that mountain top just because black men are able to date outside they race and not get lynched physically does not mean we have reached equality. It's sad when a whole race of people are living with a false sense of security.

Anonymous said...

whats wrong with jiffy? thats some good cornbread!

Anonymous said...

I understand what you're saying but reading and watching the news gets down right depressing. It's good I do them both though.....

This society wasn't bread to think on it's own or question why things are the way they are.

I'm guilty of enjoying romance novels but sometimes you gotta get away from the real world.

I definitely feel you on the cooking though...

Keisha "Kitten" Isaacs said...

Hey Brother!

I feel you....I feel you!

Katrina said...

I agree with you 10000%. Its as if our society has created this "schooling" system to not just educate us, but educated us with what they wants to educate us with. Its rare that you are taught to think for yourself. You are taught to listen to commands, be on time, follow directions, stay on schedule, and all other types of nonsense. Thinking for yourself is a quality that someone needs to establish and grow within themselves, but you will not find many people who have that quality because they adapt into this schooling system and watch TV and think everything is fine that way. Its not fine that way. Not many people use their God given minds anymore, they would rather let people think for them.

Anonymous said...

Mediocracy runs way too rampant and is celebrated in our society. So by default many abdicate their responsibilities to self, spouse, children, parents, etc. We may strive and even excel in one aspect of life but neglect many others.
Since when couldn't a black mother, nurse her babies for years, teach and nuture them, keep her home clean, prepare a nutritous meal daily, keep daddy up to snuff and never miss a beat. We've done it for eons. Yet as of late it's become nearly impossible for many. (We contract out most of our duties). You tired? SFW! It's called laying down on the job and y'all see where it's gotten us.

Linda said...

"cooking each day has been replaced with the thought of Jiffy mix actually being cornbread or that macaroni and cheese can come from a box."

The revolution will NOT be microwaved *lol*

Would you believe I had to learn my husband about who Malcolm X was? :P

Greetings from the netherlands!

D.J. said...

This subject has been showing up on many blogs of late. My answer always the same and to be honest it is a little sad. Somewhere along the way it became a crime to be smart or to try to attain smart! Everyone is so worried that they might say something that will send you running to the dictionary so it is better to dumb it down or as I learned it journalism class K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid). Well i for one like the dictionary and there are three copies of the constution in my house, and they really knew how to use language in those old black and white movies...sorry got carried away! Carry on!

Unknown said...

you said..."...be your own leader" Those are the wisest words I've heard (read) all damn day...

Angel said...

Fantastic Post hun.

Everytime I read your stuff I feel a bit of my mind has been expanded and you always include a challenge to, or an agreement with my way of thinking.

I loved what you wrote and here is what I believe. Create your own path, walk your walk strive to be different, stop watching TV - Do you know how much time that wastes? In fact if you swtiched it off you might find time to cook. Pick up those books and learn more, education is for life not just at school. Learn about your history, create your own idenitiy, don’t follow the crowd and then when you are ready, step up, be a leader. The children of the world need real life role models and leaders.
Angel

Ps, totally unrealated…what are grits??

Kawana Aminata Oliver said...

Hey you, nice post ;-)

Miriam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I'm the first to admit that the internet has been a godsend for me. I've been too lazy to hit the library, but I love going on the computer and picking up stuff as ideas come to mind.

What I cannot stand is putting in all this "face time" in a damn office for the sake of keeping health insurance and paying a damned mortgage. I think I could be a whole lot more productive with my time if not for this wage slavery I feel forced by society to endure.

Gorgeous Geek said...

wow i'm shocked. jiffy mix isnt cornbread!?! I guess i don't know what real cornbread is =[

professor said...

"As I type, Im up at the shop, good day, gat between my legs on the floor, my CFO (my son say I don’t need to walk around with it behind my back). But he mad cause I wont let him bring his gat to the shop – children. Oh, and let’s not forget lil Momma, taking all of the ear wipes and collars off the racks and hiding them in her toy box"...
couldnt get past this to read the rest of the post...does anyone else see something wrong here? first off, your sitting in a shop with a gun between your legs with your daughter playing in the store...I'm assuming it's loaded too...and your son want's to bring his "gat" outside? are you crazy? do you understand that the police will shoot him first and ask questions later and be "justified" cause he had a real gun?...where is your common sense...if I was lil mama's mama, I damn sure wouldn't let her be in that store...plus you've mentioned before you drink tequila with hot sauce...is your loaded gun at your feet with your daughter playing around at that time too?

Anonymous said...

Many get caught up in the rat race of meeting job and social demands and the home front sometimes get tertiary treatment. Love for family hasn't changed,but quality time is altered. Hence, Jiffy vs homemade.
My choice of reading material has to not only provide entertainment but value as well. Matter of fact I read "for u who left me while i slept" and "Butter Brown" over the
weekend and loved it. I'm reading "Fast and Gamin" now. Great writer- very impressive.

The Urban Scientist said...

I know how you feel. I say to myself - I know I'm what I'm saying is not that difficult..Folks - as you say - are so damn OBTUSE.

shaun. said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDQLibKhFEM

this is the true america.

Anonymous said...

how do you go about investing in precious metals?

-the donalg

Tha BossMack TopSoil said...

I've been fucken with Gold

Anonymous said...

I've tried responding to this and realize I have too much to say so I'll just keep it short.
I agree. :-)

Kit (Keep It Trill) said...

Great post, one of my favorites. And yeah, we're not free. Mofo's surely getting ready to make us less free; the past few days I've seen and heard jet fighters and military plans all times of the day and night fly over my place. It's deja vu for me since this went on when they were ready to bomb Iraq and afterwards.

Wall Street is bloodier today and by the end of the week will be friend worse than the past three weeks. This country is FUBAR. We are on our own.

T.a.c.D said...

as my beloved father has always told me: "believe half of what you see and none of what you hear" i have and will always be the WHY person...you gotta tell me why and I am GOING to find out why..

reading is fundamental
"degrees dwell in contemplation"

we gotta learn to think beyond what is being said...

as my father also stated: "pay strict attention"

Tasha said...

Excellent post. If I attempted to address why I agree with you, I'd be typing until my fingers go numb. Real talk in this post.

Waiting for Zufan! said...

Hey you, I bet you are not one bit surprised that even though the bail-out package (complete with an extra 150bill of pork, according to my trusty sources at CNN -- no I didn't read the bill!) passed, the markets are still in freefall.

You seem to see things coming. So what do you see happening in the election? Got a prediction? How 'bout for me? What do I have coming? (kidding. :) thanks for the drive-by.)

Kitty said...

Hold on now, I like that Jiffy cornbread, homes! LOL I feel you though. We def hafta raise our youth to dig deeper, be smarter, and not just take everything at face value.
Happy Monday!!

Gallington Press said...

Dude, I feel you on this! Damn, I was just thinking this myself. Like I cannot even have a decent intellectual conversation with niggas cause first off, most of us don't even read! I mean outside of the Source, Essence, and maybe Jet...we at a fkn loss. Shit is sad, when you think about it. That's why I call myself the Avid Reader & Cheerleader of the Talented 10th. I come in the spirit of the small few who actually thinks...not what they tell me to think but how I want to think. They tell me to stop using SAT words and shit. I'm like muthafucka pick up a damn book! We'll never get anywhere as a people like this. But real talk...Dickey is my boy. He's really smarter than you imagine. But publishers don't want to buy nor promote anything of real substance. So as a mainstream contemporary author you have to lure the masses of ignorant black folk in with sex, drugs, and violence...then you can educate and enlighten them. Cause real talk...you can be the most brilliant intellectual on the face of the globe, but if no one knows about you, then what good is that? I've had to dumb down a lot of my writing just so muthafuckas can comprehend. Trust me sweetie...you are most def the last of a dying breed. My next book will have pop up pics and raised, velcro letters like my five year old's =)

Faith at Acts of Faith Blog said...

Do. Not. Bash. E LYNN HARRIS. Invisible Life is a masterpiece in my book. Now some of the other books I could def take a pass on, but not that one. No publisher would touch it at the time. No we have that stupid DL Chronicles. But this was an important tool for Black women to start using more discernment about the men they choose to be with.

I am in the process of re-reading Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged right now because a lot of the issues discussed in a book more than 50 years old are coming to pass right now!!

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

Clay Lowe
we will die as a herd my warrior-monk

poison.ivy
that is so flattering hon

Anonymous
D whad up folks whats up at the crib?

msladydeborah
people seem to agree, but it is still as important or we would not have the state of affairs as we do - a few read and take advantage of them that dont


mrs. mary mack
thank u and we all need to make that effort

Lovebabz
i can see that but read for entertainment can be done in concert in reading to learn dont u think

THE 78' MS. J
yep used to read and have our eyes gauged out - how important was it to the master, well we still slaves and don see the importances a s slaves did

Tasia
it is CAKE mix lol

Meikmeika
so is doing homework - it is boring but there is a greater good.

Keisha "Kitten" Isaacs
thanks sister

Princess Katrina
nonsense is right

Nicki Nicki Tembo
u said a mouth full with that one word "Mediocracy"

And i can only repeat this truth
Since when couldn't a black mother, nurse her babies for years, teach and nuture them, keep her home clean, prepare a nutritous meal daily, keep daddy up to snuff and never miss a beat. We've done it for eons. Yet as of late it's become nearly impossible for many. (We contract out most of our duties). You tired? SFW! It's called laying down on the job and y'all see where it's gotten us.


Linda
classic

D.J.
im not even talking about being smart, but self determined thats all.

Blog Queen
thanks queen
...

Fantastic Post hun.
Angel
Grits, well made with homeney. and eatten with breakfast - especially with cheese, and i hope that is a good thing u describe when u read me.

Kawana Aminata Oliver
thanks i got your email and books will be on the way


profunksticated
u are honest i use it too, but it will nevwer replace a newspaper or book and i get6 all the seneate and house bills via internet so it aint all bad

Gorgeous Geek
lol some biochemist u are

professor
whats wrong. They in my home. Its in a lock box between my legs at my fet with a trigger lock too. I li9ve on 11 acres. and when I opened my shop my grandmom said make sure i keep a pistol. I am in the 4th ward. They break in cars about 2 a week, glass is all over the street. Three break ins at shops arouind me in past month. Big Boi's of outcast wife had to close because they kept breaking in. Every shop owner here has a gun. All over thje city. At least i am not like the guy next to me, who wears his on his belt and his 3 yr old son is their daily. And I drink Tequilia when I close, as i do at home and we serve free wine. Where do u liove. Like I said. I dont belive in folks protecting me, but Im not a democrat - i am a ,libertarian - live free or die. And at home no differnt - GUNS. and 911 cant find me in the country. so be real. you open your store and see if you know where u are located if u wouldnt do the same

Anonymous
thank u, they say i write throw back intellectual fiction - hope u like the footnotes

The Urban Scientist
my stuidents in cololege dont even have basic math skills, dont know numerator from deniomanator, or how to do a square root by had - sad.

shaun.
will chk it out folk

Anonymous Anonymous
shoot me an email

Tha BossMack TopSoil s
hit me up via email and lets talk folk

Tigress
lol
Kit (Keep It Trill)
yea man and the worse is yet to come on wall street...but u a free thinker and willing to expand and read what ever - rare indeed folk

T.C.
your father was the truth i can tell

Tasha
thanks jones

Waiting for Zufan!
yep Obama will Looose. will write about my expectation this week - albeit i hope he dont

Kitty
thanks hon and u mean u like CAKE lol

Brandi Bates
u just gotta teach and folks get mad, but i can see u a comedian - reading your comment had me cracking up, all the way to the velcro letters LMBAO

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

Faith
im noty bashing him, just folk who think or read only that - ya dig

Anonymous said...

I'm having a rough day and this post put a smile on my face. I will admit I am not quite a scholar warrior like you =) but I do believe in thinking for myself and challenging the status quo. I know enough to not just accept what I read on face value no matter who says it.

However as an avid reader of fiction and non-fiction, I think any reading people do is preferable to not reading at all. Believe me sometimes reading a silly book is valuable and relaxing and for me preferrable to watching the boob tube.

But I am with you about Jiffy, that's not cornbread at all. Make mine from scratch and it really doesn't take that long, long as you have all the ingredients on hand and even these times I think its important to keep a stocked pantry.

Sista GP said...

You know you got me hooked on cspan. I had stopped watching CNN, MSNBC, morning shows, etc. TOO MUCH COMMENTARY!!!

with cspan radio, I can LISTEN WHILE I WORK, (whistle)

VertigoVirgo said...

You've been tagged...check out my blog :)

Anonymous said...

I don't think your wrong to worry but there are a lot of knowledge seekers out there. We're all just at different places in our journey and at different levels of knowledge and development.

Once I realized that life is growing,learning and evolving there was no turning back. It's frustrating when you encounter people who have no desire to learn, no desire to know the world around them or where they come from, but I try to remember that the flame had to be lit within me, so why wouldn't others need that as well? So I try, in my own way. Terry McMillan and others have their place, there's plenty of room for all. You can learn from fuckery as well.

(And it's not fuckery to some) At the very least it can be an escape. There are some people who still succumb to the idea, ignorant as it may be,that you have to sacrifice fun for knowledge because they don't enjoy learning. In my opinion what hurts the scholastic community is often it's own attitude, sometimes people can be so judgmental and arrogant they can make a person with less knowledge feel like a lesser person.
And before anyone points out that we're all responsible for our own growth and shouldn't let insecurity or pride keep us from knowledge-I AGREE, I'm just trying to offer an alternate perspective. I've been researching my genealogy and I'm really anxious and excited...borderline obsessed actually. Anyway,I recently shared it with someone who couldn't understand at all why I was doing it or what the point was. They actually cocked they're head to the side stopped me halfway through my explanation and said, "what's the point?" "what are you gonna do with it?" I felt physical pain in that moment. That just happens to be an attitude that I am all to familiar with these days, but I try to just explain my point of view, and offer a perspective that they may not have thought of, just as others do for me. I try to encourage thought, encourage growth, (encourage foolery, it's healthy too, in moderation LOL)in whatever way possible. People just need to become diverse and well rounded, be "full" in your own way, find your own thoughts. Be motivated by others not molded by the will of others.
I have too much to say so I'm going to stop here. Hope I made some sort of sense, if not, forgive me. It's been a long day. Thanks for the post.

Cassia L Rainne said...

Great post as usual. It does bother me that people don't look at the world around them but the world that is given to them. As you mentioned CNN and Jiffy places things into cute little wrapped packages for us. Not enough people look outside of those packages and seem happy to wear the wool over their eyes. Sad, sad...

Anonymous said...

Oh Torrance, some days it's harder than hell to move forward when to your left and to your right are folks that you seriously wonder how they dressed themselves in the morning. Folks who somehow think life owes them something. Folks who can't see the bigger picture, let alone the importance of community. It's BEYOND disillusioning when I see some of the folks that are in the job pool who wouldn't know a critical thinking skill if it came up and bit them on the ass. Then again, we DO have a VP candidate (gag) who keeps propping up "Joe 6-pack" as if that's something to strive for...ARGH!

But you know what? We get up, we join the rest of the folks in the rat race, and we become hopeful that things WILL change, that folks WILL take an interest. And in your case with your children, and in mine with my nephews and my future students I realize how important it is that we DO keep an eye toward the future...mind you I also have my hand ready to slap some stupid folks upside the head. ;) How's THAT for a pacifist? :)

Jay Midnyte said...

partially not there fault, I mean, in a society where all you need to know is how to work and consume, there's not really a need for critical thinking. Makes it better for entrepreneurs?

Anonymous said...

There are only so many hours in a day. The purpose of government and the idea of electing officials to govern is that they will act in the best interest of the people. As we see, this is rarely (if ever) the case, but what's a person to do???

On an individual level, I think it is not very practical to expect each person to attend to the activities of government. That is why we vote! And we have the expectation that gov't leaders will do their job. This is supposed to free us from worrying day-to-day about countrywide issues, so that we can focus on singular, individual issues.

You can argue that this is ignorant, but even if we do as you suggest (i.e., read any, every, and all things), what will change? If such ridiculous and blatant pork can be added to a highly publicized bill such as this bailout, then it is obvious that the power doesn't lie with the people at all! Perhaps knowledge is not power. It's just knowledge.

Whereas, ignorance is bliss. ;)

QuietStorm said...

great great great post. I dont think ur worryin for nuthin...u have very valid concerns.
and lol @ ur jiffy comment;0

But I do luv me sum e lynn harris..i've read most of his books hehe.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's rather sad. So much talk, but little or no knowledge. Like mom used to say - free education, city full of dummys. We've become a lazy generation - as a whole we're gonna look dumbfounded when the shi@ hits the fan. What happened. You should have known! You played xbox through the whole thing, now you can't afford the game! Great article, thanks for sharing! PLL, CordieB.

Unknown said...

pretty much.

regarding t.allen-mercado's comment...reminds me of someone i know who proclaims that a national "eat the rich day" might be the only way out of the current disastrous economic situation....

"I say be your own leader..."

i say this as well and can appreciate your rationale for it.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry...why does your son have a gun? Maybe I'm missing something...

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

blackgirlinmaine
sorry to hear that glad i could make u smile

sista gp
no commercials is the bomb, huh

VertigoVirgo
not me lol thanks for the love

Kitty Cleopatra
no thank u sister

Miss Soul
thanks hon and sad so sad is true

SoCal Muchacha
do most folk know how to think critically anymore

Jay Midnyte
great point - but i still belive in self determination and personal responsibility, they can wipe they azz

Carla
thats not the way i see gov - for me its we the people - not them in washington

Soulstress
bet u read more than e lynn though and thanks

cordieb
anytime sister poet

fly tie
i hope we all say such

Lauren1904
was mine i got from granny, so i passed it down. i live on 11 acres no police or nothing in site where do u live if i may query?

creatrix said...

for the last couple of years, i've been saying to friends that we won't get another martin/malcolm/etc. it's all gonna have to start with communities, families, neighbors taking care of one another. that was one era, this is another.

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