Both New Wife and I had to deal with this kind of shit before in South Africa. Every time we insisted on punctuality, we were told to observe “Africa Time”, which makes “mañana” or “domani” look positively hidebound. Appointment times are simply guidelines, and meeting times wild approximations, but always, always on the late side. (I’ve always suggested that if these pricks really want to go onto Africa Time, then their salaries can be paid anytime their employer feels like it, ditto welfare payments, and visits to the ER at a hospital would involve a six- to eight-hour wait, regardless of emergency. Also, bus service would be sporadic, and stores can be opened and closed whenever the proprietors feel like it.)
Here’s what I’m talking about, in part:
The National African American History Museum suggests being on time, self-reliance, avoidance of conflict and intimacy, and rugged individualism are markers of “whiteness.”
So I guess that “non-whiteness (actually, Black)” markers would be: extreme tardiness, dependence on others (especially government), conflict-seeking and herd behavior. (I’m not going to touch “intimacy”, although I would suggest that judging from the unwed motherhood statistics among Blacks, they probably need to avoid it a lot more.)
Sorry, but I’m afraid all that’s not American, but African — and we are not Africa.
Of course, these Marxist fuckers want to turn us into Africa (and they already have, in places like Minneapolis), but that’s just not gonna happen.
All this nonsense is just so wrong, I can barely begin to refute it.
I can’t wait for November.
I had a professor in college who’d lock the door as the bell rang. If you were 5 seconds late, you didn’t get in class. Period. He often remarked “better never than late”.
As to that poster on whiteness, I’d like to order up a dozen of them, poster size, high quality, on stiff backing suitable for mounting. I’d put up one on my office door, one or two in my son’s room, another in the garage, and then hand out a few as gifts. If anyone asks, I’d tell them it is a handy and useful guide to being successful.
And as you said, if that’s whiteness, then is black culture the opposite? Anyone who said blacks are lazy, tardy, dependent, non-family oriented, non-rational, etc. and so forth would be shot, hung, locked up and socially tainted as irredeemably racist.
If I had gone into teaching, I would not be able to resist asking my black students if their brains were white, and if them using their brains to become rich was “acting white.” Doubtless with that attitude I would be in another line of work long before now.
One thing about that poster; the figure used for “Rugged individualism” is all black, holding a barbell. I, as a white person, never having been a black person, helpfully mention the racist nature of that image, as weightlifting is a common activity among prisoners, many of which are black.
If this word gets around, maybe the poster will be recalled. as insensitive and racist. Just saying.
In the Caribbean it’s called ” Island Time” . Same Players, same principal with the added benefit of small numbers of workforce so there is no alternative.
“…being on time, self-reliance, avoidance of conflict and intimacy, and rugged individualism are markers of “whiteness.”
They are all part of my European culture…
All cultures are equivalent.
Why are they not honoring my culture? Why do they expect me to change my culture to meet their norms?
I guess my obsessiveness about punctuality is the result of 22 years of being in a job where being late for work was literally a Federal offense.
Or for Law and Motion, Legal Malpractice.
Funny how punctual these people are when it comes to stopping work…
Quentin sed: “Funny how punctual these people are when it comes to…collecting stolen gov’t money.”
See also “Aloha” time for the Pacific region equivalent
I worked 20 years at a HBCU and “CPT” or “colored person’s time”, meaning 10-15 minutes late for everything, was a well known saying among all employees, black and white. And a well known practice among one group of them.
If you can’t be on time, be early!
Hmm…I was taught that unless you are very senior in grade, “on time” is late. Five minutes early is “on time”. If you ARE senior-grade, on time is “on time”…and it’s proper to wait until the exact second.
But forty years dealing with Naval Aviation has that sort of effect on a man.
There was a common belief in college, expressed when the professor was late, that the amount of time you were required to wait was dependent on the degree the professor had earned.
I’m always late getting to work so I make up for it by leaving early.
Very funny, but not generally a wp’s credo!
I got into the habit of leaving work 5 to 10 minutes early to beat traffic (that 10 minutes made a 30 minute difference in my commute). My boss got onto me about once. My reply?
I’m always at work 20 minutes early, if not earlier,
I sit at my desk and work through lunch, every day,
I’m always available to stay late if there’s any problems,
I’m always available to answer the phone for work issues, 24/7,
I’m always available to come out and cover the unit, days, nights, weekends,
I’ve worked 30+ days in a row – no break – 14 hr shifts, more than once,
I’ve even canceled vacation and come to work when things were bad.
Therefore I can work to the exact moment specified and deal with the longer commute every day, but I can also end all the above immediately. Your call.
After that, no comments about me leaving 10 minutes early. Sometimes all it takes is a little perspective.