Me vs. We

In keeping with a somewhat connected and relevant topic as we had last week, I felt it only appropriate to write on a larger issue that has transcended into an area of contention, particularly in our community. Me vs. We is pretty self-explanatory, but I want to dig a bit beyond the surface in our analysis of this issue and it's impact. I have been accused at times of being critical of the state and status of black folks. I believe that we are essentially doing less with more. That is to say that people of Generation X (my generation) and younger have been presented with more opportunities than our parents, grandparents, etc, yet there seems to be this theme of self-loathing, self-gratification and a sense of narcissism, which has engulfed an entire age/race demographic. We often want instant gratification and we want it with little to no suffering or work. That is what we are ordering at the drive through window or online: Success, prosperity, greatness with little effort and no obstacles. It is symbolic in some terms of our generation. Our successor, those of the generation to follow, have been tagged with a unilateral sense of entitlement.

Along those same lines, we have not adopted some of the community oriented concepts of the baby-boomers and those who blazed the trails in which we walk. I am often taken back to the summer of 1996. I was sitting in Freshman orientation at Lincoln University of PA (The Nations Oldest Historically Black College-1854) and I kept hearing this African proverb over and over: "It takes a village to raise a child." Four years later, I was sitting at graduation still hearing professors, faculty and staff utilizing that proverb. That proverb speaks to a greater sense of unification and consciousness about helping one another and truly engaging in a lifestyle proactive management approach towards our own and with particular emphasis on our young people. I miss the day where your neighbors could and would discipline you in the absence of your parents because they cared and treated you like they would their own. You were an investment to everyone, not just those who gave you life, but moreover, you were symbolic of that community. Why have we digressed to the point where my needs and my desires or so much more important than ours. Let me be real in saying that there are some of us that put our desires, wants and needs above our obedience to God (but that is another discussion in itself) lol. We won't even begin to tackle that one today. I mention that for the purpose of capsulizing the fact that a number of us won't do right by God, thus a major challenge exists in getting us to recognize and care about one another.

They say that in cooking, a good recipe has the perfect blend of spices and seasoning, just right. A good cocktail at happy hour, has the right balance of your favorite spirit and chaser. A successful marriage often has balance and equitable comprehension of all things involved. Our relationship and status with the black community needs to be just like those things in which I have just described. We need that perfect recipe, consistent of that old school methodology which said that We will rise as a people. We must also have the spice and zeal of the new school which boast a technological affinity, astuteness for education and an unbridled spirit of entrepreneurship . We must maximize on our individual opportunities for the greater and collected good of each and everyone of us.

I believe that if each and everyone of us takes a little time each week to share our passion, knowledge, love and understanding with someone else, we will begin to manifest great things. We must operate with a unified intensity and drive for communal success, in addition to our individual aspirations. Share your resources, time and life experiences with someone else and be open to your membership in that village and be about our children. We will be better for it in the end.

Be Good, Be Kind and Be You.
Donrich L. Young