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Once upon a time black male __ool_ was defined by the ways in which black men confronted hardships of life without allowing their spirits to be ravaged. They took the pain of it and used it alchemically to turn the pain into gold. That burning process required high heat. Black male cool was defined by the ability to withstand the heat and remain centered. It was defined by black male willingness to confront reality, to face the truth, and bear it not by adopting a false pose of cool while feeding on fantasy; not by black male denial or by assuming a __oor me_ victim identity. It was defined by individual black males daring to self-define rather than be defined by others.
bell hooks We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity
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Once upon a time black male __ool_ was defined by the ways in which black men confronted hardships of life without allowing their spirits to be ravaged. They took the pain of it and used it alchemically to turn the pain into gold. That burning process required high heat. Black male cool was defined by the ability to withstand the heat and remain centered. It was defined by black male willingness to confront reality, to face the truth, and bear it not by adopting a false pose of cool while feeding on fantasy; not by black male denial or by assuming a __oor me_ victim identity. It was defined by individual black males daring to self-define rather than be defined by others.
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bell hooks

We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity

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