Damn, I didn't expect us to agree on anything

In any event, I also picked my field because it was one I liked and yes, I could make significant money and connections. I really wanted to major in History, but Mama said: "You can take history electives and read history books in your spare time, study something you can build economic strength in and gain some influence that could help not only your family, but other people as well. Look at what your father is able to do"

As usual, Mama was right

All I had to do was look at pops and see the contributions & knowledge he could make to community centers and help those with less, and the answer was clear.

This is something I feel is missing amongst young Blacks, how many of us knew Brothas/Sistas in college who spoke often of using their Degree to help people back home, and then majored in English/Sociology/Anthropology/African American studies? I'm not trying to diss any of those degrees per se, but those aren't the majors to pick if you want to help your family with its economic issues.

A lot of Jews and East Indians I know/knew would pick careers based on how much money they could make. They wouldn't pick things they hated, but they usually didn't pick things that didn't bring in cash. I think we want to help our people in particularly our families, but we don't have the guidance to point towards careers that can help us do that.

I think this (particularly with East Indians) speaks to a level of sacrifice and committment to increasing economic strength, that sad to say isn't as present in the Black Community. I have an older East Indian colleague, whose family was very very poor growing up, but they sacrificed and put him through school to become a software engineer, because that was a field he could make some serious loot in. What he neccessarily wanted to do didn't really matter, it was what he could to help his peeps. Now he's making big $ and he has helped his family out of poverty and helped other family members get educated and mostly to help themselves.

Turns out he loves his career, but that's just a bonus..the real value was in helping the fam.

I think Blacks also need to learn how to pool our money AND how to put it to good use. Blacks don't realize the power of our money and when we have it, we don't realize how to really use it. I think the attitude often is, so & so Rapper, Athlete has loot and he still gets hassled, so what's the value in the money? We still have no power and I'm middle class, so where is the power that comes with the money? I think we don't realize that once you get the money, you have to use it wisely to realize any power benefit.

Another thing to consider is that as more and more Blacks become economic forces in this country, it will be easier for us to link up and help one another. It's very easy for my Jewish and East Indian Business Associates to work together, because they often run into each other during the course of doing Business. Especially when dealing with East Indians in IT or Jews involved in Business in general.

Finally, I think Blacks need to learn the value of having a "side gig" a little something on the side that generates capital for investment and/or to help them through tough times. I learned this from my father, because even though his primary job was always more then enough to provide for everything and he made a point of living below his means (another lesson) he always had a side gig. Maybe it was buying houses on the cheap that he could get for back taxes or next to nothing and fixing it up, maybe it was consulting, but he always had something.

I do the same thing, I have a side consulting company I run in addition to my primary consulting gig. So in a downturn (like know) where I'm between projects, I focus more energy towards the side gig and I don't have to worry about paying the bills or dipping into my savings.

The point is that part of building economic strength is to always have a plan B, C, D, E & F so that the problems of life don't derail you.

During the course of my life, I've met people of all Races who had managed to build significant economic strength. The thing they had in common wasn't where they worked, or their professions (Doctors, Lawyers, Mailman, Prison Guards, Armed Forces, Teachers) but how they approached it. Live below your means, invest, have something on the side. It's a simple formula.

Total Agreement with Solarus (gasp) that you need to feed the stomach before you feed the soul.

As for European problems that come with capitalism, I don't think capitalism isn't a European concept in the least, Blacks had capitalist enterprises long before the Europeans did. I do feel that overspending (a side effect of capitalism) is an American concept (just judging by how my friends/relatives from Europe spend their money, compared to how Americans do). I do feel that excessive Greed, taking advantage of the Weak and other ways that people build money by screwing over others, is a distinctly human trait. Throughout history man has sought to hurt his neighboor for material gain.

I think it's important to remember this as we move forward, just because you adopt a "non-european outlook" or embrace non european ideals or cultural ideas, doesn't mean your immune from falling into the trap of Greed.

Because that's the real issue, Excessive Greed....that's when capitalism goes to far.

Anyway, enough rambling.....like you said, we have far to go.



Peace,





M2

The Blog: http://www.analyticalwealth.com/

An assassin’s life is never easy. Still, it beats being an assassin’s target.

Enjoy your money, but live below your means, lest you become a 70-yr old Wal-Mart Greeter.