Who Can Critique The Culture? - The Boondocks Brings Up A Great Point Part 2

[@PedroOozeMan]

The problem is “what’s an outsider”? Do we allow native Africans to critique African American culture? Does a black dude who grew up in east coast Greenwich Connecticut get to critique west coast hood culture? Outside of race, can a poor black person criticize poor Hispanic culture? The issue with drawing an arbitrary line at who’s allowed to criticize you is that line will always move and become subjective. Not all poor people share the same culture, not all black people, share the same culture, not all African Americans share the same culture. There’s too much nuance involved

[@jaredfritsch6833]

So don't draw a line. Allow critiques from ALL angles, regardless of knowledge or ignorance. No more purity testing. If criticism is constructive and made in good faith, even if it misses broad swathes of culture, it's good critique. If made in bad faith or destructive, then it's a bad critique

[@Leonard-nb7jk]

@@jaredfritsch6833thats his point

[@dansmith1661]

It's your life, participate in it.

[@shahidabdoullakhanzorovr1564]

Only hit dogs holler at the end of the day. And one thing I've noticed is that some American blacks are emotional enough that nuance won't matter. People worrying about generalizing critiques from others usually have too much time on their hands.

[@ceresbane]

Honestly yeah black americans trying to treat black people of other nations is not a good thing. Yes rap and hiphop and its many derivatives is the US's major export. But that doesn't mean the culture is the same. And its really strange to see when a US citizen acts like all black peoples (emphasis on that plural) can be painted with the same brush strokes. That said, lots of the US thinks Europe and Africa is a monolith or even a single nation, so there we are.

[@lustbubo4638]

Watching this episode as an adult I finally realized the whole scheme was to drive the property value of the park down so Ed could buy it 😂

[@anglosaxiphone8246]

Sobering to realize McGruder gave the happy ending to the guy who masterminded the entire scheme. While the audience a majority of the time act like everyone sitting down and eating. Unaware that Wuncler got what he wanted.

[@seeleunit2000]

Well, yeah. It was obvious. Ed Wuncler is white America after all

[@seeleunit2000]

​@@anglosaxiphone8246That's the point. It's supposed to be sobering. Ed Wuncler is scheming capitalist and makes zero effort to hide that. He represents white America. The freemen's losing the restaurant after the neighbourhood degraded and law suits only get a somewhat happy ending when they decide to switch after eating habits... It was the best they could get.

[@lichlord9838]

It's also a rather obvious metaphor for crack

[@NobodyC13]

@@anglosaxiphone8246 I think that was the point. McGruder wants people to think about who gains what from the negative/toxic elements of any given culture.

[@mattman221]

Im a white guy who loves boondocks as a window in to a culture I’m not as familiar with and only have experience with cause of friends and some family, but I think your message of “if someone has a point and it’s for the best intentions why not listen” is the best you can take away. An open discussion is the only way we can erase ignorance.

[@mattman221]

I also died at the “even if they just call me coon” lol

[@Alias3141]

But that's not an easy path to power in a conversation, so ignorant mfs will never choose to engage in good faith if they can instead put you down in bad faith.

[@mattman221]

That’s why those of us with good faith and integrity have the strength to stand and call those out who have ill intentions. We have to the stubborn mfs who help even if we are labeled something else.

[@Yawdan]

No. We don't need this YT saviour complex. The fact one feels that one isn't part of a ×××ture but not only can one speak on the culture, but somehow despite not having the experience one can be smarter than those of the ×××ture is not only arrogant and self-entitled, but shows other issues KZbin won't let me say outright. And none of this adds the fact that there are those one will not speak about yet don't have that respect for B1q. Then to use this as a scapegoat for one's r×sm is also laughable.

[@Alias3141]

@Yawdan this is a perfect example of an ignorant person refusing to let go of the power they get from gatekeeping the culture. Old boy never said or implied he was smarter than people in the culture, only that if someone has a valid point, they should be heard, no matter their position. If you think that's invalid because of the color of someone's skin, then you, sir, are showing your rxcism.

[@DSPHistoricalSociety]

Aaron McGruder took on the most thankless, non-respected, gonna get you hate for doing it job, and I love him for it.

[@ModernMadeMan]

Creating the most popular black adult cartoon is a thankless non respected job? People talk about him and his show with praise everyday.

[@iamjordanbradshaw]

@@ModernMadeManwho do you actually know name drops this man? The show isn’t directly associated with him. Also, the discourse and hate this show got was just as loud of the hate. If you watched it after it aired you probably don’t remember the hate the show got for freedom land

[@ModernMadeMan]

@ I know plenty of people, I didn’t say that for no reason. Everything gets hate, not a reason to say it’s a thankless non respected job.

[@ModernMadeMan]

@@iamjordanbradshaw lol I typed that last reply when I was half asleep but now that I see what you said again I’m sure you are nobody to be talking about the state of boondocks popularity lol. How isn’t he directly associated with the show? He was an essential part of the show for the first three seasons. It’s almost like that’s something they teach in elementary school the way it’s burned in my head from hearing people say it so much. You much have been a causal critic with no context to how it relates to the culture the show speaks on. Just a guess tho.

[@shenotski]

Tyler Perry alone

[@dennisnaffah8733]

Honest conflict has more social value than dishonest harmony

[@aaronmelnek8753]

Damn you spittin

[@MLGpromyass]

I’m a half Chinese half white guy. I’ve been called racist for my opinions more times than I can account about all races and cultures. I often was told I didn’t get to say anything about Asian culture or heritage because I’m a half blood. I was raised with more Chinese culture than most of the people I grew up, and yet I’m often told “you’re just white”. If you ask me, I’d rather critique other people and be called racist than ignore something I see

[@azure_berries]

A lot of Asians in the West have an inferiority complex about their heritage, whether it's because of generations of erasure (if their family immigrated a few generations ago) or because they've been Westernized and now feel a disconnect with their parents' culture. I'm personally of the latter partly due to not growing up around many people with the same culture or heritage, so while it's not to the point of being defensive about it, I can relate with the embarassment of not having been able to internalize what is supposed to be your own culture. I invite you to either ignore people who call you racist for simply criticizing a culture that has many flaws (like any other culture), or to try and share in the positive aspects of the culture with some of these people.

[@MLGpromyass]

@ oh I personally don’t care. I don’t mind being called a racist for saying something that’s objectively true. I just think it’s a poignant example of people trying to dictate who can “criticize the culture”. I liked the video but plenty of people feel like he mentioned that if someone was coming at his culture he’d get mad about it by feelings

[@geordiejones5618]

Being mixed race is some bullshit sometimes. We get all the fuckery of suspicion from both sides while also being "exotic" and it pisses me off. No one's ever claimed me and at this point it's fuck them all if anyone tries to claim me now. I hope my son has a better experience, but I fear he'll grow to be just as frustrated with everyone as I am, just better at masking and code switching.

[@justiron2999]

And they can fully "critique" you despite not being in the same circumstances. It's funny how hypocrisy works.

[@manmanopoly8047]

I would like to ask what did you say that made those people call you racist?

[@ginahouston9352]

intent must ALWAYS matter...... knowing WHY someone is talking is just as important was what they are saying... merry christmas... happy kwanzaa.... be Blessed

[@chillreview636]

Great point. Intent is key. Happy Kwanza, Merry Christmas, and a happy New year to you too!

[@Darthdoodoo]

But what do u do when people are so stuck in a victim mentality they see everything as bad intent?

[@ACE_CORP1]

@@Darthdoodoou give up on them walk away

[@ginahouston9352]

@@Darthdoodoo life is a spectrum and there will always be folks at either end... the majority of people are reasonably in the middle... it's pointless to be overly concerned w/ folks who are not reasonable b/c they will never see 😐

[@theoraexplora]

What the messenger is talking about matters too though...

[@Mosesthewhiteboy]

RIP John Witherspoon. You will be missed. It's unfortunate that his passing means that we'll probably never get the Boondocks reboot we all were waiting on, but man the Legacy he left behind is beautiful.

[@chillreview636]

RIP 🙏🏾

[@rickDArula]

John witherspoons son does a solid impression of his dad. I know it won't happen but that's a possibility

[@The_Empty_Shadow]

I thought I'd heard about him recording lines for it?

[@gunsup0331]

my nigga i served with. put me on Boondocks. Hes a healthy, intelligent and productive member of his town. he got halfricans running around left and right. he done married a white woman. they still together. aint seen the man in almost 20 years and he still my brother.

[@swordboy13]

That's historically been the issue honestly. People don't want outsiders to tell them what they're doing is harmful or wrong because "fuck you man you don't know me or my fam" but if everyone you know has the same problem, no one realizes it's a problem because that's your "normal". You can't help someone that doesn't want your help.

[@Neotenico]

I think part of the reason for that is the majority of outsiders who make those criticisms aren't even trying to educate themselves before they criticize. When the only thing someone hears from outsiders is unhelpful ignorant BS, they're more likely to block out the one person who isn't just talking out of their ass.

[@megametexe5129]

@@NeotenicoThe problem is when people decide anything they don’t like hearing or makes them feel uncomfortable is somehow an attack and is OK to block out or Fire back on. Just because the medicine don’t taste good doesn’t mean it’s poison.

[@homelessperson5455]

I think both of the above commenter make a good point.

[@justinjacobs1501]

​@megametexe5129 this is especially true with American politics today.

[@Leonard-nb7jk]

@@Neotenicoyou just explained why modern progressive identity politics is so destructive and increases racism. Constantly criticizing white people for every little thing just gets white people to block out EVERY criticism including valid ones.

[@DavidMedic447]

Great points. I’m a Christian and have been disgusted by a lot of Christian culture lately. I’ve been struggling with my relationship with the Christian community for a few years now. This brings up a lot of stuff I need to ponder.

[@GaMeRfReAkLIVE]

You dont need a community to be Christian man. Its become increasingly clear to me over time that most organizations around religions have been steadily seperating people from their own God. Institutions grow large and become too prone to corruption and beurocracy.

[@Dolphin._.]

When critiquing Christian culture, it should be easier to do so than a culture based on race or nationality. Being online and only seeing the worst of something isn't healthy.

[@DavidMedic447]

@@GaMeRfReAkLIVE oh 100%. I haven’t been involved with them for a while.

[@samuelwallace2782]

First, remember that as a Christian, your relationship is with Christ. Don't let Christians ruin Christianity for you. But second, remember that you are just as flawed as any other human. Being Christian doesn't mean you are automatically a good person. It means acknowledging that you aren't a good person unless you try to be one. So don't cut yourself off from other Christians just because they are flawed

[@violetstag7934]

I struggled with fellow Christians years ago. Seeing hypocrisy and all that. So I went to the Bible to see what God had to say and He had a lot to say about me and my own bitterness which was creating rifts between me and my fellow believers. I had to get my focus off of others and back onto Christ and let Him take my bitterness away and forgive those I had issues with. Because I have huge issues myself. That's why I am a Christian! Because I needed saving from myself. Doesn't mean you can't call out things. Just make sure it comes out of love. And if it's really bad it's okay to leave a church or a community as long as you don't shelter yourself away. The Bible commands we don't forsake the assembly of ourselves but make sure you really seek the Lord if the next community really cares about God and what He says in His Word and if they follow it. Sorry for all the rambling lol. Just saw this and figured I would say something because I understand. Praying for you!

[@doverndptc2839]

"Your observations/advice on how to fix (something) should be coming from a positive and helpful place, as opposed to those who just want to highlight the negatives for their own personal reasons." Very, VERY good advice.

[@gallanoir]

Intent matters a ton! As an Indian American, hearing people elevate the “model minority” often is accompanied by intentions to divide and separate minorities and to keep cultural issues on the forefront instead of class issues. Loved how chill this video was dude! I think you’d enjoy the commentary One Piece would have too?

[@Ghostofrandysavage]

Does the commentary of One Piece translate in the dubbed version, or mostly subbed? Been meaning to start it and can’t decide which route to go.

[@Jeffrey_Dahmer_Epstein]

No offense but the far right in Canada and America are calling you the exact opposite of the model minority. Anti Indian sentiment is through the roof right now

[@DSPHistoricalSociety]

Bro can't believe someone called you *oonish over such a common sense, reasonable take. Sorry to hear that brother-from-'nother mother. We don't always agree but I always appreciate your well-constructed arguments, easy-to-follow logic, and _SMOOOVE VOICE_ stay up Edit: censored the actual word because YT likes to delete my comments

[@chillreview636]

No need to feel sorry for me. I get to make videos about my favorite works of art and have discussions with thousands of fellow fans across the world. A few ignorant people calling me names could never diminish that lol. Appreciate the kind words and the support brotha!

[@BlooBoi23]

Pause ⏸️

[@newperve]

If course they would call him a *oon over a sensible comment. The whole point ad hominem arguments is to bully petite whose arguments they can't counter. If his take were actually stupid or ill-informed they would have said so.

[@newperve]

​@@chillreview636Feel sorry for the guy who didn't have the power to either rebut or emotionally handle an agreement and had to resort to saying "*oon".

[@suslasaga2850]

good video. I am a Mexican American who has an interest in anthropology, so when I critique African American culture about being oversexualized I get called a racist despite the average African American agreeing with my sentiments. Intent absolutely does matter when critiquing other cultures though, like if I were to say "AA culture is too sexual thus AA culture is evil and should be whitewashed" that would come from hate, unlike when I say "AA culture is too sexualized and it has diffused into all youth culture in America so we should look for solutions to fix it". the intent of the criticism should come from the desire to see the people of that culture flourish, not be erased.

[@Chronis67]

The interesting part is that a lot of *white* people are the ones who are quick to say something is racist on behalf of others. They might mean well, but they it's almost as if they would rather not have the discussion so they just call it racist in hopes that it'll hide away. Meanwhile, actual racists will just double down on their stances. It creates a weird dynamic were the most well meaning seem to not want to help or at least know how to efficiently help.

[@urgandma]

And that's why nothing with change. You guys are worried about the wrong reason and intent, all while ignoring the advice whole sale no matter who it comes from. The boondocks has been proven right time and time again, and nothing has changed. The black community's hatred of black conservatives is proof they will never change, because they immediately will be called a 🦝.

[@calebangus4593]

Its more about the way you frame the question. It could come off as you attempting to claim that African American culture is “poisoning” American culture which is a common racist talking point. A better way to address over sexualization is to discuss the root of it(slavery with rape of black women and viewing black men as sexual deviants). Its important to know the history before critiquing culture because it could come off as if the problems with the culture are due to people being inherently broken.

[@jovannylbates]

African American culture is no more sexual than American culture itself that framework of conversation in itself it flawed because the projections of African American culture you see is funded and brought to you by nonafrican American gatekeepers and corporations. Truthfully as someone who is both Mexican and African American, when people to attempt to make the point you make, they ignore the centuries of blatant misogyny, oversexualization, and objectification done by Americans before hip-hop culture became prominent. Do some research on the porn industry in America and its origins, how sex has always been used for marketing and hell, even hooters and those Hardee’s commercials. Black American culture is not some new invention of women of presenting female bodies (Hugh Hefner was litterally a mogul and cultural icon) and I wish you did more research on sexism in America general. This is nothing new.

[@0vern9K]

When ppl don’t like the truth they’ll throw the word racist over anything. Don’t let it get to you. An as a black men. You are correct

[@dustinalexander9680]

I am a straight, white, autistic, middle-aged, American, man. Who grew up as the grain of salt in black pepper. I bring this up because I am responding to a video mainly about black American culture. A culture that I have never been part of but still surrounded by. And may or may not affect my views. And my opinion is that it is absolutely valid for someone to critique a person's culture. Assuming they have some knowledge and it is understood that they are a outsider providing a outsiders prospective. This is actually a mostly accepted fact. It also happens to be some of the most honest critiques because they are out side of it. The problem is when a person is not critiquing a culture but disrespecting it, or not saying something to ma k e the culture better but just making it look worse. For example the comedian you showed and highlighted was not offering a critique on black women but playing into stereotypes. And has a black comedian said it it would still be wrong. What huey said was a real critique. Had it been said by some white person it would still be valid.

[@User-CT-55555]

you’re correct 🗣️🗣️🗣️ keep it up

[@CharlieTooHuman]

I don’t really like the term “critique” because it’s implying you’re highlighting negatives and that there is something inherently wrong with a community. A lot of the “negatives” in black communities are often intersectional and tied to systemic problems, so if you’re coming at it from an outsider perspective, you should keep these things in mind, otherwise you’re missing the forest for the trees. While a critique can be made with good intentions, when it comes to culture and communities, you have to be very delicate on how you approach it, especially if you’re not directly of that culture or community. I always say that critics should come from inside the community, proponents should come from the outside.

[@graveyardshift6691]

@@CharlieTooHuman Counterpoint. You're excusing the issues as being 'systemic' meaning thereby 'unfixable'. Because they have not been changed in multiple generations. When it gets that bad to the point where you don't see the problem because of how 'ingrained' it is, it may actually take an outsider's perspective to actually spot the problem. Sure that outsider may be coming in blind and 'insensitive' but if it's a genuine problem, it's only going to get worse the more 'educated' they become about it. The idea that criticism can 'only come from within' just loops back around to 'We, the investigated, investigated ourselves and found no issues.' The word you're looking for there is 'Bias'. If you're biased toward something, can you make a good faith effort to critique something you've considered 'normal' because that's how you were raised? Look at the example provided in the video. Grandad didn't see the problem with his 'soul food' because that's how he was raised and became resistant to the idea that Huey saw a problem with it. I enjoy a good burger but even I felt sick just listening to that ingredient list. And I'd happily go after a full pound burger on a good day. Huey and I both have the same opinion of the food in question. Which one of us has the right to question that since we're on the opposite ends of the race spectrum and I doubt would get along on anything else?

[@CharlieTooHuman]

@ How are systemic issues not fixable? Almost all progress within the greater black community has been tied to progress on the systemic level. Either you don’t understand what “systemic” means or you just are not brushed up on American history. Genuine constructive criticism can only come from within because of the understanding through personal shared experiences of being black in America. The issue with someone like a Jordan Peterson or an Andrew Schulz making these kinds of assertions is that 1.) They lack the nuances from personal experiences 2.) Their audiences are overwhelmingly white and by sharing these opinions on a community they’re not a part of to that said audience, they’re creating an outsider framing of a community which often lacks greater context through those nuances and experiences I mentioned. You also have to consider intent. What is an outsider’s intent when making a “critique” of a community. Is it genuinely tied to uplifting said community or is it there to exhibit a certain level of superiority over it? When you mention bias, does this not also apply to someone on the outside? Why can an outsider not have a bias against a community? Would this also not affect the quality of their criticisms? Another issue I have with your argument is in your third paragraph. You make this assumption that black people are not taking responsibility for individuals in their community or that they choose to ignore the greater problems in their community, which I don’t think is a fair assessment and a disingenuous take based on perception, not anything factual. You also seem to imply these issues are born as a result of “the culture,” which to me comes off as a placeholder for “this is happening because they are black.” To me this is a a prime example of the bad notions spread from the figures I mentioned in my previous paragraph. The soul food point, once again, is something tied to experience and nuance. While you can say that “soul food” is unhealthy and bad for you, you’re not highlighting any other context for why it is such a cornerstone in some black communities. Huey has grown up around it, been in environments containing this food, has seen the effects it has had firsthand on family and friends, he also recognizes the historical context of soul food and its place in the culture. His opinion is more genuine because it comes from a place of caring, understanding, and direct experience. By you echoing this as an outsider, it gives off the impression that you’re saying the black community doesn’t know how to make healthy food or that black people don’t know how to watch their diet… While this might not be your intent, if you’re mentioning this to others outside the culture, you’re creating a perception that, once again, is not tied to experience or nuance, reinforcing negative ideas of the culture and communities tied to it. Another thing… Huey, as a member of that community, IS the counterpoint to this argument. He is someone within the greater community who recognizes the importance of diet, he is someone who thinks there should be healthier alternatives. While there may be a perception from the outside that Hueys are few and far between, the reality is that there are far more of them than you may initially think, and they’re leading the vanguard on multiple diverse issues within these communities. This is why I say outsiders should be proponents for these community leaders and follow their lead on these issues rather than taking the spotlight. While I think everyone’s 2 cents is important, it’s something that should be discussed with and within the culture rather than outside of it.

[@CharlieTooHuman]

@ How are systemic issues not fixable? Almost all progress within the greater black community has been tied to progress on the systemic level. Either you don’t understand what “systemic” means or you just are not brushed up on American history. Genuine constructive criticism can only come from within because of the understanding through personal shared experiences of being black in America. The issue with someone like a Jordan Peterson or an Andrew Schulz making these kinds of assertions is that 1.) They lack the nuances from personal experiences 2.) Their audiences are overwhelmingly white and by sharing these opinions on a community they’re not a part of to that said audience, they’re creating an outsider framing of a community which often lacks greater context through those nuances and experiences I mentioned. You also have to consider intent. What is an outsider’s intent when making a “critique” of a community. Is it genuinely tied to uplifting said community or is it there to exhibit a certain level of superiority over it? When you mention bias, does this not also apply to someone on the outside? Why can an outsider not have a bias against a community? Would this also not affect the quality of their criticisms? Another issue I have with your argument is in your third paragraph. You make this assumption that black people are not taking responsibility for individuals in their community or that they choose to ignore the greater problems in their community, which I don’t think is a fair assessment and a disingenuous take based on perception, not anything factual. You also seem to imply these issues are born as a result of “the culture,” which to me comes off as a placeholder for “this is happening because they are black.” To me this is a a prime example of the bad notions spread from the figures I mentioned in my previous paragraph. The soul food point, once again, is something tied to experience and nuance. While you can say that “soul food” is unhealthy and bad for you, you’re not highlighting any other context for why it is such a cornerstone in some black communities. Huey has grown up around it, been in environments containing this food, has seen the effects it has had firsthand on family and friends, he also recognizes the historical context of soul food and its place in the culture. His opinion is more genuine because it comes from a place of caring, understanding, and direct experience. By you echoing this as an outsider, it gives off the impression that you’re saying the black community doesn’t know how to make healthy food or that black people don’t know how to watch their diet… While this might not be your intent, if you’re mentioning this to others outside the culture, you’re creating a perception that, once again, is not tied to experience or nuance, reinforcing negative ideas of the culture and communities tied to it. Another thing… Huey, as a member of that community, IS the counterpoint to this argument. He is someone within the greater community who recognizes the importance of diet, he is someone who thinks there should be healthier alternatives. While there may be a perception from the outside that Hueys are few and far between, the reality is that there are far more of them than you may initially think, and they’re leading the vanguard on multiple diverse issues within these communities. This is why I say outsiders should be proponents for these community leaders and follow their lead on these issues rather than taking the spotlight. While I think everyone’s 2 cents is important, it’s something that should be discussed with and within the culture rather than outside of it.

[@DrSleeperAgent]

I've always liked the idea of everyone being able to critique everything around them. My favorite philosophy I've learned is you can learn something from every person you meet from all walks of life, from philosophy to great cultural practices and even their faults in any capacity. Now if you aren't learning enough before you present your critiques then yes you aren't just failing to help you can antagonize or even bully people. But many times all it takes is someone to be patient with the offense and instead help open up a dialog so the issue with your reasoning can be resolved (and vice versa when the situation is flipped). I've always disliked the idea of sacred cows, something that should be above criticism and just shuts down conversations. You absolutely should respect boundaries, but don't dislike someone for seeing faults with the things around them and what they've seen. This philosophy has gotten me to talk with people I would have never imagined I could 5 years ago (and I'm an introvert), its made me a moderate on a great many things and helped me gain more of a perspective on all things in life.

[@INSANECRAZYHODAPP]

Maybe its me, but I've always felt boondocks is more about the conflict of generational and soical class conflict. The dynamics between Huey and Grand-dad show case it so well

[@-user_redacted-]

Same. I was a white kid growing up poor and having to move from one hood to another often and so much of the show resonated with me, even if I didn't fully grasp some of the cultural elements, the class and generational conflict were impactful as hell.

[@brixan...]

It’s definitely a lot about culture too

[@joeclaridy]

Although the Boondocks touched on it sparingly, race hustlers have had an oversized effect on our community. Unfortunately there are some in our community who would rather gatekeep as a means to gaurantee their own success.

[@Sondi]

I had an argument recently with some online friends and this video hit my rec at the right time. We were talking about my disdain for rock music in comparison to his for rap music ( I'm black and their white) and a big sticking point they kept saying was about the culture of rap as to why they don't like rap music over the intent of the song or album. They couldn't separate the noise surrounding the genre to even truly listen to a rap project. It had me questioning how much culture can truly affect how we even engage with media on a deeper level. Great video~

[@uthergoodman401]

What was your view on rock if I may ask? Im curious as a white metalhead myself.

[@Sondi]

@@uthergoodman401 I'll listen to it, but a lot of the times I can't really get into a full album of the genre because it's starts to sound the same to me. Also personally lyrics are a big factor in my enjoyment of a song if it has it. A lot of rock songs I hear either have lyrics that I can't hear what they're trying to say to understand the full song or they don't make sense. Like I can listen to a Metallica song and enjoy it, but then be like "bleh" to a whole project

[@uthergoodman401]

@ I can understand the not understanding lyrics part of it. But I feel that really comes down to the artist. Definitely a lot of the screamier metal is harder to understand but thats not the case throughout the entirety of the genre. Sure you cant hear whats being said with say Stone Temple Pilots or something like that but thats not necessarily the case with say, Black Sabbath. In terms of variety I think you just need the right recommendation. Theres quite a lot of variety within rock & metal to the point that fans of the genre constantly argue (annoyingly) about all the different subgenres lol. For example, Linkin Park, which is Nu Metal sounds nothing like Tool, which is Prog Metal, which sounds nothing like Breaking Benjamin, which is alternative metal. But all of them are amazing in their own way. Then you got crazy bands like Starset mixing orchestral & techno with metal to make Space themed metal. I don’t know how much more varied you can get. & not to say that rap isn’t good. Rap is great & its differences from metal make it special in its own way. But I don’t see why you cant enjoy both. I find personally that staying within one genre of music is really just depriving yourself of the immense variety of amazing music out there

[@Sondi]

@uthergoodman401 totally agree! Having more diverse taste can lead to some interesting favorites . Right now been on a big Yes binge

[@uthergoodman401]

@@Sondi Yes is a great band. Recently got into them as well! Glad were agreed on that! I think too often people who enjoy different music genres fight each other over which is better when in reality we should all just be mutually celebrating music in its entirety

[@j2k478]

One thing that I do hate about how people talk about black peoples snd soul food is they have an assumption that we are eating this shit 24/7, I really only eat big soul food meals on holidays. And to the other unhealthy food, if you’re in an area where the cheaper food is not the healthiest, but you’re penny pinching, you’re gonna get that regardless

[@chillreview636]

Good point!

[@calvinmcneil9824]

That's why I hate the concept of holding the restaurant accountable for people choosing to eat there constantly (unless the owner did put addictive drugs into the food)

[@bob7975]

White Southerners call most soul food offerings "home cooking".

[@fun364]

Excellent topic that can go many ways. One direction this takes me in is the overwhelming power of outrage culture. Terrible messengers get a loud, visceral and lasting reaction while those who deserve our time go relatively ignored. These algorithms pray on our emotions and make sure an unfunny comedian is heard by more of us than great voices such as Shahrazad Ali, Dr. Claude Anderson, etc. who criticize the culture with love & good intentions.

[@chillreview636]

That's is true. We often end up focusing too much on the negative side of things for the sensationalism. Hopefully as a culture we start to gain more ability to discern what is and isn't worth our time

[@takatotakasui8307]

I feel comfortable criticizing my own culture but I tend to put on kid's gloves with other people's cultures. Thanks for the thoughtful video, man

[@TheLetterJ-c8n]

Well other people's cultures are gonna affect you one way or another.

[@takatotakasui8307]

@TheLetterJ-c8n I know, and that doesn't change my answer. I don't feel entitled to tell other peoples what their culture should be

[@TheLetterJ-c8n]

@@takatotakasui8307 Okay, I'm assuming you don't vote if that's the case.

[@takatotakasui8307]

@TheLetterJ-c8n That's crazy 💀

[@ddankers5549]

Don't put on the kid's gloves, just stay respectful and fair.

[@Mindyourownbiznes]

You're doing a great thing here. I love when people pose questions like this to themselves that make them question their own personal values and beliefs. Never stop asking questions and learning new things. It's great to see how many of the comments here are huge paragraphs of people expressing their opinions and having discourse. At the end of the day we're all still people and it's okay to agree to disagree.

[@chillreview636]

Beautifully said! Thank you

[@predalien1413]

Intent and context are the literal foundations of reality.

[@chillreview636]

Idk if you ever watched Avatar the last airbender, but I read your comment in Guru Patek's voice and it was very enlightening

[@ginahouston9352]

@@chillreview636 "The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same." ~guru patek

[@GrugTalks]

The "literal" foundations of reality? I think those would electromagnetism, gravity and the strong/weak nuclear force. Context and intent have no meaning outside of "social" or constructed realities, however you wanna put it.

[@brixan...]

@@GrugTalks maybe the foundations of communication

[@carllangner48]

Intent does not matter to reality "the road to hell is filled with good intentions" and all that. Context is reality around something so that kinda covers it

[@MamadouKane-w6f]

The way I see it: We should collectively love our people (I.e. we care about the well being and survival of our people even though we don’t know every single individual Black person), but we dont need to hold our tongue with regards to criticizing someone just because they are Black. For example, a Black cop brutalizes a brotha, we should loudly condemn him regardless of his skin color. Was that the message you was getting at?

[@chillreview636]

I was more so just setting up the scenario to see what all of you guys thought about it. I've been struggling with my pwn answer for awhile now lol. I agree with what you're saying though.

[@networknomad5600]

That’s some weird ass bIack nationalist nonsense outta you.

[@Hesaysalot]

@MamadouKane-w6f Yes, Chill Review here should speak out against both white and black cops who regularly murder or brutalize black folks, because if Chill Review did something else besides that, like remaining silent on police brutality, or worse yet, being a cop apologist, that wouldn’t be loving our own people very much, wouldn’t you agree?

[@absoul112]

3:57 the problem is none of them would say anything of substance. I think that anyone CAN critique any culture, but that doesn't mean anyone and everyone should. To me, the most important things are how informed the person is, their intent, and the critique itself.

[@Jade.Palace]

plus, the intentions behind the critique would be pretty nefarious. you think jordan peterson could make a critique of any culture without trying to grift his own brand of schizopsych? critiques in a vacuum are one thing, but i was always taught to “consider the source” insofar as “hm, maybe their words align with my beliefs, but the way they use their platform is damaging to people other than them”

[@absoul112]

@ I couldn’t have said it better.

[@davedunmire2278]

This is a really critical issue in our modern era! Thank you for taking your time to address peoples ability address and discuss issues. More people need to think about this.

[@balthier1706]

I’m more than willing to discuss the issues within my own culture. What bothers me is when the people willing to critique me for being the color I am, and point out all the negatives in my culture, are not willing to accept the same levels of critique. Healing the divide will require all sides to take a good long hard look on the mirror, and have an honest conversation with ourselves, and each other, about how we can all improve.

[@Riolu1209]

I agree with that statement, anyone who only criticizes but refuses to be criticized 9 outta 10 times just wants to be superior in some way. When we critique cultures that are not our own we have to be open to our own flaws of our own culture, I’m fairly critical of my country’s culture and would be willing to discuss the culture of my ethnic background. But there are also some cultures outside of my own that are relevant to me. In fact I’d be willing to say that’s true of most people in this day and age, where we are with others of various cultures

[@theclimbto1]

Anyone critiquing you for your color... is a racist. That's simple. That's kind of the definition of racism. Now... some one critiquing you for your actions... that's different. People should not do the first one. And people should not assume people doing the second one, are just doing the first one.

[@zacariasnelson5753]

Well for one, anyone criticizing you for your culture is already not acting in good faith unless you’ve already wronged them. A cultural critique has no place in being personal attacks or taken personally in terms of discussing the matter. If it becomes emotional then that’s something that should be between you and trusted people in your life

[@balthier1706]

@ i whole heartedly agree. I’m the kind of person who can discuss these issues academically. Other people however seem to take it as a personal attack.

[@FrankFreezy_]

I think you hit the nail on the head brother. Intent is the most important thing. Criticism that comes from the need to make progress will always be more welcome than criticism made to push an agenda against us. Great video and insights as always👏🏾 Buzz Lightyear🚀

[@AntedUpEntertainment]

Stumbled upon this video on the drive to work... Very well done.

[@just_your_localguard9612]

Communities aren't immune to criticism, just because someone didn't live it, dosent mean they can't point out flaws in that community. It's niave in my opinion to say "only my community allowed to criticize themselves".

[@SalikCollins]

You have to come correctly though. If your intention is just to criticize a culture when you don't actually know anything about it or haven't interacted with the people of that culture than yeah you will come off as ignorant.

[@SalikCollins]

@someanimefan5990 Honesty, I just sum it up by saying if you got nothing nice to say, then keep it to yourself. Personally, I don't think outsiders should criticize anyone's cultures.

[@douglasbriel6103]

Schultz made the mistake of having Whitney Cummings as a guest, then saying something incredibly stupid. She destroyed him on his own show. He had to surrender.

[@youtubesucks-z2d]

I like this video, well developed thoughts, presented in a good way

[@welshbandit7208]

Messenger is important. But also so is approach. And if you're outsider in whatever, you gotta make sure your approach is respectful and tactful, in order for that group to possibly hear you out.

[@joeclaridy]

If a tactless arrogant ignorant person had a message that would save your life, would you listen?

[@welshbandit7208]

@joeclaridy wrong person to ask that to chief 😆 I'm Gen Y, I'm all for "early retirement". And I'm petty too 😅

[@runescapist9710]

Another great video, I never comment but had to show some love. Very interesting perspective as always, your channel has such a unique and objective view on minor details in some of my favorite series. Your voice gives me a weird sense of calm, and reminds me of old adult swim (not sure why). Love your content, here’s to a great 2025!

[@chillreview636]

Hey - Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind words! As someone who grew up watching Adult Swim that's a huge compliment

[@runescapist9710]

@ love bro, keep up the good work and here’s to a great 2025 for you and your loved ones.

[@wififreedom3265]

You have a nice voice to listen to. thanks for the video!

[@mankey2919]

7:56 saying rap causes violence in the black community is like saying video games causes school shootings. Which can be a solid argument until we take into account the millions of people who aren’t compelled to join the military because they played COD as a kid. There may be black people who joins in on gang violence cause of media. But the argument doesn’t take into account the millions of rap fans who just live their lives simply being fans.

[@maxtheawesome4255]

But, if media has no influence, then things like Representation, kid's shows teaching good values and skills, etc must also be pointless, but we know it's not. People are influenced by media. People have been inspired to join the military from video games. But, it's not like it makes you crazy - it's somewhere in the middle. Influence. People generally become what they see whilst growing up.

[@SergeantMcClain]

⁠@@maxtheawesome4255thats why the narrator points out the issues, or what I like to consider dominoes, that help contribute to the environment that creates the conditions for the community that ultimately end with artists glamorizing the environment and conditions. To your point not every CoD player becomes a school shooter and not every person that listens to rap becomes a criminal… however it does reinforce thoughts that in some that can develop into those things. Which is no different than the positives its just the positives are the more desirable and usually less talked about outcomes.

[@anglosaxiphone8246]

​@@SergeantMcClainThat really is how it goes. The media you consume might be the straw that leads to bad things. It can also inspire good. What matters is the environment you are in and the experiences leading up to it. Characters like O-Dog from Menace to Society are a great example. He is an awful man but is beloved by many. To like O-dog for his writing is harmelss. To like O-dog because you think what he does is cool is what becomes dangerous. As a Mexican we have similar issues with our community having alot of criminal media be so popular and not realizing why people would judge us with such a broad brush.

[@ska187]

This shit argument never goes anywhere. “But what about the good ones?” Who cares? This has said about cops, guns, drugs, whatever. The question is that whether those things are considered big enough problems within the majority culture to consider action regardless if “millions of others” don’t want to.

[@ska187]

This argument is garbage. “But what about the good ones” has been made on so many topics from rap to guns to police to video games. What matter is whether the majority culture aka the people in power deem it necessary to take action on it. The “millions of good people” don’t matter.

[@kport6219]

Speaking as an African immigrant, I learned the hard way why it is typically unwise to critique a culture that you don't have extensive knowledge on. Something that typically tends to get left out especially when you lack knowledge is respect. I find outsider perspectives can be right in pointing flaws, but if they don't have knowledge to contextualize why the flaws exist, then their perspective would not be useful. An example is America's obesity/weight epidemic, it is easy to criticize everyone as eating too much or imbibing in too many unhealthy foods, but the reason it is an epidemic stems from the fact that large swathes of the population live in food deserts where they can't readily access healthy foods and the demands of their jobs and lives make it difficult to make the extra effort. An outsider having no context of a food desert would easily miss a key point in their analysis and easily come off as a privileged dick for expressing that point.

[@newperve]

Do you think they're is a very capitalist conspiracy to deny African-Americans healthy food? Do you imagine that every businessman, even the Black ones, are foregoing billions of dollars so black people eat badly? Unhealthy result causes the food desserts, not the other way around.

[@logangodofcandy]

Food deserts are a myth. Unhealthy food doesn't make you fat. Too much food makes you fat. Cheap food is calorie dense, which is good for poor people. Vegetables don't make you healthy and typically aren't even food. Rice, potatoes, beans, fish, meat, eggs, and milk are the majority of human food. "Food deserts" don't lack these things. I know what a food desert is, which is why I know they aren't the problem. Stupid people eating like morons is the problem. I used to work in grocery retail, and when the first of the month came around, all the sugary drinks, chips, cakes, and candy vanished off the shelves from FOOD STAMPS. These people want the shit they eat. They are solely to blame

[@br9760]

Great take.

[@pattonramming1988]

Which is by design

[@blackironseamus]

Wise words and something very deep to think about as a final note. Great vid

[@ivanbluecool]

Honestly what makes boondocks special is as you grow or learn I see different views on which character is right or wrong and even understand the satire of the situation Example the Rosa parks scene with granddad being the first to say no was basically a subtle node at how Rosa wasn't the first to not give up her seat and another lady was but nobody cares enough to support her until decades later The Tyler Perry jokes on light skin vs darker skin that boondocks funny enough fell into making ruckus the darkest guy and evil Or even how I don't like how boondocks takes the assault of men in jail as a joke for the most part especially now a days.

[@Gandhi_Physique]

"I'm 102% African, with a 2% margin of error" lmao

[@batistejames4539]

I love the video. I’ve been on a journey of stepping out of this box that i’ve been in for a majority of my life of things which you described in this video. Trying to be open-minded and being my own thinker and judge righteously and accordingly. I acknowledge that as of late, the culture has been on the downslope - the music, the public portrayals, idols and ideas. I support your thinking - regardless of those that disagree because it’s been a long time of waiting for people like you and many others to speak about these topics.❤

[@chosoistryinghisbest]

i think intent always matters. i think no matter how 'good' a point is, if it's being delivered maliciously, it doesn't matter how 'good' the critque is. i think of it like the quote "honesty without compassion is cruelty. kindness without honesty is manipulation." if your goal of honesty is to just be a jerk, then I think no matter what you say, it's cruelty and therefore I won't listen. you can't just be blatantly mean and disrespectful to someone and then tell them that they should deal with it because you're right. for example, "she has trust issues and that's why everyone leaves her. and it's probably because she doesn't have a father figure." if you have trust issues, it could lead to relationship problems. but the added part about not having a dad was thrown in to be mean. like it could apply to the person, but the way it's being brought up insensitively, makes you know that they only brought it up to be mean to this person. like the situation. maybe they were right, but their intent was to be mean and jab at someone, therefore even if there was good critque, i think it's meaningless because they don't say it to help anyone in the situation. but I also adhere to the second part too. let's say you go in the complete opposite direction and just say that nothing is wrong and that critque isn't needed. well now you're just delusional and that's also not helping. unfortunately, even if you want to keep the peace, it'll only make it harder in the future to correct mistakes. and soon they spiral into bigger issues. so these uncomfortable situations have to happen. i obviously think that people of a culture have the right (and the responsibility) to critique their own culture. but i think part of me is hesitant to say out loud that other people outside the culture can comment. Logically, with my whole comment I want to say others can critique others' cultures, but part of me is hesitant because of 2 things. 1) what do they know and understand? why should their opinions weigh the same (or even at all) as the people who actually are a part of the culture and spent their lives with it? 2) historically, misunderstandings of cultures has led to extremely bad things to happen to marginalized groups. at best, mild racism. at worst, genocide. why should outsiders keep getting a word.

[@Eurynomos326]

If an outsider critiques my culture, I weigh it less than a critique from the inside. If it cuts deep I might, emotionally, write it off outright. Cause 'they don't really understand how it feels, only how it looks'. But, yeah, I can't justify that rationally. Thanks for wording it so much better than I could.

[@PsychicFrogBoi]

It would be great if we could rely on intent, but then it just becomes "do we like the person?". People that are disliked ,that may have good points , will get dismissed on intent because people wont take the time of day to properly determine intent

[@donschamun273]

I've been a Boondocks fan since it was a newspaper cartoon and think the animated show is pure gold. My kid can't handle the patois without cringing and looking for a place to hide.

[@davidlong2338]

I say this as an autistic veteran who feels alienated from nearly everything. If you think your culture is above reproach, regardless of where that comes from, you're not much better than a zealot.

[@Bolt1105]

Wise words. As a young autistic man, trying to integrate into society, I think you’re absolutely correct. I think I’ve always held the belief that closing doors, any door, is a bad thing, and being blindly stubborn is entirely disgusting. I just never thought about culture that way, I don’t feel like I have a group culture, like race, religion, or any of the sort. Culture itself is still a concept I’m still trying to fully uncover. Outside of my family and isolated upbringing, it is an enigma.

[@Pacifist_chris]

Awesome video! Glad to see finally speaking about Kendrick, it’s been long awaited

[@asdghhjkkwoowri]

Thank you, Chill. Those last couple minutes of the video meant a lot to me

[@chillreview636]

Thanks for listening! Hope the new year is good to you

[@juju_stinson]

Thank you for the year chill, youve brought me to many realizations and confirmed or supported many ideas i have, your videos have helped me grow as a person as im transitioning into adult hood after turning 18 this year

[@chillreview636]

Happy to hear my videos could help you in some way! Thank you for making me feel old 😅 Congrats on making it to 18!

[@ElephantFilmWerks]

In retrospect it's a little too omnipotent for Ed Wuncler to know Robert's food would be so addictive it would destabilize the neighborhood and drive down property values.

[@mojus2890]

Robert's food represents drugs.

[@hewhobattles8869]

In the context of the episode, I don't think Ed Wuncler necessarily knew that Robert's food was addictive. Let alone that it would destroy the neighborhood. I think he just got lucky. But the overall message was that not only are there aspects of black culture that are not only destructive, but can be used be bad actors for their own advantage. In this case, it's a greedy capitalist who wants more property without having to pay a steep price. But that spot could've been filled by anybody. Up to and including members of the very same community they're taking advantage of. This may be a bad example, but the first thing that comes to mind is the priests who steal money from churches for their own benefit, knowing that some of those people barely had any money to give in the first place. It's almost as if they're drug dealers and the drug in question in belief and hope in God.

[@SergeantMcClain]

Especially since Ed Sr represents Regan/Bush and Ed Jr represents GW Bush. The subtext of the itis episode is almost directly an allegory to the crack epidemic in the 80s. Heck even Riley mentions that the Luther must be what crack is like

[@ElephantFilmWerks]

@@mojus2890 obviously

[@chrismanghane8731]

Wuncler believed letting a black person own a restaurant in that area would bring issues that would destabilize and lower property values. It being addictive is just Ronald Reagan's kiss on the cheek to billionaires.

[@mutzielen]

There's an interesting wrench that can be thrown into the conversation imo. Sometimes critique from those who genuinely hate you the most can be the most clear and accurate. They have the most motivation to find your flaws after all. I've seen some North Korean propaganda videos where they call out various elements of American culture, and I was left in a state of mild shock over how well they seem to understand exactly what we get wrong. They're totally blind to their own flaws, and blind to our positive traits, but they have a laser focus on what is wrong with the U.S. and they're right about most of it. It's very interesting.

[@thispincer8404]

To answer the video title: Anybody. Nobody gets to choose their critiques.

[@rjfax704]

that life instrumental got me haha, level headed stuff man, props

[@BobDole1216]

As a white person, I think that people are undeniably able to speak on whatever they want but people are also able to take or leave those opinions for any reason, and "you are not part of this group and will never have real insight into this experience" is one of the simplest and most valid reasons to not be interested in someone's opinion. Lill Bill recently mentioned in a video that he's not interested in hearing any white person's thoughts on hip-hop, even people like Professor Skye and Anthony Fantano, and that's a 100% valid stance. I think that the most important aspect is that if you *are* going to comment on a group you don't belong to, especially a marginalized group, you'd better a) come respectfully and with good intentions and b) be prepared to get checked when you fuck up and act out of line due to not knowing something

[@sanjayr]

Lil Bill can feel that way, but when it comes to Hip Hop, the earliest foundations of the culture were multi-racial and inclusive. Rap might have been and continue to be a black dominated arena of Hip Hop as a culture and if that's specifically what you mean (which is fair the two are often used interchangeably) i think that's fair, but the culture doesn't only belong to black people and i would argue the same is true for rap nowadays, which has become a multi-billion dollar globalized music industry.

[@calebangus4593]

@@sanjayrI don’t think its fair to say the culture doesn’t belong to black people. Should our culture be taken away from us just because its popular? This has happened multiple times to black people from whites taking rock and roll from us. We are fine with sharing the culture, but that doesn’t mean we should be fine with giving it up

[@dominiquesmith7680]

@@sanjayrRap and hip hop will always be owned and created by black people. Regardless of how big it gets, how inclusive it’s been, and how much it’s grown in diversity and inclusion. It’s a black dominated art form that was created specifically for and by BLACK PEOPLE with help of course from other groups of people. Whether it’s popular or not hip hop and rap will always be centered and focused around black people period

[@just_your_localguard9612]

​@@dominiquesmith7680it seems you guys forgot that the first rappers where white

[@just_your_localguard9612]

My opinion on it is no community above criticism, and I'm not gonna sugar coat it because they are a minority. Truth often hurts.

[@MegaDevilmaycare]

This is wonderful work. I wish more people could talk about these issues with such care and clarity. I hope your audience grows, because your voice needs to be amplified over the noise.

[@aaronmoore6275]

9:08 anything about Italian Americans you've got to say, I'm listening. I don't wear gold, I don't spousal abuse, and I don't talk with my hands. I won't be the reason people hate us.

[@Potentialtoothbrush]

I’m Italian American!

[@aaronmoore6275]

@gabsmarg4048 Paisan!

[@ftwsam2246]

As a Hispanic kid growing up I watched the boondocks because it was on Adult Swim and immediately got hooked on it. The Kelly trial had just finished and I thought it was the funniest spoof of a celebrity. And I'm glad that he eventually got arrested again.

[@wavelinkxp9826]

Whoa! You picked quite a topic to end the year on but it's definitely a good one! Hmm, I certainly feel some type of way when someone criticizes black culture with the goal of profiting off the discourse, which seems to happen a lot. That's said, as mentioned by you and the show, some of the culture is harmful and has become so normalized that challenging those ideas is not seen favorably, at least in my experience. People learn and grow on their own time and sometimes the best you can do is meet them where they are, lead by example, and let people know when they are ready you will be there.

[@chillreview636]

Yeah definitely could have picked a lighter topic 😅 but I'm just interested to hear what people think. I definitely see where you're coming from. My only worry is those who never learn and never learn to change and how that affects all of us.

[@wavelinkxp9826]

@@chillreview636 I wish I had a definitive answer to give, but it's a complicated issue. I don't think this problem will ever be "solved" but things will improve slowly as more people grow and share their experiences. Just look at the change in perception of mental health. It might not be this generation, but I believe that as we learn, we can pass on that knowledge to the generations after us who can do this same leading to some real positive changes.

[@ProudFilthyCasual]

The biggest problem I see with this thinking is, in the context of this topic, it isn't just black Americans dealing with the fallout of these issues that AG raises. So yeah, white people are going to have critiques too, because they also interact with and deal with black Americans. Just like plenty of black folks have plenty of critiques ready for white folks, does it delegitimize their critiques because they aren't a part of white culture? Of course not. There is a always going to be a history of interaction and experience with those other cultures....which is all just shades of American anyways. Nothing exists in a vacuum. Someone can try to draw that line and say only so and so can say anything about "us", but it's not going to stop the actual observations being made anyways, and it certainly doesn't make them wrong by default, as easy as that would make life.

[@FolstrimHori]

Thomas Sowell has been critiquing Black culture for years and yet no one seems to listen. So no I don't think intent matters. I think it's up to the listener to act upon criticism in a way that's actually productive, or even to listen to criticism in the first place.

[@TSLAYER34]

As somebody as myself, Hispanic always learn the good and the bad in the weird in every culture including my own. And I always love the topics of the negative or positive side of the culture and tried to understand it and learn from it because if we can’t bring this up soon as always, repeat itself over and over again. And that sometimes you always need a question that so thank you to bring this video up and it’s my first time seeing your channel so thank you not the only one I wanna talk about it.

[@Gandhi_Physique]

This is similar to something I thought about when I was in an honors class in college. They were a bunch of well to do white kids talking about how to help the black community in the local area. I mean, I'm definitely white, but I grew up with a lot of "aunts" and "uncles" and was around a lot of wild stuff. So, I know a little bit about how it is in those places. Basically, I asked them if they have even talked to any of the people they want to help. I asked them if they really thought anybody was going to listen to some white kids, or let them change something in a community they don't even know about other than having a weird, ignorant sympathy for the people. I figured the best way was to help inspire people from the area to want to take action to improve things. I feel pretty comfortable around black people, in a smart way ofc because I know what I look like. I feel out of place with my own "race" tbh. This said, I know the people I was coming up with ideas for knew nothing about me. I'm wasn't known around my college, it wasn't really mine or any of those other white kids' place. And nah, I don't care to critique any group, especially my own. It physically hurts to see racist white dudes or other white people acting like idiots. I feel like it will make people assume I'm like that off rip. I feel bad for people of every group that are trying to do good, then someone that looks like them decides to act a fool. Like c'mon man. I think critiques are fine, and they should come from a good place, but even if it isn't.. I think it is worth looking past the bad intentions and seeing if what they said really means anything.

[@GodwynDi]

So you're just a racist.

[@Oliver-ld3ei]

This was a really good video. Hope you have a happy new year!

[@Skinwalkerhunter-e8w]

I think it doesn’t matter who is critiquing what. Anyone can criticize anything. It’s about whether or not the critique is valid or not. If aliens came to Earth and started criticizing us. I wouldn’t give two shits where they are from I care as to whether or not what they are saying is true.

[@starlight5250]

This earned a subscribe from me. I personally think that anyone can critique or talk on a culture if it comes from the right place. From the right intentions. My favorite example from this is the movie Coco. The director was white, but loved the mexican culture so much the movie was basically a love letter to it. So much so that it even released in Mexico early than to the rest of the world because he believed the mexican people deserved to see it first. I love cool, calm, and provacative thinking like this video. Its such a nice change of pace from the normal shitshow that is politics, culture, and discussions.

[@bubbadumps3747]

If i need to be a part of a group to receive positive affirmations. Than i have failed myself. If someone needs to be part of a group to critique that group, that group is the one losing out.

[@WilkersonWhittle]

I really liked your video. A lot. Thanks.

[@ZanethMedia]

I’m sympathetic to guys like Schultz, Trump, Peterson, etc. But your point about criticism being taken the most seriously from within a group is crucial. I’m Catholic, and nothing bothers me as much as non-Catholics making criticisms of the Church when they have no intention of being charitable. I want to extend charity to every group and let steel men present themselves to produce the most edifying critique of each other we can so that we can all be the best version of ourselves.

[@EnderOfLight]

@someanimefan5990 Race and Culture are also very different things. A Culture is also a shared unconscious belief, as no one of any race is barred from engaging or being a part of anothers culture. So your comment literally doesn't make sense here. Unless you view race and culture as the exact same, which WOULD be saying that everyone of a race will unconsciously act the same/similarly (culture), which I think we would both be willing to disagree on.

[@EnderOfLight]

@someanimefan5990 I already understood all of that. But they are still separate at the end of the day. Your initial comment tried to make the distinction between race and religion, which is a correct distinction to make, however the og commenter seems to be making their comment based as a response to the culture aspect, since being catholic also comes with it's own culture. Given that the og commenter brought up their religion on a video about culture, it is safe to say that they are speaking from the culture angle of the religion, even when they bring up the church aspect, as the church can be seen as one of the roots of their culture. Thus it is comparative. Bringing up the difference between race and religion does nothing in this case, since it... 1) removes culture as the obvious connecting aspect from the equation and context for why the og commenter wrote what they did. 2) asserts that the culture aspect of black culture is uniquely about race, when it is in fact only circumstantially about race (it is still just a culture), which can be extrapolated by you not acknowledging the cultural aspect of the catholic religion, by doing what you did in point 1. You cannot change your race, but you can change your culture just as much as you can change your religion. Hell, you could even argue that it is easier to change your own cultural values than it is to change your religious beliefs, seeing as how religion often serves as a basis belief system for how the world works (with often times unprovable theories involved). So to summarize... Yes, I was aware of the dynamic going on with black american culture. No, it still doesn't matter in this case. You can't turn on when the culture is entirely defined by race, because the culture itself cannot be limited to race, it is only circumstantially connected to race, because culture is fundamentally a shared unconscious belief, not a genetic trait. As an extra clarification, in case it didn't get through already, Religion can also be split into 2 different aspect: Systemic Rules and Cultural Values. Systemic Rules are represented in direct scriptures which are equivalent to a soft application of "laws" according to the belief. Think of Systemic Rules as Collective Law. (What makes it a belief is that this Collective Law is not instated as an actual Law, but as a Moral baseline) Cultural Values are represented in the ways the people sharing the beliefs interpret their world. Think of Cultural Values as a form of Collective Consciousness. Like with black culture, the fact that you can split it up into 2 different aspects, does not eliminate the cultural aspect of both, which solemnly provides reason to be ABLE to draw comparisons. The Catholics aspect of "Collective Law" belief may be heavily tied to their culture in the same way that black american culture is so tied to race, and sure, those are some pretty different ties that aren't comparable. But what is comparable, is the fact that both have culture, which is the entire point of the video and comment section. You can get racist about it if you want with black american culture, just as much as you can get religious with catholic culture, but that doesn't mean that you necessarily have to, when talking about culture, which is very specifically the point here. Catholicism and black american culture are not similar because of the religious aspect of catholocism or the race aspect of "black american", but they are similar, like with any other type of culture in the entire world, by virtue of both being cultures.

[@jasonpaulino294]

I appreciate your thoughtful observations.

[@DocLunger]

The Boondocks will never die, nor get old.

[@chillreview636]

Realest thing I've read today

[@kylebowles9820]

There's two perspectives I like to hear about: the person who is deep in the culture and has good intentions for it, and the complete foreigner seeing it for the first time

[@Bolt1105]

Most of the time, they see similar things. It just depends on how introspective the cultured one is, and how cautious and curious the outsider is. The right combination is a perfect recipe for a nice conversation.

[@YusukeKnight]

Good discussion

[@Badmanpuntbaxter]

White dude here, I'm happy when other members of other cultures critique my culture and think it's a crucial element of creating a weave of cohesive harmony, mainly because so much of my culture's history has been colonial and dominant. That said, I don't think it needs to be a reciprocal relationship, seeing as there are things I'll never be able to understand (your chitlins example, for instance) and so I think when lacking adequate experience, we gotta do better at listening and platforming, rather than being that speaker ourselves. I think the more we work to understand each other though, the better off we'll all be. Really enjoyed this piece, and i saw from your description you're also an FD fan, the inspiration really showed, happy to be a new subscriber.

[@BlueHouseX]

like you said about young black men dying, yes i want critique everything but dam theirs so many factors that keep the culture the same because of so many outside factors, i hate hearing the yt ppl talking about our culture with no understing or blantly ignoring the outside factors

[@BlueHouseX]

@someanimefan5990 like y'all you should learn black history, to realize how horrible the US has been to the black community, and that y'all definitely would be treated even worse if black ppl didn't fight for equal rights, segregation, voting rights, brown vs the board of education and so on was in the mid 60

[@SalikCollins]

​​@someanimefan5990Its the same with yall. If you want to criticize black culture than you have to do your research and learn about it and actually interact with the people of that culture. Imagine a random person coming to a different country and started talking down on your culture without learning the history about it or learning about the people, how would you feel?

[@SalikCollins]

@someanimefan5990 Yes but my point is people who criticize black culture they come after an entire race of black people. I've seen then do that many times over and just be disrespectfully racist and ignorant.

[@n3verendR]

Divine Discontent I think may have been the phrase you were trying to grab at the end of the video. Subscribed!

[@SMACKu2b]

Anyone can critique any culture. That's all there is to it. A lot of times an outside perspective will bring a lot of light to things those on the inside turn a blind eye to.

[@naijahn13]

5:39 my answer to them would be, “what are you willing to do to help?”

[@xlixity]

_"What are you willing to sacrifice to let go and become a better you?"_ People can only help as hard as you allow.

[@redstoneactive6589]

Hearing that outro was really fun. You sound like someone that would be very fun to talk with. Definitely got a subscribe out of me

[@cschrisisthefresh18]

I think black culture is the only culture that people feel so emboldened to critique which is why we mainly feel defensive to begin with. When it comes to cultures outside of mine I just listen and learn however everyone wants to take and have a say about black culture but rarely do they ever try to educate themselves past slavery and MLK. So while I feel like criticism of our culture can be valid most of the criticism that isn’t from our own community is often rooted in misinformation and entitlement. If intentions are good then they wouldn’t critique but rather ask appropriate questions and doing proper research.

[@cschrisisthefresh18]

Great video btw

[@_Sloppyham]

I would push back on the idea that good intentions cannot come from criticism. I believe that is majorly overstepping here

[@canthandlenohandle]

Well said

[@xShadowChrisx]

people are way more emboldened to critique middle eastern culture, lol, with chinese and other stereotypes being close behind. You just notice the black culture critiques more cuz you have to live with them more.

[@haseebejazmusic9125]

I think its because there isn't any other struggle that has held popular attention for this long, at least since the 60s. Things have improved since then to a debatable degree, but the "struggle" seems to be at more of a fever pitch than ever. Then if you have blm protests that become riots and the violence and property damage isn't condemned by the supporters of the cause, but is excused and defended instead (and the police don't stop it either), then why wouldn't there be ill intentioned critique of the culture behind the movement?

[@chancelloryusuf]

You're spot on, it's intent that makes cultural critiques acceptable. Yeah, some cultures have serious problems but criticism has to be constructive and come from a pure heart. There are a lot of people out there who just wanna hate and if you aren't careful how you speak, people think you're one of the haters and dismiss everything you say. Thank you for concisely expressing what's been on my mind for years.

[@TeamNoAffiliation]

So, I believe the critiques should come from people inside said communities. Only because, if you haven't lived and grown up with certain things within said community, you'll miss major aspects of why certain things happen within the community. The full experience can build a better critique.

[@chillreview636]

That's a great point. I do think there's something to be said for how being too close to something can blind you to certain aspects of it though. An outsider might bring a prespective that someone within the culture never considered because that perspective didn't exist within that culture.

[@Danosauruscrecks]

I'd agree if that was a two way street. Seems to only work in one direction tho

[@th3wilmeister486]

I really like this question of "who can critique the culture" especially in an era where communication is so accessible and quick to the point where anyone can view many differing views of any culture or offer their own critiques. There are three notable instances of a critique of a culture that come to mind: Luther's nailing of the 95 theses, Galileo supporting Copernicus's heliocentric model, and the proven irrationality of the square root of 2 within the Pythagoreans. Luther was a devout Catholic and only desired reform within the Catholic church before creating his own. Galileo was also a Catholic even though his work was labeled as heretical. It is believed that Hippasus of Metapontum, a member of the Pythagorean Society, discovered a proof of the irrationality of the square root of 2. Math nerd fact for us, but it caused the Pythagorean culture to dissipate. Their whole background was mathematics, and it was a widely held belief that all numbers must be rational. It's a whole fun story in history, I promise. All that to say that I find that WIDESPREAD cultural change can only happen within a culture. This is my opinion, and I support it with those previous examples and some personal observations. Anyone can critique a culture, but experienced voices tend to be the ones that sway the people. Cultural genocide and cultural assimilation are all too real and all too evil, and these are the only exceptions I make regarding my opinion. I am open-minded and curious to hear if anyone has an example where an "alien" to a culture provided a critique that was well regarded by those within the critiqued. Great video btw. I really enjoyed your discussion, opinion, and choice of speech over a delicate topic. Side note: I'm curious as to what keeps you coming back to GNX. I enjoy reincarnated and wacced out murals but I find the whole album a bit difficult to enjoy. Maybe part of it is because I'm not in the culture (ik, hard to believe the white guy was the one talking about math, Catholicism, and the Renaissance) but I'm curious to hear what you enjoy from Kendrick's latest album (I'm a bit of a music geek).

[@ivanbluecool]

Honestly everyone should be allowed to critique something fairly. I always felt when you silence a voice before it's heard you are basically indirectly saying you are afraid of what is to be said Let someone with uncle ruckus level of hate say what they say as long as everyone listening knows this is not something right.

[@DSPHistoricalSociety]

Agreed.

[@chillreview636]

Great point! The only thing that I see as dangerous with allowing everyone with an opinion to be heard, is that the more charismatic of the Ruckus types can influence the more gullible of us out there and radicalize them to their side.

[@ivanbluecool]

@chillreview636 yeah that can be a problem but on the other end we may get people like mlk that could have made a change if given the chance to speak.

[@idontknowanymore2515]

But how will everyone know it's bad though?

[@DSPHistoricalSociety]

@idontknowanymore2515 that's why free speech is so important. People will line up to critique bad ideas- people love being right and feeling smart

[@TheBatmanMan1]

I’m a white guy who spent a few years working maintenance in the Air Force with a very diverse group (White, Black, Latino, Asian, etc.) It was a relatively large group of us, nearly 30, and all between the ages of 18 and about 35. (I was in my mid 20s at the time, so this was about 10 years ago) We all got along great, and I think it’s because all of us could take a joke just as good as we could dish one out. Everyone was aware of every stereotype and we didn’t deny their existence, nor did we try to deny the fact that they were usually pretty spot on. I remember one of my supervisors, a large black man, had his desktop background set as a bunch of pictures of fried chicken, watermelon, and kool-aid. We got inspected by the equivalent of “Air Force HR” and they asked who in the shop set his background as that so they could deal out the proper disciplinary paperwork. They didn’t know how to respond when he told them he had made it and set it himself. As the white guy I leaned pretty hard into my own stereotypes. (again, most of which were true). I was and still am happily married to my high school sweet heart, I asked her permission before going out with the fellas and would be home before it got too late. I couldn’t always hang out because I would stay home and help with the kids. I listened to oldies and absolutely no rap or hip-hop (look for “that’s hip-hop lady” on KZbin), I’d get the most plain thing on any menus and couldn’t handle anything spicy what-so-ever. Basically anything I did was met with a look and a “man, you’re white” and I’d reply with a smile and a big ole thumbs up. All this to say, there was one weird time where I didn’t really know what to say. I was talking with two guys in the shop, one from Mexico and one from Puerto Rico, and we were talking about culture. And one of em looked at me and said - with complete honesty, no joking and no maliciousness - that I wouldn’t understand any of it because whites don’t have a culture… To be honest I was pretty taken aback and didn’t really know how to respond, so I just didn’t and let their conversation continue. It’s weird for me personally, because I know there are plenty of white cultures that have plenty of traditions, cultural norms and everything that goes into it… but for me personally, I actually don’t. My parents are southern and so I grew up with a lot of those southern things, but I never really embraced a lot of them because they just weren’t for me. I don’t put a lot of emphasis on manners and I refuse to eat the meal of ham, collards, and black-eyed peas for new years. Also grits are disgusting and I’m not a big tea person. Basically I’ve never really been a part of any culture. My wife and our kids do our own things in our own ways, so when I was told that I don’t have any culture, I was more conflicted as an individual than as a white guy. Guess I don’t have much to add to this in terms of conversation, but the topic got me thinking about this…

[@Darthdoodoo]

Saying a white guy cant say anything about black women because they are not part of the culture is goofy. We have to live with them too they are part of our world why aren't we allowed to make our own observations and jokes that's bull shit

[@just_your_localguard9612]

I believe this is true about everything, stereotypes exist for reason

[@chillreview636]

People are allowed to joke, and people are also allowed to not find those jokes funny. I think that's fair

[@Darthdoodoo]

@@chillreview636 sounds like a deal 🤝👍

[@tommycooper4541]

@@just_your_localguard9612 they exist because idiots like you believe them, if you don't live or understand a different group of people experiences it's easier keeping your ignorant mouth shut.

[@GMAN789]

This entire video can be summarized with the basic universal rule of “don’t be a jerk”.

[@Tobi58731]

This is a great take, and it is absolutely a difficult thing to critique with positive intent just as it is difficult to hear critiques from certain people who you may not deem to know what they are talking about. It is not reasonable to assume, especially in the US with many diverse and historical blemishes, that someone could just put everything to the side and exclusively think rationally but it is good to understand that natural friction regardless of what side of the argument you may be on. In the US, one thing I do not think people realize very often is the scale of the difficulty in existing in a society full of highly diverse cultures and how it takes purposeful and deliberate thinking and acting to ultimately break down barriers between people. Thanks for sharing this thought-provoking video!

[@lashawnware3191]

I appreciate the example from "The Itis" episode. That was one that always stuck with me when I gained a bit more political awareness from when I was a child. The point that I feel should be touched on when it comes to Huey's reaction to our culture being "destructive" is that Huey is the logical equivalent of Riley. He can and will be on some bullshit at times, especially on many of his logical critiques. That's why it's extra funny when one of the Puerto Rican (at least, I think he's Puerto Rican, I not going back that far to be accurate right now) cooks gives a brief history lesson on Black/Soul Food. The best part is, the cooks answer is low key the answer to the question you posed. He did engage with the conversation with a seemingly more nuanced position than the two people deeply entrenched in the culture did. It also didn't even come off as a critique. He said something along the lines of "I don't really think anyone is supposed to eat those parts of the pig," and he says it not because he's being condescending, but he's acknowledging that Black folks got the shit end of the stick (metaphorically and... literally tbh). You said you don't think you'd receive what Huey said well IF it came out of Andrew Schulz' mouth, but I still hate it from Huey's mouth in the present. I just also think that's the point. It isn't about if other folks should be able to come thru and critique the culture because that exchange of ideas is honestly great and needed at times. It just all matters on how folks approach the conversation. On the other side, sometimes we need to check and/or tune out some of the people in our own community because they're either ill-equipped at the moment to engage with the subject in the way it needs to, or they're jaded for some numerous potential reasons relating to the culture. Huey was low key both. The all kind of got recalibrated and growth happened at the end of that episode. Critique in the most potentially literal sense of the word probably can happen, but it more than likely shouldn't. I doubt the level of understanding someone has who believes they can give 'critique' from an outside perspective, particularly when it isn't asked for (though it's not impossible). But some actual interest in engagement for culture exchange would probably go great. Questions always seem to work better.

[@seanrshivers]

Positive, helpful and informed. A big part of the criticism of other cultures is that that criticism doesnt come with any actual understanding.

[@maidenreligion12]

A point I heard from another KZbinr that can tie into this is that we're far less likely to listen to someone we don't like, even if we agree with what they're saying. We will argue with them on the principle that we dislike them. And the opposite is true as well. We're more likely to listen to those we like even if we don't agree with their points. This ties into culture because we naturally tend to have more positive opinions of those who look like us and think like us. Of those who can share and relate to our experiences. It's a survival instinct that has and continues to shape our cultural landscape. The 'looks like us' part especially since two people with the same skin tone could have wildly different cultures, but our brains will still lump them together as if they are the same thing. Even if the critiques and intent are the exact same, those from "outside" cultures are more likely to be seen as an attack. "They can never understand what we go through because they haven't lived it." It's the instinct to protect you and yours, even if it doesn't quite fit in a modern world I think it also doesn't help that in America, we've over corrected from our racist past. Now it's more socially acceptable for anyone to criticize white and light skinned people, whereas if the opposite happens the opinion is at best thrown out as racist, and at worst the person's life and/or career is ruined because they dared to speak up about something, intent be damned.

[@Khwerz]

Anybody can critique culture, whether they accept it is another thing. This is why I love comedy so much, it cuts through those defenses, it doesn't matter where a joke comes from, if it makes you laugh, you'll maybe get retrospective and change your mind.

[@dragonheart5312]

"You know them by their fruits". If they have the virtues of the spirit and they're actions have good outcomes, then nothing needs to be changed. Never be held back by "the culture". The culture changes with the environment. What matters is what works, what doesn't, and what you need to change within YOURSELF. You can't change others, but you can be an example for others to follow

[@JimmNeutricity]

A discussion in good faith with someone willing to listen.

[@OliverCovfefe]

I’m a white guy raised in a mixed neighborhood, I absolutely agree. Nobody wants to recognize good intent anymore because there’s those who take advantage of it, but it’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater. We ALL need honest critique, critique which recognizes the good intent on both sides of the one saying it and the one being critiqued.

[@bardiboi1517]

For the longest time, I was confused by the negative stereotypes of black people because the most influential black people in my life were our neighbors, and they are some of the best people I've ever known. Someone would say something about it and I'd think back to my experience with their jolly father, loving mother, and friendly boys. I could confidently say, "No, that's wrong." I wish I could still be as confident about that as I was. What a wonderful world that would be.

[@ericwahl733]

This question is a massive question in the field of intercultural studies. The usual answer from the phds in the field is that only those within the culture are able to accurately critique the culture. However, my professors also argued that there are objective standards to which all cultures should be held to.

[@kirkdarling4120]

So, by their teaching, there's nothing critical we can say with validity about the German culture of the 1930s and early 1940s...yet, they'll do it anyway when they want to. Okay, folks, we got you.

[@TheHotjdog]

Dope a new channel for me to binge

[@christopherthomas2808]

To me, its concern over conviction to be right isn't necessarily enough but to speak from a place of understanding and concern without allowing the feeling of conviction to over what you're trying to express allows people to receive it better.

[@DudesterGX]

As someone with with a latino immigrant parent and a Puerto Rican parent, Ive never really received push back on any critiques of the culture. Cultural Adjacency I feel also helps process critique. Like me chatting with my black friend about the treatment of gay people and women in the Latino community and mentioning that its both a trend across most if not all cultures including his, but also that because our cultures have been actively targeted in the past to be torn down by outsiders critiquing them is now much harder as it feels the only way is for it to be done from the inside.

[@girlintraining]

hey, just subscribed. I'm white, queer, and our community has very similar struggles; Probably not a surprise to you. Tribalism is tough to grapple with. Class awareness in America is... low... to say the least. "Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We can not. We must not. We will work to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this Earth, should treat each other. Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe." - T'Challa I just wanted to say - You reach for better, even if it doesn't always pan out. Keep doing that.