why do black people still use the n work why do we degrade ourselves?

Answer 1

I have asked myself this question several years ago when I first started hearing it in either rap music, movies, or even black comedians. At first I said the same thing, that it's ignorance or they just don't care, but then I made a simple comparison.

When I was in middle school and even into high school, I was referred to as a geek or nerd due to my interest in computers (during a time when most kids didn't care or understand them). Now, if someone is referred to as a computer geek or computer nerd, it's more like a compliment or said as acknowledgement that you have good computer skills - society has taken what was once supposed to be an insult and turned it into something lesser.

I feel black society did the same with "the N word"...a word that was used with hatred for many years, they decided to incorporate it into the music, writings, and everyday language so that it "devalues" the meaning when people said it out of hatred.

Answer 2

Do you honestly think it's degrading to steal the word from those who *do* use it to degrade, and turning it into a word with hardly any negative meaning? It blunts it as a weapon.

The word "black" when applied by non-black people *used* to be very derogatory (those black ni**ers) until the Black Power movement of the sixties. For a while, "Black" became the way many Black people preferred to be identified. (Having grown up during that time, Black is how I think of African-Americans still.)

Personally, I think taking the poison out of words and making them your own is a Very Good Thing. Other people who are commonly discriminated against have done the same, such as gay men (fa**ot, queer), lesbians (dyke, queer), and people with other sexual differences from the norm (proud perverts).

Answer 3

Ignorance and defiance; It is not a positive word. It isn't always a term of endearment as some like to think. It makes a mockery of all that others have fought for in trying to gain rights and respect for blacks.

Answer 4

Ignorance and stupidity I guess. They seem to think its cool to call each other this word never realizing how dumb it actually makes them out to be

Answer 5

Because, they don't care... its that simple.