When Did Being Smart and Doing Well in School Start to be Considered "White?"

[Ajackson17]

It's when Black Americans gave up on the concept of education and the destruction of the black panthers was afoot. It's funny because Malcolm X and the black panthers were educated and especially the black panthers who were all college graduates for the most part and value educating their people. Malcolm X would be considered of talking white by his constant educating and revaluing his ethics and morals and reasoning.

We need to get rid of this acting white when it comes to education and wisdom. Acting white is stealing, creating gangs, robbing people, strong arming them to accept their religion and making a mockery of the religious texts, murder, the love of guns, constant fear mongering, and etc. That's really acting white.

 

[NothingButTheTruth]

... Btw what's the problem with these young leaders trying to be in the entertainment business? Being a rapper is similar to being a businessman.

the difference is someone who studies business is more likely to have a solid career and a stable future. it's better to encourage kids to study for non-entertainment careers.

not an indictment of anyone who really wants to make it happen, but some realism is always nice

High risk, high reward, low risk, low reward. Let those kids live out their dreams. Doing the whole 9 to 5 shit as a black person doesn't work out to well due to racism, politics etc. For the majority of black people, their peak is a low 6-figure salary, which is wack as fuck! Not to mention, you usually don't get promoted to that level until you have 15, 20 years experience SMH.

The only way you can really make real money is if you start your own shit in which the easiest path is usually the entertainment business.

Also, you can ALWAYS fall back on that wackass 9 to 5 life, so it makes sense to try to live out your dreams first and foremost.

what world you live in?

its not a myth, especially for black males, when we do well in school its seen as "acting white" or "not really being black" or the fact that we get good grades is seen as a surprise to some. maybe you were fortunate enough to be in a situation where you never experienced this

The real world. That shit is a myth dun. No one I know has EVER experienced that shit.

 

[NothingButTheTruth]

People used to say that I 'acted white' in school quite a bit. I spoke really well and listened to music considered weird. Didn't help that I typed properly in MSN, not the 'u kl bbz' shit that niggas flung out.

I would say that too. It's more of a joke kind of thing. If you're listening to white people music, then yes I'm going to make fun of you and say you're acting like a white boy. If you dress like a white dude, then yes, there will be a roast session.

If you speak extra nerdy, then yes you're going to get made fun of.

... This shit has NOTHING to do with getting good grades. It's just you getting made fun of, because of the choices you made.

I heard other black kids say I acted white because I spoke proper English and was in the "white" classes(meaning ib program). I also played baseball and had on my baseball jacket when I heard the comment. I remember my sister crying about some kids calling her an oreo. This was back in the late 80s/early 90s. So nothing new.

Speaking proper English = speaking extra nerdy pronouncing the -ers with enthusiasm and shit. Yes, you're going to get made fun of because of that. It sounds weird when ANYONE speaks like that.

Playing baseball over every other sport is going to be seen as white boy shit, but it's nothing more than a joke.

The AP classes and Honor classes comment is bullshit. I took every honors class there was (which made college a breeze) and no one said anything about it.

Tbh I think a lot of y'all got made fun of because you were just geeks. Your gear wasn't right and you had visible low self-esteem. I did all of these things y'all did, but no one said shit. Like I said earlier, I use to make fun of dumbass dudes who had easy ass homework.

It probably helped, that I was one of the flyest mofos in the school, Ioved everything about hip-hop and it showed etc. so I blended in with all my people, but I was always at the top of my class.

 

[blackrain]

It's not a rejection of education so much as it is a rejection of things deemed or associated with white folks. Notice when someone gets teased for speaking proper English it's never "Why do you speak proper" it's "You sound white." To some, being book smart and sounding a certain way is embracing white culture, the white way of doing things. White folks say the way to "make it" is to go to school, get educated etc. and some folks will reject anything from white culture so in turn they reject education too and ridicule those who pursue it because in their minds they're doing it the "White" way.

 

[Paul Hate.]

This is b.s. sounds to me like you cats acted a certain way an we're called Oreos or white washed because of that not cuz u were studious people.

If you talk like a white boy or have traditionally white hobbies like surfing or NASCAR shit like that people might say that.

I rarely seen a smart black kid get bullied over being smart,now an Oreo being an Oreo or a weirdo being a weirdo is something else.

 

[Paul Hate.]

Wow I've never seen a black dude reject educated people.ive seen blacks reject people that are seen as having white people habits and interests so to speak.

Like when I was growing up a skateboarder in the ghetto was asking to get smacked in the face.lol..

I mean it's wrong but so be it.you think crackers don't shun wiggers..

 

[Drgoo0285]

As a teacher I see black kids reject education all the time. A teacher will be like "open your books" and kids will suck their teeth and get attitudes, and sometimes they will just act a fool to the point it's impossible to teach.

They've never said it was a "white" thing to do, but the subtext of their behavior is there.

 

[KrazySpade]

i think people dont want to see other people doing better then they are doing themselves, so the "cool" kids who are too lazy to do school work will indirectly clown on the other kids who will do their work. then it just depends if the kid will give in to the peer pressure to try to fit in, or if they wont care what they say and continue to do their school thing.

unfortunately i think most kids will take the negative route just because its easier and more appealing at the moment. but some kids do see the big picture in the long term.

 

[CashmoneyDux]

Wait, I feel as if some of you who agree with T/S also said that you do not need a degree in the other thread

 

[Ajackson17]

As a whole, Americans do not like education. I think people tend to think those who have intellectual interests must live in an ivory tower and think they are better than those and sometimes intellectuals tend to have an ego, but it's not like anyone else, they are proud of their achievements and merely want to talk about something that they are interested in.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

... Btw what's the problem with these young leaders trying to be in the entertainment business? Being a rapper is similar to being a businessman.

the difference is someone who studies business is more likely to have a solid career and a stable future. it's better to encourage kids to study for non-entertainment careers.

not an indictment of anyone who really wants to make it happen, but some realism is always nice

High risk, high reward, low risk, low reward. Let those kids live out their dreams. Doing the whole 9 to 5 shit as a black person doesn't work out to well due to racism, politics etc. For the majority of black people, their peak is a low 6-figure salary, which is wack as fuck! Not to mention, you usually don't get promoted to that level until you have 15, 20 years experience SMH.

The only way you can really make real money is if you start your own shit in which the easiest path is usually the entertainment business.

Also, you can ALWAYS fall back on that wackass 9 to 5 life, so it makes sense to try to live out your dreams first and foremost.

what world you live in?

its not a myth, especially for black males, when we do well in school its seen as "acting white" or "not really being black" or the fact that we get good grades is seen as a surprise to some. maybe you were fortunate enough to be in a situation where you never experienced this

The real world. That shit is a myth dun. No one I know has EVER experienced that shit.

Your limited experiences isn't the "real world".

 

[Drgoo0285]

As a whole, Americans do not like education. I think people tend to think those who have intellectual interests must live in an ivory tower and think they are better than those and sometimes intellectuals tend to have an ego, but it's not like anyone else, they are proud of their achievements and merely want to talk about something that they are interested in.

This for sure.

 

[janklow]

High risk, high reward, low risk, low reward. Let those kids live out their dreams. Doing the whole 9 to 5 shit as a black person doesn't work out to well due to racism, politics etc. For the majority of black people, their peak is a low 6-figure salary, which is wack as fuck! Not to mention, you usually don't get promoted to that level until you have 15, 20 years experience SMH.

i don't know why we're turning up our noses at "low 6-figure salary." what the hell

look, but while i AM saying, yeah, it's cool for kids to chase their dreams, there's simultaneously nothing wrong with pointing out odds/facts/whatever. no one is saying "don't chase a dream." i think what's being said is "there's no reason to knock studying hard, doing well in school, and aiming for a stable career."

it's a lot easier to "fall back on that wackass 9 to 5 life" if you have SOMETHING to show for your formative years beyond just debt from trying to make that dream happen.

 

[joeLiber]

Thomas Sowell's Black Rednecks & White Liberals covers this a little bit if anyone is interested in reading more about it

 

[nujerz84]

Saw it all the time in my high school..Kanye Shrugs

 

[offbeatbop]

The same time that people with no depth began using a ghetto persona as a crutch to mask their stupidity and lack of any real substance. Approximatelyyyyyy 19......always?

 

[Swiffness!]

Crabs in a barrel. Ignant niggas be openly resentful of the fact that there is more to the world than the tiny poor-ass hood they will never leave and die in. Act in a matter that doesn't "fit in" to the horrible environment and you are subtly reminding them of their own closed minded intellectual inferiority, so they lash out.

The worst part is, these fools really do believe they're destined for great success as a baller or rapper and some dude studying to be a surgeon or lawyer will be broke as a joke.

Just another form of that mental slavery Mr. Shabazz liked to talk about....

 

[Ajackson17]

Thomas Sowell's Black Rednecks & White Liberals covers this a little bit if anyone is interested in reading more about it

Read and it does really show why acting ignorant isn't acting black.

 

[Jabu_Rule]

When did not being at the top of your class mean that you don't deserve to be treated with respect and have no potential to succeed? It can go both ways. Why is being smart automatically considered not acting ignorant. Intelligence and ignorance aren't mutually exclusive. You can do dumb shit when comparing the potential negative outcomes but be book smart. Or, you can be bad at certain things but work harder then the next person and end up being more successful because you put greater effort in. You know, the turtle and the hair allegory.

 

[brown321]

Only time I heard it was from stupid niggas who was bout to drop out anyway. It was rare.

Most people got respect.