Black Culture Discussion Thread

[maq25060]

I see this talking point thrown out a lot & that sounds really good, but it just isn't the truth when your actually in these communities. The same exact stores people are getting this junk food from they have the same access to affordable fruits & vegetables. I have never in my life been to a supermarket that didn't have fruits & vegetables even if they weren't top tier quality.

If people want to claim a lack of information & teaching on nutrition i agree, but this is definitely a mindset thing over actual availability

It's not. There are towns that lack supermarkets. Look up Maywood, IL. Gas station ain't selling fruit. Last grocery store that was in that town closed about 5 years ago...and was only open for about 5 years itself.

Wanna see the existing grocery store?

 

[Rootin4EverybodyBlack]

Yes the Quality may be better in other neighborhoods but i consistently see people talking about the price of fresh produce vs junk food and acting as if fresh produce isn't affordable/ available & that is just flat out false.

The Bronx is statistically home to several of the poorest county's in America, I've lived there a majority of my life. At no point in my life has there ever been a lack of grocery stores nor has there been a lack of produce (again i'm in agreeance that the quality differs from more affluent areas)

there's also tons of farmers markets that pop up in each borough, & may be 30M distance away at most.

I feel what you’re saying and I’m not tryna to negate your experience, but NYC is pretty unique in terms of accessibility to just about everything. Poorer areas in other cities really don’t be having grocery stores or if they do it’s the discount Save-A-Lot type places that smell so bad I wouldn’t even buy canned food out of.

I absolute think in general people can and should make better choices, but accessibility to quality food is a major issue in less affluent urban and rural communities.

 

[dacomeup]

And there way more bodegas and these smoke shops selling garbage snacks than grocery stories in Harlem and the Bronx anyways.

 

[trynafeelmink]

It's not. There are towns that lack supermarkets. Look up Maywood, IL. Gas station ain't selling fruit. Last grocery store that was in that town closed about 5 years ago...and was only open for about 5 years itself.

Wanna see the existing grocery store?

I'm fully aware that there are towns like this...... ****** be in NYC & ATL talking about there's no accessibility

I Also just looked up the time it takes from maywood to Chicago.... it's a 20 Minute drive. Chicago don't have Produce?

Do i have to mention the countless counterproductive things people would drive 20 minutes for, but when it comes to food it isn't possible.

 

[trynafeelmink]

And there way more bodegas and these smoke shops selling garbage snacks than grocery stories in Harlem and the Bronx anyways.

Bro i could be in the hoodest parts of the city I promise you the same ave i could find a smoke shop... is going to have a deli on the same strip that has fresh produce on it.

I will admit that scarcity can be a problem in rural communities, but i'm not letting no ***** in a major American city tell me that they don't have an option of finding alternatives to junk food, Is there more of the negative options? Yes.... Doesn't negate the fact that there are still very viable options around

 

[HankHill]

It's not. There are towns that lack supermarkets. Look up Maywood, IL. Gas station ain't selling fruit. Last grocery store that was in that town closed about 5 years ago...and was only open for about 5 years itself.

Wanna see the existing grocery store?

That part. There's plenty of "markets" around, but you only really getting 7-11 type of products (cigarettes, snacks, a cart of milk, etc.), which sucks if you don't have consistent transportation to these places.

 

[frshstunna]

“I live in NYC n can get groceries so why can’t everybody else”

 

[maq25060]

I'm fully aware that there are towns like this...... ****** be in NYC & ATL talking about there's no accessibility

I Also just looked up the time it takes from maywood to Chicago.... it's a 20 Minute drive. Chicago don't have Produce?

Do i have to mention the countless counterproductive things people would drive 20 minutes for, but when it comes to food it isn't possible.

I mean you can mention whatever you want. You said this was a mental excuse more than factual. I pointed out a town to prove you were mistaken.

Beyond that, it's extremely presumptuous to assume every person in every situation can just drive to the supermarket a few towns away. Believe me, they don't have to drive to Chicago to hit the grocery store. There are options closer. But again, presumptuous to assume everyone got it like that.

Lastly, this is a town full of black people that's 20 minutes outside of one of the most populous cities in the world. And it has no super market. Imagine the towns full of black people that ain't by ****. Wonder how they are fairing.

 

[Quincy McCall]

At the root of this is the mythology that black folks are lazy and largely have themselves to blame for being regularly targeted, disregarded and exploited. I understand not wanting to be a victim, but pushing this rhetoric is much more harmful than a lack of action

 

[trynafeelmink]

At the root of this is the mythology that black folks are lazy and largely have themselves to blame for being regularly targeted, disregarded and exploited. I understand not wanting to be a victim, but pushing this rhetoric is much more harmful than a lack of action

People asking that black folk take their health into their own hands & invest more effort into getting better foods is harmful?

Telling black people how often they're exploited, targeted & disregarded & not advising them to take extreme measures to counter that isn't?

 

[trynafeelmink]

I mean you can mention whatever you want. You said this was a mental excuse more than factual. I pointed out a town to prove you were mistaken.

Beyond that, it's extremely presumptuous to assume every person in every situation can just drive to the supermarket a few towns away. Believe me, they don't have to drive to Chicago to hit the grocery store. There are options closer. But again, presumptuous to assume everyone got it like that.

Lastly, this is a town full of black people that's 20 minutes outside of one of the most populous cities in the world. And it has no super market. Imagine the towns full of black people that ain't by ****. Wonder how they are fairing.

Aite so let's focus on those who do have access to supermarkets & grocery stores (unless we're going to go with the idea that the majority of blacks live in desolate rural areas, with no groceries & no transportation)

Are you telling me that it's more beneficial & cheaper for that person to grab junk food similar to what was in that video..... than produce

It is really that more difficult for them to get produce opposed to junk? or does a large portion of that come from habits & lack of information

 

[Quincy McCall]

People asking that black folk take their health into their own hands & invest more effort into getting better foods is harmful?

Telling black people how often they're exploited, targeted & disregarded & not advising them to take extreme measures to counter that isn't?

Neither of those things is what I said.

Finding out the real reasons behind these health desparities and trying to meet people where they're at is a viable solution that takes a lot of work-- and something that I hope to help spearhead locally one day. I have helped to start multiple food pantries and community gardens in my community, but I know that is not nearly enough to even challenge the issue. It's more complicated than either me or you have probably figured out and offering simple solutions like "black people need to stop making excuses" is not helpful at best and victim-shaming at its worse. I know you mean well

 

[Rootin4EverybodyBlack]

I don’t think anybody is saying it’s more beneficial for Black people to buy junk food, but if you’re normalizing for income and accessibility, it isn’t an issue that’s unique to us. White people buy corn dogs too. Poor quality food is an American issue.

If you’re asking why people in general buy junk, the short answer is, and had always been, convenience. It’s easier to microwave frozen food or buy McDonald’s than to cook fresh meat and produce.

 

[finessence]

Same time she spent recording and editing that mess… she could’ve cooked. I’m tired of people making excuses for modern day American’s being lazy. People have time for social media and being “connected” but don’t have the time to cook??


Grits, eggs and bacon are EASY to whip up. Rice, mashed potatoes, veggies are simple as hell to steam and cook.

You literally can cook a big meal on a Sunday, and let the family eat the leftovers for at least another 2-3 days.

Again, modern Americans have all the excuses in the world but they make time for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and tik tok….

No one is saying kids need a gourmet meal every day but some meals are simple to cook. Kids shouldn’t be eating TV dinners or frozen foods, etc consistently. Switch it up

I can’t believe we’ve got to this point in society where this type of stuff is acceptable. People recording and documenting every second of their lives…. But they don’t have time to cook two or 3 times a week? That’s ridiculous.

No one is saying a family needs to cook 7 days out of the week but 2-3 days of home cooking is the bare minimum

 

[trynafeelmink]

I don’t think anybody is saying it’s more beneficial for Black people to buy junk food, but if you’re normalizing for income and accessibility, it isn’t an issue that’s unique to us. White people buy corn dogs too. Poor quality food is an American issue.

If you’re asking why people in general buy junk, the short answer is, and had always been, convenience. It’s easier to microwave frozen food or buy McDonald’s than to cook fresh meat and produce.

And that's my main point, surely food deserts exist, some people may have less access to healthy choices than others, but the biggest reason behind unhealthy living in the community comes down to bad habits, lack of nutritional education & people's love of convenience. All three of these things are self correctable.

Whenever someone comes along and mentions that, they are met with pushback & people making it seem as if it's solely systematic & that is my biggest issue. We can acknowledge that when it comes to food the black community has been purposely shorted, while also admitting that a lot of people do have opportunities to eat better/cheaper but prefer to get the most convenient thing.

We are almost all guilty of this to varying degrees so IDK why anyone would take it as an attack, however we're seeing the long term results & convenience is literally wiping years off peoples lives. And choices can be made

Go to the same Grocery store daily a Bacon Egg & Cheese definitely more expensive than a smoothie (Same exact store) guess what the majority of people are getting despite the convenience being the same......

 

[trynafeelmink]

Same time she spent recording and editing that mess… she could’ve cooked. I’m tired of people making excuses for modern day American’s being lazy. People have time for social media and being “connected” but don’t have the time to cook??


Grits, eggs and bacon are EASY to whip up. Rice, mashed potatoes, veggies are simple as hell to steam and cook.

You literally can cook a big meal on a Sunday, and let the family eat the leftovers for at least another 2-3 days.

Again, modern Americans have all the excuses in the world but they make time for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and tik tok….

No one is saying kids need a gourmet meal every day but some meals are simple to cook. Kids shouldn’t be eating TV dinners or frozen foods, etc consistently. Switch it up

I can’t believe we’ve got to this point in society where this type of stuff is acceptable. People recording and documenting every second of their lives…. But they don’t have time to cook two or 3 times a week? That’s ridiculous.

No one is saying a family needs to cook 7 days out of the week but 2-3 days of home cooking is the bare minimum

**** crazy man, any thought about self accountability & people take it as an attack on black people. Yes SOME mf'ers are just lazy, SOME mfers do put too much into instant gratification, SOME mfers do have poor habits & continue them despite knowing better. Pointing that out these days will get you accused of self hate tho

Tired of this new generation trying to have every black discussion have to be handled with kid gloves, beca

 

[tr1ll]

This ain’t necessarily a black thing, but why do you always have to buy a lot of fast food to get fast food cheap? Its always buy one meal and get another for a dollar or something like that.

 

[finessence]

This ain’t necessarily a black thing, but why do you always have to buy a lot of fast food to get fast food cheap? Its always buy one meal and get another for a dollar or something like that.

Fast food being cheap is such a myth. A two piece chicken meal from Popeyes is like $12.

The average family of 3 or 4 is probably spending $20 a day minimum on fast food.

That’s $140 a week. You can get certain groceries in bulk in that range.

Take out, restaurants and fast food is farrrr more expensive than people like to admit. People spending hundreds of dollars weekly on to-go/fast food or restaurant dining.

It’s far more expensive than the grocery method…. People aren’t being transparent about how expensive take-out is.

 

[maq25060]

Fast food being cheap is such a myth. A two piece chicken meal from Popeyes is like $12.

The average family of 3 or 4 is probably spending $20 a day minimum on fast food.

That’s $140 a week. You can get certain groceries in bulk in that range.

Take out, restaurants and fast food is farrrr more expensive than people like to admit. People spending hundreds of dollars weekly on to-go/fast food or restaurant dining.

It’s far more expensive than the grocery method…. People aren’t being transparent about how expensive take-out is.

Imo, prior to covid, there was a CLEAR price difference between take out and fast food. You were spending 12 dollars on 1 meal when getting take out from TGI Fridays, vs a mcdouble, mchicken, a drink and a fry costing 5 bucks from McDonalds.

Now a days? Yeah, fast food ain't cheap. But nothings cheap anymore.

 

[Quincy McCall]

Long video, but I appreciate the effort to talk about this

 

[HankHill]

People need to understand there's more things on a ballot to vote for outside of the President. State and local leadership, changes in local laws, etc.

Folks will sit out because they don't like the presidential candidates, but act surprised about new restrictive laws that were ballot measures.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Sometimes "Them" treating us as mindless/feeble minded children is more racist than the things they claim are racist against us.

 

[gry60]

Sometimes "Them" treating us as mindless/feeble minded children is more racist than the things they claim are racist against us.

This is a simplification of the issue (and a disingenuous video to boot). The question isn't whether you can be identified; it's whether your ID is good enough to vote.

Black folks have all kinds of ID; however, allowing certain types of ID (firearm license) while restricting others (college/university) is a way to implement discriminatory voter laws under the guise of election integrity. If I want to significantly reduce the ability of poor folks to vote, I can propose a bill that consider passports to be valid voter IDs and not state IDs. If this law passes and get enacted in an area where Black people happen to be a large proportion of the poor (who have less means/reasons to travel internationally), guess who's not voting.

It's crazy how appealing to one's pride can cloud their judgment.

 

[boba85]

 

[trynafeelmink]

Sometimes "Them" treating us as mindless/feeble minded children is more racist than the things they claim are racist against us.

These People are always so damn Eager to tell us why we're oppressed & can't do something about it, it's weird