A Keeper Of A Quote

Michelle Singletary wrote a keeper of a quote that applies to more than just money:

I'll confess. For years, I thought I had to school my family and friends on how to better handle their money. I frequently offered unsolicited financial advice.

And guess what? To my surprise, people resented my "I know I'm better at money matters than you are" attitude.

They were right to be offended.

Trust me, people who don't handle their money well are quite aware of this fact.

What has worked for me is to stop offering unsolicited advice. Wait to be asked. Then once you are, people can't (or shouldn't) complain that they don't like what they hear because they are the ones who invited you into their business.

When I read those paragraphs, I thought of AA.

An alcoholic doesn't go to AA based on the pleadings of other individuals. Wait...
An alcoholic doesn't go to AA, AND SUCCEED, based on the pleadings of other individuals. Instead, then go because they have hit their bottom and at that point, they are ready to SEEK help.

The point is, they recognize they have a problem and are ready to address the problem.

Think about that in the context of individuals, who are Black, who demonstrate "socio-economic" patterns of behavior that are destructive or not productive in the long term.

Think about how "those" Black individuals are being addressed in the public square.