Reflections on WorldStar, Kanye, Bullying and The Game

Is this bullying law detrimental or something empowering for our children moving forward? Is Kanye West opening his eyes finally? Why is World Star so niggerized? Well let’s get it in and rap…

1. College is overrated

I know this is a strong stance to take but allow me to explain. How many of us do the right thing?  From a very young age, we are told to go to college and get our education. Most of us follow this. But what happens if your parents can’t afford to do so? If you’re not a scholar during high school? If you can’t jump out of a building or throw a football 50 yards? Or if you don’t live in the projects? (A side note there are several grants and scholarships available for students who live in the subsidized housing). So if you don’t have these ‘luxuries’ what do you do? Two words: student loans.

Many students accrue thousands upon thousands of dollars in student loans, and if they are unable to get a job in their field, what to do? They wind up working multiple jobs in hopes of paying off Uncle Sam before time is up, while juggling other bills to live a daily life. Now I have always said to the young ones, “people can always take your material things but they can never take away your education”. On the other hand the government takes everything else.

Think of this: let’s say a student goes to a 4 year school, majors in Communications and takes about 35 classes during the 4 years. Of the 35 classes, only 1/2 are for his major. If we do the math, you figure  going full-time there is roughly 18 classes you can complete in two years; so why the need for the other two additional years? It’s just a waste of money. If that said school costs $25,000 a year, you just spent a total of $100,000 to take 17 extra classes that had nothing pertaining to your major. Chances are you probably borrowed 2/3 of that money to get a Bachelors Degree, and then you’re likely stuck taking a job that barely pays 50 cents on the dollar, or enough to justify what you majored in.

College is a huge money-making conglomerate. I am a college graduate and am not bitter at all, but I do see the trials and tribulations people who are college grads endure. All in all, education (college) is overrated, knowledge isn’t. Know the difference between the two.

2. Anti-Bullying, yay or nay?

Remember when we were kids and we were picked on? What did we normally do – defend ourselves right? I mean we had after school, recess, or in the classroom to do so if need be. In this day and age it has done a complete 180 as children have gone as far as to commit suicide, yes take their own lives because of being bullied. Huh? We have charities against bullying, commercials, workshops, hotlines, and I just wonder where did all this come from? Don’t get me wrong, as a friend of some educators I’ve heard stories of how cruel kids can be, but I feel it’s not any different from 20, 30 years ago.

Then, like now, kids were being picked on because of looks, lack of intelligence, sub par clothing styles, you name it. The only difference is now social media is involved. Children, to the best of my knowledge, back then weren’t committing suicide. I wonder however, since it’s now okay to cry bully, has it taken some of the rights away from our children to defend themselves? I mean how have children become so mentally fragile that they will take their own lives because of it? Am I missing something?

For the record, I am not being insensitive and my heart goes out to the parents who have lost children to suicide because of bullying, but I wonder if there is another option here… like teaching your child to not take s**t from anyone? So all in all, I’m simply wondering what has this recent anti-bullying campaign/legislation/enforcement done to our children?

3. Kanye, really?

I had the opportunity to check out the Jimmy Kimmel Show last week when he had Kanye West on as a guest.  It started out as Kimmel attempted to play up to the camera in a joking manner, however, Kanye turned the tables and showed me a different side of him. Maybe he’s [Kanye] trying to break away from the foolishness that plagues society, that which keeps people’s attention away from what’s really going on. I won’t get into it too much here, but I will say he finally opened his eyes and pretty much asked the question, “Why”.

Kanye pretty much left Kimmel just sitting idle in the chair and went on a very spirited rant about a lot of different things. I almost forgot it was Jimmy Kimmel’s show. Please, I implore you to check it out.  It looks like maybe, just maybe West isn’t the self-serving, egotistical jacka$$  we thought he is. MAYBE. -_-    Remember he did have the gonads to go on TV and talk the ‘truth’ about George Bush’s disdain for African Americans.

4.  Damn Shame

Star Minnesota Viking’s running back Adrian Peterson’s 2-year-old son died last Friday from injuries sustained from being beaten by the boyfriend of the mother of his child. When I first heard this, I was shocked and saddened. I have only one question, how in the world was this allowed to happen? No make that two questions: Why was it allowed to happen?

The perpetrator in this case is 27-year-old Joseph Patterson who has a history of abuse himself. You are a parent, a savior, a provider, and protector of your children and you allow this. First of all, if this was my son he’s a dead man walking, No if’s, and’s, but’s or maybe’s and I’m not even a card-carrying member of ‘thug nation’. What in the world could a TWO YEAR old  have done to warrant such a heinous form of discipline? Unbelievable.

4. WSHH

That’s World Star Hip Hop for some who aren’t in the know. And I want to know what is the infatuation with looking at it? Some call it a guilty pleasure and I myself have been guilty of looking at such chicanery, but there are people who are fixated on it.  And most of the tomfoolery is pertaining to people of color. African Americans as a whole have already had such negative stigma placed on them for years and years, so why cement it with videos of people fighting, twerking, and engaging in other nonsensical things?

Being on social media, it doesn’t take much to observe how easily people become googly-eyed for some WSHH, but when articles, documentaries, and stories that are worthwhile contain substance and sustenance arise, they turn a disinterested blind eye. Post a picture of an obese guy in tight clothes, a man cross dressing, or some project chick acting a fool, and the frenzy of interest, shares, likes, comments skyrockets. Yet people sit here and wonder why things continue as they are.

5.  Game Over

I am not really a television person as far as having favorite shows, or DVR’ing shows to watch when I come home, but I caught a few episodes of ‘The Game’ recently. I will say Brandy can’t act. Like AT ALL. She can’t even act being upset. Maybe she should stick to singing, although I’m not sure how successful she’s been these days.

I also can’t stand Wendi Raquel Robinson’s character. She presents herself as too hood and it doesn’t come off as ‘believable’.  Furthermore, can you get anymore of a ‘ghetto’ name than Tasha Mack? How about Tyqueesha Mone’ , or Laquanda Sharifa, I dunno. And while I do think he’s a good actor, why does Rockmond Dunbar play the idiot character that is either subservient (Soul Food) to or get played by his woman (A family that preys ,The Game)? And speaking of poor acting, although she isn’t on the show, Keshia Knight Pulliam did a far superior job as ‘Rudy’ than she does with anything now and I’m not sure that’s saying much.

Well that’s my monthly dose of random opinions. I have had conversations with people about these topics and am curious about your thoughts.

So my OM family again I ask, is this bullying law detrimental or something empowering for our children moving forward? Is Kanye West opening his eyes finally? Why is World Star so niggerized? Do tell.

peace

 

 

 

Title update on 01/15/19. Post Originally entitled, “Rants on Bullying, World Star, Kanye and The Game”