In case you missed it, Rust movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after the fatal on-set shooting death of actor Halyna Hutchins. Alec Baldwin, who will be facing trial for pulling the trigger, might be facing some prison time too.
This article was written by Jermaine Reed, MFA, founder of TheReedersBlock.com. Follow and subscribe for more.
You’ve probably had a report or essay due within a day, which happened to be the day after a hard night out. With a headache booming in your skull, you sat down at the computer, queued up the ChatGPT app and instructed it to write a paper. And then you saw the errors or inconsistencies. If not you, your supervisor or professor did. Ai is not magic for writing a paper or professional document, but if you use it as a tool and not a crutch, it could be the greatest tool you’ve used.
I once asked an Ai bot about the Supreme Court’s overturning of abortion, and the Ai assured me abortion laws hadn’t been overturned, but they had. The decision had happened less than a week earlier, and when I told the Ai bot this, it corrected itself. This shows how out of date some of the information is that Ai might distribute.
The above noted, in order to successfully use Ai for writing, you have to have a basic understanding of writing or at least research. Although Ai might make very few grammar or punctuation errors, this technology is prone to making errors in information. Part of the writing process is research and double checking the accuracy of your sources and information.
When using Ai, you must double check the information as you would behind a human. Doing so ensures you do not submit an informationally flawed document. Without doing your due diligence, you run the risk of being called out by your supervisor, teacher or professor.
If Ai writes a paper for you, it might miss documenting who the sources are, what kind of source it is, where it came from and other crucial information. Failure to cite your sources puts you at risk of plagiarism or creating a weak document. You could be barred from college for a plagiarism accusation.
To be more successful, instead of having Ai write an entire paper for you, use it to help you build an outline and retrieve sources. With an outline, you know what your paper will be about, the primary topics and what thesis you want to prove. Although Ai can write enough words to complete an essay, it cannot create a flowing document that makes sense end-to-end, but you can.
Ai can be a powerful tool in writing, but only if used as a tool and not a crutch. Misusing Ai technology could lead to your being disciplined by your supervisor or professor. Always double check the information given to you by Ai, and be careful in how you employ it.
The IRS is Profiling Using Identity Verification
This article is about how the IRS identity verification process unfairly targets people of color. For instructions on responding to a request by the IRS to verify your identity, you can skip to the end of this.
The IRS has adopted some policies such as the PATH (Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes or, as it should be called, Pestering Americans with Tricks and Heists) Act and identity verification requirements for certain filers. These two policies are crippling lower income taxpayers the most and unfairly profiling people of color, primarily African Americans.
Why Verify
The IRS claims it asks some people randomly to verify their identity to protect the taxpayer from identity fraud. However, when digging a little deeper, it’s easy to find out who the IRS targets for identity verification. People who recently moved might be asked to verify their identity. Primarily, it seems the IRS is going after people who have been recently released from incarceration, and a great number of those people targeted happen to be African Americans.
The Ole IRS Runaround
Verifying your identity seems like it would be an easy thing to do, but it’s just a roadblock the IRS is using to withhold a taxpayer’s earned income. The IRS is asking taxpayers to verify their identity through ID.me, but ID.me is a useless, poorly functioning site. When a person goes to verify their physical identity, the program used by ID.me repeatedly instructs the user to find better lighting. However, in most cases, the picture won’t take, and the user has to do a live verification with ID.me, and the video call fails so much so as to prevent the user from ever completing the process.
The next available meeting with the IRS is over a month and a half away.
Even once a taxpayer verifies their identity, they have to verify it again through IRS.gov/verifyreturn. Well, technically, it’s “verifying the return”, but identifying information is still asked. The issue is, one or two mistakes and the site blocks the user from going any further. The site instructs the taxpayer to call the IRS or to schedule a visit. Most times, when the taxpayer calls the line concerning refunds related to identity verification, the automated service makes note of the high call volume before noting the IRS can’t handle the call and then abruptly ending the call.
When the taxpayer calls to schedule an appointment, they experience another high call volume and long hold. If the caller is lucky to make it pass the automated voice, they ended up with a representative who tells them the next available meeting with the IRS is over a month and a half away and miles away from home.
The PATH Act and all rules regarding identity verification must be repealed.
In 2022, the IRS gave this similar runaround to over 4 million taxpayers, and half of those taxpayers did complete the process. The ones who did not complete the process are the ones who couldn’t meet the demands of the IRS or just couldn’t understand the instructions.
A person recently released from incarceration might not have a fixed address, legal identification documents, a steady phone number or reliable transportation. People in these circumstances are waiting on their tax money to change their living situation, afford transportation to work or to buy the necessities of life. Calling the IRS repeatedly and searching for letters is not something they are able to do. On top of being in an uncomfortable living situation, they have to do the IRS runaround. This has to be stopped.
IRS by the Numbers
For fiscal year 2022, the IRS collected over $4.9 trillion dollars in taxes. The IRS for that same year issued out over $641.7 billion in tax refunds. Of the over four million taxpayers asked to verify their identity, over 2 million did not finish the process. Conservatively, if those taxpayers were supposed to collect just $2,000 each, that’s a total of $4 billion the IRS is withholding under the guise of “identity verification”. That’s a large number. But it’s a number easy to overlook, since it’s small in comparison to the over-$600 billion the IRS paid out in tax returns. However, those two million people are taxpayers nonetheless, and the identity verification acted only as a roadblock to prevent these taxpayers from collecting what’s owed to them. The question really becomes what the IRS is doing with these funds they are refusing to turnover to taxpayers. The answer is vague at best.
The Fix
The PATH Act and all rules regarding identity verification must be repealed. The government is unfairly profiling certain demographics of taxpayers. This profiling is harming taxpayers who happen to be people of color, primarily African American people. Someone once called for defunding the IRS. If the IRS can’t return money as easily as it takes it, then maybe as a country it’s time to consider doing something that makes more sense than supporting an organization that is doing more harm than good to some people.
These are the steps to respond to an IRS request for identity verification. Note that I am not a tax expert, and this is general information. For more information on this, visit IRS.gov.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
Every so often, your phone chimes with a message from a friend requesting a ride or a family who needs money until payday or somebody in need of something. You’re in bed eyes half open or at work stressing over a deadline on a project you don’t nearly understand enough. But you stop and try to fulfill whatever request was made of you. Don’t. Being selfish is sometimes the most unselfish thing you can do.
When you’re flying, you’re instructor to put on your own oxygen mask before attempting to put on the child’s mask who might be with you. It sounds selfish, but putting yourself first could save you and the child. The logic is, if you’re struggling to put the child’s mask on before your own, you both could perish. If you put on your own first, you could more easily put on a child’s who might be a bit fussy or panicked. The same applies in life.
The best thing you can do for anybody else is be stable, healed and happy. The longer you delay your own happiness, the greater psychological risk you put yourself in. Without proper self-care, you’re under pressure that has nowhere to go. You know what happens when pressure builds up in pipes.
If every time you have a little extra cash you lend it out to a friend or family member who never or seldom pays it back, you’ll never have any savings. The people who are asking you for loans are the same people who won’t be able to give you one if you ever need one. As selfish as it might seem, you have to ask yourself what that person can do for you in the case you have an emergency. If it’s nothing, reconsider doing favors for them.
Sometimes, when somebody close to you asks you for a favor, you feel a pain in your chest saying no. A certain sense of guilt makes you cave like a hidden sandpit. You don’t owe anybody anything, and there are ways to say no without hurting feelings.
If a friend asks you for a ride more than what you’re comfortable with, you could mention a place where they could rent or buy a car. You could suggest services like Uber or Lyft. You could also just tell them how you feel. If they can’t accept honesty, they’re not your friend anyhow.
Furthermore, the same applies in all situations. If there’s a person asks for loans too often, direct them to an app like Earny to borrow money or suggest some other lenders. The purpose is to have that person seek the favor from a professional service that doesn’t involve you or your money.
Self-care is vital, and it’s something we don’t get to do often enough between jobs, families, school or other obligations, but it’s something you must do. You can do it any way.
When you think of self-care, you probably envision being kicked up on a sunny beach catching a tan in Dubai. Although that would be nice, it doesn’t need to be done in any specific way that cost you thousands of dollars. You could crotchet, look after your plants or just eat a carton of ice cream as you binge watch the latest episode of your favorite reality show.
You could also practice self-care with a licensed professional. Talking to a therapist is something you might find value in. You can talk to them about anything, they won’t judge you and your conversations are private and legally protected. There is always somewhere to go to get off your chest what you need to.
Self-care is important, and you can start doing it by being more selfish. It’s OK to say no. This is how you set boundaries and protect yourself. Sometimes, God and yourself is all you will have. Reach for those who reach for you.
This article was written by writer and site creator J. Reed, MFA. Subscribeand share.
Recently, the 2002/2003 beef between legendary rapper Eminem and Benzino reignited. With it came the re-sparking of emotions related to a song called “Foolish Pride” by Eminem in which he disparages Black women. Some have said this is where the beef between Eminem and Benzino started. It isn’t.
A Brief History of the Eminem and Benzino Beef
Recently, Complex magazine noted Benzino admitted to starting the beef with Eminem. On Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion, Complex notes that “Benzino then claimed he did start the beef, pointing to one line in a song he included on a mixtape, though he didn’t know how Eminem heard it.”
From there, Eminem released a plethora of heated and successful disses toward Benzino. Eminem noted that he’d “never hold his breath for 5 mics in the Source,” a magazine Benzino was over at the time. In an effort to discredit Eminem, the Source magazine held press conferences in 2003 and released clips of a song called “Foolish Pride” by Eminem. It’s a song in which Eminem disses Black women.
Foolish Pride
Eminem claims the song was written somewhere in 1988 or 1989. In “Foolish Pride”, Eminem says, “Black chicks only want your money.” He goes on to warn against dating Black women and says it’s something he’d never do. At the time of the recording, he says he was just 16 years old and inspired by the wrong things.
Before recording the song, Eminem had broken up with his then-girlfriend Kim (who’d become his wife and ex-wife twice) and began dating a Black girl, who had the same color hair and eyes as Kim on “Yellow Brick Road”, a song released in 2004, after Benzino’s press conference. The Black girl Eminem dated likely shared Kim’s name as well.
Also, in “Yellow Brick Road”, Eminem reflects on hearing one of the dopest albums ever by the iconic pro-Black rap group X-Clan. Their music was powerful to Em, even if he perceived it to be a little racist towards white people. Em notes that back in 1989, he and his white friends were ridiculed for dressing what some thought was Black and robbed of African-centered jewelry.
After being dumped by Black Kim, Em was disgruntled. He had been using her to get back at Kim, and probably ended up seriously liking her. With his pride hurt and after listening to X-Clan, Eminem recorded “Foolish Pride”.
In “Yellow Brick Road”, Em apologizes for what he said about Black women on “Foolish Pride”. In the early 2000s when the beef had transpired between him and Benzino, hip-hop forgave Eminem. Benzino’s magazine failed.
The Aftermath of the Eminem and Benzino Beef
Since the beef, Eminem has become the highest selling rapper in rap, a responsible father and wealthier than the humble beginnings from which he emerged. Benzino has failed at almost everything he touches, including fatherhood. He and his music artist daughter Coi Leray have had public spats in which she accuses him of begging her for money.
The beef between Benzino and Eminem started over a diss that Benzino made first, and their beef was never about “Foolish Pride”. That song become a focal point of Benzino to discredit Eminem. The attempt failed. Not only did Dr. Dre stand behind Eminem but so did the rap industry to make him the number 1 selling artist of all-time.
Happy holidays and happy New Year to you and your family. I hope 2023 has been everything you wanted, and I wish you continued prosperity in 2024. May your dreams and aspirations come true.
When you saw the title of this article, you undoubtedly thought, “Mmm. Trees are already free”, but you curiously clicked anyway. Every day, you walk down a treelined street that enhances the reds and blues of the houses behind. Those trees, most encased in concrete to keep from piercing pipes, are not free. Trees are more alive than what you think, and here are the four reasons we should set them free.
I recently began listening to a book called The Hidden Lives of Trees. Written by the manager of a forest in Germany, the author paints a species that feels pain when it’s attacked, feed the hungry and communicates with their community to support it.
In the previously mentioned book, the author tells of a tree stomp that has been alive for decades, even without having an actual tree attached. By all accounts, the stomp should died decades ago, but it thrives because the surrounding trees send nourishment by way of roots. That brings us to the “socialness” of trees.
Trees are social creatures, who survive by contributing to their surrounding environment. When certain trees are attacked by bugs or nibbled on by animals, they send out scents carried by the wind that warns the others. This gives the other trees time to react, and sometimes creating chemicals that keep away bugs or animals. Also, when they’re in dire thirst, they “scream”.
Trees don’t have vocal cords, but they do vibrate. This vibration is described as a “scream” by the author of the previously mentioned book. At times when they are in a drought, they send out high frequencies, either as a scream for help or to warn others. This is both intriguing and heartbreaking. It makes you want to water a tree.
Also, in undisturbed forests across the world, trees reach heights of hundreds of feet. Left alone, they grow wide, tall and deep. Their roots are unrestrained, leaving them to seek out the most nutrient-rich path.
The trees on your street are no more than 30 — 50 feet. Outside of their natural habitat and encased in concrete in most instances, they will never become the giants their cousins of the forests are. They’ll wither away long before they reach a fraction of the age the free ones will. Without space and a community to lean on in hard times, these trees are no more than caged beauties.
When you step over a fallen tree in the forest, you probably see it as just a piece of wood covered in ants and patches of moss. That tree is actually food, shelter and life for hundreds of animals and other lifeforms. It is as vital to life as the live tree.
Forests are valued because they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. In a way, they purify the air we breathe. Without them, society as we know it couldn’t exist. Air would be scarce, and with nothing to prevent them, landslides would be inevitable. Marine life would suffer from the runoff, and so would humans.
What do we know about trees? What can we detail about their hundreds of years of existence? At over 4,854 years old, Methuselah — located in the Inyo National Forest White Mountains in California — is the oldest tree in the world. It has been around nearly as long as written language. We don’t know and will never know what this tree has witnessed.
Just like humans, trees are individuals. Yes, they thrive together, but as Methuselah proves, their destinies are not the same. When we uproot a tree or plant one in an unnatural habitat, we hold it against its will. We control its destiny, robbing it of the ability to grow old and become beautiful. It will never realize its prime. Because of this, we owe it to these trees to set them free and let them live the life nature intended.
Actor Johnathan Majors was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. After attempting to or actually taking Majors’s phone from his hand after allegedly seeing a text from what she thought was another girl, Jabbari said he “pried her finger from the phone, grabbed her arm and right hand, twisted her forearm and struck her head to get the phone away from her.” She also said he grabbed her arm and forced her back into the car in which they had been. Some of the charges were dropped, so the details and exact reason for Majors’s conviction are murky.
The above stated, some are asking if Johnathan Majors got screwed over. Within hours of his conviction, Marvel dropped him and so did other endorsers. His supporters have pointed out that in many states, including New York, it is a battery to snatch someone’s phone from their hand. In some cases, it could also lead to charges of robbery.
Jonathan Majors and Grace Jabbari were in a relationship at the time of this incident, and domestic violence is never OK. That said, had a man snatched a phone from his girlfriend’s hand because of a suspected message from another man, he would be labled abusive and controlling. If the cops had come, he would have been arrested for battery at the very least.
The irony in this case is, Majors is the one who called the police. This speaks to his state of mind. Some will say he did this to cover himself. Others will say the opposite.
What is true is, Manors was convicted of assault. Another truth is that domestic violence is never OK, whether it’s a male, female or otherwise performing the act.
What some have begun to wonder is, knowing this case might have started with an act of aggression by Jabbari, is this an open license for suspicious lovers to rip phones from the the hands of their lovers? Or does this only apply when it is the phones of men being snatched away?
Happy holiday from the Reeders Block. Celebrate safely, and feast.
As we look to protect as many animals as we can, here’s a list from OneGreenPlanet.org of 8 great sanctuaries you can donate to in order to sponsor or adopt a turkey this season.
Enjoy the holiday.
What exactly is the number 4? Yes, it can be written as 4 or four or anyway depending on the time or language, but what is it? What is a number? When you think about it, you might not know or be able to articulate the answer to these questions, like most people. Philosophers argue that numbers are a figment of the human mind, based on our subjective view of the world. However, numbers are real, and biology proves it.
You and I see four birds flying. But there’s also two dogs walking. The two groups of animals have nothing to do with one another, except you and I have seen them on our walk to the park. So, we could say we saw four birds and two dogs. Or we could say we saw six animals on our walk to the park. But what about the other animals we saw on our way back from the park? Should we count them too? Well, it’s really up to us, so it’s kind of subjective. And that is the slippery slope on top of which philosophers sneer down on those who dare recognize numbers as real. However, it’s deeper than that.
…we are simply observing a mathematical formula nature continues to follow.
Humans typically are born with two eyes. Let’s start with the basics. On a genetic level, our bodies have decided that we will be granted two eyeballs each. Except in some cases, this is usually what happens. We may not be able to articulate the exact meaning of the word two, but we can see that humans have a common set of eyeballs. In the instance of noting in our own biased language that humans have a certain set of eyes, we are simply observing a mathematical formula nature continues to follow.
Moreover, a blood cell usually has forty-six chromosomes, twenty-three provided by each parent. The human body has decided that this is the optimal number of chromosomes for a human to thrive. The genetics of butterflies and every other creature on this planet have done the same. All continue to evolve.
…“that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”.
Regardless of if we recognize the true existence of numbers or not, if scientists were to create humans with more or less chromosomes, they would be tried for crimes against humanity. The fact that nature uses math and we use that same math to create cures to extend life proves the existence numbers.
Shakespeare wrote “that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, meaning it’s not what a thing is called that makes it what it is. Calling numbers a figment of the human imagination unfairly ignores the mathematical formulas built into nature to produce the reality in which we ponder these ideas.
Numbers are as real as life itself, for life couldn’t exist without numbers.
Beehives typically have one queen. An ant colony usually has one queen. Neither have a king. Although the number of bees or ants might vary depending on location or “species” — if you will — they still usually have just one queen. We as humans can call numbers whatever we want, but they are inscribed throughout nature and the universe without human interference or intervention.
If numbers do not exist, why does human DNA come in two strains from two contributors? Why does one sperm usually impregnate one egg? Why doesn’t the human body allow three contributors to one human offspring? Reproduction varies among species, sometimes wildly. Yet there is a formula for reproduction on a genetic level.
The above noted, humans observing and classifying organisms or nonorganisms into groups or using numbers doesn’t change or make the fact that numbers exist, regardless of name or observation. To argue numbers don’t exist is to argue DNA has no numerical code, when it factually does. Numbers are as real as life itself, for life couldn’t exist without numbers.
This article was written by writer and site creator J. Reed, MFA. Subscribe and share.
With divorce at an all-time high and gender relations at an all-time low, it is time to address how social media is destroying today’s relationships. Increasingly, women and men have turned to Facebook, TikTok and other platforms to express their negative feelings concerning the opposite gender. Within the echo chamber of social media, those in the dating field are free to say as they please without any checks or balances. While those who post harmful content about the opposite gender face no consequences, those on the receiving end of those posts become rightfully upset and hardened.
The above acknowledged, this book addresses the behaviors on social media that lead to the increasing disconnect between the genders and spells out what must be done to build better communication and, ultimately, stronger relationships between men and women. What steps must be taken to reestablish family values founded on strong relationships? How can the rate of men proposing to and marrying women be increased? Find out inside.
J. Reed is an Author and Adjunct English Instructor, who teaches Critical Thinking, Rhetoric and English Writing. When he isn’t working, he’s writing or making a pretense of working.
Replenishing Your Inner Well of Peace
All too often, we see single people post on social about how they want somebody to “bring” them peace. When you say you want somebody to bring you peace, you’re also saying you don’t have peace of your own. Imagine somebody renting you a house and when you show up, they say, “Build it.” The amount of time, skill and dedication required to build a house is beyond your skillset. Well, so is bringing peace to somebody. Your peace is produced by your interpretation of your lifestyle and collected experiences not by an individual person. You have to find — or, in some cases, replenish — your well of peace.
Drinking from Your Own Well of Peace
You might be wondering if you have a well of peace and what to do if you don’t. Every day, an overdue bill reminds you its due, the car needs gas and your friend is asking for way too much. These outside stresses produce a negative strain on you and your mental state. One way to cope with negative stresses is to avoid them altogether. But you can only duck your mother’s call so long. Finding your well of peace means managing your stress, and this can be done in various ways.
Your friend needs to borrow money every few weeks, and they’re slow to pay it back. You don’t say no when they stick their hand out because you wouldn’t be able to look yourself in the mirror. And you avoid any conversation about it because you’re no fan of raised voices. However, if this person is your true friend, you should sit them down and talk to them. Express to them how you’re feeling and the financial impact they’re having on you. In any situation, when you’re honest with a true friend, they make corrections. The fake ones will argue. Let them go if you must.
Also, feel less guilty about your guilty pleasure and enjoy. You probably like a greasy steak and crispy fries more than you should. Or maybe your girlfriend tells you to chill on the gameplay. After watching every episode of the latest season of your favorite show, you feel… calm and relaxed. Or you feel happy and inspired. As long as it doesn’t lead to you in a hospital room, eat your steak. You’ve grinned through meetings, listened to your auntie rant or completed that long overdue work thing. Reward yourself where there would be no reward otherwise.
How to Refill Your Well of Peace
To refill you well of peace, remember what makes you happy, and to do that, sometimes, you gotta remember who you are. As we struggle through the daily battles of this war called life, we gain armor. It protects us from our enemies and many times ourselves. As this armor thickens, more and more of us is layered away from the world. We crawl into our shells, feel less and become an over-guarded silhouette of who we once were. Take a trip down memory lane to recall those times that warmed you from the inside out.
You have memories you’ll never be able to relive with the same people again, but you can always relive the activity. That mixer churning your dough jogs up memories of your standing on a chair beside your grandmother as she made cookies in the kitchen. You smile. The aroma of the rising cookies engulfs you. This moment, this activity, has brought you a mix of emotions overflowing with happiness and peace that reminds you who you are. Memories can still produce good moments.
Take a day from work. No emails, phone calls or other work-related stuff. Don’t worry about what you’ll do. Whether you choose to kick up your feet for a day or shop in a store, make this time about you. If you have to take an unpaid day, do it. Move some bills around. Dip into your savings. Whatever you do, make time for you. At some points in life, you need more than a two-day weekend that’s really not two full days.
Go see your parents or somebody you haven’t in a while. The most therapeutic conversations can be between you and a friend or family member you haven’t seen since forever. You all probably don’t talk as much or communicate as much as you used to on Facebook, but you are still friends or family. Having a coffee with them might remind you, you’re not insane. It’s not just you ducking a crazy ex or late on your car note. Plus, you get to reestablish a relationship that can help alleviate your stress.
Therapy should always be an option. You squirm at the thought of telling your dad about your friend and your husband. Or you know your friend can’t keep a secret, but you have something that’ll explode within you if you don’t get it out. Talk to a therapist. If you can’t fit it into your budget now, research organizations that offer free group or one-on-one therapy. BetterHelp.com is an organization offering affordable online therapy. I’m not being paid to plug them. When researching mental health organizations, BetterHelp.com came up with good reviews. Additionally, talking to someone is nothing to hide your face about. It actually can help you unload the weight of whatever’s making you feel as if you’re sinking. Do some research about the help you need and act on it.
The Takeaway
Nobody can bring you peace, but they can disturb it. Have serious conversations with those who are disturbing your peace. Real friends or family will understand. Draw from your inner peace. Fly a kite or watch four hours of a cancelled tv show. Whatever you do, find your peace and live it in. Always keep in mind your peace is yours to establish and protect. Though your well of peace may feel drained, you can always refill it by focusing on you.
J. Reed is an Author and Adjunct English Instructor, who teaches Critical Thinking, Rhetoric and English Writing. When he isn’t working, he’s writing or making a pretense of working.
4 Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt
Self-doubt, that nagging voice of uncertainty and fear, is something everyone experiences at some point in their lives. It can keep us from doing the things we love and striving to become your best you. Overcoming self-doubt is essential for personal growth and success. In this article, we will explore four effective strategies to conquer self-doubt and foster a more confident and empowered self.
Go Shopping
While material possessions don’t define our worth, the act of shopping can be more than just acquiring new things; it can be a means of self-expression and self-discovery. Getting new clothes that reflect your unique style and personality can help you feel like a new person. When you wear an outfit that makes you feel confident, you exude a positive energy that impacts how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you. By investing in clothes that make you feel good, you can boost your self-esteem and overcome self-doubt one step at a time.
Learn Some Fun Facts
A lack of knowledge on certain subjects can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt in social settings. By making a conscious effort to read up on popular topics, you can become a more informed and engaged participant in conversations. Being well-informed allows you to voice your opinions with confidence and contribute meaningfully to discussions. In turn, this fosters a sense of self-assurance and strengthens your belief in your ability to add value to any conversation.
Get to Know You
Understanding yourself is a crucial step in conquering self-doubt. While exploring your Zodiac sign and personality traits might not provide definitive answers, they can offer valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses. Embrace this self-discovery journey with an open mind, understanding that you are a complex and unique individual with many facets. By acknowledging and accepting various aspects of yourself, you can build a stronger foundation of self-esteem and self-worth, reducing the impact of self-doubt on your life.
Celebrate Small Achievements
When self-doubt creeps in, it’s easy to forget the successes and achievements we’ve experienced in the past. Take the time to create a list of your accomplishments, both big and small. Think about all the obstacles that you’ve faced and overcome. Celebrate your growth and progress, as these reminders of past triumphs can serve as a powerful confidence booster. Recognizing your abilities and talents will inspire you to face new challenges with greater self-assurance and resilience.
In the End
Self-doubt is a common obstacle on the path to personal growth and fulfillment. However, it is not an insurmountable barrier. By employing the four strategies mentioned in this article, you can begin to conquer self-doubt and unlock your true potential. Through shopping for self-expression and confidence, educating yourself on various topics, exploring your personality and identity, and celebrating your past achievements, you will build a strong foundation of self-belief. Embrace self-doubt as a natural part of your journey, using it as a catalyst for growth and self-improvement. Remember, you have the power to shape your narrative and overcome self-doubt, paving the way for a more empowered and fulfilling life. Trust in yourself and your abilities, and you will undoubtedly flourish in all areas of your life.
Thanks for reading. This article was written by Savvy Reed, The Reeders Block summer Intern Staff Writer/Editor. It was edited by J Reed, MFA, founder of The Reeders Block. Follow my site for more.
What is the “Internet Apocalypse”? And how could it affect the daily lives of you and your loved ones? The Internet Apocalypse is a solar event that is being predicted by scientists and conspiracy theorists alike. If scientists are right, when the Sun reaches the peak of its 11-year cycle, known as its solar maximum. Scientists predict that the Sun will reach its solar maximum in 2024 or 2025, and those years are the years where Earth is vulnerable to be hit by a solar storm, which the Sun generates through solar flares. Solar flares are bursts of energy that travel at the speed of light and are made of electromagnetic radiation that can disrupt radio communications. None have been aimed at Earth so far, but this could change in the upcoming years.
…we would have no way to access all the money we keep digitally.
Even if you think a complete internet knockout would not affect our daily lives too much, you must think about how much we really rely on the Internet. Not only would the Internet be knocked out but cell towers could also be taken down as well, crippling worldwide communications. Today’s way of life is largely supported by telecommunications. Friends and family depend on their devices to keep them connected with the people they love. Businesses have become decentralized, allowing employees to work from home. With the collapse of the Internet could come the collapse of hundreds of thousands of businesses. The economy could fall below Great Depression performance. The results would be catastrophic.
Do you carry cash, or do you pay with card for most things? If a solar storm were to hit Earth, we would have no way to access all the money we keep digitally, and the amount of money circling worldwide would be an an issue. This could truly send us into a downward spiral because of how heavily we rely on digital money for everything from entertainment to food. Money makes the world go round, and the Internet Apocalypse could knock it off kilter.
…if a solar storm of this magnitude were to happen, it would be absolutely devastating for businesses who rely heavily on Internet.
How likely is the Internet Apocalypse to happen? Could it really happen, or is it just the crazed work of overly paranoid scientists and conspiracy theorists? The answer is that it’s not very likely. Sangeetha Abdu Jyothi, the author of the 2021 UC Irvine study, cited astrophysicists who put the likelihood of an “Internet Apocalypse” to be around 1.6% to 12% a decade.
This is good to know, but if one were to happen, as noted previously, it would be absolutely devastating for businesses who rely heavily on Internet. Think of all your favorite online-only shopping websites, like Shein and Temu. The era of fast fashion would momentarily come to an end. All the convenience of the Internet and online shopping would be gone. However, humans are resilient, and we’ve come through much worse things. If an Internet Apocalypse happens, humans will survive.
Written by Savvy Reed, The Reeder Block’s Summer Intern Staff Writer/Editor. This was edited by J. Reed. Follow my site for more.
It’s baffling as to why that statement is offensive to some people, but it raises an interesting question. Why are some women in denial of needing men? Is it a pride thing, or do they no longer need men? Some say women “want” but don’t need men. Men serve as fathers, grandfathers, uncles and so on. The focus of this is men in the capacity as companions.
Parenting
Human beings are social beings who live in complex societies. The very basis of human survival as a species is the ability to work to work as a team. Those who struggle to fit into society often suffer from mental illnesses such as depression or schizophrenia. That as the case, on an individual basis, women need men as companions and more for several reasons.
To naturally make a baby, it takes a man and a woman. Some women think that’s where their need of a man stops, as highlighted in the above screenshot. Statistically speaking, a child raised by a single mother is more likely to face abuse or prison than a child raised in a single father household or by a couple.
Obviously, mothers need the fathers of their children there.
Some will say, “No. The kid needs the father not the mother.” The child does need his father, and so does the mother. When a child showing troubling behaviors can benefit from his father getting involved, the mother needs the father there when her son comes to the point she loses control. To deny this is to deny the statistics that show the level of abuse children face in single mother households and the ones proving that these children are more likely to be jailed.
Programs like Section 8, childcare assistance, food stamps and other forms of welfare have been designed specifically for single mothers.
Where the father should be there to provide but isn’t for whatever reason, welfare is designed to pick up the slack. However, it can’t replace the contributions men make to a healthy relationship. It doesn’t supply love, a confidant or words of affirmation.
Some will say, “Not all women are mothers.” Still, many women desire to be a mother one day, and producing productive children may come down to having a man involved or not. Even if a woman doesn’t want to be a mom, there is still the issue of companionship.
Your Confidant
Everybody needs that one person they can talk to. That’s why your heart flutters when you recall those early 2000s late night calls with the person you were in a relationship with. You remember how relaxed you felt after telling him about your irritating classmate or that teacher who made your skin crawl. On an emotional level, you need that type of energy in your life.
A partner does not replace your therapist, but they do offer you a place to open up. When something is troubling you, it often keeps you up at night. At 3 am, you’re tossing as thoughts of that tense interaction at work run through your mind. You feel trapped and wake up exhausted the next morning.
Your cousin, parents and friends have their own things going on, but your man is right there beside you in the bed. He is there to tell you he’ll take the kids to school in the morning so you can make it to work on time according to the new schedule you didn’t ask for. He reminds you that your freckles are like a beautiful sprinkling of stars, and you put aside the hurtful comment made about your love dots. You needed this. If you have never experienced it, then you can’t miss it, and you therefore don’t know what you’re missing.
Imagine that same woman in the South of France overlooking a body of water on a cruise in the arms of the man she loves. Imagine her smiling when she opens the door and he’s there, her favorite plate of food in hand with open arms. This woman may not know she needs a man before she experiences a real man, but once she does, she’ll agree that she needs a man.
The Value of Men
When some women think of men, they think of a guy taking out trash, fixing a door handle or doing whatever he’s told by her. Some of them fail to realize, understand, and appreciate the value of people. They don’t realize that not every man is the same, and men offer more than trash removal and sex.
Men are protectors, creators, and pillars, but the phrase “respect men” has become offensive in society while “respect women” is expected and shouted from the rooftops. The reason children raised by single fathers are less likely to face incarceration than those raised by single mothers is that men offer a level of protection of children many women don’t.
Children who experience traumatic events in childhood are more likely to exhibit negative behavior. Where some women tend to trust friends and family members enough to leave their children with them, men are suspicious of all. And most men wouldn’t leave their children to be babysat by another man. The over-trusting of others with their children are where many women go wrong.
Men tend to relate to their children more than the mother as the child ages. This bond transforms into a bubble of trust where the child feels more comfortable opening up to their father. When faced with demanding situations as a teen, they’re likely to turn to the father who bonded with them while playing games and exchanging stories. From these interactions, men create more confident, informed children. This is something the children need but also the mother.
In the End
This can be an oversexualized generation that doesn’t value human connections. Women need men for more reasons than trash disposal and sex. Being lonely or unable to feed their kids doesn’t mean they don’t need a man. It means the opposite. Once they start to realize this, love will have a chance at flourishing again.
J. Reed is a writer and self-proclaimed savant from Chicago. Follow his blog. Written by J. Reed. Edited by Savvy Reed Intern Staff Writer/Editor.
If you don’t know Chef Jay Voo, you don’t know food or social media. Making his name off creating steaming seafood, this 24-year-chef hails from Louisiana. Since starting his TikTok journey, Chef Jay Voo has amassed over 5 million followers across various social media platforms. But who is Chef Jay Voo, and why should you care?
“Yes, lawd” is one of Jay Voo’s catchphrases…”
As young as he is, Chef Jay Voo is an inspiration for all those watching him. Millions of people around the world tune in just to see what he’s cooking. Recently, he received a YouTube Creator’s Award, and it was well-earned. His supporters were elated that he won this award because he creates some of the most appetizing shrimp boils you’ll see anywhere.
“Yes, lawd” is one of Jay Voo’s catchphrases, and, after watching one of his videos that has earned over 80 million views, you’ll be saying those exact words. Normally, Chef Jay Voo’s videos start out with him stirring seafood like crawfish in a huge cooking vessel as smoke pours off. He generously seasons his food with Cajun spices while narrating throughout the video.
Currently, Chef Jay is doing his Platinum Tour
With his videos being so popular, everybody wants a taste, and Chef Jay Voo hasn’t let us down. Currently, Chef Jay is doing his Platinum Tour, slated to stop in over ten cities. His website describes it as a “seafood boil experience” that happens on the weekends. Each night is set up for over 40 diners, and it is a three-course meal. The set price for the experience is just over $100 a ticket, but it’s worth it to be in the presence of Chef Jay Voo as you dine on some of the best seafood anywhere. Get your tickets asap.
To find out more about the tour, you can visit his website https://shop.chefjayvoo.com/.
Thanks for reading. J. Reed is a writer and self-proclaimed savant from Chicago. Follow his blog. Written by J. Reed. Edited by Savvy Reed Intern Staff Writer/Editor.
Social media is an ocean of selfies and smiles on people sitting poolside sipping Mai Tais. Videos of friends partying in hotels you’d have to save two months’ paychecks to afford make you feel… behind. You’re a grain of sand on a beach that stretches coast to coast. Though you may not realize it, every day you make small accomplishments worth celebrating.
…you don’t notice that person off to the side who admires you.
You go to work, come home, maybe reheat some leftovers from yesterday and watch your favorite show, while your ex posts about their new Hellcat. When you went to work, you served customers, fed somebody, taught a kid math or cleaned a campus that otherwise would be filthy. You may feel like anybody can do it. But not everybody will do it or do it well. You do.
For all the good you do, there’s somebody who notices. With your head hung low and cluttered with junk thoughts of what others think of you, you miss this. See those who see you.
Remember the time you got that job everybody else wanted? Do you remember the exhilarating feeling of walking across that stage, shaking at thoughts of what the future would bring but chin to the sky? Replay the good times and accomplishments in your mind. This will put you in a good place and encourage you to move forward in times you want to do the opposite.
…somebody is with you in some way at all times.
Maybe you should join a club. There’s a group out there dedicated to the genre of books you read or shows you watch. There are people who nerd out over Harry Potter the same way you do. Connecting with people who share the same interests as you is comforting. It’s a reminder that somebody is with you in some way at all times.
In a world obsessed with pretending to be the greatest thing since oxygen, it’s not strange to feel like you’re out of breath. Every day, you accomplish something. You just have to acknowledge it. Remember all the good you’ve done. You’re strong, and those watching you know it. Take time to find great minds like yours. You’ll be glad you did.
Thanks for reading. J. Reed is a writer and self-proclaimed savant from Chicago. Follow his blog.
When you and a woman connect online, you have both already seen each other’s pictures, so you know there’s a physical attraction. But how do you go from screen to in-person? It comes down to how you say whatever you say not just what you’re saying.
Your goal is to use good grammar and punctuation, but if you’re already good at these things, you may be losing the attention of women to men who aren’t. The average person is an ok writer at best. They use informal expressions, and when they’re trying to sound at least coherent in writing, they try to write better. Their “better” usually amounts to not so great punctuation, a bunch of acronyms, misspellings and so on. You might cringe at this, but this is what many women see from men and have come to expect.
Most men are asking [a woman] her schedule and when they can see her.
If you’re already an above-average writer, when you text even informally, you perfect your writing, but this is costing you potential love interests. Many women are used to being better writers than men. When your texts are polished, you put pressure on them to keep up. They don’t want to come off as bad writers.
Also, the content of your conversation is probably killing the vibes before they even start. Politics, the state of the country and humanitarian issues dominate your conversation. You want to know how she feels about these things. Most men are asking her schedule and when they can see her. You’re dealing in theory; they’re dealing in practice.
Tweak the content of you conversation for better results.
To be more successful in online dating, use more acronyms. Don’t be afraid to drop off some “ings” or use some internet speak. When you’re in Alaska, you have to do what the Alaskans do, or you’ll freeze. That’s a terrible figure of speech, but you get the point.
Ask a woman what side of town she’s from and what her schedule is. This shows her you have interest in meeting. Before asking her, make sure you have something in mind. If she’s the type for coffee at your place, make an offer. If she’s a stroll-on-the-beach gal, get your beach towels. Either way, be prepared to see her.
The above noted, take some time to read over some of your past messages. See what seemed to work and what didn’t. Change your language. Be less formal. Tweak the content of you conversation for better results. In the end, changing your language will change everything.
Thanks for reading. J. Reed is a writer and self-proclaimed savant from Chicago. Follow his blog.
Beef on Netflix stars Ali Wong as Amy Lau and Steven Yeun as Danny Cho. Both having bad days that turn out to be bad lives, the main characters Amy and Danny collide in a road rage incident. Although no one is harmed, the incident leads to a culmination of sabotage between the two. This show may be about the implications of road rage, but it is also an examination of the overworked, stressed out person looking to secure the elusive American dream.
From the eyes of Danny Cho who’s a contractor, Amy Lau, an artist, is some entitled rich damsel living in mansion. Danny doesn’t see the awkward nuances of her marriage or the stress she’s under to sell her company.
Amy wants to be financially secure and free.
On his side, Danny is trying to get his parents back in good financial standing after they have lost their hotel business. His relationship with his little brother his is littered with arguments and disagreements, and his little brother blames him for their parents’ losing their business. Because of these things, Danny smiles as little as Amy. Though they have different socioeconomic backgrounds, they have similar problems manifesting in different ways.
Amy has a money problem. She wants more. Having come from a less comfortable background than her husband whose father was a notable artist, she wants to be financially secure and free. The biggest obstacles to her goals are her complicated relationship with her husband and with herself.
Beef offers viewers a chance to see both sides of the story.
Similarly, Danny loses sleep over making ends meet. He and his brother are family, but their views on how to solve their problems don’t align. This creates friction within their brotherhood and erodes away the trust they formally held for one another. Even alone, Danny makes decisions that won’t help him. So, just like Amy, Danny has money, family and self-generated problems. But doesn’t everyone?
When we drive, especially alone, we turn on the music and reflect on life. In our mind’s eye, we replay situations that made us laugh, recall the last words someone said that caused us to cringe or just sizzle over one thing or another. In that car in those quiet moments, sometimes that vehicle becomes an airless chamber clogged with our own unresolved problems. And when that reckless driver cuts us off, they invite us to unleash the week’s worth of anger we’ve been bottling up — or so we behave.
In driving school, the instructors always say, “Be the defensive driver.” You know what you’re going through, but you don’t know what that other driver is going through. Beef offers viewers a chance to see both sides of the story. Danny and Amy are not so different from each other. They both have convoluted ties to their jobs, loved ones and ambitions. Equally, they are under stress and taking on more than they feel prepared for. If this show can teach anything, it is, when that driver flips you off in broad daylight on the expressway, maybe let it go. Whatever they’re dealing with, it has nothing to do with you.
Thanks for reading. J. Reed is a writer and self-proclaimed savant from Chicago. Follow his blog.
“Jermaine,” Ms. Willard said, as she took the seat beside me. The other students elbowed each other on the way out the classroom.
Looking me in the eyes, Ms. Willard asked, “Why don’t you speak the way you write?”
I stayed up for nights on end…
I tilted my head to the side. At the time being a 14-year-old freshman, I didn’t understand how profound but loaded of a question it was. I didn’t understand it was a challenge to my culture, my beliefs and my identity. As unaware as I was to the questions beneath the question, my response to it may have changed the of my life. Why didn’t I speak the way I wrote?
After Ms. Willard asked me that question, I stayed up for nights on end reading my own writing. It was clear, concise and organized. But it didn’t have any missing “ings” or “What’s ups”. And so I practiced how I spoke.
Using American Standard English also caused my peers to alienate me.
By the time I was 16, I could give a speech in what I didn’t know is called “American Standard English”. It became my natural default language. It had smothered my African American Vernacular English (Black English).
The more crisp my language, the more seriously adults and my classmates took me. For example, I gathered a group of seniors and had the dress code for luncheon changed after giving a soapbox-style speech to my classmates.
For all the attention American Standard English got me, it it also caused my peers to alienate me. At the time, I was living in the notorious Chicago Robert Taylor Projects on the southside. Black English was our language. It was what separated us from them. It protected us from them.
So, for me, using American Standard English polarized my identity. Though it opened doors for me and ultimately led to my love for the language and getting two Writing degrees, it drew a line between me and the people I so closely identify with.
Ms. Willard’s “Why don’t you speak the way you write?” question really meant, “Why do you speak like them?” “Why do you use that vile dialect?” “Why don’t you speak like us?”
American Standard English is technically a dialect of British English, just as Black English is a dialect. Neither is better than the other.
…but Ms. Millard’s question sparked something in me that neither of us could foretell.
I’m not sure from where this quote was taken, but a Professor once told me, “Language is decided by those who win the war.” If sloths took over, we would be speaking sloth. Language is arbitrary. If you called your stovetop a mushroom, you would still be able to cook steak on it.
Ms. Millard’s question was wrong. And thinking back to the sincerity in her blue eyes, I’m not sure she had any malice. From that day when I was her student for at least a couple years, she addressed my writing errors side-by-side with me. She maybe help make me a better writer.
Sometimes, other Chicagoans… ask me where I’m from.
I had already had a live for reading and writing, but Ms. Millard’s question sparked something in me that neither of us could foretell. Writing has been my path to success, even on an emotional therapeutic level.
To this day, I still default to American Standard English unintentionally. Sometimes, other Chicagoans, Black, white or otherwise, ask me where I’m from. When I tell them I’m a lifelong Chicagoan, they nearly always say, “Oh. You don’t sound like it.” This feels like a passive aggressive statement, and it strikes at my identity. To the young Black man wondering if he “Talks too Black”, if you want, speak Black as you are, and be proud of it.
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*spoiler alert: Details of Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Seinfeld finale will be revealed
Seinfeld, a show about nothing, ended with the cast being thrown in jail. That ending didn’t vibe well with most viewers and critics. Looking for redemption, Seinfeld Co-Creator and Head Writer Larry David and the Seinfeld cast did a Reunion that was meant to serve as a sort of redo of the finale. Although some felt under any circumstances this was a play far too late, some viewers saw this as a genuine opportunity to get the ending they deserved. Unfortunately, Larry David’s Seinfeld finale is a reach at best and a failure at worst.
The biggest fail is Jerry and Elaine’s child to whom Jerry is the sperm donor. By the end of the episode, the girl finds out the truth. When enjoying media, the viewer is expected to suspend disbelief. But asking the viewer to believe Jerry and Elaine would make a baby together is asking the viewer to disregard every principle of the Seinfeld Universe.
…their story unforgivably breaks the law of nothing happening.
Jerry and Elaine broke the law of nothing happening by producing what would have to be an instrumental character to their Universe. It changes everything in the mind of the viewer. Questions like what happens with Jerry and Elaine now must be asked under a different lens. They are no longer just friends. They’re coparents. What does that mean for their friendship? What are the implications? Does this change the tone of their relationship?
The beautiful thing about the Seinfeld Universe as George Costanza so eloquently puts it is, nothing happens. The characters of this show live in a sealed loop where every decision leads them back to square one. But with Jerry and Elaine having a child, their story unforgivably breaks the law of nothing happening. The viewers are dropped off in what feels like an alternate Seinfeld Universe, the Bizarro Seinfeld Universe Jerry once feared.
It’s those magnifying moments of minute issues that transport viewers.
George’s being divorced and poor after losing his money to Madoff seems like something George Costanza would do; attempting to get his ex m-wife back to have access to some of the money he lost in the divorce makes sense. Is this the George Constanza — this poor, scheming man who’s lost it all — the George Costanza a cult follower would imagine a decade later? I’d argue yes. George has always managed to get it all and lose it before he could enjoy it.
The problem with this storyline is, it’s too much for George Constanza. The stakes are too high. He’s lost too much. In other words, something happened to the King of “Nothing happens.”
What continues to make viewers of all age groups tune in is the high emphasis placed on low stakes. It’s those magnifying moments of minute issues that transport viewers from their everyday high-stakes struggles. After a long day of tip-toying the company line while trying not to lose it all, they flop down on their couch and watch the Seinfeld foursome magically make something out of nothing back into nothing.
…there is no such thing as “nothing”
Seinfeld episode “The Opposite” is a microcosm of what the Seinfeld Universe is. In this episode, Jerry comes to realize that he’s always put back in the same position as he started. Elaine proves this when she throws Jerry’s $20 bill out the window and Jerry finds another $20 in his jacket pocket. A woman walks out of George’s life, and he bumps into another on the train. Elaine loses a job and gets another. Kramer works periodically but always stops.
Although entertaining, Larry David’s Seinfeld reunion is a reach and a fail. The stakes are too high. Too much happens. Still, some would ask, what would viewers expect of the Seinfeld cast a decade later? In scientific terms, there is no such thing as “nothing”, but there is always “something”. So, maybe it’s as Jerry argued when he and George debated the idea they would present to NBC executives as Jerry’s show: “Something has to happen.”
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With over 85% of votes in, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot is in third place, grasping at the heels of Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson respectively. With the chances favoring Paul Vallas as the winner, the implications of his tenure as Chicago’s mayor could be polarizing. Although he seems like a good candidate, Paul Vallas would be a terrible mayor for Chicago.
One of the first issues on Vallas’s agenda is lowering the hiring standards for Chicago Police officers. His argument is, the rigid standards weed out too many potentially good candidates. His argument doesn’t take into account the reason why those standards are in place: cases like LaQuan McDonald’s, where a 17-year-old boy was shot 17 times by officers.
It literally comes down to life or death.
Lowering the standards for hiring officers may widen the net of candidates, but it also reduces the quality of the candidates. In a world where these people are armed and have the law on their side, the character of those people matters. It literally comes down to life or death.
Paul Vallas also promised to bring back officers who have left the police department for various reasons. Doing so would re-establish a culture of poor decision-making, excessive force and gang-like mentality. Vallas wants to revert back to aggressive policing practices that put police at odds with the same people and communities they swore to protect and serve.
[Vallas’s] approach will be acid to any relationship building…
Also, as mayor, Vallas would create a “Police Reserve Unit” made up former Chicago police officers, who will address misdemeanor complaints like loud music or other “nuisances”. So, in other words, he’ll be allowing grumpy old men with guns to live out their worst mental reactions to a kid simply playing music from his cellphone on sidewalk.
The three aforementioned changes the wannabe-mayor want to make have one thing in common: reverting back to a former failed system. Vallas wants to go back to a lower standard of hiring for police, rehire officers who have left and give a whole team of retired cops free and exclusive reign over misdemeanor complaints.
The implications of this man actually becoming mayor are frightening. His approach will be acid to any relationship building between distressed communities and police. If Vallas becomes mayor of Chicago, the results could be bad. Vallas is stuck in the 90s, and Chicago is well beyond. Or so people believe.
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Reluctantly, I address the rapper and fashion icon Ye’s “White Lives Matter” t-shirt controversy. I’ve been hesitant to because, although I don’t know Ye personally, I’ve come to know his tactics. Right before he releases an album, a new shoe or style, he does something drastic. He gave his support to Donald Trump and then asked him on live TV to release incarcerated alleged Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover. Ye “ran” for president and then released an album shortly thereafter. Now, within a week of wearing a White Lives Matter t-shirt, news sources reveal he’s purchasing a conservative media company.
But is it OK for Ye to wear a White Lives Matter shirt? By asking that question, you’re giving him what he wants. Say what you will about Ye, but he’s a marketing genius. His critics will point to the interview he did for LeBron’s The Shop which was cut after the WLM stunt. The critics will use this as proof that Ye’s bound to fail.
However, LeBron has become a lighting rod for white conservative rage. They see him as a spoiled rich crybaby who’s perpetuating a false idea of Black racial oppression. From their perspective, Ye was exercising his right to free speech when he wore the WLM shirt. LeBron’s axing Ye’s interview is proof that those on the left are trying to rob Conservatives of their rights. No matter how little sense it makes, to Conservatives, Ye is the victim.
Moreover, Ye has been seen with Conservative commentator Candace Owens who’s made a living out of being the Black person who’ll say the hateful things white Conservatives won’t say publicly; it’s gotten her wealthy and notorious. She speaks out against Black people at every turn, attempting to brainwash them and lead them to slaughter as she makes a profit. Seeing how willing Conservatives are to pour money into Black people who publicly drag their own, it’s not surprising Ye sees a way to easy money.
Kanye’s WLM shirt doesn’t matter. Yes, he’s the same guy who said on national TV in 2005 that George Bush, then-president, “don’t care about Black people.” Neither does Kanye. His goal has become to get filthy rich as quickly as possible by any means. Does Kanye’s WLM shirt really change anything? The mere fact that were having this conversation gives Kanye the win.
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Recently, news broke that Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears are being sued for child abuse. A 22-year-old woman accuses Tiffany and Aries of manipulating her and her now 15-year-old brother into filming sexually explicit child pornography skits for Funny or Die. The accuser is a child of Tiffany Haddish’s longtime friends. Tiffany and Aries deny the accusations. I have seen one of the videos in question, and it is bizarre.
In a 2014 video called “Mind of a Pedophile”, Tiffany plays the mother of the boy who was 7 years old then, while Aries plays Tiffany’s creepy uncle. Over the course of the video, Tiffany makes up different excuses to go out. Aries reluctantly agrees to watch the boy each time.
In the first scene as R. Kelly’s “Bump and Grind” plays in the background, Aries peeps through holes he cut in a newspaper to peer at the boy. The boy plays on the floor, dressed in nothing but his underwear. Aries licks his lips as he watches the boy.
Next, Tiffany leaves the boy in the tub and Aries in the bathroom with him. Aries makes some creepy faces and eventually crawls into the tub with the boy.
In the last scene, the roles are reversed, and when Tiffany leaves, the boy peeks through the holes of the newspaper and watched Aries. Then the boys begins to rub baby oil on Aries as R. Kelly’s song continues to play. At the end, a caption reads “Watch Who You Leave You Kids With” or something of that nature. It’s placed there as a disclaimer of sorts that lets the reader know the video is addressing a serious issue in a satirical way. However, is there more to the story? Are Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears molesters?
Are Tiffany and Aries Wrong?
The 22-year-old victim also described another time where Tiffany and Aries coerced her into mimicking fellacio for a skit in 2013. The victim was about 13 years old. This too made her feel uncomfortable. The purpose of this video hasn’t been addressed by Aries or Tiffany.
Child abuse is an issue within the Black family that many times go unaddressed. The accused is usually somebody close in relation to the child. The victims grow up feeling damaged and may suffer psychologically. What’s done to them can’t be undone. Though they might heal with time, they will always remember what happened to them. So, shedding light on this issue is important. However, what Tiffany and Aries did was counterproductive.
Although Tiffany and Aries may argue they shot “The Mind of a Pedophile” with good intentions to bring awareness to sexual abuse within families, the pair did a terrible job of executing it. The video with the boy is disturbing at best; at worst, it’s criminally sick.
Some might say the warning “Watch Who You Leave Your Kids With” was placed there to protect Tiffany and Aries. They might say the two knew how the video could be perceived and decided to place the warning there in the event of public fallout.
Still, questions are unresolved: Who was the adult in the room? Who’s responsible? Funny or Die, the comedy video website, acknowledges working with Tiffany and Aries but deny having anything to do with the videos. Authorities must conduct a full investigation into Tiffany, Aries and this company and its practices.
What Does This Mean for Tiffany and Aries?
I had been a fan of Tiffany Haddish for more years than I care to count. Her story of coming from an abusive family and growing up poor stuck with me. Even when she was cracking jokes in front of an audience of ten, I always knew her future was bright. Now, that brightness is dimming.
I’m not sure how the world is going to treat Tiffany. The allegations against her are a mountain of trouble. At least one video exists, and from this, many will draw their uncomfortable opinions. Hollywood doesn’t want to fight for actors or comedians. It is a heartless place focused solely on its bottom line. This might be a five-to-ten-year setback for her.
Aries Spears was hot in the ’90s and early 2000s. His career had been on the decline until recently. He’s been hosting a podcast and appearing other places. His money doesn’t come from the mainstream as much as Tiffany’s. So, he’s not as vulnerable as Tiffany Haddish because Hollywood is about done with him anyway.
Also, as furious as we may become, some might point at that similar things have happened in Hollywood. For instance, in Godfather, 16-year-old Simonetta Stefanelli was forced to be bare-chested for a sex scene with 30-year-old Al Pacino. That movie lives on in Pop Culture as a classic, although it literally has child pornography in it. Furthermore, in 2019, Seth Rogan released Good Boys, a film where three real 13-year-old boys watch porn, play with sex toys and do other sexually inappropriate things.
The Takeaway
Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears did produce at least one inappropriate skit starring a child. It was done for laughs, but it fell flat and crossed too many lines. In the end, they harmed two kids who have to live with the haunting memory of being used in such a disgusting way. What the future holds isn’t clear, but one thing is for sure: this is going to cost Tiffany Haddish a lot more than it will Aries Spears.
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Traveling nurse from Texas Nicole Linton, 37, has been charged with six counts of murder and six counts of manslaughter after allegedly speeding through an intersection, leaving six dead. Citing a record of Nicole’s alleged thirteen previous wrecks, the prosecution claimed she was a danger. A judge gave Nicole a two-million-dollar bail, which was increased to nine million before being changed to a no-bond. The loss of life caused by this incident is sad, but we shouldn’t jump to conclusions about Nicole’s guilt, especially since people in similar situations faced probation, and she may not even be fit to stand trial.
At the age of sixteen, Ethan Couch in Burleson, Texas, killed four people, paralyzed two and injured a total of nine people while drunk, high and driving on a restricted license. He fled the scene of the crime but was ultimately arrested and charged with manslaughter. His defense was the “Affluenza” defense, claiming Ethan was so wealthy, he couldn’t tell right from wrong. Though he was convicted, Ethan got probation. He eventually fled to Mexico, was caught and sentenced to 720 days in jail. He did some of the sentence and got out.
Although Ethan was a juvenile, he could very well have been charged as an adult. However, it’s not surprising that a white teen from a wealthy family basically faced no consequences for his actions. For the same actions, the Black woman Nicole Linton is facing up to 90 years in prison. Already, people have judged her, and the judge has given her a no-bond. According to her lawyer, Nicole may have some mental health issues, but it doesn’t seem the court is taking this mitigating fact into consideration.
Nicole is a traveling nurse, and many nurses work twelve-hour days. No one knows what was going on inside that car with her. She could have fallen asleep, had a jammed gas pedal or something worse. Though lives were loss, this is not a time to hang her out to dry. Nicole deserves to have her side of the story heard. If Ethan Couch can kill four people and paralyze two while high on drugs and drunk and get probation, we should be willing to hear the defense of a nurse who helps to save lives.
Nicole may have a mental illness, according to court records and her attorneys. Those suffering from mental illness need compassion. They should not be prisoners; they should be patients. Let’s not forget we live in a country that puts more money into bombs than it does healthcare. Nicole may not even be fit to stand trial. Stop yourself from judging her. Let her team tell her story, and listen with open ears and caring heart.
J Reed, MFA is an adjunct English professor and writer from Chicago, who writes fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
Six years ago I thought, “There should be a website about me where I voice my opinion.” That thought birthed WhoIsJreed.com AKA TheReedersBlock. This was before I became an Adjunct English Professor. At the time, I was a grad student navigating the nuances of higher learning and finding my voice. I couldn’t have predicted the success of this site that focuses on all things from self-help to politics. To say it’s been easy would be an untruth. Having gone from grad student to Adjunct English Professor over the lifetime of this site, I’ve interacted with the good, the bad and the beautiful.
The Good
When I started WhoIsJreed.com, I’d already tried starting blogs before, all of which failed. From those failed experiences, I gained humility and insight into the difficulties of running a successful website. I had to create content to drive traffic to my site, spread the word and be consistent. Instead of being fueled by unreasonable expectations and no experience, I approached this site with goals and a plan, even if they weren’t specific enough.
Creating this site fit well into what I was already doing as a grad student in the MFA program: writing and blogging. Because I was already doing so much creative writing in my program, I used class assignments I’d done as content for my website. With my professors’ highlighting the errors in my assignments, I didn’t have to proofread as much.
Also, my bachelor’s degree is in English Professional and Technical Writing. I already had a good grasp of English Writing, so I didn’t struggle to put my ideas into writing. They flowed naturally from the tips of my fingers to the screen of my computer without many errors, not to say there were none. I’ve found regardless of how much I proofread a piece before publishing it, there’s always an overlooked missing comma, awkward phrase or something to correct. Having studied English made it easier to write with fewer mistakes.
Also, I employed what I had learned in college: always edit, revise and proofread. Being familiar with the writing process, I understood the importance of each of these steps. The average blogger who doesn’t have an extensive background in writing may publish five or ten articles or blog posts weekly. However, because they have so many errors in their writing, their audience doesn’t take them seriously. Their audience loses interest. The tighter a piece is, the more likely it is to inspire repeat visitors. So, I made sure to clean up my pieces as much as possible.
Creating good content is hard because it requires being in the know. In grad school, I was around an assortment of writers who had blogs, websites and podcasts. Having them to converse with and bounce ideas off gave me insight into what people were talking about. Using this information, I created content in connection with some of the biggest news happening. Because of this, almost all my content is successful, and some is extremely successful. The more relevant your writing is to your audience, the more successful it will be.
The Bad
When I started TheReedersBlock.com, I just wanted a space to say what I wanted when I wanted. Other than readership, I had no long-term goals. If my site made people smarter, more active or feel better, then I’d done my job. So, I created entertainment, political and self-help content. I didn’t understand how to use my site as a funnel to sell more of my books.
In hindsight, you deserve to be paid for the content you produce, but creatives always feel icky for selling things. Asking somebody to buy your books makes you cringe harder than you do listening to the telemarketer trying to sell you a vacuum. I suffered from this too. As introverted as I am, the idea of trying to convince somebody to buy something made my skin crawl. Now, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to put a monetary value on what I produce. You don’t have to be a starving artist.
Though TheReedersBlock.com keeps a steady stream of visitors, the content varies so widely that readers are here for various reasons. Because of that, it’s difficult to funnel some of the visitors to my books. I don’t plan on slimming down the content areas of TheReedersBlock. However, PainByAnyName.com –my newest site — is succinct, focusing on helping people cope with pain, be it physical or emotional. With a newsletter, books and cheat sheets centered around the subject of pain, my niche will be more fulfilled.
The Beautiful
TheReedersBlock.com has acted as a public journal for me, allowing me to vent into the world and have somebody care to read it. I don’t know many of my readers personally. I’m not sure why they come the first time or what makes them come back. I do know thousands of people from over half a dozen countries visit my site regularly. My hope that they found hope keeps me going. This site is my therapy.
During grad school, I worked hard getting straight A’s. On nights I had a paper due or content to turn in for the university’s blog, I toggled between working and working on this site. It was fulfilling to be putting what I was learning into action. Sometimes, you ask yourself, why am I in college? Whenever I asked this, my site reminded me. College was my vessel to make connections and learn how to be effective in my writing. Maintaining my site became its own form of therapy.
The most beautiful part of running this site is the many visitors. I may not know all of you personally, but I appreciate you nonetheless. You make this site relevant. Without you, who am I writing to? So, thank you all for caring what I have to say. This site documents my transition from student to teacher (professor) literally, and if it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have documented it.
So, that’s my life as a blogger over the past six years. Follow PainByAnyName.com to get new articles and a newsletter by me surrounding coping with painful situations.
J Reed, MFA is an adjunct English professor and writer from Chicago, who writes fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
If you’ve been on social media, you’ve likely heard of Lizzo, the 34-year-old Minnesota rapper whose popularity has been growing. She’s actually a classically trained flutist as well. While some appreciate her music, others are turned off by the controversy she causes with her style of dress and behavior. Women have come to her defense when her critics made comments about her weight. While the heavyset Lizzo has come to represent the freedom women seek in body confidence, others say her behavior is shameful, but who’s right?
To Dress or Not to Dress
Even being plus-size, Lizzo is known for wearing revealing clothes that leave little to the imagination. Labia nearly exposed, Lizzo has performed in front large crowds in one-piece outfits without fear. Though she has a wave of support from her fans, others wonder why she has to dress so provocatively. Those who cringe when she pops up on television are offended seeing her dress in a way that inspires her young followers to do the same.
Her supporters note rappers before Lizzo like Lil Kim, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B and others use sex to sell albums. If no one complained about the other rappers before her, why should they complain about her? Actually, Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj as well as other female rappers face backlash for their overt sexuality and some of the clothing they wear.
One of the most prominent critiques of Lizzo’s provocative dress is, how Lizzo wears her clothes is the problem. For instance, in today’s pop culture, a thin guy wearing extremely baggy clothes may be mistaken for a bum. Skinny jeans – or at least jeans that fit well – are in. Lizzo wears clothes the wrong way. Instead of her clothes accentuating her curves, parts of her body spill out inappropriately through designer cuts in the fabric. Her critics are basically saying, wear what you want but be classy about it.
Lizzo’s Health
Others who disapprove of Lizzo are concerned about health risks associated with her weight. A couple years ago at the start of the pandemic, fitness expert Jillian Michaels asked, “Why are we celebrating [Lizzo’s] body?” Jillian followed up by saying, “… it isn’t going to be awesome if she catches diabetes.” None of Lizzo’s doctors have come forward to say Lizzo’s weight is killing her or putting her at a higher risk for disease. However, generally speaking, it’s well-known obesity can cause diabetes, heart disease and sudden death.
People came to Lizzo’s defense and claimed Jillian was “fatphobic”. Though Jillian issued a statement via Twitter acknowledging the beauty and worth of every person, she didn’t back down from her position that we shouldn’t be celebrating obesity, a deadly disease. Still, the wave of Lizzo fans accused Jillian of fat-shaming people. Jillian faced calls for her to be cancelled, and this brings up the issue of political correctness.
Cancel This
Jillian is a fitness expert who has worked on shows like The Biggest Loser in hopes of helping contestants lose weight. Her purpose in the public eye has always been to assist others in achieving healthier lifestyles through exercise and diet. Taken in context and considering who she is, her remarks matched with who she is and what she does. Even if her statements fell short of insulting or malicious, Jillian still dealt with the threat of being cancelled.
However, it seems those who defend Lizzo have given her an image immunity card and created a false reality in which being obese isn’t a potentially deadly medical issue; it’s promoted as her living her best life. It seems that she and her fans prefer living as if obesity doesn’t kill instead of addressing it. Her fans drag any person who says anything about Lizzo’s obesity.
Behind clothes doors, you can only wonder what’s happening in Lizzo’s personal life. Those who really care about her – those who know her personally – are likely concerned about her health and her image. It’s fine for Lizzo to live her best life. A person’s best life shouldn’t come before their health. Fans rarely see the signs which is why when singers such as Amy Winehouse made songs about refusing to go to rehab, fans didn’t know how serious her alcohol addiction was until it killed her. Until then, fans simply thought Amy was “living her best life.”
The Takeaway
Lizzo is a rising star with so much more to accomplish, and she doesn’t have to overexpose her body to get there. How she dresses is up to her, and no woman should be judged solely by what she wears. Still, there’s a classy way to wear any article of clothing. With heart disease and other ailments arising from obesity, Lizzo must take her health seriously. Fans who encourage adverse health conditions don’t help. If you love Lizzo, you want her to live as long as possible. Lizzo has to dress better and take care of her health.
Here’s a new article about the 3 rules to stress-free dating on my site Pain By Any Other Name . Check it out and subscribe.
J Reed, MFA is an adjunct English professor and writer from Chicago, who writes fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
Corrections officers of Indiana’s Clark County Jail in Jeffersonville are being accused of renting keys to male inmates so those inmates could roam the jail and rape female inmates. Allegedly, ex-corrections officer David Lowe is responsible for selling the keys to inmates for about $1,000. About 28 women have come forward, alleging to have been assaulted by inmates after Lowe gave the keys. The events occurred throughout October 23, 2021 and into October 24, 2021, and Lawyers have filed two separate lawsuits on behalf of the women who endured this torture. Clark County Sherriff Jamey Noel has been named as the lead defendant in the case.
Officials who allowed this to occur must be held accountable. Although Lowe benefited off the crimes of that night and is allegedly directly responsible for giving the male inmates the keys, there was a breakdown in the system. The area where the female inmates were located was under 24-hour surveillance. This means a number of individuals had to turn their heads to allow this to happen.
The Federal Government needs to perform an evaluation and investigation of the Clark County Jail in which this heinous act occurred and promptly fire and replace those in charge. The system doesn’t need rebuilding; the rules are there. It needs new personnel. No progress can be made just by changing the paperwork. Policy on paper that isn’t enforced is a waste used to protect officials who don’t abide by it.
As this story develops, continue to call for the arrest and prosecution of all officials who contributed to the rape and abuse of women.
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J Reed, MFA is a college adjunct English professor and writer from Chicago, who writes fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new self-help articles. Follow him on Twitter @jreed913.
Remaining Yourself in the Workplace
You’ve made it past the interviews and landed the job you wanted, but the hard part is remaining who you are while working with your judgmental coworkers. Every morning, you crawl out of bed before the crack of dawn and get jammed in traffic on your way to work. It’s not easy, but you do it every day, making sure nothing you did the day before inhibits your ability to make it to work on time. The hardest part of work is dealing with your judgmental coworkers, but there are ways to remain true to yourself.
Mastering Yourself
To master yourself, you must know yourself.
The workplace is crammed with coworkers who drive a Mercedes, Tesla or other vehicle they’re paying hundreds of dollars for a month. Some carry Gucci bags or brag about the shrimp at restaurants you have to reserve a spot at weeks in advance. Your coworkers red-bottomed shoes clack through the halls as she struts around. Your coworkers have pizzazz, a certain flare that comes with vacationing overseas. You on the other hand are just you, no luxury vehicle, no designer names across your jeans, unimpressive, you think. Where do you fit in your workplace?
The workplace can be like social media. I once saw an optical illusion photo of a house any celebrity would be excited to call home. Though the house in the picture looked real, it was an illusion. The “house” really wasn’t the astounding property it appeared to be. These are the types of pictures that make it to social media: glorious and beautiful but lacking the whole story. As they do on social media, people share what makes them look best. They give you clips. Your coworker might brag about the tan they got while on vacation, but they won’t tell you about the person they caught their significant other French kissing on that same trip.
Knowing your coworkers share what they want and drive luxury vehicles for status and stares, you must know where you fit into your work environment. Are you the luxury car type or the type who drives whatever gets you to work? Are you a fitness nut, or do you eat what you want? Are you a social drinker or not a drinker at all? Introvert or extrovert? Though these things may seem small, all of them are things you’re judged on in the workplace. Your vegan coworker may frown when he hears you eat chitterlings. Your coworkers might laugh in the breakroom about the loud, shaking vehicle you drive.
So, the question becomes, how comfortable are you with yourself? If you waver under the gaze of a judgmental coworker, you’ll not only look weak but you’ll feel weak. Who are you? What are your values? Are you single or married? What information will you share with your coworkers? What information will you omit? You must know who you are and what you stand for. Otherwise, you will be molded by what people think of you.
Before sharing information about yourself with coworkers, consider what you want to share. Remember, you don’t owe anybody any explanation of who you are or decisions you make in your private life. Your identity is your own to share – or not share – as you see fit. It’s fine to associate with coworkers, but there is a very fine line between sharing and oversharing. Don’t invite too many people into your personal life with the details. Be careful of the coworkers you associate with.
Naturally, there are argumentative or drama-loving coworkers in every field, so be selective with whom you have coffee. Some coworkers can’t help spilling everything they know or gossiping behind the backs of others. They aren’t hard to spot mostly, but sometimes they come off as a “helpful” person. Oftentimes, they offer to help you with your work, and you accept that help sometimes. Behind your back, they’re probably telling the supervisor how they “had to help” you. Regardless of your coworker’s intentions, their sharing this information can make you seem lazy or incompetent. This is why you must keep your circle small and master who you are.
Mastering Rude or Judgmental Coworkers
Depending on where you work, you have dozens or hundreds of coworkers, all with their own personalities. In certain work cultures like that of college campuses, nearly everybody has a title. To protect the image that helped gained them their titles, people walk with their noses tilted upward. They ignore “Good mornings” that come from the title-less or those they consider beneath them. People like this set themselves apart by the clothes they wear, cars they drive or communities in which they live. To feel big, they make people feel small. Rude and judgmental coworkers make you cringe, but you can handle them effectively.
You’ve likely had a coworker make a not-so-flattering comment about how you dress. Or your supervisor hinted she doesn’t care for your cologne. Whatever the case, you feel picked on or singled out. This is something bullies do to make themselves feel good. Coworkers who always have something negative to say about you are miserable. You could argue back and forth with them or ignore them. Nothing gets a bully’s skin boiling quicker than being ignored. This is an effective way to avoid escalating the situation.
Sometimes, ignoring a bully is like pouring gasoline on a barn fire; their egos won’t allow them to be shrugged off. They might snicker more loudly or use profanities as you walk by, and that stings like a wasp. You have to look them in the eyes and tell them to leave you alone. It’s important you make eye contact, so you appear unafraid. Fear feeds the egos of judgmental coworkers, so don’t display it. Nine times out of ten, a cowrker won’t punch in the face. In the off chance you are, a good lawyer might turn that face punch into a pay day.
If your coworker makes rude comments about your style of dress, the way you wear your hair or anything else, address that coworker. Tell them why you don’t like their comments and that you want them to stop. Do not threaten to report them. If you tell them you’re going to report them before you do, they might report you first. Even if you’re the victim, proving it once somebody makes a claim against you is difficult.
For the feistier bunch, when your coworker says, “Your car is nice, but the color is ugly”, you can say, “You have nice shoes, but your personality is garbage.” Meeting insult with insult isn’t the best way to deal with a judgmental coworker. In situations where you can’t depend on management to address the issue, you might have to resort to delivering insults back. Fights have started over smaller issues. Just be cognizant of that.
In Case You Are an Introvert
If everybody drove a Lexus or Mercedes, spoke the same way and ate the same foods, individuality would not exist. Since the early 1900s, this country has been promoting the “extrovert”, the people’s person who can fit in with any crowd. The workplace demands leaders who work well with others and fit in with the culture of the workplace. Employers prefer smiling, waving extroverts over tight-lipped introverts who’d rather stare at their shoes than into the eyes of another person. There are as many introverts as extroverts, but people commonly identify as extroverts to avoid the stigmas that come with being an introvert. However, the push and yearning to be an extrovert fails to consider the value of introverts.
By nature, introverts would rather observe a conversation than to dive into it. They think more than speak and find small talk hard to engage in. Many of them prefer being alone over being around crowds of people. They are often brilliant in how they find solutions to problems. Though they are not people pleasers, they are loyal, focused and dedicated to whatever they put their time into. If you are an introvert, you know the pressures of new social situations, but you also know how to navigate them unnoticed.
The push to meld the individual away within work culture is inspired by fear of the individual. Employers prefer employees who fit in because disrupters challenge the status quo. Disrupters ask questions, stand up for their rights and speak their mind. In workplaces where elitism prevails, everybody wears a mask of fakeness and having a pedal stool is common, the introvert is feared.
If you are an introvert, don’t pretend you want to talk about football if you don’t. When somebody questions you about your personality, shrug. You don’t owe anybody anything. You’re the best thing to happen to you. Be awkward; be shy; be observant. Whatever you are, be you.
Takeaways
Workplaces can be cesspools of judgement, and you have to know yourself. Your coworkers are on diets, paying high car notes on a Benz or spending their last on Gucci bags. They do all of these things for the reactions of others. Hearing someone say “That’s a nice car” makes their hearts flutter. Without recognizing the fakeness, you risk becoming a person more concerned with impressing others than being who you are. Master yourself and your identity. Know what you want and who you are. Being an introvert is a benefit not a crippling disorder. If you master yourself, you master your workplace.
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J Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who writes fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new self-help articles. Follow him on Twitter @jreed913.
For as long as you could remember, you’ve been working in fast food or as a cashier. You’ve thought about changing careers, but you often feel inexperienced or unready. The thought of switching jobs stresses you out because, what if you fail? You often ask yourself, What do you have to offer? That’s called self-doubt. We all have it, but there are ways to five ways to overcome your imposter syndrome issues.
Don’t Think About Your Competition
Sometimes, you wake up for work and just don’t want to get out of bed. You don’t smile during work or find those small moments of joy that make you enjoy being there. There’s at least one career you’d rather be doing, but what about people who have more experience than you? What about the people who apply to the same job as you who know more than you? What if they have a higher level of education than you?
I’ve been hired as a Reprographics Technician, government Clerk, a Professor, Coordinator and more. For those positions, I didn’t meet all of the so-called requirements. In some instances, I didn’t have the number of years of experience the job listing called for. In a few others, I didn’t have all certifications I needed. Because these were high-paying government jobs, I knew my competition would be older, more experienced and refined. This is the point when most people talk themselves out of applying for a position. I doubled-down and got hired.
You should be the only competition you’re concerned with. These days, with most interviews being done over the phone or online, you likely won’t ever see your competition. Even if you do, so what? When you focus too much on the advantages your competition has over you and what you lack, you end up losing confidence in what you’re doing.
Imagine you are a first-class private jet and your confidence is the fuel. Depending on how much you have, you can circle the globe or be able to go only a few feet. Your potential altitude is determined by the amount of confidence you have.
Identify Your Self-Doubt
Identifying self-doubt in real-time is vital to boosting your self-esteem. Passively, we tend to embrace negative ideas about ourselves and never question them. You might say things like, “I’m not good at interviewing” or “I’m bad at math”. Whatever it is, you embrace those negative ideas to the point they prevent you from applying to certain positions. Throw those negative thoughts away.
Furthermore, self-doubt sneaks up on you, disguised as logic. Logic tells you, “Don’t waste your time. You’re not qualified.” It tells you to find something more fitting for you because this isn’t your lane. If you want to break past these depressing thoughts, you have to check them in real-time. It sounds easy, but it happens so subtly, it’s hard to notice in the moment.
So, take out a sheet of paper, or pull up a word processing program. Think about a job or career you really want. Write it down. If you need to, research the position’s duties, qualifications and requirements. Make two lists, one entitled “My Pros” and one entitled “My Cons”. List all the things that make you qualified. Then, list all the things that make you unqualified. Afterwards, throw away the “Cons” list. Whenever you have those doubts again, read over your “Pros” list to remind you of how you’re qualified.
Know Confidence from Cockiness
There’s a difference between being confidence and being cocky. Your parents probably used to tell you to be humble. After all, no one can stand a person who rides a high horse and treats others as a bad king would peasants.
You likely know people who have to preach about every car they have, the money they earn or the number of degrees they have. They’ve pushed you to ignoring their calls or completely avoiding them at work. Cockiness tends to push people away from you, while confidence behaves like a magnet.
Confidence is walking with your chin up, back straight and the overwhelming belief that no matter the challenge, you can overcome it. Being confident doesn’t mean you won’t have nerves. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with being a bit nervous. Know you have nothing to worry about.
To build confidence concerning employment, research the position well. Find sample job interview questions with answers and practice them. Write down some questions you want to ask the employer or interviewer. Search YouTube for related videos. Preparation builds confidence. When you do your research, you build trust within yourself because you know you have the knowledge. You just need to apply it.
Know What You Want
It’s OK to want something different out of your life, but you have to know what that is and why. Do you want to make more money? Do you want better work conditions? Sometimes, you might know you want change, but exactly what change you want can be difficult to identify. You must consider your happiness when considering employment. It’s a place you’ll be spending over a third of your weekdays most of the time, so you want to make sure it’s a nontoxic work environment.
We hear the word “happy” so much as adults, it’s closer to an ideal than something that happens in practice, but you’ll be miserable without it. What does happiness mean to you? Does it mean having friendly coworkers? Does it mean having a less strict supervisor? Again, take out a pen and jot down the things that would make work an enjoyable place for you.
On top of happiness, earning a comfortable living is important as well. Which matters more to you: Making more money or doing something you enjoy? Kanye West once said something to the effect of, having money isn’t everything, but not having it is. Simply put, having a vast amount of money isn’t the world. When you don’t have money, though, that can change your life in bad ways. There’s a balance to be struck between being happy with your career and making money.
A friend of mine is a dean of a college and earns a great living. Without any children to support, she’s living the life she wants. Still, she sighs when she speaks of work and generally doesn’t feel fulfilled. The upside is, all her bills are paid, and she doesn’t struggle to treat herself to vacations and the like. Yet her being unhappy is draining the joy from her soul. Is that what you want?
Do
When you talk less about what you’re doing or going to do, you get more done. You know those people who are “going to go to school” but don’t ever register or those who say, “Watch this” but then do nothing. Those who feel compelled to update the world on everything they’re doing usually aren’t doing whatever they allege they’re doing. My grammar school teacher used to tell his students a rhyme about a wise old owl. It went like this:
There was a wise old owl that sat in an oak.
The more he heard, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard.
You should be like that wise old bird.
Speaking without action is addictive. In the moment, somebody listens as you tell them about how good your life is about to get. Then, the conversation ends, and you go back to hating your job. During those conversations, the other person probably just nods without much conviction. They didn’t get a chance to speak, and what did you learn from that conversation? As in the “Wise Old Bird” rhyme, if you listen, you learn. If you speak without conviction, people remember it and bring it up.
When you tell people you’re going to get a better job or accomplish a certain goal, some of them doubt you. In their mind, your friends, family and foes alike hold you to what you said you were going to do. They have less faith in you when you don’t follow through. The next time you tell them about something you plan to do, they might call you out and say, “You always say that” or “Sure”.
Emotionally, when you don’t have the support of your people, it can make you want to sit in the corner and cry or give up. Don’t give people fuel to disbelieve you. If you constantly do the opposite of what you tell others, they’re going to hold it against you eventually. The best thing to do is, write it down.
If you don’t have a journal, get one. Write down your goals and list clear, specific ways you plan on getting there. For instance, if your goal is to register for school, one of the first steps is applying. Know what you want and how you plan to get there.
Conclusion
You can achieve your goals, but you need confidence to do so. Building that confidence entails ignoring your competition. Don’t think of them. It’s You Verses You. Be confident and know what you want. Create lists that include your pros and cons. Keep a journal of your goals with specific directions on how to achieve those goals. When it comes to getting anything done, do it. Don’t talk about your next job. Get it. In this world, you’re your only competition.
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Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new blog posts, writing advice and books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
Recently, rapper Kevin Gates, 36, released the song “Super General” in which he alleged his wife Dreka, 35, cheated on him with her 51-year-old personal trainer. Dreka and the personal trainer’s supposed affair began on a farm, where the two grow their own food. Kevin says on “Super General”, “Personal trainer violated my personal space/deep down it devastated me.” Some outlets have noted Dreka may have been pregnant with her lover’s baby when Kevin Gates was in jail. It seems like Kevin Gates’ emotions got him in the situation with Dreka.
If you keep up with Kevin Gates, you know he wears his heart on his sleeve. For instance, he and rapper NBA YoungBoy had beef. As part of their reconciliation, Kevin Gates got a tattoo of YoungBoy’s face on his own body. When asked why he’d made such an odd move, Kevin Gates responded by saying, “Because I love [NBA YoungBoy].” Before the cheating rumors emerged, Kevin Gates named one of his studio albums Dreka, after his wife. He made his love and attraction for her obvious, but she still broke his heart. So, what does it all mean?
Kevin Gates is not a perfect man, yet he has made it a point to uplift women and treat them with respect. Doing so is honorable. In his music and interviews, he places women on a goddess-like pedestal. He created an atmosphere for his praises to blow up in his face. No human is flawless, but that’s how Gates spoke of his wife. In the end, he proved something the world already knew: Nice guys finish last.
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Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new blog posts, writing advice and books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
*This contains spoilers of Rick and Morty season four, episodes seven and eight.
When we watch television, we do so to escape reality, and nothing does that as artfully as the Adult Animation Sci Fi show Rick and Morty. Linked by celestial violence and obscenity, the grandfather-grandson duo make entertainment look easy. However, there is a silent racial overtone to the show that I have henceforth overlooked.
The racial elements of Rick and Morty more clearly materialized in season four episode seven “Promortyus”. In this episode, Rick and Morty’s bodies and minds are taken over by parasites that latch on to the face. It is later revealed that Summer has been taken too. Even though she’s queen of the face-sucking creatures, she doesn’t have one stuck to her face.
At any rate, the face parasites are brown-faced with dark blue tentacles and have thick, oval-shaped dark pinkish lips reminiscent of older racist animation of Black people by Disney. With the creatures on their faces, one can’t help but notice how much Rick and Morty seem to be wearing blackface. This, for me, was a particularly troubling idea. It was one I had written off during my first binge of the series.
…but I noticed something odd in episode eight.
When I first saw the episode in question, I said, “Maybe these writers know nothing of blackface. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Blackface disguised as alien parasites is a stretch.” But as I binge-watched the series for the fourth time, I noticed something odd in episode eight, “The Vat of Acid Episode” which is directly after the episode in question.
At the end of “Vat of Acid”, protestors, law enforcement, and others Morty has wronged surround Morty’s house. He climbs in a vat of fake acid to fake his death. However, the bones floating to the top of the vat didn’t catch my attention. The sign reading “BLACKFACE” did.
Could it be that right after the accidental “blackface” parasites, the writers coincidentally included the word “Blackface” in the very next episode? Maybe. Morty was, at the time of episode eight when the sign appeared, being accused of horrendous and ridiculous crimes. Or maybe the showrunners thought it would be funny to trigger people with blackface.
Seventy percent of Republicans believe in the [Great Replacement Theory].
Some would wonder, if the parasites represent blackface, on a grander level, what are the creators and/or writers of Rick and Morty saying about Black people? Are they equating Black people to parasites who want to take over the world? What if this is the furtherance of the “Great Replacement Theory”, a false belief that Black people are intentionally attempting to replace white people? Seventy percent of Republicans believe in this theory, and there’s no telling how seeing it emerge in so many forums will influence its believers.
Rick and Morty is a legendary show of cosmos-wide adventures that take us places our otherwise grounded reality cannot. Although the show is entertaining, some of the images may be a bit racial. The team behind this show has made powerful statements with Rick and Morty and must continue to do so. Still, in the interest of the show’s diverse audience, maybe the showrunners should steer clear of racially provocative images.
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A few weeks ago, self-proclaimed self-publishing “guru” Emeka Ossai announced plans to close his My Self Publishing Blueprint course. I had written a blog on Emeka where I questioned his claims of the self-publishing success on which he founded the legitimacy of his course. I was relieved recently to see he was closing the course, but I wondered what he would do next. He answered my question with a loudspeaker.
Emeka promises 12 Zoom calls with him over an 8-to-15-month timeframe.
Emeka sent me an email with my name and wrote, “Jermaine I made this just for you, please give it a look and let me know what you think.” I’m not sure it was sent specifically to me or if it was a mass email with my name on it. Anyway, the email led me to a Google Doc with Emeka pitching 12 calls with him for nearly $5,000.
In the document, he promises 12 Zoom calls over an 8-to-15-month timeframe with unlimited emails. These calls and emails with him will supposedly help self-publishers increase profit.
I have a few contentions with his offer. One issue is, Emeka mentions a book he’s working on and promises the book will be a major success. For the five years I’ve been following Emeka, I haven’t seen any of his books, not even on Amazon. He claims to have sold thousands but has offered no verifiable proof.
Moreover, he didn’t even name the current book he’s working on. Even if he is really working on one, he’s banned on Amazon. I’m not sure he’s sold as many books as he claims.
What can Emeka tell you for $416 an hour?
The salesman that he is, Emeka claims the $4,997-course is “technically free” since it is one’s investment in one’s self. This is such a condescending way of selling things to your audience. He’s basically saying, “They’re so dumb, they’ll pay me and think it’s free.”
Also, at $4,997 total for the 12 Zoom calls and some emails, that’s the equivalent of paying Emeka roughly $416 per hour. What can he tell you for $416 an hour you can’t learn with a little YouTube focus and books, if you want?
Moreover, Emeka plays some reverse psychology in his document by saying he is only accepting 4 – 5 self-publishers. Basically, he pulled the ole, “Hurry up and buy because space is limited.”
He isn’t even trying to sell anymore. He isn’t hustling. He’s sending out emails and promising Zoom calls to avoid any heavy lifting.
Emeka declares results are not guaranteed.
Five grand is a lot of money, and if you have it, you’re better off throwing it in a pit of fire than giving it to Emeka. Even with all his hype about his Zoom calls, he declares results are not guaranteed. It’s a gamble. Remember, no matter how much you think you’re winning, the House always wins in the end.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
In life, we sometimes struggle and then have to deal with bad advice from nosey people. We have a problem at home, and our best friend becomes a relationship counselor. Or a coworker overhears you in a disagreement over the phone and feels the need to chime in with their opinion. It’s time for you to turn down bad advice and take control of your life.
[You have to] defend yourself.
Sometimes, you feel the need to vent. You’re not looking for advice but an avenue to express yourself. However, when you do so with a family member or friend, you find yourself arguing to defend yourself.
It is human to want to open up about your struggles. However, doing so within your inner-circle could cause uncomfortable disagreements. To take control of your life and express yourself, see a counselor, start a blog or go to a support group.
Also, before pouring out your emotions, you could start off by telling the person you’re talking to that you just want to vent. Tell them you’re not looking for advice or to be judged. This should make the conversation more comfortable for both of you. Also, you have to set boundaries with coworkers.
I’ve dealt with a pushy coworker who insisted I allow them to buy me things. It was a very uncomfortable experience brought on when this person asked me if I’d ever tried a particular thing and I said, “No.”
I took coworkers’ advice because I felt pressured.
Although the moment I turned down my coworker’s offer felt awkward, I ultimately felt better in the end. I don’t know where things would have gone had I accepted the offer, but I do know I felt extremely uncomfortable.
The coworker I mentioned was also very nosey, having their ear to every office door in the building. A few times, they insisted I take their advice. Many times I did because I felt pressured to. And that’s where I went wrong.
In human communication, there will be uncomfortable moments. You must confront them head-on. It’s OK to say, “No. I got this.” That applies to family as well.
We like to think our family’s advice is always coming from a place of love. However, when our families dislike our spouses or have hidden jealousy towards us, their advice might be tainted. Take their advice with a hint of doubt.
You have to stand up for yourself.
Everybody has that nosey friend who makes it seem like their own life or relationship is perfect. Actually, it isn’t. They just don’t fill you in on the negative issues. Because of that, it seems they have it all together. They don’t.
Still, we fear what our family and friends will say behind our backs if we continue to date the person they don’t like. We are reluctant to stand up because we don’t want the drama.
Tell your family and friends you don’t need their advice. Keep them out of your business. If they try to discuss it, change the subject. Avoid going there with them.
That said, everybody goes through things. It’s up to you to make your best decisions. It’s fine to tell a coworker you don’t need their help or advice. It’s better you avoid discussing personal issues with your friends and family they use to judge you. You are amazing. You got this.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
To be clear, no one really knows what happened between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard, though he’s currently suing her for $50 million for defamation. Johnny says Amber accused him of domestic violence when she, in fact, was the abuser; at worse, his legal team claims, it was “mutual abuse” between the two. Back when the couple initially fell out, the media and social media took Amber Heard’s side. Now, we’re questioning cancel culture and asking what a “victim” really looks like.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a 2016 book by blogger Mark Manson. Part of Mark’s argument in said book is, some people like playing the victim and social media fuels this. His point is not to blame the victim. His point is, we give too much credence to those only playing the victim, as some would argue in Amber Heard’s case.
We give too much credence to those playing victim…
There are controversial social media sensations like Kevin Samuels who contend women abuse men but society doesn’t take it seriously. In a tape played by Johnny Depp’s defense team in court, Amber seems to argue the same thing. In the audio, she says, “Tell the world Johnny, tell them Johnny Depp… I, Johnny Depp, a man… I’m a victim, too, of domestic violence. Let’s see who believes you. Let’s see who believes a white man, a white man of privilege can be a victim over a woman? Go on.”
[Cancel culture] is like a blunt object wielded by a toddler…
What Amber says is inflammatory but true. Johnny is in a bad situation because of his gender and fame. As a white female, Amber could do just about anything to him and without hardcore proof, Johnny would be dragged and made to seem like the bad guy. Indeed, it is was happened, some argue. So, what does this say about cancel culture?
Cancel culture’s purpose is to challenge controversial figures who would otherwise go unchallenged. It is supposed to be a system of checks and balances to ensure we the people don’t empower people intending to tear us apart. In that way, it is an honorable idea. In practice, it is like a blunt object wielded by a toddler who likes to throw temper tantrums.
Again, Johnny and Amber are pointing fingers at each other, so it is hard to decide who’s telling the truth. However, the aforementioned audio may convince some that Johnny isn’t the bad guy in this case. But what if Johnny Depp really isn’t the bad guy?
We must check cancel culture…
With the way the media sometimes jumps on claims without verifying them and how rumors spread like wildfire on social media, an innocent man being attacked is natural collateral damage. The accused will remain guilty, and, even if he’s found not guilty in court, he will remain guilty in the public eye.
Therefore, cancel culture as whole must be checked. Social media platforms must remain objective and moderate posts with false news so that the image of good people isn’t ruined. This is an age of information and an era of victims. Everyone shares everything, and some overshare for attention. Some love the support that comes with being a victim. We must check cancel culture or watch our world become a cesspool absent self-accountability.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
Imagine LeBron James gets on a plane to Russia only to end up a prisoner to the country at a time it is at war with a country the U.S. is supplying with weapons and other aid. The headlines would be innumerable, and the outrage would be tangible. Every reporter to politician would be seeking answers. In the case of Brittney Griner, her case has not gotten a quarter of the attention it deserves.
WNBA player Brittney Griner went missing in February of 2022. Originally, articles focusing on her disappearance were scarce. When the public finally found out she had been detained in Russia for allegedly possessing a marijuana vape pen at a Russian airport, former WNBA star Lisa Leslie said that officials had instructed Griner’s team to remain mum on the topic.
Silence… is hurting more than helping…
It is fully arguable and understandable that authorities would want to avoid causing ruffles with the public. Griner is captive to an enemy state, and avoiding antagonizing Russia is a smart move. However, silence in this case is hurting more than helping.
Many people don’t believe the United States government is doing enough to secure the safe return of Brittney Griner. There have been some talks between Griner and American government officials, but none of those talks have led to her release. Usually in a situation like this involving someone of Griner’s stature, reports concerning her would be headlining every station.
Race and gender have played a role in the mishandling and seeming indifference concerning Griner. It’s similar to the “Runaway Black Girl Theory” (RBGT); when a Black girl goes missing, instead of labeling her a missing person and pouring in resources to find her, authorities sometimes suggest a Black girl in this situation is a runway. Doing so gives them the cover they need to ignore her case.
As for Brittney Griner, some will say, “She had a vape pen and brought this on herself.” However, this does not excuse what seems to be the American government’s indifference in relation to Griner. Americans are known for causing trouble overseas and being saved by their country.
Brittney Griner deserves the same American government… intervention Fay got.
Michael Peter Fay is an American who vandalized over 18 cars in Singapore in 1993. In 1994, he was sentenced to a number of whips with a cane and ordered to pay fees. America fought hard to bring Peter home and get his sentenced tossed. Eventually, America was able to get Peter home, though he took six cane whips across the butt and paid a fine before Singapore freed him. He later committed several new crimes in America for which he was either given a slap on the wrist or allowed to walk away from without a conviction.
The above acknowledged, although Griner and Fay’s cases are not the same, they share similarities. Brittney Griner deserves the same American government backing and intervention Fay got. However, it does not seem that will happen. Some in America say they don’t see color; I’m beginning to think it’s true. They can’t – or just choose not to – see us.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Subscribe and share to get new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Please join Jermaine’s email list to get notifications on new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913 .
If you’ve ever looked into self-publishing on Amazon, you’ve probably heard of Emeka Ossai. A charismatic Canadian with a disarming smile, Emeka claims to know the way to sell thousands of dollars worth of books. Through his My Self-Publishing Blueprint course launched over five years ago, Emeka claims to reveal the ways to self-publish a profitable book. As of 5/01/2022, My Self-Publishing Blueprint is closed, but was there any merit to it to begin with?
From poking around online, I found Emeka allegedly has been banned from Amazon KDP, the self-publishing leg of the online giant. Because of shady review practices, he is supposedly not allowed to self-publish on Amazon. In a few of his YouTube videos, he addresses these accusations. And this is where the story gets fuzzy.
It is hard to see where the truth ends…
However, Emeka claims to have sold thousands of books and made a profit doing so. Still, he presents no tangible proof. Instead, he claims to have ghostwritten books that he can’t name due to non-disclosure agreements. In his defense, he does present people who allegedly took his course and made money. It is hard to see where the truth ends and mistruths begin.
I have been told, as cliché as it is, to believe half of what I see and none of what I hear. Emeka’s Self-Publishing Blueprint course is not one I have taken. I’m not sure how beneficial that course is, but I know I have not witnessed any real proof from Emeka that would funnel me into purchasing his course. Maybe the best thing to happen to this course is its closing.
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Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Please join Jermaine’s email list to get notifications on new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913 .
When Netflix originally launched in 1997, it offered DVD rentals and sales. Eventually, it focused just on DVD rentals, before becoming the biggest streaming platform on the market. However, due to unbelievable price jumps, defending offensive comedians and more competition, Netflix may be the next big business to fail.
Since the beginning of the 2022 quarter, Netflix has lost over 200,000 subscribers and may lose up to two million more this year. That may seem like nothing, considering the platform has over 222 million total worldwide subscribers. However, if this trend continues, Netflix may have to close its doors. Some have asked, is Dave Chapelle to blame for the fall in subscribers?
Netflix has laid off twenty-five full-time employees…
When Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special The Closer aired in 2021, Dave was accused of making transphobic jokes. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos chose to stand beside Dave, even with bad press and employees boycotting the job. Quite frankly, Sarandos grossly mishandled the 2021 incident. And membership to the platform is now down, so much so that Netflix has laid off twenty-five full-time employees. Naturally, it would seem the Dave Chappelle incident played at least some role in the in losing subscribers, but the incident may be only one part of the issue.
The Dave Chappell controversy happened during the same time as many other impactful events. At the same time, Netflix continued raising prices of subscription. Since 2015, Netflix has increased its subscription prices as much as sixty-six percent. As a person who has gone through at least three price hikes with the streaming platform, I was just not ready to do it again at $19.99. A lot of subscribers to Netflix feel this way and may not think its worth it.
For instance, under certain bundles from other providers outside of Netflix, subscribers can get HBO and Disney+ together for under $12.99 a month. Also, Hulu is a great streaming platform with shows like Woke that make it a fitting alternative to Netflix. And Hulu isn’t on the offensive about account sharing like Netflix is.
Although the Dave Chappelle controversy may have turned away some subscribers, it is not solely responsible for the decline. Netflix’s prices are too high, and they may not come with benefits like a subscription to a music streaming service or other streaming service. Hulu, Showtime, Starz and other streaming services have content that is as good as Netflix’s or better. Netflix made an assumption about its worth that viewers are proving they just don’t believe.
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Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Please join Jermaine’s email list to get notifications on new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913 .
*Spoiler Alert: This post contains a lot of spoilers.
The first season of Hulu’s show Woke introduced the audience to Keef Knight, a Black cartoonist who experiences police brutality. This experience jars Keef awake socially, and he begins to really see racism for the first time. Though season one left us on a promising note, season two of Woke is proving to be a snoozer.
The art of enjoying television is partially based on your willingness to suspend disbelief. This suspension is tempered by the world in which the characters live. That is, you’re more likely to accept vampires in The Walking Dead than you are to accept vampires in Miami Vice.
Situations in Woke are compromising the viewer’s tolerance…
The above stated, although Keef does talk to live garbage cans, markers and other normally inanimate objects, other situations in Woke are compromising the viewer’s tolerance for suspending disbelief.
For instance, Keef gets into a deal where he unknowingly distributes shoes that contain 5G and tracking technology to homeless individuals. Complicating the issue further is that the data is being sold to the City which is using it to find and disband peaceful homeless encampments.
This is a stretch at best and just plain bad writing at worse. For me, it’s like the moment Fonzie jumped the shark. Maybe it’s not unbelievable that a private company or the government would put tracking devices in shoes. It is unlikely it would be done in such poorly, openly brazen manner.
And wandering how Keef has this season looking for a fight, he now has to battle against something he helped start? So, Keef begins a fight against Laura, the Silicon Valley archetype that helped invest in and start the “Keef Knight Project”, after the company she works for goes after Keef’s friend Ayana.
Keef accomplishes nothing…
After organizing a rally against himself to ruin his own name and making it seem like the 5G shoes hurt him, Keef threatens to sue the company Laura represents if the company doesn’t drop its suit against Ayana which it seems will happen. At the end, Keef rides off with Clovis’s dad in search of himself.
To say the least, a lot happened and nothing happened simultaneously in Woke Season 2. Each twist and turn led to nowhere. Keef accomplishes nothing on a grand scale and grows in no meaningful way. In sitcoms many time, characters do not grow. What set Woke apart was its potential to push boundaries sitcoms normally don’t.
This season of Woke is not worth the time it takes to consume. It’s like getting a big, juicy-looking steak only to find out it’s just meaty air. This season served no purpose. Keef did not move or grow as a character. His agenda has not been furthered. And, honestly, it wasn’t that funny.
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About the author: Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. For self-publishers, authors and other writers and Creatives, Jermaine provides proofreading on Fivver. Please join Jermaine’s email list to get notifications on new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here.
Updated 2/18/2022
On playgrounds across America, before the pandemic, one child with their hands extended would stand between two other kids and say, “If you’re bad, hit my hand.” The purpose of this is to instigate a fight that the two combatants are not that enthused about initiating. Interestingly enough, the instigator usually doesn’t have to worry about being punched in the face. This instigator is like Vlad who uses hip-hop radio and vlogging to single-handedly send more Black men to fight petty wars between each other than white slave holders. It is time to cancel Vlad for good.
Vlad… keeps up conflict that should have evaporated… decades ago.
Vlad Lyubovny, known professionally as DJ Vlad has made a name for himself instigating rap beef between artists. One would think Vlad would be covering timely issues, but he has managed to keep up conflict that should have evaporated into thin air decades ago.
For instance, Vlad had rapper Young Buck on his show in December 2020. During the interview, Buck mentioned that rapper Juvenile and others from Cash Money Records had left him stranded in California. Recently, Vlad had Juvenile on his show and mentioned Buck’s interview. Juvenile called Buck several derogatory names during the interview with Vlad and this caused a bigger stir between the two rappers.
Detroit rapper Royce Da 5’9 took to Twitter to accuse Vlad of stoking the fire between Buck and Juvenile
While the world was waiting for Young Buck to respond, Detroit rapper Royce Da 5’9 took to Twitter to accuse Vlad of stoking the fire between Buck and Juvenile. Royce went on to say how Vlad is poisoning relationships in hip-hop by using his platform to create tension amongst rappers. This is a true assessment of Vlad, because, other than causing conflict, Vlad’s show has no purpose or substance. It’s trash journalism/vloggism at best, the video equivalent of the National Enquirer tabloid.
Rappers are not forced to appear on Vlad’s show, but that does not mean Vlad has no responsibility.
Once upon a time, comedian/entertainer Nick Cannon expressed some stressing sentiments on Vlad’s show. Nick’s contention was that Vlad was corrupting rap music by creating a space where rappers are invited to incite confrontations and incriminate themselves. Vlad’s argument, as his supporters’ is, is that these rappers appear on his show without duress. This does not address Dj Vlad’s instigating.
Rappers are not forced to appear on Vlad’s show, but that does not mean Vlad has no responsibility in the drama he perpetuates. In the law, any person who creates an environment where bad things happen are responsible for that. As an example, if an adult throws a party where there’s underage drinking, the adult is responsible.
DJ Vlad is a culture vulture who means rappers no good. Due to contracts and wanting to promote their music, rapper sometimes use Vlad’s platform as an outlet. However, he preys on them and coaxes them into violent situations or snitching on themselves. He does not care that things may turn deadly from his instigating.
Moreover, Vlad has no moral compass beyond dollar signs. The more beef he starts, the more clicks he gets. His show is nothing more than a pre-fight club. It is where rappers go to ruin their careers and be made a puppet of for Vlad’s gain. He is untrustworthy, greedy and selfish.
rap music is art
Also, “hate” is a strong word, but does “love” describe what Vlad has for hip-hop culture? Black culture? People will say, “Vlad didn’t force those rappers to say what they said.” Some will go a step further and say, “Rappers talk about killing each, sex drugs and money all the time. How is what Vlad doing any different?”
To begin with, rap music is art. As white multi-platinum rapper Eminem who threatened to kill then-Vice President Mike Pence on record said, “A lot of people think that what I say on record…I actually believe. Well, if you believe that, I’ll kill you.”
Sometimes, when kids who are not POC draw guns or non-POC men paint a nude woman or a non-POC woman makes a sex toy, it’s considered art. It should be marveled at; it should not be picked apart, some in America say. And if a non-POC rapper “threatens” to “kill” the Vice President, it’s art but not a threat.
it is time to cancel Vlad and the bloodsucking, culture vulture part of society he so adequately represents.
However, Black people’s art has rarely been appreciated by America; it has never been understood. It is why the 1619 Project by Pulitzer Prize-winner Nikole Hannah-Jones caused such a stir and Black rappers who have not threatened the lives of sitting authorities are portrayed as a threat. Hip-hop is rooted in storytelling, grand pseudo-luxury realities and pessimistic hope. It is about struggle and overcoming it, about being someone other than who the rapper truly is. Rap is an expression of everything good and bad the rapper has experienced. Hip-hop/rap is art.
Black America was told not to run numbers, not to smoke cannabis, not to use “Ebonics”, correctly known as African American Vernacular English. Then, America became rich off the lottery, richer off African American Vernacular English by using it in their promotions and became legal billionaires with the same marijuana that sent Black men to jail for decades. Vlad is an embodiment of the social leech that has always been on the groin of Black America, and it is time to cancel him and the bloodsucking, culture vulture part of the world he so adequately represents.
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