Reading that Charles Barkley thread has made me realize how different my experience has been from a lot of black folk regarding intelligence. I got some of the "acting white" stuff too growing up, but never to the demoralizing degree that a lot of members say they've experienced. I didn't grow up rich either; inner city Baltimore born and raised by a single mother. Was never much of a social being either, so I couldn't use that to overcome whatever barriers are supposed to have existed between me and other lower class blacks. And yet, I found tons of support and people who admired my intellect from family, friends, teachers, etc.
It just brings me to this point where I'm wondering how much of the "crabs in the bucket" mentality is truth and how much is hyperbole. Because while I acknowledge that it does exist, I can't being myself to ignore all the brothers and sisters out there who do genuinely admire intelligence and want to see other blacks get educated and be successful.
Just feels like we're only telling one part of the story so that we can continue pushing the old respectability narrative.
