How on point do yall think this video is?

I thought it was very insightful.
Not telling us much we didn't already know, but putting it together in a way that those who DIDN'T grow up in our era under our conditions can easily understand.

Had to disagree with the brutha on the drinking part though.
The older generations (Baby Boomers and Depression Era) drank WAY more than we did....lol.

I’m not a fan of these AI videos optimized for the YouTube algorithm.

One, and you’ll notice this across a wide variety of videos even the ones created by humans, is that they are so redundant. YouTube likes longer videos for their algorithm so creativives create unnecessarily long videos.

For example, that bit about drinking I felt like I was beating over a head with a stick with that line. Sheesh it was annoying and that’s ignoring the fact that I actually agree with @Pioneer1 on that subject.

My generation definitely drank a lot more than the generation that came after me. Now the generation that came next (the one talked about in the video) definitely smokes a lot more weed. Surprisingly that didn’t make it into the video.

There are some other points that I disagree with, but they are arguable..,

And the beat goes on as one generation analyzes the next.😁

The data & analysis in the video makes great points.

The question is always what are Black men going to do about the institutions & conditions designed to marginalize & disenfranchise our brothers.

In the meantime, part of what keeps successful Black men going who don't drink or use drugs to self-medicate is putting in the work to provide for & protect & inspire the next generation to do better.

Funny thing is...all roads lead to the same place regardless of generation...a life of responsibilities & cemetery.🤣😎

5 hours ago, ProfD said:

The question is always what are Black men going to do about the institutions & conditions designed to marginalize & disenfranchise our brothers.

According to you, they are powerless TO do anything about it....lol.

Maybe they're doing the best they can.

18 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

According to you, they are powerless TO do anything about it....lol.

Maybe they're doing the best they can.

In the absence of being able to dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy, it is extremely important to teach all FBA/AfroAmericans early & often, what the system is & how it operates to keep them imprisoned.

Instead of churches teaching FBA/AfroAmericans about the sky fairy & his son & what they need to do in order to see them & have everlasting life, Black pastors should be teaching Black history & the atrocities committed against our people from slavery to present & about the system of racism white supremacy.

Black Gospel music can still write & produce & sing the feel good songs. At least, the people will be educated in the most important lessons as it relates to racism white supremacy & be better equipped to dismantle & destroy it.😎

ProfD

In the absence of being able to dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy, it is extremely important to teach all FBA/AfroAmericans early & often, what the system is & how it operates to keep them imprisoned.

IF they can't do anything about it, why even learn?

In some cases, ignorance is bliss.

If a man has a deadly incurable disease that will kill him all of a sudden....wouldn't it be best for him to not even know about it?

Instead of churches teaching FBA/AfroAmericans about the sky fairy & his son & what they need to do in order to see them & have everlasting life, Black pastors should be teaching Black history & the atrocities committed against our people from slavery to present & about the system of racism white supremacy.

But again if....IF...they are powerless to do anything about it anyway, all that will do is depress them and leave them with a feeling of worthlessness and even worse....hopelessness.

Atleast belief in the "sky fairy" gives them hope and a reason to live life and enjoy themselves, somewhat.

Black Gospel music can still write & produce & sing the feel good songs. At least, the people will be educated in the most important lessons as it relates to racism white supremacy & be better equipped to dismantle & destroy it.

That doesn't sound like powerlessness.

That sounds like untapped potential.

14 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

IF they can't do anything about it, why even learn?

In some cases, ignorance is bliss.

If a man has a deadly incurable disease that will kill him all of a sudden....wouldn't it be best for him to not even know about it?

But again if....IF...they are powerless to do anything about it anyway, all that will do is depress them and leave them with a feeling of worthlessness and even worse....hopelessness.

Atleast belief in the "sky fairy" gives them hope and a reason to live life and enjoy themselves, somewhat.

Blissful ignorance & hope are two reasons Black folks are powerless against the system of racism white supremacy.

If a person is afraid to die, they're already dead. In other words, they're not living their Earthly lives to the fullest extent.

14 hours ago, Pioneer1 said:

That doesn't sound like powerlessness.

That sounds like untapped potential.

The road to h8ll is paved with good intentions & potential.

Some type of action(s) is required in order to gain power & exercise it.😎

ProfD

Blissful ignorance & hope are two reasons Black folks are powerless against the system of racism white supremacy.

BLISSFUL ignorance doesn't necessarily cause powerlessness.....ignorance period, does.

However going by what you're saying, powerlessness is powerlessness regardless as to the reason.

So why waste a lot of energy doing that which is futile anyway?

Might as well have fun.

If a person is afraid to die, they're already dead.

If....based on your belief....that death is the end of one's existence, then wouldn't it MAKE SENSE for them to be afraid of death and seek to avoid it at all costs?

Some type of action(s) is required in order to gain power & exercise it.

Not just "some type" of action, but the RIGHT TYPE of actions...lol.

If you want to gain power you have to take the RIGHT STEPS to achieve it, which generally means you have to have the KNOWLEDGE of what to do.

If a people are IGNORANT then they won't know what to do to gain power anyway.

Again, why waste time expending a bunch of energy for futile endeavors that will fail anyway?

Why not spend ones time on Earth having as much fun and achieving as much happiness as one possibly can before one's demise?

A man is dying in 6 months of a disease that he doesn't have the cure for.

You're saying he's powerless and ignorant to do anything about it.

Why waste time and put himself through the discomfort of exercising, modifying his diet, and taking a bunch of pills and shots that may not do him any good anyway?

That wouldn't be a logical way to spend his remaining months.

Why not just eat what he wants, engage in activities that make him happy, and take only those pills and shots that make the remaining time of his life more comfortable?

He might as well take his money and spend it on cocaine, prostitutes, and pizza if that's what will make his remaining months blissful...lol.

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

However going by what you're saying, powerlessness is powerlessness regardless as to the reason.

So why waste a lot of energy doing that which is futile anyway?

If one knows the reason(s) for why they are not exercising their power, they can correct it.

No different from going to the gym & becoming stronger.

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Might as well have fun.

Neely Fuller Jr. taught us that Black folks have zero bizness focusing on fun.😁

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

If a person is afraid to die, they're already dead.

If....based on your belief....that death is the end of one's existence, then wouldn't it MAKE SENSE for them to be afraid of death and seek to avoid it at all costs?

This has nothing to do with my belief.

Fact is most Black people are afraid to die.

The religious Black folks want to go to heaven & try to live accordingly which means taking few chances i.e. sin & less fun.

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Some type of action(s) is required in order to gain power & exercise it.

Not just "some type" of action, but the RIGHT TYPE of actions...lol.

If you want to gain power you have to take the RIGHT STEPS to achieve it, which generally means you have to have the KNOWLEDGE of what to do.

Violence has led to more power than any other action in human history.

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

If a people are IGNORANT then they won't know what to do to gain power anyway.

Again, why waste time expending a bunch of energy for futile endeavors that will fail anyway?

Why not spend ones time on Earth having as much fun and achieving as much happiness as one possibly can before one's demise?

A person with that mentality has already been defeated.

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

A man is dying in 6 months of a disease that he doesn't have the cure for.

You're saying he's powerless and ignorant to do anything about it.

Why waste time and put himself through the discomfort of exercising, modifying his diet, and taking a bunch of pills and shots that may not do him any good anyway?

Right. That man should be having as much fun as possible before his clock runs out.

41 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Why not just eat what he wants, engage in activities that make him happy, and take only those pills and shots that make the remaining time of his life more comfortable?

He might as well take his money and spend it on cocaine, prostitutes, and pizza if that's what will make his remaining months blissful...lol.

In a terminal condition, that person should do everything they could have ever wanted to do in life as long as it doesn't bring hurt, harm or danger to other people.

However, Black people should not allow the system of racism white supremacy to render them powerless into perpetuity.

Instead, Black folks should treat racism white supremacy like a terminal condition & do everything possible to dismantle & destroy it.😎

ProfD

If one knows the reason(s) for why they are not exercising their power, they can correct it.

Correct.

However if a person doesn't have the CAPABILITY of knowing or understanding their own problems, there's a small chance they'll be able to correct it.

No different from going to the gym & becoming stronger.

Not a very good analogy.

Your example of a person who goes to the gym and gets stronger operates on the premise that the person is healthy to begin with and thus exercise will make him stronger.

If a person has a serious disability he may not even be able to GET to the gym, and even if he doesn't....exercise may not help.

My point?

There may be something fundamentally going on with some of our people that desparately trying to "show" them where they error over and over and over and over again would be a waste of time.

Neely Fuller Jr. taught us that Black folks have zero bizness focusing on fun.

Yes, but he didn't teach that Black folks were powerless....as is your position.

Neely Fuller believed that Black people were in LESS OF A POWERFUL position than White folks, but weren't powerless; thus had enough power to improve their situation with in the system of Racism if they'd focus on that instead of always having "fun".

YOUR position...if I may be so bold as to tell you, lol....is that Black people are powerless.

Which means they pretty much can't do anything about their condition.

So why waste energy trying to?

Fact is most Black people are afraid to die.

True.

It's a natural instinct.

However I don't think it's death itself that most Black people are afraid of so much as it's the MANNER that they die.

A lot of older Black people are READY to die, if it means simply going to bed, clasping their hands together, and closing their eyes.

Violence has led to more power than any other action in human history.

Don't agree.

I think INTELLIGENCE has led to more power than violence.

Look at the West and look at the Middle East.

The Middle East is FULL of violence with violent people and have been that way for centuries.

The West is violent but far less violent than the Middle East, but more powerful and advanced.

Why?

I'd argue that our society is more intelligent.

A person with that mentality has already been defeated.

No.

They haven't been defeated because there hasn't been any struggle.

They simply didn't even bother trying.

If a man on his way to the bar-b-que joint to get a slab of ribs is fat, sloppy, and ugly as hell.....he may see a beautiful woman walking down the street and desire her but he decides to ignore her and keep on to the rib joint.

Smart move.

Why even take the chance and risk probable rejection when you can save face AND enjoy your ribs at the same time?

In a terminal condition, that person should do everything they could have ever wanted to do in life as long as it doesn't bring hurt, harm or danger to other people.

However, Black people should not allow the system of racism white supremacy to render them powerless into perpetuity.

If a person is indeed powerless, how can THEY prevent that from happening?

A HIGHER POWER certainly can flip the script and put Black people in a position where they won't be rendered powerless...but if Black people themselves are powerless, what can they do?

Instead, Black folks should treat racism white supremacy like a terminal condition & do everything possible to dismantle & destroy it.

Again, if they are...as you say...powerless, what CAN they do to dismantle and destroy it?

Nigga better go somewhere and sit down, eat a pizza, and watch TV....before they take THAT away from his ass.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

No different from going to the gym & becoming stronger.

Not a very good analogy.

Your example of a person who goes to the gym and gets stronger operates on the premise that the person is healthy to begin with and thus exercise will make him stronger.

If a person has a serious disability he may not even be able to GET to the gym, and even if he doesn't....exercise may not help.

My point?

There may be something fundamentally going on with some of our people that desparately trying to "show" them where they error over and over and over and over again would be a waste of time.

The majority of Black people do not have a physical or mental disability preventing them from becoming stronger. They have to believe & exercise it. Similar to the energy they put into religion.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Yes, but he didn't teach that Black folks were powerless....as is your position.

Neely Fuller believed that Black people were in LESS OF A POWERFUL position than White folks, but weren't powerless; thus had enough power to improve their situation with in the system of Racism if they'd focus on that instead of always having "fun".

YOUR position...if I may be so bold as to tell you, lol....is that Black people are powerless.

Which means they pretty much can't do anything about their condition.

So why waste energy trying to?

Your takeaway is that I think Black people are powerless. Not true.

My belief is that Black folks are not exercising the power they do have in order to dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy.

The craziest part is that Black folks have access to the system that they could destroy it from within like a trojan horse.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Fact is most Black people are afraid to die.

True.

It's a natural instinct.

However I don't think it's death itself that most Black people are afraid of so much as it's the MANNER that they die.

A lot of older Black people are READY to die, if it means simply going to bed, clasping their hands together, and closing their eyes.

Those same Black people could take a bunch of pills & go to bed & never wake up again. No pain whatsoever. Instead, they are waiting on the sky fairy to call them home.🤣

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Violence has led to more power than any other action in human history.

Don't agree.

I think INTELLIGENCE has led to more power than violence.

Look at the West and look at the Middle East.

The Middle East is FULL of violence with violent people and have been that way for centuries.

The West is violent but far less violent than the Middle East, but more powerful and advanced.

Why?

I'd argue that our society is more intelligent.

Middle-Easterners have been mostly been fighting among themselves for thousands of years.

Westerners come from a history of people who have been conquering lands through violence i.e. war, murder, pillage, rape & torture over many centuries. The USA was not built like a sand castle.

White folks came to the Americas & slaughtered the Natives & brought in chattel slavery to work the land & build the economy. Human slaves were treated worst than animals. Black people were not considered human.

Conquering & building the USA did not start out as an endeavor of intelligence. The history of the USA is soaked in the blood of millions of non-white people through violence.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

A person with that mentality has already been defeated.

No.

They haven't been defeated because there hasn't been any struggle.

They simply didn't even bother trying.

Born into struggle &/or internalizing it or psychological laziness leads to self-defeatism.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

If a man on his way to the bar-b-que joint to get a slab of ribs is fat, sloppy, and ugly as hell.....he may see a beautiful woman walking down the street and desire her but he decides to ignore her and keep on to the rib joint.

Smart move.

Why even take the chance and risk probable rejection when you can save face AND enjoy your ribs at the same time?

There is no real work or effort required to get those ribs. Especially for a fat man who would rather eat & than f8ck anyway.🤣

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

In a terminal condition, that person should do everything they could have ever wanted to do in life as long as it doesn't bring hurt, harm or danger to other people.

However, Black people should not allow the system of racism white supremacy to render them powerless into perpetuity.

If a person is indeed powerless, how can THEY prevent that from happening?

The person is only as powerless as they believe it. One way to insure powerlessness is to not put forth an effort.

As I've mentioned before, Dr. Martin L. King Jr. could have easily lived a great life with his education, church, beautiful wife & family. He took up a cause & paid the ultimate price to move the needle for Black people & by extension, other minorities as well. Same goes for many other Black leaders.

Black folks have power if they choose to exercise it. Fear is another reason that holds our people back.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

A HIGHER POWER certainly can flip the script and put Black people in a position where they won't be rendered powerless...but if Black people themselves are powerless, what can they do?

That crutch of believing in a higher power is another thing that keeps Black people from exercising their power.

1 hour ago, Pioneer1 said:

Instead, Black folks should treat racism white supremacy like a terminal condition & do everything possible to dismantle & destroy it.

Again, if they are...as you say...powerless, what CAN they do to dismantle and destroy it?

One is powerless if/when they choose not to exercise it. Not necessarily because they don't have it. 😎

ProfD

The majority of Black people do not have a physical or mental disability preventing them from becoming stronger. They have to believe & exercise it. Similar to the energy they put into religion.

Can't disagree with you there.

Your takeaway is that I think Black people are powerless. Not true.

This is because you've said (posted...lol) this belief on multiple occasions.

My belief is that Black folks are not exercising the power they do have in order to dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy.

I believe Black people definitely have the POTENTIAL to challenge it and disable it, but to completely destroy it...remains to be seen.

The craziest part is that Black folks have access to the system that they could destroy it from within like a trojan horse.

Well first, in order to destroy something...intentionally that is...you have to WANT to destroy it.

Many if not most Black people...especially Black immigrants...DO NOT want to destroy the system.

They are flooding in here to be a PART of it because they feel it offers more benefits for them than the current systems they're living under.

Those same Black people could take a bunch of pills & go to bed & never wake up again. No pain whatsoever. Instead, they are waiting on the sky fairy to call them home.

Most Black Christians....and most religions in general...teach AGAINST suicide.

Which is why I find it interesting that so many people in the Middle East have and are willing to strap shit to their bodies and blow themselves up for a particular cause that they think is "righteous".

Middle-Easterners have been mostly been fighting among themselves for thousands of years.

Westerners come from a history of people who have been conquering lands through violence i.e. war, murder, pillage, rape & torture over many centuries. The USA was not built like a sand castle.

White folks came to the Americas & slaughtered the Natives & brought in chattel slavery to work the land & build the economy. Human slaves were treated worst than animals. Black people were not considered human.

Conquering & building the USA did not start out as an endeavor of intelligence. The history of the USA is soaked in the blood of millions of non-white people through violence.

What I'm reading from you is that BOTH groups...Middle-Easterners and Westerners...are very violent.

But it seems to me that Westerners apply more INTELLIGENCE to their violence in the sense that they don't internalize that violence against eachother but turn it outwardly to others they intend to conquer and displace.

The person is only as powerless as they believe it. One way to insure powerlessness is to not put forth an effort.

Most people in prison are powerless to get out.

Unless they come up with an INTELLIGENT way to get themselves out, they are stuck there for a given time.

Power usually comes from INTELLIGENT APPLICATION....not necessarily just endless "trying".

As I've mentioned before, Dr. Martin L. King Jr. could have easily lived a great life with his education, church, beautiful wife & family. He took up a cause & paid the ultimate price to move the needle for Black people & by extension, other minorities as well. Same goes for many other Black leaders.

MLK had a doctorate degree.

He was very INTELLIGENT....so his efforts weren't futile and they generated power and influence.

A FOOL without his intellect wouldn't have had the power he had or accomplished what he did no matter how hard he tried.

Black folks have power if they choose to exercise it.

This goes against your past assertion that Black people are powerless.

Fear is another reason that holds our people back.

But where does that fear come from?

It often comes from realizing how little power you DO have to overcome your adversaries or the adversities they bring.

If our people were more successful, they'd be less fearful.

That crutch of believing in a higher power is another thing that keeps Black people from exercising their power.

No sir, I'm going to have to challenge you on that commonly held assumption.

Wanna know the truth?

The belief in a Higher Power gives Black people HOPE...much needed hope...to keep them from giving up.

Some will say this belief and reliance on a Higher Power prevents them from taking the action necessary to overcome their enemies.

But I say, many of our people have TRIED to overcome the Racists...and have failed.

So they weren't scared or lazy or defeated in mind....they tried...and failed.

So belief in Higher Power isn't the issue, it's not being smart enough to come up with a way to defeat the racists, that's the issue.

One is powerless if/when they choose not to exercise it. Not necessarily because they don't have it.

Not necessarily.

A person can have power and choose not to use it.

And a person can be genuinely powerless.

....either way, they aren't overcoming their adversaries; but we need to know how to separate the two conditions.

If you believe a particular group DOES have power to overcome their enemies...when indeed they don't have the mental capacity to generate the power necessary to do so....you'll fail to address the root of the problem.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Your takeaway is that I think Black people are powerless. Not true.

This is because you've said (posted...lol) this belief on multiple occasions.

For whatever reason, you refuse to acknowledge that type a failure to use power makes one powerless.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Those same Black people could take a bunch of pills & go to bed & never wake up again. No pain whatsoever. Instead, they are waiting on the sky fairy to call them home.

Most Black Christians....and most religions in general...teach AGAINST suicide.

The reason Christians are taught that suicide is a sin is because their religious belief needs them to live a life of suffering.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Which is why I find it interesting that so many people in the Middle East have and are willing to strap shit to their bodies and blow themselves up for a particular cause that they think is "righteous".

Islam does not teach that suicide is a sin. There is a promise of 40 virgins on the other side.🤣

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

What I'm reading from you is that BOTH groups...Middle-Easterners and Westerners...are very violent.

But it seems to me that Westerners apply more INTELLIGENCE to their violence in the sense that they don't internalize that violence against eachother but turn it outwardly to others they intend to conquer and displace.

Since the beginning of time, before advanced weaponry, violence by any means necessary has been their tool.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

The person is only as powerless as they believe it. One way to insure powerlessness is to not put forth an effort.

Most people in prison are powerless to get out.

Unless they come up with an INTELLIGENT way to get themselves out, they are stuck there for a given time.

Power usually comes from INTELLIGENT APPLICATION....not necessarily just endless "trying".

People are placed in greater confinement for a reason. Some would argue that if they were more intelligent, they would not have ended up there in the 1st place.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

As I've mentioned before, Dr. Martin L. King Jr. could have easily lived a great life with his education, church, beautiful wife & family. He took up a cause & paid the ultimate price to move the needle for Black people & by extension, other minorities as well. Same goes for many other Black leaders.

MLK had a doctorate degree.

He was very INTELLIGENT....so his efforts weren't futile and they generated power and influence.

A FOOL without his intellect wouldn't have had the power he had or accomplished what he did no matter how hard he tried.

His intelligence & influence led to his assassination. Some would argue why did he even bother to fight for Black people.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Black folks have power if they choose to exercise it.

This goes against your past assertion that Black people are powerless.

Again, one is powerless if they refuse to exercise it for whatever reason i.e. fear, ignorance, indifference, etc.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Fear is another reason that holds our people back.

But where does that fear come from?

It often comes from realizing how little power you DO have to overcome your adversaries or the adversities they bring.

If our people were more successful, they'd be less fearful.

Real power comes from organized systems. An individual has limited power.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

That crutch of believing in a higher power is another thing that keeps Black people from exercising their power.

No sir, I'm going to have to challenge you on that commonly held assumption.

Wanna know the truth?

The belief in a Higher Power gives Black people HOPE...much needed hope...to keep them from giving up.

Some will say this belief and reliance on a Higher Power prevents them from taking the action necessary to overcome their enemies.

But I say, many of our people have TRIED to overcome the Racists...and have failed.

So they weren't scared or lazy or defeated in mind....they tried...and failed.

So belief in Higher Power isn't the issue, it's not being smart enough to come up with a way to defeat the racists, that's the issue.

Hope does nothing. Action is everything. Failure means get better & try again.

Very few people become successful at something on the 1st try. Entrepreneurs fail many times before their businesses take off.

Conquering other countries takes time. Several military battles are fought before there is a victory or defeat.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been ongoing for 4 years now. The Ukrainians haven't give up yet.

Israel has been fighting with Palestine & Iran for 50 years & counting.

Black folks cannot give up on dismantling & destroying the system of racism white supremacy.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

One is powerless if/when they choose not to exercise it. Not necessarily because they don't have it.

Not necessarily.

A person can have power and choose not to use it.

And a person can be genuinely powerless.

....either way, they aren't overcoming their adversaries; but we need to know how to separate the two conditions.

Again, having power & failing to use it especially to over oppression is being rendered powerless.

50 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

If you believe a particular group DOES have power to overcome their enemies...when indeed they don't have the mental capacity to generate the power necessary to do so....you'll fail to address the root of the problem.

I'm never going to believe Black folks are so unintelligent that they cannot use their power to dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy.

There's a number of reasons & factors for the continued oppression of Black folks. A lack of intelligence is not even on the list. Way too many smart Black people on the planet to believe such a thing.

To dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy takes more than intelligence. One has to be willing to take action which might result in violence. 😎

ProfD

For whatever reason, you refuse to acknowledge that type a failure to use power makes one powerless.

I do acknowledge it.....IF a person doesn't use it because they're lacking it.

However if a person DOES have power....and doesn't use it, then they are NOT powerless.

They are simply not using the power they possess.

You can't call a millionaire "broke" simply because they aren't using their money properly or at all.

Broke means you don't have ANY money.......not HAVING it in your possession, but simply not using it.

Perhaps you should use a more accurate term to cut down on the confusion, lol.

The reason Christians are taught that suicide is a sin is because their religious belief needs them to live a life of suffering.

I'm not sure about that...lol.

I think they're just trying to prevent people from killing themselves if times get too hard for them.

People are placed in greater confinement for a reason. Some would argue that if they were more intelligent, they would not have ended up there in the 1st place.

They may have been intelligent...but not intelligent ENOUGH to evade getting caught, lol.

Or perhaps those who investigated and captured them were MORE intelligent.

His intelligence & influence led to his assassination. Some would argue why did he even bother to fight for Black people.

Yes, those who didn't know him or his Mission WOULD question why he even bothered to fight for Black people.

Those who knew him, his Mission, and his love for Black people and desire to help us improve our condition would NOT question why he was willing to fight and die for our people.

They clearly understood why.

...whether they agree with it or not.

...whether it makes sense or not.

The reasons he did what he did were crystal clear.

Again, one is powerless if they refuse to exercise it for whatever reason i.e. fear, ignorance, indifference, etc.

Come on now Prof.....we're running into another "fundamental disagreement" or "counter point" again....lol.

Claiming somebody is powerless simply because they aren't using their power is the same as claiming somebody is poor or broke just because they aren't using the money they clearly have.

If they have it, they aren't broke.

If a person has power...whether they use it or not...they aren't powerless.

Hope does nothing.

Hope gives a person or a people the reason to CONTINUE instead of giving up and possibly dying.
If they keep going they may either get the solution or figure out the solution.
If they give up hope they may either die or kill themselves before that solution comes.

Failure means get better & try again.

Or try something else...lol.

Black folks cannot give up on dismantling & destroying the system of racism white supremacy.

I agree.

However we may have to consider SEVERAL different Alternatives instead of focusing on the 2 or 3 that have shown themselves not to be working.

Again, having power & failing to use it especially to over oppression is being rendered powerless.

Again....fundamental disagreement.

Either a person HAS power in their possession or they don't.

I'm never going to believe Black folks are so unintelligent that they cannot use their power to dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy.

That's ok...you don't have to, lol.

Like one of my managers tells some of the newer younger employees who don't like or want to work holidays,
"That's ok....you don't HAVE to work."......but by the way he says it, they know what he's implying, lol.

There's a number of reasons & factors for the continued oppression of Black folks. A lack of intelligence is not even on the list. Way too many smart Black people on the planet to believe such a thing.

.....but what if there are WAY MORE smarter White folks???

To dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy takes more than intelligence. One has to be willing to take action which might result in violence.

I agree.

However still, intelligence is one of the major factors because it is involved in deciding HOW that violence is implemented and strategized to be most effective.

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Perhaps you should use a more accurate term to cut down on the confusion, lol.

There is no confusion on my part but maybe I'll take it into consideration for the people in the back of the room i.e. lurkers.😁

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

The reason Christians are taught that suicide is a sin is because their religious belief needs them to live a life of suffering.

I'm not sure about that...lol.

I think they're just trying to prevent people from killing themselves if times get too hard for them.

The same people create the conditions that make times hard for weaker people leading them to despair & sometimes self-destruction.

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

His intelligence & influence led to his assassination. Some would argue why did he even bother to fight for Black people.

Yes, those who didn't know him or his Mission WOULD question why he even bothered to fight for Black people.

Those who knew him, his Mission, and his love for Black people and desire to help us improve our condition would NOT question why he was willing to fight and die for our people.

They clearly understood why.

...whether they agree with it or not.

...whether it makes sense or not.

The reasons he did what he did were crystal clear.

Right. But, if Dr. MLK Jr. & others like him were afraid to fail &/or die in pursuit of their mission, our condition might be a lot of different.

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Again, one is powerless if they refuse to exercise it for whatever reason i.e. fear, ignorance, indifference, etc.

Come on now Prof.....we're running into another "fundamental disagreement" or "counter point" again....lol.

Claiming somebody is powerless simply because they aren't using their power is the same as claiming somebody is poor or broke just because they aren't using the money they clearly have.

If they have it, they aren't broke.

If a person has power...whether they use it or not...they aren't powerless.

Using the money analogy, there are people who have houses, cars, clothes, shoes, etc., yet, they are broke. No cash in their pockets nor can they go to the ATM & pull out $500 on demand. They borrow money from others until pay day &/or rack up overdraft fees on the bank accounts which is the modern day equivalent of bouncing a check.

Same goes for power. One can have enough power to call shots around friends & family or tell coworkers what to do but they are powerless when it comes to other areas of their lives. It's all relative.

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Hope does nothing.

Hope gives a person or a people the reason to CONTINUE instead of giving up and possibly dying.
If they keep going they may either get the solution or figure out the solution.
If they give up hope they may either die or kill themselves before that solution comes.

There's nothing wrong with dying especially if/when one hasn't accomplished anything other sucking oxygen & taking up space on the planet.🤣

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Again, having power & failing to use it especially to over oppression is being rendered powerless.

Again....fundamental disagreement.

Either a person HAS power in their possession or they don't.

As I laid out above, power is non-binary. It is not 0 or 1; on or off, black or white. Power comes in degrees.

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

I'm never going to believe Black folks are so unintelligent that they cannot use their power to dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy.

That's ok...you don't have to, lol.

Like one of my managers tells some of the newer younger employees who don't like or want to work holidays,
"That's ok....you don't HAVE to work."......but by the way he says it, they know what he's implying, lol.

That type of threat should be enough motivation for that younger person to either work for themselves &/or find a better job with paid holidays.

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

There's a number of reasons & factors for the continued oppression of Black folks. A lack of intelligence is not even on the list. Way too many smart Black people on the planet to believe such a thing.

.....but what if there are WAY MORE smarter White folks???

It doesn't take a whole lot of smarter people to dominate &/or control the masses.

Dictators run countries with millions & billions of people living there. They're not smarter than everyone else in their countries.

However, the things a dictator is willing to do in order to maintain power separate the chaff & wheat.

47 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

To dismantle & destroy the system of racism white supremacy takes more than intelligence. One has to be willing to take action which might result in violence.

I agree.

However still, intelligence is one of the major factors because it is involved in deciding HOW that violence is implemented and strategized to be most effective.

Sure. Military strategists come up with various scenarios for killing people. The end result is still the same...victory or defeat.

Right now, nobody can really say the US has won the dust-up with Iran.

They claim to have blown up everything over there but Iran is still fighting supposedly.

Violence is the last card played when more intelligent alternatives have not worked.😎

ProfD

There is no confusion on my part but maybe I'll take it into consideration for the people in the back of the room i.e. lurkers.

Lol....appreciated.

The same people create the conditions that make times hard for weaker people leading them to despair & sometimes self-destruction.

The preacher who feeds them the "pie in the sky" didn't necessarily create the conditions, but they certainly exploit them and benefit from them.

Right. But, if Dr. MLK Jr. & others like him were afraid to fail &/or die in pursuit of their mission, our condition might be a lot of different.

Who said MLK wasn't afraid to die?

I'm almost certain that he WAS afraid to die but just fought through that fear to accomplish his mission.

Courage isn't the abscence of fear but powering through it.

Using the money analogy, there are people who have houses, cars, clothes, shoes, etc., yet, they are broke. No cash in their pockets nor can they go to the ATM & pull out $500 on demand. They borrow money from others until pay day &/or rack up overdraft fees on the bank accounts which is the modern day equivalent of bouncing a check.

My analogy still stands.

They may have THINGS but still no money.

Thus they are broke.

Like a child living at home with their parents may have a room, drive a car (their parents'), eat well, and live well but are broke as a joke and have no actual money themselves.

Same goes for power. One can have enough power to call shots around friends & family or tell coworkers what to do but they are powerless when it comes to other areas of their lives. It's all relative.

You're QUALIFYING what you call "powerless".

Powerlessness is rather absolute.

Either a person is POWERLESS or they aren't.

If they have power with or over ANYBODY, they aren't powerless.

There's nothing wrong with dying especially if/when one hasn't accomplished anything other sucking oxygen & taking up space on the planet

I think it depends on 2 things:

1. Whether or not the person is ready or WANTS to die.

2. The MANNER in which a person dies. Nobody wants a horrible gruesome death.

That type of threat should be enough motivation for that younger person to either work for themselves &/or find a better job with paid holidays.

Or stop complaining and grow up, lol.

Especially if they're being paid $23 an hour for what they're doing.

It doesn't take a whole lot of smarter people to dominate &/or control the masses.

Dictators run countries with millions & billions of people living there. They're not smarter than everyone else in their countries.

The people they have helping them, usually are.

The President doesn't run the entire country by himself.

He has an entire staff and cabinet to assist him.

Sure. Military strategists come up with various scenarios for killing people. The end result is still the same...victory or defeat.

Right now, nobody can really say the US has won the dust-up with Iran.

That's because the U.S. isn't really trying their best.

Kind of like Russia in Ukraine....their playing around and half-assing.

They're more concerned with public sentiment and global image so they are careful not to go too hard.

Violence is the last card played when more intelligent alternatives have not worked.

That's usually the route more intelligent people make.

Less intelligent people often go the violent route first.

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

The preacher who feeds them the "pie in the sky" didn't necessarily create the conditions, but they certainly exploit them and benefit from them.

Religion is a legalized hustle that benefits a whole lot of people.

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Right. But, if Dr. MLK Jr. & others like him were afraid to fail &/or die in pursuit of their mission, our condition might be a lot of different.

Who said MLK wasn't afraid to die?

I'm almost certain that he WAS afraid to die but just fought through that fear to accomplish his mission.

The point isn't whether or not our Black heroes were afraid to die, they took on the mission instead of choosing a safer & easier life.

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

You're QUALIFYING what you call "powerless".

Powerlessness is rather absolute.

Either a person is POWERLESS or they aren't.

If they have power with or over ANYBODY, they aren't powerless.

There are degrees & conditions that can render someone powerless in a given situation.

No problem. Another instance of stalemate by counter-point.😁

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

There's nothing wrong with dying especially if/when one hasn't accomplished anything other sucking oxygen & taking up space on the planet

I think it depends on 2 things:

1. Whether or not the person is ready or WANTS to die.

2. The MANNER in which a person dies. Nobody wants a horrible gruesome death.

Thankfully, the universe does not give humans a real choice either way.

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

That type of threat should be enough motivation for that younger person to either work for themselves &/or find a better job with paid holidays.

Or stop complaining and grow up, lol.

Especially if they're being paid $23 an hour for what they're doing.

They should be complaining for a raise & paid holidays considering $23/hour is not a livable wage.🤣

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

It doesn't take a whole lot of smarter people to dominate &/or control the masses.

Dictators run countries with millions & billions of people living there. They're not smarter than everyone else in their countries.

The people they have helping them, usually are.

The President doesn't run the entire country by himself.

He has an entire staff and cabinet to assist him.

Still, it is a small number of people running the show relative to the population.

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Sure. Military strategists come up with various scenarios for killing people. The end result is still the same...victory or defeat.

Right now, nobody can really say the US has won the dust-up with Iran.

That's because the U.S. isn't really trying their best.

Kind of like Russia in Ukraine....their playing around and half-assing.

They're more concerned with public sentiment and global image so they are careful not to go too hard.

Right. They are really playing war games with real lives.

Interestingly, the people getting killed have no say or control over when & how they die.

32 minutes ago, Pioneer1 said:

Violence is the last card played when more intelligent alternatives have not worked.

That's usually the route more intelligent people make.

Less intelligent people often go the violent route first.

Violence is the easiest route to take when personal safety & security are not under threat.

These world leaders can order other people to fight & die while they sit back & enjoy the riches & other finer things in life.😎