Self Preservation vs The Culture which is more important?

[Brolic Scholar]

When was the last time you heard the term “sellout”?

Remember when Dave Chappelle walked away from $52M? (they owed him far more) On the surface he felt like he was selling out. It was, of course, deeper than that, but it was the only time I can remember people openly discussing and considering the economics of selling out.

More recently, Colin Kaepernick went through it. He had to decide between the culture or the bag.

The first war we must fight before any wars with enemies, is one with ourselves. Our culture has recently sought money over it’s preservation. More and more, people are concerned with financial freedom and we trade our culture for that freedom.

My question is, can we have both?

 

[KneeGrow.]

What do you mean by the "culture"? The examples you gave seemed to signify the culture being synonymous with ones own pride.

 

[Deuterion]

When you put culture or community over self-preservation you create an environment where people look out for one another. You don't have to think "me, me, me" you think "us" and so in the event that you fall on hard times...there will be someone there to help you up because the man and woman standing next to you are thinking "us" and not "me".

 

[Creflo ½ Dollar]

Chappele and Kaep actually achieved financial freedom first. You can’t buck the system or status quo when you still depend on the system to eat.


Me personally I’m focusing on the bag. I’ll try to help my immediate circle and by doing that and not being a burden on society I’m doing my part.

The sad fact is everybody ain’t gne make it.

 

[Brolic Scholar]

What do you mean by the "culture"? The examples you gave seemed to signify the culture being synonymous with ones own pride.

Forget my examples. Consider what culture means to you.

 

[Henri Christophe]

Chappele and Kaep actually achieved financial freedom first. You can’t buck the system or status quo when you still depend on the system to eat.

Powerful.


If the system is destroyed, alot of black folks will be destroyed by association

Independence is literally the only option

And thats gonna be hard work cause we're collectively & economically 100s of years behind

 

[Secure Da Bag]

I see it differently. I don't and at this point can't separate self-preservation and culture. One is a subset of the other. Preserving your culture is a form of self-preservation. A subset actually. Look at the transgressions against Africans in America partially because of their culture and language stripped from them. And all the issues and struggle that has occurred because of it. "Getting the bag" isn't an issue of self-preservation, but a perpetuation of self-indulgence and a tool of collapse. A community where individual is only concerned with their own personal gain is no community at all. A house divided shall fall.


EDIT: transgressions isn't the right word and I can't think of the right word. So if you have a better word that fits, let me know.

 

[MMA]

You can still earn money w/ other race groups without having to demean yourself or your people - selling out has more to do with you than anything else. That's the point of Dave Chappelle stance.

I'd always pick our culture but yes you can have both and it's ashamed so many people think they need to mingle into other groups to build wealth. We have an oasis around us with asians, indians and middle easterns making billions annually off of us.

I'm making it my thing if I want to go out and eat, shop, service, etc - the place has to be a black owned or heavily black hired. Making all my assistance needed to be done by our people. I just called Verizon and ask them please to send someone black to my house I'll feel most comfortable that way. You want my service - my people need to be getting paid for their involvement. Companies need to remember how many of our people are here paying for their services too and putting our people in positions.

Just imagine the money to be made, if we started taking back our own communities - creating lines of small businesses instead of immediately trying to go for the "bag" and go big so quickly w/ less hours involved. Imagine if we started a small manufacturing and creating our own produce.

We play this rat race with these people when this race was never meant for us to really gain anything. Just look at Hip Hop, the most listened to music in 2018 around the world but we still haven't seen one billionaire from it that is black. Current rapper are living off advanced loans and the record labels are reaping all of their earnings.

 

[Ya' Cousin Cleon]

this a false dilemma under capitalism

 

[Deuterion]

I see it differently. I don't and at this point can't separate self-preservation and culture. One is a subset of the other. Preserving your culture is a form of self-preservation. A subset actually. Look at the transgressions against Africans in America partially because of their culture and language stripped from them. And all the issues and struggle that has occurred because of it. "Getting the bag" isn't an issue of self-preservation, but a perpetuation of self-indulgence and a tool of collapse. A community where individual is only concerned with their own personal gain is no community at all. A house divided shall fall.

Amen. I totally agree...people are assuming that getting the bag and collaboration as a community cannot happen simultaneously. OP is really asking "does it make sense to chase the bag at the detriment to those around you?". In that event the answer is yes...when you put the bag over cultural collaboration you're effectively sinking the Titanic to make sure you have the best looking lifeboat.

 

[DJSmooth]

My first priority is ALWAYS getting the bag without compromising on my principles as man.

If I'm at work I'm there to get work done. I ain't there to be friends with white or black people. I ain't there to push a political agenda. I ain't there to kiss ass. I ain't there to pick up hoes in the office. I'm there to work on my craft and get paid.

 

[Secure Da Bag]

this a false dilemma under capitalism

Just so I'm understanding you,

1. This is an arbitrary dilemma created by capitalism that wouldn't exist in a system like socialism
   
2. This is a dilemma that actually doesn't exist in capitalism and it's caused something else

Which one is closer to the meaning of your post?

 

[bucks3115]

Chappele and Kaep actually achieved financial freedom first. You can’t buck the system or status quo when you still depend on the system to eat.


Me personally I’m focusing on the bag. I’ll try to help my immediate circle and by doing that and not being a burden on society I’m doing my part.

The sad fact is everybody ain’t gne make it.

Talkin abt helpin a community
Mc hammer was multi millionaire
He hired people from community, all of them
He paid them
He hired broke ass people who ddnt hav shyt just to stand during his concert so they can get something



All those MOTHERfukkERS left as money and fame was gone


He never blame anyone , he took all the blame ( dats whats his wife said)


Dats the definition of a strong man



Moral of story : help yourself first , then u go help others

 

[Ya' Cousin Cleon]

Just so I'm understanding you,

1. This is an arbitrary dilemma created by capitalism that wouldn't exist in a system like socialism
   
2. This is a dilemma that actually doesn't exist in capitalism and it's caused something else

Which one is closer to the meaning of your post?

the former

 

[Deuterion]

My first priority is ALWAYS getting the bag without compromising on my principles as man.

If I'm at work I'm there to get work done. I ain't there to be friends with white or black people. I ain't there to push a political agenda. I ain't there to kiss ass. I ain't there to pick up hoes in the office. I'm there to work on my craft and get paid.

What if getting to the bag makes you compromise your principles not as a man but simply as a Black person...what do you do then?