"Back When Folks Knew They Ain’t Know Nothin"

"Back When Folks Knew They Ain’t Know Nothin"

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Yo, I just peeped this TikTok that had me cryin’ laughin’—like, real tears. It was this comedian talkin’ 'bout the good ol’ days, before the internet turned everybody into a fake professor with a Wi-Fi degree. Back when folks knew they ain’t know ish... and they was cool with it. Respectful even.

See, back then, there was two types of people: the ones who knew ish, and the ones who knew they ain’t know ish. And the second group? They stayed in their lane. If the convo was about politics, relationships, work, whatever—they’d sit back, shut up, and soak up game. They wasn’t out here tryna Google their way into a debate. They’d hit you with the classic, “I don’t really think about that ish,” and keep it pushin’. That was grown folk behavior. That was real.

But now? Man, the internet done flipped the whole script. You got folks who don’t know a damn thing out here tryna lead TED Talks off a 60-second clip they saw while scrollin’ on the toilet. They watch one chopped-up, biased video and suddenly they think they Malcolm X with a ring light. They out here quotin’ “sources” that sound like they came from a cereal box. And the wildest part? They loud with it. Ain’t no more “I don’t know.” It’s all “Let me tell you why you wrong,” based on a meme.

The internet gave everybody a mic, but forgot to hand out common sense. Now the ones who don’t know ish runnin’ the narrative. You see wild takes like, “Illegals gon’ steal Black votes once they citizens.” Like huh? Since when was “illegal” a race on the ballot? And the “they takin’ our jobs” crowd—bruh, who was takin’ them jobs before? You ever even talked to an undocumented worker? Heard their story? Nah, you just regurgitatin’ whatever your cousin posted on Facebook.

And don’t get me started on these online “gurus.” Relationship coaches who ain’t been in a healthy one since MySpace. Finance advisors who still owe their mama rent. Life coaches sellin’ $499 packages to teach you how to “manifest” a better life. Boy, if you don’t get outta here with that PowerPoint hustle.

I miss the days when folks who ain’t know ish just... didn’t talk. They listened. They learned. They didn’t try to sound smart—they tried to get smart. Now it’s all clout, all cap, all chaos. And yeah, I ain’t exempt. I be talkin outta turn too. But at least I know it. That’s the difference.

The internet a wild place, man. It got folks thinkin’ they woke when they really just sleepwalkin’ with a ring light. But hey, I’m just talkin outta. You feel me?