An Analysis of the Word Nigger and It’s Current Effect
“Do words effect our psychological state, analysis of the word Nigger, & it’s current effect”
When I was a child, myself and my friends use to have a saying, sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me. As I’m beginning to enter the matrix so to speak, and take a look at this double edge sword, my thoughts are to, only spark more conversations. Conversations centered towards the psychological, and mental conditions of the Black Man, Black Woman, and Black Children in the diaspora.
More importantly how does the term/word nigger really affect us in the 21st century, with the social political, and mental warfare on the horizon. Stay with me, I know it may seem like my thoughts are all over the place, but it will make sense at the end of this article.
To this day, I still see the conversation and debate over the term Nigger, or as Black people use the slang term “Nigga” As a youth In my middle school class we was asked a question, by our teacher, why do we use the term Nigga, if it’s offensive when White/European people use it. Every child in the class including myself had the same response.
We replied; it’s a term of endearment, taking a word that was meant to be negative & turning it into a positive. She was shocked to hear the responses, because at that moment, she realized little black children were not disrespecting each other like she imagined.
Now I won’t sit here and analyze or debate the historical use of the word, anyone can research it’s origins, and it’s intended meaning to be that of a negative, and racial slur. In Richard B Moore’s book “The Name Negro, Its Origin and Evil Use” it’s argued that this term came from slavery. I won’t argue that, nor will I protest to be pro-advocate of the use of the word, even though I admittedly, still use the word sometimes.
I want to look at the psychology and perspective on how Black People feel about themselves period, and the many social-political, and economic challenges we face. Then correlate that to this one word, some people still get their gears grinded up, from hearing it.
Words have power only by re-enforcing those words by actions, which has an effect on the psyche. I can argue the fact that positive words, often can make no one feel anymore positive, but instead it’s the actions, of positivity towards one, to re-enforce the notion of positivity.
For example: If one were to call a Black Man “King”, or Black Woman “Empress” all day, 365 days a year, yet they live in extreme poverty, have no means of income, can’t manage to feed their families, have no generational wealth, have no higher education. Would they really feel like a King or Empress? That is the challenging question we must begin to explore.
There are rich Black people who use the term Nigga, but yet if you ask them how do they feel, they might say they feel on top of the world. The White/ European man historically has been known to conquer and spread his/her will all over this planet, yet till this day, he/she has been called everything under the Sun, even called the Devil, who is mythologically supposed to be the most wicked, and evil spirit, in a pseudo Christian perspective. That still has not shaped how the European has urges to stay in power, or how they view themselves when they wake up in the morning. The European understands that words, and their meanings are subject to change, so it doesn’t effect them.
So in the 21st century why is Black people still having this conversation about the word Nigger, Nigga , Negro? We should be more concerned with improving our conditions through means of economic development, we should have a set agenda, as other tribes/creeds/races of people.
The Chinese/Asian man doesn’t care if you call him a “Chink” because he has establish businesses, and he doesn’t depend on a job where he punches into someone else’s payroll. They’re goal orientated people, and they get their goals accomplished.
Black people calling each other Nigga in my opinion, is as lethal as stabbing someone with a rose. We lack the ability to focus on the bigger picture, and focus on empowerment. Words don’t hold power, it is our actions, en motion that displays power.
My mother use to always tell me not to curse, because curse words were bad, yet my mother use to curse (She’d kill me for telling this, may she rest well with the ancestors)
As I got old enough, I started to ask myself, what person, council, organization, f**king cursed these words? (Food For Thought)
I never got a logical answer to my question, yet when I think back to my teacher asking my friends in my class that question, about why we use the word nigga, it became clear. People control the meaning of words, negatively, and positively. It can be subject to change at any given moment, as long as, a consensus of people agree.
We (The Youth) took a negative word, and made it a non-negative word. Even had suburban European kids calling themselves the word, we took control of the word, and used it so much, to where even when it was used as a negative connotation, it held no power in the negative.
This age old debate over the word usage should come to an end. We as a people need to be manifesting our desires into reality, focusing on goals, and accomplishing those goals. The real subject, we should be disgusted with, is why are Black People conforming to, and comfortable living in poverty?
I certainly hope these are the issues we begin to change, in this capitalistic society we all are living in. I certainly hope we can lay this age old subject to rest, with a word we have taken control over. We shape our own reality, we are the creators, whether it be linguistic, or everything else under the Sun.
Until next time, these are my thoughts, and I hope you enjoyed the thought provoking words.
Peace
Khufu.
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