Cynique

Come on, Troy. That's a pretty tired argument, blaming the media for everything. Any communication organ that steps on the toes of everybody must be doing somethingn right. High-rated Fox news whines about the liberal media even as their reporting is as about as biased as it can get in favor of conservative views. Those of all persuasions put their spin on the news and the spins are all biased. "Allegedly" is a well used word in news reports and this alerts the reader to the accuracy of what's being reported. Editorial pages are opinions. TV is visual and the camera doesn't lie. Furthermore, because the public is constantly bombarded with attacks on the media it has no excuse for not maintaining a healthy skepticism. "Don't believe everything you read" is an admonition that's been around for over a 100 years. So the media isn't as influential as its cracked up to be especially since, in the final analysis, people believe what they want to believe based on their personal prejudices. The truth is very elusive so who can you depend on to deliver it? Who knows the whole story about anything? And how objective is anyone when stating their versions. The media has become a convenient scapegoat for disgruntled people. The media may be flawed but what is the alternative? And, of course libel and slander are still legal options for those who feel they've been besmirched or discredited. Politics do make strange bedfellows, but one last question while you're fellowshipping with the Klan, when's the last time the media threw a burning cross on a black person's lawn? BTW, what do you consider mainstream when it comes to the media??? And does it occur to you that the Klan wizard being interviewed was using the media to sanitize his organization?

America is for the birds and I don't mean the bald eagles. More like the vultures who pick the bones of Lady Justice after she has been slain by racism. Black folks need to just stop demanding something from white people that they are not going to get. Equality is a myth; Everybody does not have the same rights and privileges in this country. Get real. Instead of demonstrating and rioting in the streets and pleading in the courts, what niggas need to do is to stop giving motherfuckin' white cops reason to murder them. Don't challenge these assholes, don't get caught committing crimes, don't run away from them or fire guns at them. Frustrate the fools by not doing what they expect you to do. Go about your life and do what you need to do to accumulate some money. That's the only thing that matters in "Babylon". To hell with the USA. It's the land of BS.

The hoi poloi have never been receptive to what's aesthetic or abstract. They like to keep things simple. They want to be entertained, not challenged. Those who rise about such low-brow mediocrity are special people who are born with an innate proclivity for what is extraordinary. One thing I have noticed, is that rapping is no longer a specialized skill. All young people nowadays can rap, including white ones. They all know the patented moves and gestures and the verbal techniques. My grandchildren can rap. So rap has lost its exclusivity. It is commonplace and, as such, I don't really think of it as an art. Rap is a movement that is becoming institutionalized. I'm kind of passionate about preserving the art of cursive writing. Most pubic schools no longer teach it. Kids nowadays can barely print. It's a shame how this personal tool that is such an extension of one's individuality that people can identiify who wrote something because they recognize the handwriting, is in danger of becoming extinct. I have even thought of conducting summer school classes for youngsters who parents want them to learn the Palmer method of cursive writing. No credentials are necessary because it's something I am qualified to do by virtue of the fact that I have a decent legible handwriting. And, of course, there are workbooks you can purchase to help with the instructions.

Try as I may, I just can't take Hip-Hop that seriously. Mesmerizing by way of its beats and repetitive candences, yes, but what's so astounding about its message? How many times can we get excited over the glorification of the thug life or the injustice of the hard knock life, or the rhapsodizing of an alternate lifestyle? So what else is new? Does schlepping around, spittin out verses make things better? Do break dancing and casual clothes and cool slang make this culture awesome? Or is it that this community provides an outlet for the frustration of racism and all its repercussions? Oh well, what can you expect from someone who grew up listening to doop wop and be-bop and Nat Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. When Emmit Till and Rosa Parks got violated, we took to the streets to demonstrate. Back then, music was a respite not an expression of protest. Time brought change but did it improve the situation? Not really. It takes more than mad niggas to reform America. Good night, all. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I don't think the producers of Dancing With The Stars, would invite Obama to appear on the show. I, personally, think his doing so would be beneathe his dignity. To me Tavis Smiley, does not fit my idea of a distinguished journalist. He's just a-run-of-the-mill political pundit full of hot air.

If you decided to join the ranks of those who since "they can't whip the social media, have joined 'em", Troy, what would you have to lose???

Well, guys, this is where I come in. While you 2 are blocking out all the frivolous news, more focused on the unsung of Rapdom, your pop culture vulture - that would be me - keeps an eye, albeit a jaundiced one, on what is currently happening in the kaleidiscopic world of plastic icons. Dancing with the Stars draws its contestants from all areas of the media, and its competition features a cross-section of old, young, multi-ethnic, wanna-be or has-been second-tier celebs from TV, Hollywood, the recording industry,Olympic and pro-sports venues, and, yes, - journalists with a ham streak. Anxious to show off their skills doing Tangos,Cha-Chas, Rhumbas, Fox trots, Waltzes and "jive" dancing, participants strive to earn good scores from 4 judges and phoned-in viewer votes. One of this season's favorites was stoner Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong fame, who did a credible job of "cuttin' the rug". Favored to take the trophy in next week's finals is Carleton from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, (Alfonso, Ribero). Apparently being on the show does no damage to one's professional resume, and can even earn entrants admration for being a good sport while doin' their best. It is, after all, a fun show. And it does pay well. Tavis' lack of success was inflicted by his own smug attitude. He was miffed when comic Jimmy Kimmel predicted he would be an early exit, and Tavis vowed to prove him wrong. But his exhibitions of stilted mediocrity were unimpressive, and he was quickly given the boot, subsequently griping that being on tour for his newly-released book didn't give him enough time to practice. Maybe he will now empathize more with Obama. I am not an avid fan of this show. I check it out from time to time because watching eager beavers make fools of themselves provides some comic relief from the drama and tragedy of what's going on in the serious world.

It ain't easy being a celebrity or high-profile public figure these days, unless of course you are Kim Kardashian who makes a lucrative living off of being an airhead exhibitionist. Unlike other female celebs sniveling about the omnipresent paparazzi, or the hackers posting nude pictures of them on social media sites, Kim relishes any opportunity to flaunt her assets. Her popularity is the 8th wonder of the world. Elsewhere, hardly a week goes by where those who have gotten what they wished for, upon getting it, are now burdened with the stress that comes with success. Superstar athletes who, between cheering up their fans were beating up their loved ones, have fallen from grace, their shoe contracts as void as the veins of the steroid abusers among them, their finances as scrambled as the brains of concussion victims. BOOOOO. Which brings us to the POTUS. Once on top of the world, now stuck at the bottom of his lame duck ratings, Obama hangs in limbo, lynched by racist Republicans, left to dangle by his own scatterbrained party. Blindsided by the audacity of hope that was his campaign slogan, his dreams have become nightmares. Bummer. Then there’s poor ol Bill Cosby, the latest fallen idol. America’s favorite dad and spokesman for Jello has been toppled from his pedestal and is being outed as a gelatinous sexual predator worse than cradle-robber and God portrayer, Morgan Freeman. It turns out Dr. Cliff Huxtable was actually Dealer Clit Hustler, hot to examine the bodies of passed-out young wanna-bes he drugged and allegedly raped. His career and reputation are now hovering on the brink of ruin. He learned a hard lesson. So, Students, what does this teachable moment teach us? Being rich and famous carries with it a responsibility. A responsibility to whom? To yourself, so you won’t become your own worst enemy. Consequences are a bitch.

Cynical contrarian that I am, the problem I coninue to have with hip-hop hype is its ambuity. Get a few afficionados together and before long, each guy will be rattling off names of obscure or famous groups who, according to his standards, are either real or fake, the criteria for judging being based on the taste of the individiual who has appointed himself an arbitrator. Hip-hop fandom is rife with members dissing each other's choices in regard to who is the real deal. I also look askance at the tendency to romanticize anything as edgy as Hip-Hop. Complaining about commerializing music genres also escapes me. It's like saying certain music is not for public consumption and should only be available for elite groups. Is it ever taken into consideration that comercialized music can be an appetizer to whet the taste of listeners for the gourmet version of a music genre? Art is an expression of individual creativity. If a person uses hip hop as a vehicle for self expression, who is to say that the result is not authentic just because it gets media exposure. Insistence on restricting hip-hop to a street venue is a contradictory ploy that attempts to give cult status to something that is ubiquitous. To me, if something appeals to you, in your world that resonation is authentic. If I like Rapper/punster, (Lil)Wayne, screw all of his sneering detractors. "But", you say. "There have to be standards!" To which I respond, "I'm waiting to hear what would be the credentials of the those who set hip-hop standards?"

My question wasn't really meant to be facetious, CDB. Culture is a generic term. I wouldn't consider R&B a "culture" since its fans are not monogamous. Have you written any essays focusing on Hip-Hop mores? Educate me...when you get a spare moment. BTW, as an older person, I don't mind being lumped with other old people. I still think Hip-Hop overrated. And if this alienates me from young people, then - so be it. I have yet to meet a young person who gives as damn whether or not I like Rap.

The genetic diversity we see in black Americans originated in the slave cabins being visited by white plantation owners, Troy, not the different races on the African continent. The reason there is a difference between ingrained self-hate and a discomfort with the unfamiliar is that one is "cause" and the other is "effect". Discomfort with the unfamiliar is natural, and the reason for such discomfort is because the unfamiliar are perceived as a threat. Blacks don't hate themselves so much as they hate the different-looking people who deny them equality. "Self-hate" is a catch-all label used by Afro-centric sects who want to promote their cause by laying guilt trips on those who don't share their sentiments. It's a phrase they use to console themselves because after all these years, Black Americans have never fully embraced Afro-centrism, - and that's because after 2 centuries in this country, they are who they are. And it's really not a stretch to say that skin color is no big deal when it comes to black women's preference in men, dating back to the times of screen idol, Sidney Poitier. Who's the current hottie among celebs? Terrence Howard? No. Dark-skinned Idris Elba, not to mention other darker brothers like Tyrese Gibson, Taye Diggs, Tyson Beckford and Morris Chestnut. I've never heard a woman complain about a brother's dark skin if he has a lot of other things going for him like a good job, a great body, good "game", great bedroom skills. Oddly enough, I have heard light-skinned guys remark about women discriminating against them. Trophy wives certainly don't care about the color of the wealthy black men they marry. And for every dark-skinned woman whining about being discriminated against, there's a light-skinned sista who has been penalized for her skin color. Who's the "it" girl nowadays? Dark-skinned Oscar winner, Lupita Nyong'o. Who is the latest to represent for black women on TV? Dark-skinned Oscar nominee, Viola Davis, star of the new hit TV series, "How To Get Away With Murder". Tokenism is alive and well, and darker skin Blacks benefit from this. There's a certain standard that applies to bankable people of all ethnicities. Those who people support with their money and expertise, transcend color lines. In the public sector, it's about the individual with charisma. Yes, race matters and institutionalized racism remains a fact, but let's get it straight about who's hating whom and, why.

Hummm. I scanned all through this thread, CDB, looking for someplace where I "hated" on hip-hop. But I found none. In fact, I rebuffed the professional musician, Nicholas Payton, who was the one who referred to hip hop as whack in the lines Troy quoted. My other observations contained no rancour. They were just comments because I actually don't hate hip-hop. If I'm guilty of anything it's of being indifferent to it. So your overreation adds to the schism. What strikes me further about your attitude is how sensitive you are when it comes to hip hop. In fact, if I were in your presence, I would want to put my arm around your shoulder and reassure you in a soothing voice that it's OK to be geeked about hip-hop. We all have our passions, and pining for the validation of others is not necessary. Sooooo, the definition of hip-hop is that it's a "culture", huh?. OK.

I found this exchange of views about hip-hop interesting inspite of the fact that, as a member of another generation, to me hip-hop is "much ado about nothing". Whenever I ask a hip-hop fan what constitutes hip-hop or to explain why they consider this culture so special, they are always at a loss for words. Or, like CDBurns and a few others, they, themselves, go into their own rap defending hip-hop rather than defining it. The few artists who I have developed an ear for are contemptuously dismissed by those who considered themselves hip-hop purists. So there are apparently pseudo hip-hoppers and the real ones, an arbitrary distinction that lies in the eye of the beholder. As I said, "much ado about nothing". Hip-hop does seem akin to a religion that possesses its faithful disciples. As a Zen devotee, the impact of pauses between words, and spaces between the lines resonate with me; the room left for the imagination. Guess that's why the "in-your-face" and "leave-nothing-unsaid" aggression of Rap, and the self-described "uniqueness" of the hip-hop population leave me yawning.

Due to what happened during slavery, centuries later black Americans all look different from each other, embodying a broad spectrum of skin color, hair texture, facial features, so it's natural that they identify with people who look like themselves rather than pure bred Africans. As opposed to school aged children preferring white dolls, experiments have also shown how an infant reacts with apprehension and whimpers when staring into the face of someone whose skin color and facial features look different from the family members who usually pick it up. And all the cultural influences in the world won't make a black man reject an attractive woman of his own race in favor of a fat, flat-butt, pimply faced, pale-eyed, thin-lipped, dishwater blond. Black woman certainly aren't color-conscious. A dark-skinned hunk gets just as much a play as a light-skinned dude. It's all about the swag. Or do black people reject their music, their food, their style, or their slang, all of which are components of their culture. They also ridicule any white person who strikes them as being square and corny. You are playing fast and loose with the "self-hate" phrase, Troy. Black people hate the negative behavior of low-lifes because it prejudices other ethnicities against those who are trying to do what people of all races do to get ahead. Do you hate yourself? I don't hate myself. Who I really despise are black conservatives who aspire to be carbon copies of tight-assed white people.

I didn't make up the word xenophobia, Troy. I would argue that it is to some degree innate. In the most pristine conditions, and this includes among infants and animals, there is a natural suspicion and wariness about creatures that look different from the tribe or the herd. This can be nullified, or intensified through interaction, but the initial response is one of hesitation or caution. Does greed have to be taught? I don't know. But sharing has to be taught, and aggressiveness has to be tamed. Man is only civilized and socialized to a certain extent. Back problems are the most common chronic ailment among humans and that's because walking upright is still something they are adjusting to... Unity works when there is a common foe. But white people don't have to be united because they have a common advantage; their skin color. Black people are not monogomous when it comes to skin color or hair texture. They are diversified in many areas. In order for them to become a unified force, they'd have to adopt a common mindset. This presents a challenge. But - maybe differences can be surmounted for the common good, although Blacks on the left and Blacks on the right, lower class ones and middle class ones all seem to be miles apart. We are, indeed, an estranged family. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast.". I am old and world weary so I leave it up to the optimism of the younger generation to rescue the race from itself.

We keep looking for pie in the sky. There are rich and poor and middle class, liberal and conservative elements in all ethnicities. Being monolithtic and united is not why Caucasian Americans prevail. Their skin color is what determines the entitlement that gives them a leg up in being successful in whatever they attempt. There are losers and slackers among Whites but that's because they didn't take advantage of their status. Black people are united. They all want the same thing. But as a minority, they don't belong to the ruling class. They can succeed as individuals but not as a group. Is it better to be diverse or a rubber stamp? Yes, Troy, when the struggle culminated with the passage of massive civil rights legislation, we thought we had overcome. We were misguided enough to think that integration was the solution. But it wasn't. Now things are getting worse because of the xenophobic way the brain of Homo Sapiens is wired. A dislike for the unlike has never evolved out of existence.

Hip-hoppers/Rappers are a spinoff of the hippies of the 1960s. They are a counter-culture, emersed in free sex, drugs, and radical rhetoric. They don't trust their elders and shun conventional approaches to problems.They are different for the sake of being different because being different pits them against the status quo and gains them young rebellious followers. The difference is that those white middle class drop-outs were not materialistic or violent like the their black present day counterparts from the hood who are emersed in the bling and the gun. And the BS. All of these contrarians talk a lot of smack but they lack vision and initiative and are preoccupied with style over substance. No, the preceding generation didn't prepare them for understandindg the struggle. We thought the struggle had been won.

Also, unless we are prepared to morph into an Utopian society where bartering is the means of obtaining goods and services, the law of supply and demand will continue to prevail. All of the appetites that drive us to crave what we want instead of what we need along with the unhealthy conditions that result from this are what create industries that generate jobs and profits. If everybody was healthy and no body smoke or drank or if nobody committed crimes or needed welfare, the economy would totally collapse. We are not a country, we are a Catch-22.

I saw that documentary, myself, a couple of nights ago. Just came upon it by accident. Brown was full of contradictions. He crowed about being black and proud but typically preferred light-skinned or white women. And when it came to paying his band members a fair wage, he balked. He got everything himself because he stiffed other people who gave him something. He had all it took to be a typical Republican. Now that my frustration about the outcome of the election has subsided, I concede certain things. Democrats got what they deserved because they are a bunch of vacillating wimps. Also there are issues where Black people do not overwhelmingly side with Dems. Same sex marriage is not fully embraced by them; gun control either, and they do want religion back in schools. So it's more about liberals vs conservatives. I am now drifting into the ranks of those who don't care. I'm fed up with politics. The intense dislike I harbor for right-wing Conservatives saps my energy. Screw everything, including America. The experiment in democracy has failed and so has the audition of a black president.

Are Blacks that dumb that they won't vote to keep a party out of office that does not have their best interests at heart? Are they so blind that they don't see that their progress is hampered by Republicans and that by allowing more of them to get elected is aiding and abetting their enemy? Has it never occurred to them that by supporting the Democrats, things would at least not get worse? Are the Democrats the lesser of the 2 evils? Hell, yes. Blacks ain't never gonna get all they demand but they can at least step up and help their allies keep their mutual foe in check. Apathetically standing around moping about how bad things are is counter productive. Holding down the fort and using your ballot to stave off hostile forces makes more sense. But, I guess nothing makes sense if you don't care. You lose your right, however, to complain when you give up without a fight.

Well, the mid-term elections are over and the voters have spoken. The message sent by the majority of these typical Americans who went out and voted was that they are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. Implicit in this message is that they don’t like Black leaders, Hispanic aliens, Gays, Feminists, or Environmentalists. They’re against same-sex marriage, a woman’s right to choose, separation of church and state, health care for all, raising the minimum wage and lowering the interest rate on college loans. These Fox News junkies reject gun controls, support murderous cops, and approve of a macho military. They’ll tolerate low taxes for the rich but hate hand-outs for the poor. They want more religion in schools, and less government in their lives. So, these white citizens exerted their entitlement and voted Republican. When it came to standing up to bullies, the castrated Democrats didn’t set an example for their ranks and they got their asses kicked. Black America is left bereft. Liberalism is on the ropes. Since they couldn’t vote by texting, young people didn’t show a lot of interest in the election and exerted no impact on the things that will affect their future. It's hard to tell if they care. Most troubling of all, is that the President of the United States has become a pariah. God bless America? Puleeze.

Our pursuits and opinions about people are a reflection of our own personalities. I happen to be a very curious person. Ignorance is not bliss to me; it's stifling. I do believe that knowledge is power and coupled with instinct, it helps you navigate through life. Nobody ever knows the whole truth so I just filter what I read in newspapers and see on TV and the Internet. I'm influenced by the credentials of who it is that's doing the editorializing. To me some sources are obviously more trustworthy than others and I always consider who has ulterior motives. West and Sharpton are both hustlers; they are just different in caliber. Cornel is very glib and he stonewalls people with his dazzling spiel of words. Al is loud and aggressive. I confess to be influenced by their demeanors. West has a distracting weazle-like quality about him while Sharpton has never been able to shed his preacher pimp persona. I'm also amused that West's ex-wives had some unflattering things to say about his ego-centric expectations when it came to his diminished sexual prowess. Sharpton left his wife for a younger woman and his attempt to give himself a make over turned him into a ridiculous looking bobble-head doll. I form these opinions not by withdrawing into my private world but by looking and listening to what is going on in the mix. I know such pettiness dilutes my credibility but I am also aware that images have just as much an impact as intellect.

There are no right or wrong answers to your questions, Delano. It's up to the couple involved as to whether the cheated on spouse is willing to forgive and raise a child that is not theirs. Keep in mind, that bi-racial children don't always come out looking white. It depends on the coloring of the black spouse. And it's not as if there aren't light-skinned people living in the hood. Hair is a dominating factor. if you got nappy hair, "you is one of us" and are just referred to as "mixed" or a red-bone, something that may elevate your status. And don't overlook the fact that most people in the hood are not married to their baby daddy or baby mama, so ethical dilemmas ain't that big a deal.

Others have said that Cornel West has become seduced by celebrity and is more interested in the spotlight than the halls of academia. I tend to agree. He's always schmoozing and suckin up under the guise of civility. People talk about Al Sharpton because of his ghetto vibe. But I take his critics with a grain of salt because they hate the messenger as opposed to his message which is very often spot on. As far as Cornel West's disappointment with Obama goes, does he really think that the obstructionist Republicans would allow Obama to get done what Cornel is whining about him not doing? Obama should be pitied instead of attacked. He is the pathetic object of ridicule and has been rendered impotent by Republican racists and Democrat wussies. I forgive Bill Maher because he makes fun of pomposity and is no worse than blow-hard conservative talk show hosts. And of course, his dismissal of religion resonates with me. Religion is at the core of all the conflict in the middle east. Islam reeks with misogny and vindictiveness, still out to avenge their loss during the Crusades. Back in this country, Christianity enables all the bigotry and hypocrisy that exists here. Am I on fire, or what? Obviously, we don't agree on these subjects, Troy, but I had no problem with how Boardwalk ended. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was sublime, but I found it satisfactory.

That big-mouthed buffoon, Charles Barkely, who'd be workin on a garbage truck were he not an overgrown freak who could play basketball, needs to shut up. Black people already know what the problem is with their race, and we don't need self-apponted spokesmen like him and that candidate for dementia, Bill Cosby, lecturing to their fellow Blacks. These lucky millionaires with their shady personal lives do nothing but provide sound bytes for right-wing conservatives like those twits over at Faux news, who are the problem not the solution for Blacks like Dr. Ben Carson who they've brainwashed into thinking he's something other than a lawn jockey. I've watched one episode of Blackish and found it mildly funny. But I got the impression that if you see one episode you'll see them all because it's a one joke sit-com based on the ongoing premise that upscale blacks are conflicted when it comes to maintaining their roots. So what else is new? Time and time again, harry brown, you compare today's hypocritical preachers to MLK as if he was above reproach. The thing that made Dr. King so outstanding was not that he was perfect but that as a flawed womanizer who drank Scotch and smoked Salem cigarettes, he was not egocentric or motivated by greed. He was a servant to his people and one of his goals was to prick the consciences of racist white people, something he was not totally successful at. He was not a saint but is now a martyr, revered not for his virtue but for being courageous and brilliant. Yes, actress Cicely Tyson has led an interesting life that has run the gamut from award-winning to ass-whippin at the hands of that cruel genius, Miles Davis.