Why do some black people act white?

Question

I can't stand it when black people act relaxed and normal around me but when they see a white person they switch up. Some chick told someone 'that scares the dickens out of me." What the frick is the dickens?

BY THE WAY THE WOMAN I'M SPEAKING OF IS 43 YEARS OLD WITH 4 CHILDREN, DIVORCED TWICE. I AM 30. Let me answer my own question. People want to be accepted SOOOO bad that they are willing to "act" a certain way to do it. I am a hispanic married woman. I am married to a black man. Let's be real people...youknow people that do it. Read the comments. People that say the 'politically correct stuff' are the ones that are doing it. Look around folks.

When white folks try to act anything other than what they are they look ridiculous so yeah i think its worse.

Answer 1

well that's a well trained black ...
that show respects for white people
them the good ones...I'm surprised your colored friend even got a job. well if she wants to continue to get her drug program sponsored by her employer, an stay off welfare she continue to behave i got a few black folks workin for me ..but i noticed them Mexican fellas are so much better behaved..and work harder too
but i keep em working though i figured id help out few of em
being they ain't got no education and all and no daddy's
now i ain't racist so dont go blowin your stack. and i got a black nanny for my children. and I'm a tiger woods fan got is autograph and all
but whats wrong with a well behaved *****?
heck when you say "act white " you mean civilized
well i dont talk jive and i cant rap so i wouldnt want an employee comeing up to me on the job saying "what up yo""im gona be late
son cuz i was up all night smokeing crack with my homies and drinking fourties".

Answer 2

Dickens-an emphatic exclamation: used for emphasis in a variety of expressions, especially expressions of surprise or annoyance

I don't know about "acting white" or "acting black." I don't use those expressions but there are stereotypes that are applied to every race and many people feel that they have to switch to the stereotypes of a different culture to blend in. I think race relations work better when every one learns to embrace & celebrate their own culture and appreciate & respect other cultures.

As a Black woman who was born in the late 70s, but schooled in a predominantly white setting, it was a while before I learned to appreciate who I am and where I come from. I thought my skin was too dark, my lips were too thick, my hair was too nappy, etc... Once I learned to love me and my culture, (at age 7) I actually got along even better with my white friends. It only took me a few years, unfortunately some people never learn.

Answer 3

well, first of all "dickens" was an author, but that means basically, scared the crap out of me.

second of all, you can't act a race. you can be a part of a race, but you cannot "act white" or "act black". that's part of the reason for so many racist comments, prejudices and stereotypes today. just because someone is behaving proper, sophisticated and formal, does not mean they are "acting white". that makes it seem like african-americans, along with other minority races, cannot behave as such. yes, people who change their personality when around other people, but we all do it. i don't speak to my professors or colleagues at work the same way i do with my friends and family. it's just about how you want to be perceived by the particular person you are speaking to. i find it offensive when someone says i'm "acting white", because i am speaking in an intelligent and appropriate manner.

just for the record, i am neither white, nor black.

Answer 4

I grew up in the early sixties when almost everything was racial, even trying not to be racist. I didn't get what all the beef was about. I didn't have any experience with true bigotry until I brought two black brothers home from school with me one day, the Taburns. My mom was nice to their faces, but did she tie into me after they left!

About that time a new show came on the air called "Julia," starring Diahnn Carroll. It showed prejudice in a bad light for the first time on mainstream American television. If I had any closet bigot sympathies left, they were gone very shortly thereafter. I began to fight with my folks and grandparents about racism. I never won them over, but I made some progress here and there.

That said, so, what do you mean, "Act white"? Do you mean they say "ask" instead of "axe"? Perhaps they listen to opera or vote republican. I don't abide racial generalizations by any race. Yes, if you believe only white people have hate groups, sadly, you probably belong to a hate group and don't even know it.

Still, I see what you mean. If your friends act differently whenever "white people" show up, that can be sickening. People should always be themselves. Being condescending is one thing, being a phony and a butt-kisser is another. It's an insincere form of flattery at best, outright blatant bigotry at worst. And, yes, I feel the same way when a white sees a black and starts bee-bopping and saying things like, "Give me some skin, brother/sister," and things of that nature. It's embarrassing for all concerned and embarrassing even to see as an outsider.

The most intelligent question of the last century was posed when Rodney King asked, "Can't we all just get along?"

By the way, I'm part white and part American Indian. I do not prefer the "Native American" name, although I'm far from being a descendent of India. If someone must label me, that one is the one I choose. By the same token, I say "black" when labels are relevant. (They so rarely are except in this context here.) Some of my black friends are from Haiti, Jamaica, and even Puerto Rico and Central America. As far as they know, they have no ancestors from Africa. So they prefer not to be called "African-American." They have no negative feelings towards Africa. They just have no family from there.

Strange, I have no family from India. But in "Native American," I feel that anyone who is not an immigrant, every soul who was born here, is a "Native American." So that name does not describe my heritage. Also, the name "America" itself comes from the explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who "discovered" this continent that already had millions of deep-red-skinned people here. Either name contains the word "America," so I choose the one which least offends my sensibilities. But I'd prefer to be called a Shawnee, if more people knew what that is. Or, best by far, I prefer to be called "Doug."

So I should not act black or white... or even red, for that matter.
All I can ever be is me.

Answer 5

oh wow.

ok, back way up. race is socially constructed (and yes, of course there's a lot of history based on these social constructions). Especially "acting" black, white, whatever. Do you think a person pops out of her/his mother's womb and starts "acting", Black, White, Latino, etc all on their own? There is a less than 1% difference in our biological makeup. We learn our behaviors from social cues around us, picking up lingo, actions, and everything else from the people are around us. We live in a pretty segregated society that is obsessed with race (whether or not we want to admit it), so we all get these preconceived notions of how people of different races and ethnicities are supposed to act.

Besides, "scares the dickens out of me" is more of an antiquated saying than "white." How many young white people (and I'm assuming you and your friend are young) do you hear saying that? Maybe she picked it up from her grandmother, or maybe she's just well read.

People act differently in different situations with different people. As someone else mentioned, you might want to talk to your professor or supervisor somewhat differently from how you would talk to your friends. If your friend talks differently around each race, then she might have some issues with race (feeling ashamed, inferior, or maybe just isolated), or you know, maybe that's just how she likes to interact with people. has it ever occurred to you that she's "acting" when she's with you? Everyone acts; some people just do it more than others.

Answer 6

what the frick is a dickens? What the hell is a frick? Many people go through life as though they are the star of their own play. I hate it when I see people doing that and they couldn't even pick a good character to play.

Answer 7

It's really bad when people take up acting like a stereotype of another race. There are cultural differences between the races. If you are just acting like yourself, people tend to accept you for who you are. It's much easier to be yourself. It's when you start trying to change to fit in, that you run into trouble.

If you are acting black, or acting white, or acting at all, it's just wrong because you aren't emersed enough in that culter to successfully pull it off.

And by the way, I'm from Georgia and never say "dickens". :P

Answer 8

It's called being versatile, It's called adapting, one would hope one could be him/herself at all times, but in most cases it's just not that simple. Survival for some means bringing out your more educated side to fit in when necessary, not all folks have this skill to do so. So don't hate the playa hate the game.

Answer 9

I also can't stand when white people act black in front of white people, then act white when black people around.

Answer 10

wtf...what kind of question & We're all suppose 2 act a certain way according 2 our race...?... seriously i don't kno about the what the dickens thing- but really stop with that..I hate it when ppl say that

Answer 11

okay, i have the same question as Hello, how do you act black, or white, or Mexican, or Indian. If your talking about acting like a civilized human being instead of a thug, i have to say i wouldn't restrict your question to just black. if you act like an idiot, I'll treat you like an idiot, whatever your color