If I Were a Middle Class White Guy Writing about 'If I Were a Poor Black Kid'....

...I just wouldn't."

I am going to show the few of the people who read this blog how to avoid sounding like an idiot and talking about things you (well, not you) have never experienced, but merely speculated on.
An article on Forbes.com called "If I were a poor black kid," by a writer named Gene Marks--a self-described, middle class white guy who comes from a middle white background"--struck a nerve with me, and a big chunk of the internet. If you don't want to read it, I will summarize it:

 "Hey, I am not going to lie. I am not poor and my kids are well off. But listen, if I was not rich, I would just work really hard and make my way to the top. I would utilize the internet and its free technology and become an expert on Google Scholar and climb my way to the top. It's not easy, but I would do it!"

In all honesty, Gene Marks was probably not trying to being malicious or condescending. I mean, what person aims to be either of those. After all, most bad ideas are ideas that meant well.  The problem with ideas such as these is that their foundations are a bunch of misconceptions and epic generalizations.  I don't want to make fun of the guy because there are faaaaaaar worst generalizations that have been made to a group of people. Also, let's not pretend for a moment that this is something done only by a white, middle-class male. I have heard this done by plenty of people from various races, classes. More commonly, I have heard people from people from a poorer community who have "made it," tell those who have not "made it," that anything is possible, and you should "just work harder."

......Just sayin'

One of the easiest ideas to conjure is one that over-simplifies a complicated issue. For example, we have all had that person--usually a family member--that likes to blame you for the problem before they have heard the whole situation:

You: My car has been acting funny lately
Parent: Well, you should take better care of it!

Sure. The parent makes a valid point, but a valid point is not equivalent to a fair argument. Yes, taking better care of a car would, in fact, be beneficial. But what if your car is operating funkily because of someone else's tampering? Or a previous accident? Or the car just being shitty? BOOM! It is now your fault automatically!

When an erroneous presentation of a situation surfaces, such as "Poor people should work harder," their is a natural tendency to agree. One might think, "Sure, hard work is good for everyone," not realizing that it implies that poor people do not work hard. Usually, addressing an issue that involves a vast amount of people as if it was a single individual is the first step along the path of being a douche bag. Making very broad, vague statements can easily mislead someone into believing inaccurate information, or a "straw man argument."

A prime example is Marks understanding of poverty being solely the lack of money when it usually incorporates more factors: domestic violence, gang violence, Drugs etc. Marks only talks about not having technology and not trying hard enough. Sure is hard to try when you're focused on not dying and starving.  Of course, there are poor people that do not try, but is it okay to assume that is the same case for the majority?

How to avoid being mislead, or making the same mistake Gene Marks made is simple:


1. Avoid providing resolutions to issues that are foreign to you.

If you have no clue about the economics, please spare your friends/family 'resolutions' to the problem.

2. Be aware of Over-simplifications. Listen for absolute words like all, everyone, you people, always, etc.

Not all simplification use those words. In a lot of cases you have to just think critically and beware of hype.

Girls are emotional! (really? Only girls? Aren't humans emotional?)

Men are emotionless (ouch...that hurts my feelings.)

"Black people talk like this.." (Do they? Or does this comedian/rapper/actor talk like this?)

"Why do white people always..." (Wow, you must have had a lot of free-time to have met all the white people in the world)

3. As mentioned above, try not to approach an issue that relates to thousands, millions, billions as if it only applies to one person.

"Rich people work hard for what they have" (Depends on the parents. Lots of people inherit wealth).

Try to remember this the next time you have the chance to voice your opinion online, on the radio, television, internet or argument with your friends. Because having the best intentions is just not enough.


Are we done here? I think we're done here.

Villainy.

Oh The Things You'll miss.

This semester, I started to like football. To many people that know me personally it may come as a total surprise. I have never cared for sports. In fact, I hated sports. In my childhood it seemed to be goal of every young boy around me. I could not make myself interested in it so I ignored it. Then, eventually, after being stoned by questions and criticism for my lack of engagement into the world of sports, my apathy morphed into annoyance and then, at some point in middle school, a petty hatred.

Since I started working at the Global Learning Community, I've made plenty of foreign friends who have wanted to learn about American Football. Despite not giving a rat's dirty ass about football, I still learned the basics over the years. So, I took a few students to a game and explained it. Then I took fewer students to a game and explained. Then, just one student. Eventually, I was watching it on television with other residents. Shouting, cursing and threatening to kill the referee, his children and pets. I always knew that I was probably missing out on something fun. But I didn't care as a child. I figured there were lots of fun things that I would miss out on, and a lot of fun things that I would be included in..See, I was mature sometimes.

Trying new things is kind of hard for a lot of people. Especially myself. I don't know what it is about me and trying new experiences, but when I do try new things, I can feel my personality gaining depth. Even if it is something new I did not particularly enjoy, I at least walk away from it knowing that it sucked, vowing to never waste my time again. What is unfortunate is that there are people who make it a goal to avoid new experiences. Don't get me wrong, I really don't like watching new movies recommended by people who have disappointed me time and time again: "Dude, you HAVE to go watch Book of Eli! It is so inspirational!" I am still shuddering.  Instead I am saying that intentionally sticking to a routine of watching the same television shows, reading the same blogs, talking to the same people, playing the same video games, shopping at the same stores, dating the same kind of personality, using the same vocabulary, listening to the same music, watching the same movies, having the same hair cut, buying the same clothes and eating the same food can really limit life.

I remember the day I bought my first Spider-man comic in 2006. I remember walking into the bookstore at the mall and seeing the comic book rack. I spent it around and then I suddenly became hyper-aware of Spider-man. I used to love the show growing up. I remembered loving everything about the character. However, it just hit me that the series has been running for the past 40 years. I wondered why. How could a series last so long? 24 comics a year for 40 years is a long time. I thought, they should just end it. I wondered what all the rage is about. Now its 5 years later and I haven't missed an issue. Moreover, I want to write comic book stories. I want to spark a franchise that lasts 40 years. A moment of curiosity determined has affected my life for the past 5 years.

I'll give you another example. This past weekend, a friend and I wanted to have a Mobile Suit Gundam marathon. His girlfriend, a Japanese girl who ignored and occasionally mocked Gundam, joined us. about 3 hours later, she informed us that she never realized how deep the series was. She said "I thought it was for kids. I did not expect it to be so awesome." It was definitely dated like most shows from 1979, but it left a good impression on her. She even said she'd be down for watching it again.

It's not for everyone but...this shit Cray.

But what does that mean? Does it mean that she will have a life changing experience? Of course not. Gundam is VERY hit and miss. I guess, at the most, it could lead to a new hobby, and it could even be useful to a connecting with new friends. Knowing the slightest pop cultural references--especially a franchise with the magnitude of Gundam--could even win you a million dollars:

Just sayin'

Villainy.