Leniency compels me to describe societal ‘hypes’ as hollow distractions, devoid of the merit they claim to possess.
A discerning African writer categorizes them as nescient attributes unworthy of their existence.
Nikki Giovanni, with her characteristic clarity, calls them outright foolish. She views them as non-essential to her growth and well-being as a writer. A collection of trivialities that neither enhance her humanity nor elevate her craft as a black woman, mother, and writer. With the evolution of contemporary culture and the rise in progressive ideologies, such hypes are subject to constant rejuvenation and redefinition. These societal fads, constantly reborn under the guise of progress, rarely contribute to the essence of a writer’s journey. Instead, they serve as ever-shifting mirages: the war hype, the homophobia-laden gay rights hype, the “not light enough to govern” hype, the pronoun hype, the gender disparity hype, the me-too hype, the political power plays hype, the civil embezzlement hype, the hollow success hype, the hushpuppi mimicry hype, the fake-it-till-you-make-it hype, the cancel culture hype, the influencer clout hype, the Wall Street gamble hype, the Silicon Valley deluded startups hype, the defund the police hype, the “black man better not kneel” anthem hype, the good-guys-with-guns and their miraculous ability to stop the amoral lot hype, and the “China’s global conquest” conspiracy hype. Each assertion is an interruption. A distraction. A constitution of disturbing details that account for non-essential consumption for black and African writers—a chaotic white noise threatening to derail black writers from pursuing their true purpose.
“If you are a writer, by the existence of your work and not through self-branding, by the ability of a generation to find solace in your work and not through self-avowal, you are forced to look behind the word into the meaning of the word. And the reactions surrounding its existence. You become responsible for what that word means. You must, therefore, find ways to infuse the word with meaning that liberate its energy.” It is the only approach to ensure the word engraves a positive effect on people’s lives. As such, the writer embodies an all-powerful creator that molds the word into a living word. One that liberates, inspires, and transcends the constraints of any societal hype, guiding communities toward self-love, and purposeful existence. When used deliberately and with the precision of an artisan, wordsbecome more than mere symbols—they are forces of creation capable of breaking societal-hype cocoons, inciting positive thinking that births progressive creation, innovative solutions, and ignite revolutions.
Humans must accept that society hypes, regardless of the generation, are destructive entities to individuals searching for breeding grounds to nurture their creativity. The one lot that perceives itself better than the next based on niche-driven societal hypes is doomed. An individual from the said lot who holds thyself in the highest regard simply because they choose to survive on a plant-based diet may look down on a farmer who runs a lambchop down the street. In doing so, unbeknownst to the lad, he is no better than an affluent junkie—a needle in hand—who looks down on a destitute drug fiend. They both engage in self-destructing games and are perpetuating their demise. Failure to recognize one’s involvement in the hype is confirmation enough that an individual is deprived of awareness. Thus, their involvement constitutes an unconscious body and soul unquestioningly advocating for rights, freedom, societal values, ‘equality’, and safe havens that perpetuate their destruction, if not quietus.
“People invent categories to feel safe.”
In doing so, they align themselves within the boundaries of their desired classification—now adopted identities—and uplift their acquired identity even when its foundation stands on the suffering and repression of those without the classification. A colonial white man’s identity is nothing short of a circus and living proof of centuries of oppression to a man of African descent. It is without shame and regret that the founding fathers have molded—and continue to etch their identity out of their Negro counterpart’s misery, torture, naivety, oppression, and torment. A foundation built on centuries of deceit to the native landowners—a farce, a travesty, a mockery of justice. An assimilation of the classifications without. This duality—the ‘classification within,’ which sustains its dominance through systemic oppression, and the ‘classification without,’ which serves as the foundation of that dominance—reveals the profound inequities underpinning western identities. Even so, given the podium to make necessary adjustments, the white-privileged cat borrows elements of the oppressed identity, shedding fur when necessary to maintain its dominance while redefining its image. This strategic act of reinvention, though defying the nature of the said white cat, reflects an ongoing effort to adopt attributes of the classification without while upholding the structures of systemic exploitation.
In dissecting the tiny-desk conversation between Giovanni and Baldwin, one truth emerges with resounding clarity: a black/African writer bears a profound responsibility. While societal hypes claw for attention, demanding allegiance to fleeting causes, an African writer must rise above, reclaiming their voice as a tool of liberation and revolution. (Giovanni’s) call to curate words with intention and (Baldwin’s) stringent defiance against distractions form a dual mandate: to nurture authenticity and foster a love for the black existence that transcends generations. The writer, then, becomes both a historian and visionary—a force to remind future generations of their inherent value, untainted by the distortions of societal trends. For survival, hypes must evolve, but the truth, when wielded by a black writer with purpose, endures beyond the white noise.
Illustration artists: Wendy Macnaughton and @prawny
entry tag: 25th of December 2023 and 18th July 2024