Trauma Sells
Over the years I’ve noticed an emphasis on certain buzzwords that are used by the masses as if they’re being spoon-fed to us. We get these second-hand being in Indiana, but the saturation begins quickly. It’s the over-usage that has a way of ruining and changing the original intent. For instance, if I hear ‘vibe’ used to describe something that is not in fact a vibe again — I’m going to lose it. Characterizing that light fixture in your crib as an emotional state is never going to work for me.
As we’re entering a much-needed space of greater inclusion and self-realization words like ‘privilege’ and ‘unpacking” receive daily near-daily acknowledgement. Another one of those words is ‘trauma’ and honestly I haven’t wrestled with it as much until recently. Understanding that for all the benefits of normalcy, their are still memories and experiences that have adverse effects. Its not a simple term, but it can best be described as “a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.”
I have the privilege of unpacking past trauma in a way most people don’t thanks to resources and the personal desire to figure things out like:
Why I think a certain way
Why my “intuition is there even when my vision’s impaired…”
Why certain situation just feel…off (Malcolm Gladwell talks about this in Blink)
A few years back I had a few friends over pregaming(as we often do/did). As we transitioned to the bars, we all hopped in cars to head out for the night. It’s one of those get-in-where-you-fit-in kind of things, so I hopped in the front seat with one of my guys and two of my friends hopped in the back. I notice his gun in the middle console and I remember making a note of it, but not thinking anything was out of line. I didn’t trip, we had a good night and we all went our separate ways. A few weeks later my friend (backseat) mentioned how uncomfortable his girlfriend (other friend) felt seeing the gun just sitting there. He’s one of the most genuine people I know, so I recognize it bothered him, mostly because it bothered her. I apologized for the situation, but looking back on it today I can totally understand both “sides.” If you’ve never seen a gun in a social setting before, I can see how that would be a triggering (no pun intended) experience. On the flip side, if you’ve ever felt unsafe and seen the unintended consequences of a lack of preparation — while the placement may have been off, I can justify it in my head. I couldn’t see it then, but I can clearly see how trauma involved my decision making not only back then, but now.
I’m not about that life by any means, but it’s close — As Big Sean once said:
Seen Courtrooms and courtsides, not too many seen both sides
For every moment of opulence, there’s a counter example of decadence. Its the double consciousness DuBois spoke about over 100 years ago. For every boat party, there are memories of the accepted, “If they play (insert song — most notably anything by Lil Jon) at best, someone is going to fight…at best.” Growing up we accepted what was rationally unacceptable.
As I look at the past year, the black experience has been elevated in ways that were:
1) Overdue
2) Unseen by so many
These stories need to be told as an example of the indirect influence of various segments of society.
“We sell trauma” as Vince Staples once said during an interview with Hot 97
We accept it.
We highlight it.
We emphasize it.
We make careers off it.
We internalize it and seldom, if ever, ask why?
Check out your streaming service of choice. I applaud the efforts of those staff members who stressed the importance of a black film/show section, but what do you see:
I’m currently looking at:
Time | The Kalief Browder Story
All powerful pieces that highlight black struggles, and while I also see Becoming and School Daze on this list, our experience on the big screen has been marred in the more nefarious aspects of society. As Vince said in his interview, “that’s why Atlanta was so important.” It wasn’t steeped in murder and systemic racism (def. some moments) it’s more so a coming-of-age masterpiece (in my opinion) that everyone of a certain age in a certain generation can understand. Along that same line of regular black folks reaching for goals…I remember watching Uncorked and thinking, this is just a regular dude, trying to do his thing — as a sommelier. Sex, money and murder sells — it always will, but our existence is far more nuanced than than those three topics. Juice is one of my favorite films of all time, and while the coming-of-age piece is seen throughout, its all predicated on violence. As crazy as it sounds, can we just be regular?
Words mean things and its past-time we unpack the trauma we’ve seen on screen and in our own lives.
