The Uninformed Informed : The Facade of The Conscious by:@niksofly

Nothing is more disturbing than the person who believes he/she knows everything, but in reality knows nothing at all.  I consider myself a woman of culture. I can speak on the philosophies of Kant (his contributions are intriguing), discuss contemporary art, take in a symphony, understand why we decant some wines, convene on the woes of society , make Emily Post appear ill mannered and still find time to decipher lyrics ,debate on the greatest kicks of all time while interchanging a few grandiloquent terms with vulgarities ( when need be). However my peers find it easy to assume because I speak on the latter often, I somehow fall into this stereotypical percentage that knows nothing because my casual conversations (guaranteed by the 1^st amendment) do not appeal to the masses.  I always get that I am a single mother with multiple kids by multiple men or that I grew up without a father. I am uneducated or the best one yet- I never voted.  While these may be truths for a few women, they are not mine. And if they were, on what basis does having a disadvantageous life qualify me as less than?

What is even more mind boggling  is that when the conversation of education does come up, I get those, “I never knew you were college educated or in graduate school. How come you don’t tell people?” At what point did introducing myself entail that I had to lead with the alphabets behind my name or would it be preferred that I change my social media handles to incorporate the plethora of degrees I have? Does it make my views more complete if I attached “Journalist” to my name ( BS MassComm)? Would it make anyone rest easy to know that I have voted since I was 18 and that yes, I respond to agendas, rather than propaganda?  Must I always consume my rhetoric with unsubstantiated conspiracy theories to justify my attachment to the black community or does the fact I am a daughter of a prideful Jamaican immigrant and confident American Black woman who were witnesses of the injustice to blacks serve as enough?  Yes I find it quite comical that in order to be considered intelligent or a be allowed to have an opinion I must be vetted by an individual that can not differentiate between except/accept, affect/effect, they’re/their/there, too/two/to , your/you’re or the simple or/are. I find this elementary brand of crack amusing in that the very ones that speak on empowerment are the perpetuators of hypocrisy , thus hindering progression.

They speak on the disrespect of  the black woman and destruction of the black family , yet take pride in being the mistress and disrespecting the very black women they speak of consequently aiding in the destruction of this familial structure they want everyone else to “preserve”. Was there any consideration given when monies were being taken out of the home to provide the IG bundle special and nails?  “Stay in school” is the message, but they have no records of educating or promoting education. They will correct a woman on how she presents herself, yet further inquiry shows that said individual is all, but soliciting on social media for likes and a possible #WCW nomination or hollering  “Kim K’s “Break the Internet” is revolutionary “ (are we going to act like Grace Jones & Naomi Campbell  didn’t do this previously ?). They want everyone else to  remember their blackness and the struggle, but find humor in the propagation of colorism and  good hair? They want equality, but use education and socio-economic standing as a means of justification in elitism, separating themselves from the impoverished and less fortunate. If an opinion doesn’t have wording they recognize, it is void of truths. I had no idea Youtube University was the leading institution of education. Forgive us all if our experience as minorities in a very  Jim Crow society isn’t as credible as the person on internet that still believes  Sally Hemings  contributions were an integral part of blacks’ progression . Let us all repost a trending hashtag, but fail to be present in those “trenches” when it counts.  Let’s show the world our consciousness by  diminishing  a slain individual’s death quoting crime statistics that have no bearings on the subject matter at hand. Posting a popular quote or stating “the revolution will not be televised” doesn’t make you any more conscious than my degrees make me better than others. At what point  do the facades of consciousness end or am I asking too much of a society that has progressed? Can we practice what we preach or have we allowed the force feeding of information to be the frame of reference in which guides our beliefs?

 I guess it is still fashionable to be a PETA supporter, yet drive to their events in a car with leather interior… Think on it.

Don’t worry about the physical shackles, the mental ones are far more effective.

-Niko Rose