You. Black man. You know who you are. Not the one who fits the usual criteria of what black males are seen as in our society. The one who isn't structured into that stereotype. This manual is for you. Follow it if you want, if not, fine as well.
1. Don't be the token minority
This one is important. If you are looking for friends(Which is pointless to begin with), find other black men like you. They're out there. Don't gravitate to a group of non-blacks. One thing most of these groups try to do is find a token minority so their group won't be seen as all-white and racist. They are not your friends. They are a liability towards you. You are not a friend in their circle. You are always the black friend, who has the black opinion and the black alternative to the standard. You are everything but what you intended to be to them: A friend. At least get a multicultural band of goons so you can stand on equal ground with them. Two or more of the same group will leave a unbalance.
2. Don't be the jokester
This is a very important one. One problem I have with people and how they view us is that we tell funny jokes or we're always supposed to be the funny men. There are too many comedians now. More comics than rappers. When you're a comic, people expect you to just be funny and not be serious. You have to stand strong and be direct. There's nothing wrong with making a witty snide everyone now and again, but don't do it every time. White people tend to laugh a little too hard at the black guy being the funny and wacky guy. Let the Joey Gladstones and Samuel Powers do the comic relief. We need more refined men that are respected and less of the coons. Even if they say you're a stiff blanket, be as stiff as you can be. A boy plays, a man watches his boy play.
3. Don't refrain yourself
You are a man. Do not let others say otherwise. You are a black man. Be strong. Be you. What a regular man does, you do just the same as he does. There's a stigma where a black man acts arrogant or has an ego and it's blown out of proportion. Don't let people feel safe around you. If they do, you're trapped. You're already a beast to be reckoned with. Don't let them get too close. You have to be a man. Our women are on equal terms with us. That's the reason you see more black women in media rather than us. And if we are, we're with them, we're the token, there's one half of us onscreen or we're effeminate. Be a man and don't water yourself down. If those around you can't handle the real, raw prowess of a black man, tough. Don't be an asshole altogether but keep that little sprinkle of arrogance.
4. Don't sweat the opposite sex
So you've got your priorities straight. You're dedicated, focused and faithful. You want a relationship. You're polite and a gentlemen. So what's the problem? Black men like you and me don't get dates. Smarts? Nigga please. Get that swag on. Dignity? Stupid. Wil' out and act a fool when things go wrong. Respect? You'll never see it. You are everything she doesn't want in a man. She likes drama. She wants a man that's not worth something. You are too much for her to handle. She will make an excuse not to date you. She won't even give you a chance or one date just to test the waters. And the girls who fit your criteria? They play hard to get, they're taken or they go for white men. So who's next? Non-black women. Good luck with that. They can find all you have in one of their men. But don't worry about it. The time wasted on that can go to furthering your career or goals. Make your worth and let those bitches pick the wrong men and fuck up their lives. You can laugh at them when their somewhat decent bodies get ruined by childbirth.
And avoid single mothers. That's all you have to pick from. I'm not speaking from experience, but I know who'll settle for us, Keyword. It's what you need
not to do.
5. Keep to yourself
No company is better than bad company. So you've no friends or a girlfriend. So what? Stay to yourself. Be your own companion. You're better off with no friends than with people who call themselves your friends doing the exact opposite that a friend wanted to do. Even worse if you have money or fame. Should any person gain one of the two or both, this is where they become at the most vulnerable. People from the woodwork come out to be your pal or to be your lover or suddenly they want to date you. You don't need those people around you. I never kept friends for long and that's probably why I don't care to make them or look for any. It's just not in my cards. With us, we can't keep money. We have to splurge it on frivolous stuff and go buck wild. Why not invest that money into something or try to let it grow into something greater? Nope, that's stupid. The less of these fools you associate with, the better.
6. Don't falter
Stand strong. Stand tall. Do not falter. Through all of the obstacles you stand upon, you must not let them overwhelm you. I'm talking to you, the black man that keeps his pants up on his ass. The black man that doesn't speak with slang and with a limited vocabulary. The black man who isn't a chick magnet. The black man who prefers video games(Not Call of Duty or any of the non-gamer bullshit corporations shit out)and anime. The black man who dares to respect women, who dares to want to be something and keeps a level head on things. You are the ones who need uplift. Everyone hates us. We are shunned and attacked, hated and ridiculed. And even then, we must stand strong. Be strong. Swallow your tears and let it burn. Be angry. Be aggressive. Go at the world aggressively. If you have to do it alone, do it. Don't falter. Don't. Channel that frustration and go at it with finesse and determination. Your integrity is something no one can take, even when you die.
Remember that and these steps, and you can succeed in having a healthy life free of stress.
