Charlie Puth drags 'black boxes' posts, says it encourages white silence

[Reality 69,568]

5 minutes ago, Queen Bitch said:

Agreed. Black boxes on Instagram is really the lowest form of "activism". 

And it's not just dumb white people doing it

 

3 minutes ago, dollardays said:

He's right. The privileged were already silent and now they keep silent and uneducated with the mask of activism. 

 

3 minutes ago, Sneaky said:

What's wrong with what he wrote? Posting black pictures is an excuse to not have to actively post about BLM. They are bullsh*t and don't do anything good to anyone. Sign petitions and donate

Signing petitions, donating, protesting, etc. and posting a black square on social media are not mutually exclusive. Just because you do one doesn't mean you can't do the other.

[Reality 69,568]

1 minute ago, Bradley said:

Let's not do this.

Posting a black square on Instagram and donating, or signing a petition, or going to a protest are not mutually exclusive events. 

You can continually educate yourself while simultaneously still posting a black square to show your support and solidarity. There's no reason why people should not be okay with this. 

[Ceres 3,179]

Just don't use #BLM or #BlackLivesMatter ont he black square, we need those hashtags for news and info for protesting. The black squares is making it hard to find anything 

[Gracious Gaga 17,163]

16 minutes ago, Sneaky said:

PLEASE. 3/4 of the people that I follow on Instagram haven't said SH*T about what is happening, but today they suddenly ALL care, when they can jump on another Instagram trend

Better now than never, IMO.  This is the kind of trend we need.  

also it sounds like you follow some phony people then.  My feed on the other hand has day by day been consistent in showing support.  

[Harry 26,836]

Yeah it’s true that it can be used as a lazy performative thing for people to get likes or feel like they’re making a contribution in the easiest way possible, but I’ve also seen a lot of people use the blackout as an opportunity to share resources, petitions, information, education, donation links etc as well as the overarching element of awareness. For lack of a better phrase it’s not as black and white as this being a good/bad thing.

People will mobilise this in whatever way they see fit and imo it says more about individuals - those that choose to just post a hashtag and a black box for one day vs those that will promote the blackout/hashtag AND utilise it to engage in ways that are actually productive.

I feel like you can normally tell who is the former and who is the latter.

[Ricardo 7,668]

I understand what he's saying but boy it wasn't the day 

[Suuus 5,632]

39 minutes ago, AlexanderMagno said:

It's one perspective, and a good one. A "blackout" is basically a silent protest for those that don't dare to riot on the streets. He wants a more proactive approach, ok fine.

Not everyone can go riot on the streets because not everyone lives in America and some people might not have the money to donate so this is their way to show support 

[Guest]

I've decided to STAN

29 minutes ago, Cookie Tookie said:

But when Azealia Banks says that reducing black lives to a black square on social media is for attention and minimizes the actual movement, y’all crucify her

Because everyone is afraid of the black girl from new york who speaks her own damn mind. Azealia isn't a fvcking follower and she'll never be one. I've talked about this in a thread and if I could find what I said I would've shared it again 

29 minutes ago, Sneaky said:

PLEASE. 3/4 of the people that I follow on Instagram haven't said SH*T about what is happening, but today they suddenly ALL care, when they can jump on another Instagram trend

EXACTLY. I've been posting links for donations, reposting graphic videos of police brutality (because nobody pays attention to something not graphic), reposting so much SH!T for people to open their damn eyes, only to see the majority of my instagram stories doing a "tag ten people because black lives matter and if you dont you're a racist!!!1!"

Most of the kids whom I know that are doing sh!t like this have parents that my mom went to school with in 1993/1994. These parents are the same kids who thought it would be FVCKING HILARIOUS TO BURN A CROSS ON MY BLACK COUSINS FRONT LAWN. 

What I've learned from the past few days is that white people LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE to ignore the matters and issues going on and live in their own world of ignorance and post some black square. 

[TortureMeOnReplay 5,610]

38 minutes ago, M Monstre said:

I don't really understand this argument.

It's not like people haven't been spreading around information, signing petitions, donating, going to protests, etc.

This is literally the first time I've seen him talk about anything related to BLM. He shouldn't be talking. 

He's been posting all about it on Instagram. Mostly sharing resources on his story. But he shared a story with a link to a very comprehensive site that includes things such as educational material and causes. 

[Bradley 56,420]

35 minutes ago, M Monstre said:

Posting a black square on Instagram and donating, or signing a petition, or going to a protest are not mutually exclusive events. 

You can continually educate yourself while simultaneously still posting a black square to show your support and solidarity. There's no reason why people should not be okay with this. 

You have a point but I was talking about the fact that we shouldn't silence other people because they said something that might differ from our opinions. Charlie said it respectfully and we can always discuss on it without ever saying he should stop talking.

[NathanC 938]

I guess he never learned solidarity. White privilege is amazing!

[Pharamon 6,839]

Perhaps, but after posting mine for instance on my super dead instagram where barely anyone ever looks, Ive been surprised pleasantly to see people actually asking me what is the black square for? what does it mean and represents? There were people willing to be more informed. Of course, it wasnt anything grand, just a local way of spreading awareness, but still maybe that's how some might finally be led to do researches on the issue...

[JunoCassandra 16]

Instead of Posting black boxes everyone should be posting Voting Awareness there are Primaries in 12 U.S states happening today. its VERY important to Vote in the primaries so we can get better Mayors, better Police chiefs, Better Leaders in general in office who care about the People. the percentage of citizens that sit out during election time and don't Vote is staggering.

[Dramatica 13,311]

1 hour ago, Cookie Tookie said:

But when Azealia Banks says that reducing black lives to a black square on social media is for attention and minimizes the actual movement, y’all crucify her

Uhm no that's not why people are mad at her, she said it ruined her birthday that's why 

[HEARTSTOP 3,134]

Well, I believe you can do both. People have other things to worry in their own lives. If they take a little time just to spread a meaningful hashtag or message, that's great.

EDIT: With this I mean, if someone who didn't know the message gets to know the message just because of a black square, then it is working.

Not everyone has to state their opinions, specially if they're best described by a well-known action or movement. It's honestly the time for white people to LISTEN, and not try to make it about us with our recycled messages.