The Ye Dilemma
In the era of “Cancel Culture”, freedom of speech is becoming less free-from adverse costs. It used to be “The Man” or “The System” that silenced our thoughts; now it’s pop culture. At the forefront is Black America, helping to gatekeep the culture and oppress the contrarians. There’s a story about the koi fish-swimming against the current it becomes a dragon. Unfortunately, going against the grain in Black America isn’t a reference to exotic fish or waves.
Black America is sensitive to alternative thinking. Some feel it as a direct threat to the collective conscious. On the milder side there’s sabotaging and gangstalking. But it can be worse-you could be cancelled, and lose your Black card . To quote Wu-Tang Clan, the power of Black culture-“ain’t nothing to f… with”.
Kanye’s evolution from beats to building one of the most iconic fashion brands is arguably the most impressive “started from the bottom” stories in Black American history. His popularity and influence are not debatable. So how is it that every other interview he appeals to Black America not to be cancelled?
To be fair, there is no collective Black America. There’s a division, between “Blacks” and “Niggas”, democrats and Black republicans, Black Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter is a hoax, those who speak ebonics and those who pronounce the “-ing”. More seriously-those who focus primarily/only on the systemic oppression of Black America, and those who focus on the Black oppression of Black America. On the latter, do tread likely.
If the conversation is-us vs them, then cancelling one of us without deliberation, and reform, is just as threatening to the whole as direct opposition. Since slavery, Blacks have sold out members for individual or marginal benefits. So, the practice continues. If there is a war on Blacks, it seems counterproductive to lose, in this case give away, any of our members. Shouldn’t we be attempting to round up, or rescue all the members we can? Shouldn’t it be all hands on deck? And what about the war going on within Black culture? When do we talk about that?
Speaking from experience, a great deal of learning happens the further one migrates from their comfortable spaces. New experiences generate new mediums for conscious development. The dilemma is that moving away from the culture-moves you away from the culture. Like captive animals, reintroduction back into society isn’t always possible. And because we are more than just animals, we are capable of sitting cross-legged over coffee, tea, or cognac and reasoning through our group struggles and differences.
One of the points made in Dr. Woodson’s “Miseducation…” is that Ebony people should return to their communities with new information to create positive change. The dilemma is that not everyone will agree on what needs to change. Or the process towards change. Or who should lead the change. Nor has everyone read Dr. Woodson’s book. Maybe we should start there. Counterculture shifts can be hostile to the culture. Those who venture off too far and for too long risk their membership, and becoming the “opps”, especially when accused of praising, defending, or even sounding like the “enemy”.
Restoring community is - TherapeuticLiving.