What's Cool? @obiokolo-blog - Tumblr Blog

You have been visited by the Chan of wealth, reblog this and you will have money come to you!

I REBLOGGED THIS YESTERDAY AND LIKE 2 HOURS LATER THE WALLET I HAD LOST 6 HOURS AWAY FROM HOME THAT HAD MY DEBIT CARD AND LIKE 80 DOLLARS IN CASH WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOUSE WITH NO RETURN ADDRESS I CANT HELP BUT THINK IT WAS JACKIE CHAN WHO SENT IT GOD BLESS YOU JACKIE CHAN

seej500

Last time I did this it was payday so duh. Let’s see what you’ve got this time, Chan.

seej500

Er, actually, about a minute after I hit reblog I got some very important (and positive) money-related news out of the blue. The system works, guys.

blackexcellence101-deactivated2

THIS WORKS!!

africant

lilithminded

this hit me like a bus

nastynas1991

I’ll reblog it till my fingers bleed

menaceminister

Prince’s passport picture. Yes it is fabulous. Yes it probably is magic and will bring you a glamorous good day and some gwap. Pass it onnnnnnn

What has happened to Cool?

An identity crisis strikes. Post 1967 brought about the age of the Crisis of Modernity. It was intellectual disarray. Essentially, no one really knew what was going on anymore. As a result of not knowing what was going on, people did not know who they really were anymore. Since cool was all about a celebration and acceptance of one’s true identity, people lost their cool. Everyone was throwing out ideas and people were easily influenced. Soon, the idea of individual identity was very watered down and groups of “like minded” people started to band together.

With the identity crisis, it was hard to be individualistic and easier to be a conformist. Conformity does not require effort or creative thought. Rather, conformity requires a will to be comfortable. This is not the will to power Nietzsche was talking about, or the will to fight Civil Rights leaders were talking about. This was a lazy person’s will. This was a scared person’s will. It is also understandable why this will manifested itself. Where else was there to turn when you have lost a sense of who you are? When you feared isolation? The logical answer would be with people who are just like you. Cool disproves of this answer.

Despite this identity crisis, there were still groups who struggled to maintain their identities. This was a very rebellious and very cool stance to take in an age where conformity was key to survival. Groups like the Black Panthers manifested itself amidst the confusion. The Black Panther Party was an organization formed initially to monitor the police brutality throughout the streets in America. They armed their members and patrolled the streets. They essentially were the identity protectors of the black community. They strove to make it possible for black people to actually be black people in public without fear. The Black Panther’s supported an attitude that put black beauty in the spotlight. They rocked their natural styles unapologetically and more members joined as a result. Huey Newton, the co-founder of the party once said “Black Power is giving power to people who have not had power to determine their destiny.” He was fully aware of the identity black people had unwillingly acquired and strove to allow for us to regain some semblance of control. Unfortunately the Black Panther party lost steam and dissolved.

wow.

thorsbaratitty-blog

“Just because you are different does not mean that you have to be rejected.” - Eartha Kitt

Why Black People have lost their cool.

We live in a very sad age. We live in an age where the oppressed are letting their oppressors win. We live in a day where people try to resemble their oppressors in as many ways as possible. We see our true inner selves as ugly and try so hard to look lighter. We have let the ridiculous notion that lighter skin is more beautiful than darker skin, and have lost mastery of our selves and our emotions.

The issue I am talking about is colorism. Simply, colorism is having a biased preference toward a certain type of skin color. 99% of the time, this color is tended toward lighter skin. We have let the white man fool us into believing that we are ugly and worthless as our true selves and should instead strive to be pure and white. I have lost my patience with this issue in our society and I frankly do not even feel bad anymore. Light skin people are a trophy in our society. The lighter you are generally makes you more beautiful than your darker brother or sister right next to you. People filter their photos and post them on Instagram to get more likes. I even used to do such things when I was younger because I was stupider. I would wash my face everyday and overnight, sometimes multiple times a day just so I can “wash” the ugly darkness off of my face.I went so far as to buy bleaching cream. I literally thought that I was ugly because of my dark skin and it really got to me. As I grew older, I realized that thinking this way is stupid and destructive. As a more mature individual, I now realize that all skin tones are beautiful, not just lighter ones. I fully embrace my skin tone and am proud of my melanin infused epithelial tissue. My black armor is my most prized feature.

Others in out community have failed to come to the realization I did. What is saddening is the fact that this colorism comes just a few decades after the civil rights movement in which black people fought and died to be accepted for who they are. Now, we are more divided within our community then ever before. Things like #teamlightskin and memes in which the uglier or more negative subject was a dark skinned individual have led to destruction in our community. As a result of this destruction, us black people have lost the aspect of cool in which we master our selves. We have allowed the oppressors to continue oppressing and we do not even realize they do. We are fighting each other based on the way we all look while white corporate America profits from our struggle. THEY are the ones selling us the creams and the soaps and hiring the lighter models and shaming the darker ones, all so that they can steal our money and destroy our community.

Black people have lost their cool because they have lost their power. In allowing ourselves to be so influenced by something so simple as skin color is such a loss. And to want to resemble your oppressor as closely as possible is so twisted. Emily explained this clearly by saying that “we” prefer to see dark skinned features on lighter skinned people. People want the big lips, the diverse hairstyles, the big butt, the edge up hairline.... all of what makes black people black people, but on a light person. How sad is that? How uncool is that?

Whats even worse is that light skin people have such a superiority complex, as if they were white. Of course not all light skin people are like this and in fact many of them are humble. However, the stereotypes that have grown within our community have allowed light skin people to become, in some way, the “oppressors” within out community. Many strive to look like them, and praise them on their beauty while tearing the rest of us down. We have lost our cool because we have allowed ourselves to be captured and held captive once a gain. We are in emotional chains now, and only we can change that.

#stopcolorism #letsregainourcol #stopthemadness #loveyourself

Nigga we gon’ be alright?

When you know, we been hurt, been down before, nigga When my pride was low, lookin’ at the world like, “where do we go, nigga?” And we hate Popo, wanna kill us dead in the street for sure, nigga I’m at the preacher’s door My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow but we gon’ be alright

This song Alright and the whole To Pimp a Butterfly album has changed my life. I remember waiting anxiously in March of 2015 for the album to release and was even more excited when it came out earlier than expected. The whole album has a message that I find extremely important for EVERYONE in America to hear. It is not an album sole for black people, but for all who live in this racial divisive country. Kendrick Lamar’s message of the racial inequality in America and the corrupt nature of the political system has spoken many truths and encouraged many opinions from people from all walks of life in America. But even one year later, as I listen to this song, I still ask myself if we gon’ be alright. The battle started in the 1400s when the first Africans were ripped from their home and their families and forced to take on a lifestyle that benefitted them in no way possible. For the next 450 years, we were slaves to the white man. Though we are “free” from slavery, I still see chains around the necks and feet of many of my brothers and sisters. I am fortunate enough to come from a Nigerian family who did not have to face the struggles that many African Americans have gone through for the past half a millennium (early 1400s - present). I however do not let my privilege get in the way of my sympathy and my empathy like many others in this country seem to 👀. Yes I admit that I am privileged in this country. But I do not let my comfort in this country dissuade me from being cognizant of the struggles that people who look exactly like me go through. And though I have a certain degree of privilege, that does not count me out of the constant racial bias and issues that all black people have in this country. I am just blessed that my parents have goo jobs and are able to provide for my family. Many black people are suffering on account of the constant legislation which basically transforms and disguises slavery. From Jim Crow to the drug war and mass incarceration, black people have been fighting a battle that does not seem to let up. We are discouraged from pursuing higher education and are then forced to either take up an unhealthy lifestyle or take a low paying job to support our families. Many who look on into our community from the outside maybe see or do not see this issue, but they do not care. Kendrick Lamar was lucky yo have experienced that oppression in his youth but then “make it out.” As a result of having made it out and made it big, he is now able to convey the message of our struggle on a platform bigger than he ever could have imagined. His head and his heart are in the right place and he is very serious about his work. Despite the criticism he received, he still pushes on. I see Kendrick Lamar as a revolutionary, with a clear and concise message that all people in this country should be hearing clearly. Black people have struggled for too long, and its seriously time for a change. When the time has come to fight, “Nigga we gon’ be alright”?

#KingKunta #Kendrick Lamar #Cool #Alright #revolutionary

Basic. A term used to describe someone devoid of defining characteristics that might make a person interesting, extraordinary, or just simply worth devoting time or attention to. What does this term and the picture above have in common? This picture makes me think of the sexualization of women in our day and age. It makes me think of the dismissive attitudes toward the feminist movement. It makes me think of the complete respect we have lost for our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters. Contemporary woman are now encouraged to take on the basic role, the dismissive role of the sex object. As a result of everyone trying to be a certain way, they all lack the defining characteristics that would otherwise make them unique. To allow yourself to be formed and shaped by your society makes you basic. But it is unfair to say this because women both have and have not allowed this to happen to themselves. Woman have not willingly allowed this happen because it is not a desirable condition to be in generally. However, as a result of being powerless in “man’s world”, they are made to believe that they have no other choice but to make themselves “fit” to be in this world. This is why a lot woman have assume the role of “sexual subservient” in our society, and this is sad to me. As men, we are conditioned through T.V. and other media platforms to treat woman, the mothers and creators of the world, as if they have no power at all. It is sad.

In class on Wednesday, we watched a documentary on the “mid-rift”. It was a synopsis on the sexualization of women in America. The documentary brought up many excellent points, and made me think of the downward spiral our social standards are going. Sooner or later, sex will be (if it is not now) more important that getting an education or rating a family. Sex will drive the economy, and the woman who contribute their bodies to this movement will benefit not a bit from it. By being basic they submit to the condition that they are put into. They do not express their defining characteristics as a being, and as a result, they lose themselves.

coun·ter·cul·ture ˈkoun(t)ərˌkəlCHər/

“a way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm.”

The sixties was a time of unprecedented changes in American history. People were beginning to reevaluate their attitudes and values and changes themselves in an effort to change America is a whole. This sort of counterculture changed the way America functioned and the dynamics of our country shifted.The youth of the sixties were looking to change the ethos of America and, at first, it seemed that all hell was about to break loose.The youth of the sixties resented corporations. Moreover, they hated conformity and strove to break from the social norms. More an more people sought to be less and less like their parents. They rejected things such as the Vietnam war and racial segregation. The sixties brought about a new age of creative thinking and individualistic sentiments. It came just after a time when conformity was encouraged and celebrated. Imagine how the dynamics changed in the few years that ensued. People were getting nervous, angry, afraid, encouraged,happy and indifferent. The minds of Americans were all over the place and a rift in society seemed eminent. However, this change in American culture was promising to the big corporations, ironically enough. Companies who sought to provide to consumers saw a completely new audience to cater to. The rebels were fresh meat for corporations. They were exploited and manipulated. Advertisers picked the minds of the counterculturists and sought to idealized their style in whatever they were selling. Sooner rather than later, the values of the counterculture movement were soon lost but their style was immortalized. The movement lost its meaning but remained a symbol of rebellion. Unfortunately, those who emulate their style in todays age really take no action. Those who try to revive the culture through clothing and style have little to no knowledge of the movement and what it represented. They are solely children wearing costumes. It is unfortunate that the movement lost its steam so soon and so early. However, this example serves as a reminder that as individuals, we must rise over our human condition of passive thought and useless action. If we want change, we must fight for it and demand it. It is simply not enough to wear and outfit and say some words. Action is a necessary discomfort we must face if we want to get anywhere.

Them is all dead

What struck me greatly in class today was when we were watching the Black Panther Party documentary and a black male is depicted screaming “All the scared niggers are dead!” What a powerful statement. This means that all black people in the country were ready to fight. There was no question. It was an all or none situation. Either you were with the revolution or against it. There was no middle ground. There was no sideline support. If you were in the street screaming, it was in the middle of the action, not on the sidewalk observing in horror. This battle was serious business. It was a fight for freedom and for justice, a promise guaranteed to all Americans (As long as you were white, male and straight... its in the fine print). Black people were no longer intimidate into accepting their unfortunate condition. It was time for a change, a change that could only come about as a result of violent protest. The police and the KKK got “all the scared niggers”, it was time for the rest to show what they had.

What’s he thinking? plotting? Its hard to tell, isn't it? That’s the cool mask sported by the illustrious, intelligent and immortal Malcolm X. May his legacy live on for eternity as we continue to endure our struggles! May we maintain our cool masks as we push on! May we be the intelligent thinkers God created us to be! May our creativity and experience pave the way for a new era!

Bugatti Beez is me

Me neither...

Source

Per today’s conversation… 1963 and still fighting for freedom.

obiokolo-blog

I ask myself the same question everyday. How can I be a citizen, how can my sister be a citizen, how can my family be citizens, how can my black brothers and sisters across the nation be citizens if we are still fighting for our civil rights? “Oh say can you see, THAT WE ARE NOT ALL FREE?” If I seem mad its because Im actually furious and have years of experience trying to be equal to my peers. America is a country literally founded on racism and white supremacy. White Europeans came to a new land, killed off the people and had a whole new group of people from a continent away to come and build the country from the roots to the tips of the skyscrapers. Black people made America and we are not free to fully enjoy our own creation. Do you know what that is? That is theft. That is an injustice. That is evil. That is America. What’s haunting is that African Americans today generally have it much better that African Americans just 50 years ago. I weep for my ancestors as they struggled and died to gain freedom for us and to them I am eternally grateful. They lived and died for us, their descendants to gain a place in a land where we had no business being in the first place. On top of having no business there, we were forced to build and create and have our credit stolen from us without any hope of recognition. Even more, after our “freedom” from slavery, we still have chains on our wrists and on our souls for there is actually no hope in sight for our freedom. We are a tortured people, a manipulated people and a lost people. We are in pain our whole lives and are told to remain silent. I say we should not be quiet anymore. There should be no surprise when 400 years or oppression finally comes to roost and we can no longer tolerate our condition. We are prouder than that. We are smarter than that. We are black PEOPLE... people being the operative word.

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon

This is one of the precursors into Pablo Picasso’s radical painting style. This painting, done in 1907, depicts five prostitutes in a brothel. What evokes so many concerns about this painting by those who see it is that these figures do not look like normal woman. This art was not created in any classical style. It was not meant to be one of the many other paintings around Europe. Instead, Picasso sought to be different and innovative in his creation.

The depiction of naked women in past times had always been sensual, erotic and slightly reserved. Women actually looked like women in these paintings and their figures were easily discernible. Picasso flipped the script this time. His women are all different in some way. Some have pointed breasts while others are rounded. The one on the left has big red feet and a chiseled brown face. Her waist is slim yet her figure is big. It is easy to make out her body, but just as you think you are getting somewhere, it is just as easy to get lost. It is difficult to discern where the woman’s (in the middle) legs begin. The woman to the right on the bottom hasten huge arm and one thin arm that seems to fuse into her leg.

The genius behind the painting is that you can tell that these are women, yet there is always gonna be something off that you cannot make sense of. This is what Picasso’s intention was. He created art that made people think, not art that people could figure out easily. His art was multidimensional. He did not settle for the ordinary but was always innovating and recreating.

Pablo Picasso was a very accomplished artist. He was known for being different, for being original, and for being himself. He expressed himself through his art how he saw fit. Picasso embraced the freedom of his imagination and as a result, he was able to create art that others could not even imagine to conceive during his time. According to the article You Can’t Catch Picasso, “Wherever Picasso turned, he brought deep insights and dazzling aplomb.” He brought his own complex thoughts and was not afraid or discouraged to express those thoughts. For Picasso the key to the creative act was its essentially dialectical nature. The art was meant to evoke questioning and encourage discussion. It was is meant to be easy to figure out, but must require deep analyzation for a message to even appear, let alone be understood.

Whatever Picasso made encouraged questions and revelations that urged him to make something else. He went into different directions with each inquiry. He was not a one-type artist. Rather, he was an artist who embraced “the real rather than the ideal.” He understood that life was not ideal, and that embracing reality is an important human capability. As a result, he made his art as real as possible. When drawing portraits, he would try to include every facet of the human being he is drawing, not just the facade that they put on. What ties together all of Picasso’s work is his appetite for visual drama. Everything Picasso did was a response to the drama of the world around him. He sought to capture as many sides of the story as possible in his art. That is why some would say that his art tended to look “irregular.”

With each successive stylistic turn, Picasso restaged his primal urge, simultaneously breaking and remaking the world as he knew it. He broke down the world to understand it, and remade it into something knew. “Aprende las reglas como un profesional, para que puedas romperlas como una artista.” This was Picasso’s philosophy that influenced his artistic stylings throughout his career. He was a destroyer and a creator. He was a philosophical engineer. He was a master in his field and his art did the talking for him.

“To me, there is no past or future in art. If a work of art cannot live always in the present it must not be considered at all” Picasso claimed. Revival of old art forms or hoping for a work of art to gain prominence in the future did not appeal to Picasso. Being a modern artist, he was deeply interested and invested in the present. He was like Nietzsche in that he believed that the only time there is is now and that it is important to be here in the now, not in the past which we cannot get back nor in the future which is not guaranteed. This is an idea that is central to cool, to be present in the moment and making the most out of it, whether it was personal development for Nietzsche, or controversial art for Picasso.

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