Not sure if its an age thing, someone on here has to know what I'm talking about. It could be on a bus, on road or in a club the setting doesn't (seem to) matter there'll be a breddah doing his thing minding his own business, you'll be minding yours but for some reason theres a conflict, a clash, as though an insult has been thrown around and you're both expecting the other to kick off.... The other type of incident I would separate from this one, tends to happen in a club or pub/bar in one of our areas where theres a tension if you haven't been there before, that I would put down to people feeling as though they have to be weary of others incase theres trouble but it can act as a trigger to the aforementioned situation, the random on road type which is what I'm talking about.

Its as though making eye contact is enough for two breddahs to clash, the last time it happened to me was this morning but the best example I can give happened on the underground not so long ago.

Was walking up the station toward this breddah who was minding his own business, thought I recognized him but didn't, guy was dressed slick so I was a bit ''jealous'' anyway, we clashed when he looked up and recognized my presence, last I heard complimenting someone on their dress sence was a good thing but there was a tension between us as I walked toward him now, had to look away but didn't want to incase the guy was the ignant type and thought that was a sign that he could cause me trouble, looked away anyway but of course I'm walking up the station to his right so now he has to front up as I walk past incase I start something or jump him when I walk past.

Would put it down to a streetish mentality but I've been away from that type of nonsence for a few years now and don't think I was wearing a hood or anything threatining, it dosen't seem to matter there are times when InI breddahs just clash for the sake of it as though theres some kind of battle for one anothers respect or something.

Trying to get my point across but I'm getting my wires crossed as I used to be the ignant type and am not sure if its me being weary of other breddahs or if its something others have noticed and experience themselves. Have been meaning to post a topic on this for a while but just read T.W's comment on it in another thread, ''You walk into a dance and each other brother is watching you like you're a potential enemy.''

Question is why do we feel intimidated by one another?

Man the only thing you had to do was say 'Whassup'

Simple fact is we all just want to be acknowledged. Plus staring at people before you get an indecent proposal from a guy LOL Tell them 'sup and move on.

.lol. Joker. Perhaps it was me in that case, guy had a cool jacket, I've been tied up at work recently and need a new one not like I was gonna rob him for it or anything.

That's the point he's getting at. If you live in London you know better. Try talking to somebody and watch the "why is she talking to me for?" attitude pop out. Even "why she smiling at me doh? chuuups"

I find all this rubbish stops when you reach about 25+. Well it did for me anyway.

Its a product of youth and of black youths taking on the stereotypes that exist about them.

Fear.

Whether it steems from insecurity or ignorance.

Question is will you lay down to the thoughts that circulate in society about your peers that causes you to have that mentality or will you, as Melissa is courageous enough to do, spearhead your own ideal of what you think the relations we have (even between two complete strangers) should be like.

I think it has to be stressed that there's way too many negative and destructive mentalities that young black people, more often unwillingly than not, adopt.

It's funny...sometimes you can just stand there and look at a group of kids and attribute features in their behaviour to particular things in society or from the media.

Its this country...most of you need to travel preferably to an majority black country to appreciate this...whenever i'm in africa i notice the youths still very much respect the elders its part of the culture over here its the reverse we being told to respect the youths!!but then the elders got to lead by example and some haven't....Still in Africa theres hardly the pre-ochestrated elements of fears between youths either you just have to look at the Nations Cup in Ghana...its only here and the US that i notice such 'fears' amongst the youths...Even in France talking about Paris i was taken aback how friendly young black folks were over there without me saying a word to them including the Arab Africans ....

@Bredder Tukoma
the older ones do it too which is even more inciteful because you think they should know better...at work on the streets.....could well have to do with preceptions we have of ourselves and most of it tends to be negative..

I do the same.

However don't 'nod' at youth as they automatically think you must know them.
Likewise any groups would assume the same.
Mature people of our community seem appreciate the 'acknowledgement'

People I'm with sometimes find this strange as they assume that I know the people personally.

see if you did that to me when i was single i'd think you fancied me and i'd approach. dont start what you can't finish. brothers in london are hungry and desperate lol.

@ Soul Machine

There is a method to my madness