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I would like to have my perceptions about the America's black dilemma analyzed because as a senior citizen, I like to solicit opinions from the younger generation in order to broaden my perspective. These are some of the images that my retinas  capture, and they dwell in my head, begging to be interpreted. 

 

Take the evening news, for instance: When watching it, It's routine for me to see a staff of well-groomed blacks appearing on my screenan anchor person, a weatherman, a sports reporter, all giving a credible accounting of themselves in the public eye. And on the same show it is also not unusual during the course of the latest news, to see a microphone thrust into the face of an inner city black woman, tearful and soft spoken, lamenting the death of her child by black thugs or white cops. There will also be an earnest black brother, decrying the violence terrorizing his black community. Neither of these 2 are loud and obnoxious, but just everyday folks trying to make it.

 

The blacks reporting the news are in the company of other ones prominent in the various media outlets. Those whose records are topping the charts, and whose sports feats are exciting their fans, celebs whose activity is captured by the paparazzi and discussed by the hosts of magazine tabloid shows and social media outlets. TV actors starring in first rate movies,prime time dramas and situation comedies, many of which are directed by blacks. Just recently Blacks have been making names for themselves in the Olympics, their accomplishments being well publicized.

 

When I make my regular excursions to WalMart, whose $!0-an-hour black employees are liberally sprinkled throughout the departments, stacking shelves, tidying up clothing racks, busily manning the check-out lines where I am greeted and serviced  by black females resplendent in their long silky weaves or elaborate braided extensions, often blond or red in color, their fingernails artfully manicured, their noses pierced, their false eyelashes glued into place. Some are animated, other reserved, all are competent and polite. There will also be young black males in the mix, sporting their wild, spiked hair styles, respectfully addressing me as "Maam" -   a collection of black folks  who seem to be remarkably adjusted, all appearing to be anything but down and out. 

 

Yes, driving while black is hazardous to black males especially felons who. when stopped by cops, flee the scene because they have warrants and sometimes guns, all of which puts them at risk for being murdered into martyrdom. Equally hazardous is living while in an inner city neighborhood where intended targets and innocent bystanders alike are regularly shot dead by thugs aiming to avenge personal "beefs". These scenarios are the heads and tails of "the black lives matter" coin, a movement crippled by its empty slogan.

 

And do black women really hate themselves? Ghetto sistas are very confident. They don't stress over their weight, and don't give a shit about what others think. Just ask them and they'll tell you. As for their flamboyance, they like to embellish their appearance the way tribal African women do. Middle class black women are returning to natural hair styles, carrying themselves with dignity and good taste whether thick or thin. Some of these women may use products to even out their spotty skin tone, as opposed to trying to whiten their skin. 

 

Most of all, I question whether black women of any class admire white women to the point where they hate themselves.  IMO, they reserve their negative sentiments for those black men who prefer white women.  

 

Enlighten me, however. Tell me how my perceptions are being "manipulated" as so many critics like to declare.   And are such accusations an attempt, themselves, at manipulation?  

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Yes, Virginia, Black or white, we are all being manipulated. 

As with anything else, there is a broad range in the impact this manipulation has on individuals.  The some of the most severely impacted people, as previously discussed, never change an opinion, rejecting any new information, no matter how factual, that conflicts with what they already believe, while embracing supporting information, no matter how outlandish. Of course social media, and the media in general, tends to exaggerate this; which has more profound implications on the broader society (example: Donald Trump). 

People are complex and wear masks. What we know about others is a combination what they choose to show us and and how we perceive it--which usually is very different than what the person is actually like.  Some people don't even understand their own motivations; they just react and do what others say, with out taking a split second to reflect...

In the case of the outwardly confident "ghetto sistas," unconcerned about their weight loud and flamboyant; I've know a few over the years. If you get to know one or two you might discover their outward appearance could be a shield, a facade to help protect them from the hurt our culture heaps on them relentlessly.  They may actually care more about their weight that they would ever let on.

I've driven at least 1/2 a million miles and have been pulled over more times than I can remember.  Most recently, about 18 months ago, for two moving violations in Harlem.  I went to court because the citations were bogus.  The officer presented first, and blatantly LIED about what I did. indeed the circumstances of my situation would have made, what he described, impossible.  A good attorney would have probably gotten me off based upon this, but I was unprepared for the officer to lie and offered a less than optimal defense. The judge threw out one of the offenses and reduced the other.  I wanted to fight even reduced penalty, but it would have cost me more time and money so I paid the fine and took the 2 points against an otherwise clean license.

I say this to say there are MANY Black men sitting in jail because of similar situations.  You can get arrested just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You can end up in jail waiting for a trial simply because you don't have any money for bail.  You ultimately accept a plead deal, because you want to get out of jail, and don't have the resources to mount a real defense.  So you take the charge to get out of jail, but now you have a record. You don't have to be a criminal to have a record, just Black and poor. Of course you'll now be perceived as a menace by the larger society, and your self esteem is shot because you've essential become unemployable unable to escape a life of poverty

The real problem in our culture is that few of have any real sympathy for each other, because we can see beyond the sound byte or the meme. 

Personally this is one reason I don't watch a lot of TV and don't really do social media.  Once piece of advice I got long before the rise of social media is, "If you don't have nine sources of information you are being lied to."

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I think people always show who they are no matter how hard they attempt to conceal it. Words, lack of words, actions, images all have the ability to undercut the image a person attempts to present.

For instance if a person attempted to pass themselves off as something they aren't, I don't think many of us have a problem telling if that person is being truthful. Those who can't see through the facades are being willfully ignorant. They are choosing to accept the facade as truth because it allows them to be who they are although they aren't... get it?

Media manipulates people. Music manipulates people. Almost everything we do is in an attempt to manipulate people. The manipulation can be adverse or positive, but everything we do is for manipulation. There isn't any avoiding this as manipulation allows capitalism to function and we all have to earn money. Those of us who don't have to earn may be in a better position to avoid attempting to manipulate, but I don't know many monks.

Cynique, you are being manipulated by every response posted. Does the manipulation work? Yes, if you respond and even if you don't. You can't unsee information posted. So even if you don't respond the images, words, sounds have shaped you in some way. Manipulation by its definition is unavoidable.

  1. handle or control (a tool, mechanism, etc.), typically in a skillful manner:
    "he manipulated the dials of the set"
    synonyms: operate · work · turn · pull
  2. control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously
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@CDBurns  But be advised, that I am not always unaware that I am being manipulated,  Because I derive a certain fiendish delight from provoking people, that's the price i pay.  For instance: I play a game with Pioneer and the "dog" he patted on the head and who is now licking him in the face.;)  And I should think it would be obvious by now that I am an argumentive person. 

 @Troy I ask myself how much impact does any manipulation have on me and my lifestyle, and I can honestly say, not a whole lot.   i have no intentions of not watching TV or not posting on social media or not eating or buying what I want - or not engaging in petty bickering. It ain't that serious.  And if you will recall, I recently declared my declaration of independence from being black.  It requires too much trouble to always be on guard.  Those, of course, are my idiosyncrasies. 

Finally, I really do appreciate you two for allowing me to manipulate you into posting on this thread, and I would regard this as an example of the good that can emanate from manipulation.  Your responses were very thoughtful and full of insight.  Thanks for sharing.  

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Cynique

Your perception isn't being manipulated so much as it's being SKEWED.

I can't say you're perception is being manipulated because you are arriving at YOUR OWN conclusions about the conditions of Black people in society based on the places YOU have gone.

However I can say that your perceptions are a little skewed because the places you've gone to are limited to that of the typical public.  So ofcourse you're going to find the majority of Black people in those environments "normal" and pretty well adjusted.
Or atleast behaving normal enough to function within them, lol.

But did you go down to the Cook County Jail?
Did you go to the various hospitals in the Chicago area?
The AIDS wards?
The psychiatric units?
Did you visit the juvenile dentention centers?

This will give you a more comprehensive view of the OVER ALL condition of Black people in your community rather than the sanitized "rated PG" public view most see on a daily basis.


 

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I would agree that  my perceptions are simply what I see.  But I have an open mind about what they indicate..  I can't decide whether being shown all the places you mentioned by someone with an ulterior motive, wouldn't be a form of manipulation..

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