Escaping From The Land Of Urban Primitivism

EPJ has published articles on Urban Primitivism. (See here.)

It’s true: The public education system, minimum wage laws, drug laws are working together to keep the Black man down. I will address these at another time.

In this post, however, I want to talk to the Urban Primitives that want to escape the Land of Urban Primitivism (LOUP). Even when the state is working against you, there are certain things that you can do to help you get out of LOUP and into a more civilized society.

1. Understand that once you escape LOUP, you are going to have to associate with educated and articulate Whites, Asians, Hispanics, and Blacks, to name just a few of the people that you will meet. The main thing to understand is NOT that these people come from every race and nationality; the main thing to understand is that these people are educated and articulate.

Now, I am not saying that you need to be intimidated by this. I am saying that you need to recognize that you are no longer dealing with people from the hood. You must always understand your audience.[amazon asin=1620877112&template=*lrc ad (right)]

If you find yourself in a social gathering and you do not know your audience, your best bet is to remain silent and get an accurate lay of the land. Do not open your mouth and confirm your ignorance. If you feel the need to make conversation, ask other people about themselves, because people love that particular topic of conversation.

I remember being in a room filled with wealthy and professional people. It was on a Sunday, and the next day, I was beginning my first day of law school.

I was a young kid. I was listening to two older guys, one doctor and one lawyer. I remember saying something. I don’t remember what it was, but I remember that the two older guys looked at me like I was a fool.

After that, I learned my lesson. Listen to people. Let them talk. If they are talking foolishness, and if you have the ability and skill to shut them up, go for it. But, you probably won’t have this ability immediately upon your escape from LOUP. That’s ok; take your time and be patient.

Remember, you are new to the civilized world. People are going to be wary of you because of your background. Don’t rebel against this, for it is a fact. There will be time to change people’s minds once your escape from LOUP is[amazon asin=1594037256&template=*lrc ad (right)] complete.

2. If you are escaping from LOUP, then you must leave all of LOUP behind. What I mean is this: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, P Diddy, Jay-Z, Nelly, Kanye West, Pit Bull, Ice Cube and Lil’ Wayne are NOT escaping from LOUP. They have made enough money so that they can walk in both worlds. I would hazard a guess that 50 Cent doesn’t even know what it means to diagram a sentence. But, he doesn’t care; he can diagram a rap, and he has made more money doing that than any of his Grammar teachers.

If you can rap or play with some sort of ball or have some other streetwise skill that allows you to make a lot of money, then you do not need to escape LOUP. You can live in LOUP or visit it whenever you want.

If, however, you are not a rapper or baller, there are certain things about LOUP that you must leave:

A. Stop saying, “You know what I mean?” In LOUP, the answer, which is always unspoken, is usually, “Yes.” Outside of LOUP, the answer, which is also unspoken, is, “No.”

Since “No” will be the answer in the civilized world, you do not need to ask the question. Instead, make sure that you are clear in what you are trying to say. If you want to make sure that you have effectively communicated [amazon asin=081791255X&template=*lrc ad (right)]your point, you can ask, “Do you understand what I am saying, or have I lost you?” Or, you can ask, “Did I make myself clear, or did I confuse you?”

In general, please make sure that you are asking a legitimate question and not simply providing unnecessary conversation filler.

B. Please make sure that you know how to pronounce certain words. For instance, the word is “ASK” not “AXE.” For instance, you ASK your boss for a raise; you do not AXE your boss for a raise. The first use means that you entered your boss’ office and requested more money for your services. The second use means that you took a farming instrument/tool and then used that tool on some part of your boss’ body in an attempt to get more money for the services that you rendered.

In the first instance, your boss will either say “Yes” or “No.” In the second instance, your boss will be dead.

C. Do not use the word “fittin,” as in, “I am fittin to go to the store.” First, there is no word “fittin;” the word is “fitting” or “fitted.” Often, it is used in this context: “I am visiting the tailor to get fitted for a suit” or “The bridesmaids were all present for the fitting.”[amazon asin=B006VK6Y5I&template=*lrc ad (right)]

3. Speaking of the word “fit,” please wear clothes that fit. The waist of your pants should fit around — brace yourselves for this — the waist of your body.

People do not want to see your pants around your ankles, and no one wants to see your nasty draws. (By the way, do not talk like this unless it is clear that you are talking in an Urban Primitive way in order to make a point or a joke. You know what I mean?)

4. Realize that people will call you an Uncle Tom or a Sellout or an Oreo or something else like that. Do not concern yourself with these people, especially if they are still living in LOUP. If people are like you and they are trying to get out of LOUP, they won’t have this attitude.

In other words, you are going to need to get different friends. This may sound harsh or callous, but the fact is that bad company corrupts good character. You need new and different influences in your life. Otherwise, you will not be able to escape LOUP.[amazon asin=B00HPRWUR2&template=*lrc ad (right)]

5. Because it is going to be difficult to get a job, you should prepare to volunteer at a place where you want to work. For instance, if you want to work at Starbucks, volunteer at Starbucks to take out their trash and to keep their cream/sugar/napkin area clean. If you want to work at a school, volunteer to do something, anything.

Volunteering will do several things: 1. It will help you to gain a skill; 2. It will teach you how to work for other people; 3. It will help you be grateful when you finally get a paying job.

6. Learn how to say, “Thank you!” When you are thankful, it helps your own heart, and it also makes an impression on the person whom you thank.

Recently, a guy delivered pizza and related food items to my home. The cost was $70. I tipped him $20.

After he left, I got a phone call. It was the delivery guy. He thanked me for the generous tip.

The next time I order pizza from that restaurant, I want that guy coming to my door.[amazon asin=B005S28ZES&template=*lrc ad (right)]

It will be the same with you. Always do a good job and always tell people “Thank you for the opportunity.” or “Thank you for the tip.” or “Thank you for holding the door open for me.” Learn to be a person of gratitude.

7. Learn about economics. Got to Mises.org and read as much as you can. Listen to as many podcasts as you can. Other great sites are the Economicpolicyjournal.com and Lewrockwell.com.

8. Never, never, never be late. Too many Black people show up on CP (Colored People) time. This is rude and inconsiderate.

I have been late, and when I was, I was rude and inconsiderate.

If you are going to be late, make sure that you call or alert the person/people that you are supposed to meet and apologize.

9. Wear a button-down shirt. I am a Black guy, and right now, I am wearing a black t-shirt and a jacket. But, I am not escaping from LOUP. If you want to escape from LOUP, you need to change everything about your appearance. Wear nice shirts. Wear khakis. Get some dress socks. Get two or three pairs of dress shoes. Wear a belt. Make sure that the color of your belt matches the color of your shoes. Make sure that the color of your socks matches (or is darker than) the color of your pant leg.

People are going to judge you by your appearance. If  you look like an Urban Primitive, people are going to treat you like an Urban Primitive. You have one chance to make a first impression. Make sure that it is a good one.

10. Do not have unprotected sex. Since I am a Christian, I would counsel you to not have sex at all until you are married, and I would counsel you to not get married until you and your spouse have the financial ability to sustain a family (the two of you plus one child).

But, if that’s too much to ask, at the very least, use protection. Having a child before you are ready will almost destroy your chances of escaping LOUP.

There are more tips in order to escape from LOUP, but these are a pretty good start.